Steal the Sun (52 page)

And then my nipples went hard. Warmth enveloped me like a hug and a… “Yep, it’s Bris. I think he just felt me up.”

“That’s him,” Danny and Dev said at the same time. I watched as their hands squeezed together. There was heat and longing between them. Daniel understood his sacrifice. He pulled Dev close, though they didn’t embrace. Still, there was no distance between them. They were so close, their heads together in peace, in stillness, in prayer.

“Thank you,” Daniel let his cheek rest against Dev’s. “Please let him know. Let him know we want him back. We need him.”

I reached out to them. “Bris, don’t leave us.”

It didn’t matter how long it took. We wanted him back. We needed him. He completed our little family.

A warm wind surrounded me again. It played on my skin. He was here. He would follow until he could join us again. He had no intention of leaving us.

“Help me.”

I turned and was startled to see the Hunter standing in the hallway. Sean was asleep on his shoulder, his little mouth wide open and drooling all over the ascended god. The Hunter looked at me pleadingly.

“I do not know what to do with it,” the Hunter said. “Its parents are still yelling at each other. They’re circling each other and questioning each other’s parentage. I tried to point out that both King Angus and Queen Miria were married at the time of their births but it didn’t help.”

I shook my head and took the child from him. Dev and Danny started up the stairs to get Daniel dressed. I sat back in the chair and let Sean sleep on as his parents proved they knew some dirty words.

“Don’t get comfy, boys,” I told the wolves. I still felt Bris close by. He gave me great comfort. “We have to head out ASAP. We need to get to the palace and stop Angus from meeting my mother-in-law.”

Lee put a hand on his belly. “I’ll skip lunch then. If we’re riding that wind again, I don’t want anything on my stomach.”

I sighed. If Lee was willing to give up lunch, I was in for one wild ride.

Chapter Thirty-Two

I held on to Daniel, my arms wrapped around him and not simply because of the way the eddy wind banged through the sky, tossing us all around. I held on to him because I could still see him lying there. The cloud moved violently, but Daniel’s hands were gentle as he twisted this way and that way to take the brunt of the other bodies hitting us as Dev made wild turns.

“This is the spot.” Dev had to scream over the winds and I could still barely hear him.

Daniel had no such trouble. He simply nodded and then kissed my forehead before stepping out of the mist that surrounded us and disappearing.

“You’re next, Zoey.” Dev gave me a little push. “Let Daniel catch you.”

I fell from the wind, the outer edges roaring past my ears like a hurricane. I sped ruthlessly toward the ground and scrambled to get into a good position to hit the dirt because the way Dev had pushed me, I was going to land flat on my ass. I kind of screamed as I hit free-fall speed, and then I landed on Daniel with a resounding thud. He didn’t catch me exactly but his body did stop my fall.

“He drives like crap,” Daniel said, turning over and forcing me upright.

“It wasn’t so bad.” The actual ride had been fine. It was the takeoff and the landing that could use some work. Dev had to first find one of the winds that whipped through the Unseelie
sithein
, and then he had to time it just right to call the wind to sweep the party up. Being pulled into the wind was like being an ant sucked up into a vacuum cleaner. It had made me nauseous, and I had held onto to Daniel for dear life, practically strangling him in the process.

“God, Z, it made me want to puke and I don’t do that anymore,” Danny admitted, getting off the ground. He looked up, watching for the next person to fall. “Careful, baby. I don’t want you to get hit.”

The outline of the wind was barely visible, so we couldn’t be sure just where the body would hit. Lee was kind enough to announce his position as he screamed when he fell. Lee hit the ground hard and came up growling.

“You could have caught me, Donovan,” Lee groused.

“Do you have any idea how heavy you are, man?” Daniel shot back. “Besides, I thought you were all lone wolfie. You don’t need anyone. Have your master there catch you.”

I held my arms out with a welcoming smile. Lee grumbled as he rolled his eyes, but I saw his grin.

“That one is mine,” Daniel said seriously as he caught Zack, who was scrambling even as he fell through the air. Zack was on his feet, smoothing out his clothes before Lee managed to catch his breath.

“I don’t see what the problem is.” Zack was completely unruffled by the experience. His attention was on the sky above as Neil came through and Zack caught him easily. “I think it’s kind of fun.”

Neil didn’t look like he thought it was fun. My bestie was a little on the green side.

Declan landed on his feet and then caught Chima and Sean, who laughed the entire way down. Declan tried to hold her, but Chima insisted they be put down.

Declan looked at his son approvingly even as the rest of our party descended. “The boy is unaffected by his uncle’s poor driving. He has a strong stomach. He will be a great warrior.”

“What if he doesn’t want to be a warrior?” Chima replied tartly even as Sean was trying to play with his father’s bow.

“What else will he be, Chima? Are you planning to send the boy to butcher’s school? Perhaps he will be a gardener?” Declan asked sarcastically. “He will be king one day. He could be king of both the Seelie and Unseelie. He will be a great warrior.”

Dev hit the ground on his feet, his form perfect, and there was a smile on his face as he found me and Daniel. “It’s good to see you survived the experience, you two.”

“I landed on my ass, Dev,” Daniel complained.

“I landed on Daniel’s ass, too.” I gave my faery prince an encouraging hug. Though it had only been a couple of days, it felt like forever since we’d been together.

“It’s quiet.” Nim glanced around the seemingly empty courtyard.

There was a silence about the place that I found disconcerting. The palace should be bustling with activity. There should have been soldiers and guards, but the entire place looked deserted.

“Too quiet.” Chima managed to stop arguing with Declan long enough to look around the palace grounds.

I took my first glimpse at the Unseelie stronghold. King Angus’s home stood roughly half a mile from us. Unlike the marble white of the Seelie palace, this one was done in dark stones. Dominating the landscape, it looked entirely medieval and highly fortified. It also looked deserted.

“Where is Grandpa?” Sean asked.

“I don’t know.” Chima shook her head, staying close to her son.

“The traitor said the war was about to begin,” the Hunter noted. “Perhaps the king has joined his army on the battlefield.”

Dev stared at the palace as though trying to see if anyone was there. “But Mother intended to talk to Angus first. They should have met at either our palace or here. Even if they chose a neutral location, the entire population of the Unseelie palace wouldn’t be gone.”

Lee held a hand up, getting everyone’s attention. “We’re not alone.”

“Lee’s right,” Zack concurred. “There are people here. They’re hiding.”

Chima stepped forward. She held Sean on her hip. “Hello? Is anyone here? It’s Princess Chima. I’m looking for my father. Please show yourself.”

Declan tried to pull her back. “Chima, you cannot leave yourself open like this. Get behind me.”

“These are my people, Declan,” Chima said. “Why would they hurt me?”

I heard Declan’s snort. “My lovely naïve wife…”

Chima shook her head. “Don’t you call me that.”

“It’s what you are,” Declan shot back. “And one of your people just tried to kill our son.”

“With the help of your mighty duke,” Chima replied.

“Yes.” I was willing to look at the positive side of things. “See, the Seelie and the Unseelie can work together.”

Dev laughed but Declan huffed. “I am merely pointing out that we are not so different. Both of our palaces are filled with traitors trying to kill us all. It is a piece of common ground that we can build on. That and my and Chima’s undeniable sexual chemistry.”

“We don’t have any sexual chemistry, you idiot,” Chima snarled at him.

Declan’s green eyes narrowed. “We certainly had good chemistry when I fucked you in the yard during our argument.”

Chima’s lovely pale skin took on a distinct red tone. “I can’t believe you just announced that.”

The prince waved off her embarrassment. “It is faster that way. I was going to tell my brother, who would certainly tell the vampire and Zoey, who would immediately tell the gossipy blond wolf, who would tell Zack, who would mention it to the irritable wolf, who wouldn’t care. See, they would all have known anyway.”

“You didn’t have to announce it in front of our son,” Chima said.

“The boy should know his parents are passionate.” Declan disregarded her concerns. “He should know they can’t keep their hands off each other.”

“You managed for years,” Nim pointed out.

“Not because I did not want Chima.” Declan’s voice softened. “I stayed away because our relationship was not workable. But you should know, my lover, that every woman I have fucked since we broke up I have pretended was you.”

“And that is an enormous amount of women, Chima,” Dev offered magnanimously. “Really, it proves his devotion.”

“Yes, I can see that.” Chima turned to Lee. “Could you point me to where these people are hiding?”

Lee didn’t need to because a brownie was rushing across the yard as fast as her small legs would carry her. “Your Highness!”

Recognition lit Chima’s face. “Bridgit, thank the goddess. What’s happening? Where is my father? Where is the court?”

Bridgit’s small, flat face looked confused as she stared at us. “Princess, isn’t that the Seelie prince?”

“Yes,” Chima said impatiently. “It’s Prince Declan and his brother and his brother’s family. Now where is my father?”

Large brown eyes widened. “Miria called off all negotiations when she heard the news that her sons had been killed by our warriors. The battle has already begun. Miria has promised to kill all of us.”

“Why does Mother think we are dead?” Declan asked. “She knew we were going to look for Zoey and Daniel. I explained to her that I had to go with my brother.”

Daniel crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m sure the Duke of Ain saw it as a great opportunity to press his case. He controls the information that flows from gate to gate. Why wouldn’t he lie about your death? Con was going to try to make it the truth.”

Chima passed Sean to the brownie. “Please take Sean to our rooms.”

Declan snapped his fingers and five guards appeared, twisting reality around them. I always wondered if they just sat in some magical waiting room. Declan looked at the warriors. “You will protect my son with your life. You will not pick a fight. You will remain silent unless absolutely necessary. Can the brownie be trusted?”

Chima nodded emphatically. “She raised me, Declan. Sean is like her grandchild.”

Declan nodded. “You will follow the brownie’s orders in everything. Consider her your temporary mistress.”

One of the guards opened his mouth in obvious protest.

Declan stared him down. “He is my son. He will one day be your king. If you will not do my bidding in this then consider yourselves enemies of the state. I will consider your disobedience to be treason.”

The guards bowed their head in acquiescence. They surrounded the brownie and her charge.

“He’s serious,” Chima assured the servant. “They’ll follow your orders and keep you and Sean safe until we return.”

The brownie nodded and her arms formed a protective circle around the boy. After saying good-bye one last time, the brownie started into the palace and the Seelie guards followed.

Chima turned to Declan. Her blue eyes were serious as she regarded him. “Thank you, Declan.”

“I should have sent you with them, Chima.” Declan watched the guard like he wanted to call them back. “I should have ordered them to keep you safe and not let you out of their sight, but I am trying. My brother’s wife seems to find it irritating when her husbands try to keep her safe.”

“Then I will have to thank Zoey for training you well,” Chima said with a small smile. “But for the record, Declan, we’re not married.”

“We certainly are,” Declan insisted, taking her hand. “And I shall call your father out for keeping my wife and son from me.”

“You certainly will not!” Chima yelled.

Lee groaned and looked at Dev. “I’m ready to go in that damn wind again because that awful sound will drown the two of them out.”

Lee didn’t need to ask. Dev was already looking to the sky and taking my hand. In the blink of an eye we were riding the wind to the Unseelie gate and the battlefield.

* * * *

Our landing was smoother this time. Daniel managed to stay on his feet and he caught me in a neat motion. As the rest of the party made it to our destination, we were immediately faced with a problem. The gate to the plains was closed and heavily guarded.