The Rebel Queen (Outlaw 1)

Chapter Fifteen

“Are we going to leave him in there?” Rhys watched the mirror that showed us the hallway between the door from Frelsi and the one that led to Reykjavík. It currently had one occupant—a very distressed future King of Faery who paced up and down the corridor and readjusted himself several times.

“I’m not about to let that asshole in.” I was unconcerned with my brother-in-law’s comfort. “Your papa should be back soon. He can deal with your uncle.”

Declan was Devinshea’s problem. I’d learned to leave him to Dev long ago.

Neil watched Declan pacing. “I think it’s funny. Hope he used the bathroom before he left Faery. How do you think he got here so fast?”

“The Unseelie sithein,” Lee replied. “It’s how they all get to this part of the world. The door to the Unseelie sithein is in the Scottish Highlands. From there he likely caught an eddy wind, since he can’t fly like Dad. I wonder how close they came to bumping into each other.”

I wished they had since then I wouldn’t be the one dealing with the brat prince.

Declan had followed us back to the bookstore, and I’d made the decision to trap him rather than leave him roaming around the city causing trouble.

“Zoey, could you hear me out? Could you at least listen to my side of the story?” Declan stood in front of the mirror that served as both monitor and communication device. I’d been assured it was one way when it came to the ability to see through, and Declan would only hear us if we allowed him to.

“I’m surprised he’s able to walk.” Lee saw the humor in the situation. Or my baby boy simply thought a guy getting kicked in the balls was funny. “Momma really got in there. I swear, Uncle Dec’s eyes nearly bulged off his face.”

“Well, I taught my darling girl how to put a man on his knees.” My dad had made an appearance. Shy stood off to the side, her lips curled up in a way that wasn’t natural to the pretty young woman’s face. It was the same smile my father wore when a job went off without a hitch.

Unfortunately, there had been plenty of hitches today.

“I’m just glad the snackums got through before we had to trap him.” Neil touched the boxes of food and supplies that had been waiting for us. Lee had done his job and we would have food even though I hadn’t gotten the clothes I needed. “I wonder what Albert’s making for dinner.”

A wolf always thinks with his gut. Always.

“He looks like your father.” Dean stood to the side. He’d been somewhat unsettled after running into the man he was supposed to kill.

But then Myrddin had been, too. He’d paid Lee little mind, but the sight of Dean had worried him. It was one more piece of information I needed to think about.

“They’re twins, though Papa is mortal and our uncle is fully Fae,” Rhys explained.

“So they’re like you and Lee?” Dean asked.

“Well, except now I’m going to become a creature of the night when I die.” Lee said it with a smirk. “An all-powerful vampire who lives on precious blood and protects those he loves.”

“If you talk like this after your turn, I’m going to stake you,” Rhys promised.

“Mom, Rhys is threatening to end my immortal life,” Lee said with a fake whine.

“Rhys, you can’t stake your brother.” I had to draw the line somewhere. “But I will teach you all the ways to irritate the hell out of him while he sleeps.”

“Your mom was so mean to your dad when he annoyed her. This was before he could daywalk, of course. He would be in that dead stupor and your mom had all the power then.” Neil smiled like he was remembering good times. “She would put show tunes on repeat and he couldn’t do anything but enjoy the ride.”

The smirk disappeared off Lee’s face. “That’s not fair.”

Rhys patted his brother’s shoulder. “Maybe not, but it’s going to be fun. I can think of lots of things to do during the day. Loudly.”

“Boys, be serious for a moment,” my father said. “Your mother needs to make a decision. Are you going to hold the bastard until Devinshea gets here, or should you kill him and no one needs to know?”

“I can’t kill him.” Even if I wanted to, and I kind of did. “I do have a few words to say though.”

I nodded Rhys’s way and he waved his hand over the bottom of the mirror. “He can hear you now.”

I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my brother-in-law. Twelve years hadn’t changed any single feature of Declan’s face, but there was something different about him, some worry that seemed to have aged the immortal faery. I wasn’t going to let that soften my heart toward him. “Did you or did you not refuse my son asylum when he needed it most?”