Steal the Sun (Thieves #4)(66)

“Hence the hellacious ribbing Lee is going to get from his brother. It’ll be constant, Z. He won’t ever let up,” Neil said with the tiniest bit of malicious glee.

The Hunter frowned at all of us. “How is this conversation aiding us? Your Grace, I have no idea how you escaped, and I’m grateful you’re alive, but our problem still persists. I still need bait to lure the ogre out.”

Lee was suddenly on his feet. “What did you say? Are you telling me you dragged my charge into the woods to use her as bait for an ogre?” He was baring his teeth at the Hunter even as the black dogs started to growl.

“It doesn’t matter,” I injected to try to stop the inevitable fight. “I killed the ogre.”

Both heads turned and looked at me with complete disbelief.

“Well, I had some help.”

Neil smiled. “She didn’t need much.” He always had my back.

The Hunter invaded my space, searching my face for the truth. “You truly killed the ogre? You dealt the death blow?”

“Yep.” I wasn’t about to let him intimidate me. I’d had quite the night. I crossed my arms. “And by the way, is there a reason you’re naked in my presence, Hunter?” I asked, tossing his words back at him. “Are you trying to tempt me into fornication?”

He looked down, realizing he wasn’t dressed, and when he glanced back up, he was Herne once more.

“Coward,” Herne said to the god inside him. He smiled down at me before going in search of his pants. “Nice going, Zoey. The Hunter is now slightly afraid of you. It’s the greatest compliment he’s ever given a female. You made him run and hide.”

“Good to know. Now, if you’ll get dressed, I need to sneak back to the palace before anyone realizes I’m gone.” I looked at Lee, who seemed hopeful for the first time that evening. “Yes, I’m keeping silent because I don’t want the hubbies to know I was out for the evening.”

“Thank god for that,” Lee said before frowning Neil’s way. “Where the hell are your clothes?”

Neil shrugged. It was a question he often had to answer. I was satisfied that I’d managed to keep all of my clothes on for once.

It was the only great satisfaction I would get from the endeavor because thirty minutes later, as we approached the palace, I realized there was no way to sneak in.

The entire palace was lit up and the army seemed to have been called in. There were people everywhere.

Declan charged up on horseback, and even as we left the woods, he was calling the royal guard down on me.





Chapter Sixteen





“Hand her up,” Declan demanded as the royal guard separated me from my own guard.

Lee growled and started to shove his way through the bodies surrounding us.

“Lee, Neil, stay back.” I was sure Declan wouldn’t hurt me. The only thing that would come out of a fight would be one of my friends getting roughed up. I’d spent most of my night trying to protect the people I cared about, so I was willing to go with my brother-in-law.

“Zoey,” I heard a voice saying. Zack changed from his wolf form. He put his hands on his naked hips and frowned at all of us. At least I now knew how the guards had found me. “What the hell are you doing out here? Lee, where have you been? You should have been back hours ago. We were terrified.”

Whatever Lee said to his brother was lost as I was lifted up and placed in front of Declan on his big, black horse. I felt awkward as I wasn’t allowed to straddle the horse. I was more or less in Declan’s lap and completely dependent on his strength to not fall off. He wrapped his free arm around my waist and glanced down at my party. “You all have a lot to explain. You have been called to the palace where you will answer for this night’s idiocy. The queen and I will expect you in the throne room in one hour.”

With that forbidding declaration, he turned the horse around and started back toward the palace. The rest of the guard mounted and followed closely behind.

“It wasn’t their fault.” I hated that I felt the need to wrap my arms around his chest, but I wasn’t comfortable I wouldn’t slide off his lap. “I left with Herne and Neil came after me.”

“Then Neil should have kept his eyes on you.” Declan didn’t look down at me but stared at the palace. “He should know you well enough to know what you are capable of.”

“Why didn’t Daniel come after me?” If anyone was going to rush in to save the day, I expected it to be Danny.

Declan’s handsome face was coldly furious. “The vampire is currently up to his knees in dead bodies.”

“What?”

“Unfortunately, the dead bodies are moving so he must kill them again,” Declan said, his disgust plain. “The witch made several mistakes and we are being forced to clean them up. When the zombies rose, we all worried that this was the way my brother was to die. Would you like to know what his only concern was? He cared nothing about his own life but fought his way through herds of the walking dead to reach you and ensure your safety.”

I felt my heart clench. It was bad enough he knew I’d slipped out, but he’d probably been terrified.

“Is Devinshea all right?” I would never forgive myself if he was injured fighting his way to save his wife, who wasn’t even there.