I looked to Danny, who stood under the shade of a tree and was already looking battle-ready again. He glanced down at the corpse of his former enemy, and his face was lit with triumph. He strangely didn’t look at the artifact in my hands, but rather directly at me. His voice was oddly casual for so important a moment. “It would be helpful, Z. No one would threaten us ever again if we had this army at our backs.”
“That belongs to me,” McKenzie yelled as he crossed quickly toward where I stood. Everything that was alpha in him wanted that paw. I lifted the gun with one hand and he stopped. “I am the alpha. It should go to me. They’re my wolves, and I’ll decide their fate.”
Padric and Declan restrained the alpha. Declan had a silver knife at his throat. He struggled, but the threat kept him from breaking free.
“Danny,” I started because I needed a little guidance and Daniel seemed like the only one not under the artifact’s sway. It was playing to my wants and needs, too. Now it was trying a different tactic with me. It whispered that I could keep the wolves safe. If I kept the paw, I could take care of them all. I needed someone to pull me out. “Would you use it?”
His blue eyes caught mine and he smiled. “You know I would, Z. I would use it and I can’t promise you I would always use it for good. I’ll take it if you give it to me. If you don’t then we’ll find another way. This is your call, baby. Follow your heart. Do what Dev and I can’t do.”
Dev’s face fell but he walked over to join Daniel. “It’s all right, Zoey. Do what you think is best.”
This little object in my hand could save us so much trouble down the line. We needed the wolves and here they were, in my grasp and ripe for the taking. If I gave it to Danny, no wolf would ever deny he was their king. Daniel’s crown would be set and taking the Council down would be a silly little afterthought.
And all these wolves would be mindless slaves. I looked across the crowd and saw Lee watching me silently. He was sick standing so close to it but his eyes implored me. Do the right thing.
What did power or even safety mean if we lost sight of everything we fought for?
The voice still whispered to me, but I consigned it to the background, unwilling to listen any longer. I found a small fire that was still burning in front of one of the tents. Neil and I walked over to it and he picked up a can of lighter fluid. He grinned at me as I tossed that ancient artifact on the fire. He poured the propellant on it and I swear the thing howled as it was consumed.
The wolves came completely out of their daze now. Some changed and walked around, finding loved ones. Some ran, trying to make sense of what had happened to them. A small group circled Halfer’s corpse. The largest of the wolves grabbed the corpse’s leg and pulled it into the woods. I could hear the wolves howl as they took apart the man who had made them slaves.
I ran to my husbands. I threw myself into Danny’s arms and they closed around me.
“You did the right thing, Z,” he whispered.
“Right is not always expedient,” Dev pointed out but kissed me anyway. He frowned at Daniel. “You’re going to have to dig this bullet out of my arm. The skin has healed around it and my poor faery body doesn’t spit out foreign objects the way yours does.”
Daniel laughed and there was a little revenge in his eyes. “Well, now, I seem to remember an incident with some arrows a couple of weeks back. What did you say? Oh, yes, you told me to stop my whining as you carved them from my body. I would be delighted to help you with your current problem.”
“I will do more than whine,” Dev promised. He would. He hated pain. He would whine and pout and beg me to distract him. He would probably have some creative ways for me to take his mind off the agony. I remembered something from earlier and turned to Daniel about my snoring. It had gotten lost in all the blood and fighting, but it was something we needed to clear up.
“Water buffalo?” I asked, every bit of offended femininity in my accusation.
Daniel glared at Dev. “You bastard. You told.”
Dev shrugged. “That’s for ruining my wedding.”
John McKenzie made his way toward us and I braced myself, waiting for his vitriol. He’d wanted that power, too. He stared at me for a moment as he held a woman in his arms. His mate, I guessed. She was shivering and wearing only her husband’s shirt.
“You destroyed it,” he said, disbelief in his voice.
“Yes.” Had he believed I would keep it?
McKenzie’s brown eyes searched mine. “Why? You would have had everything you wanted. These wolves would have done your bidding without question, without a fight. Why would you throw it all away?”
“I don’t want to win that way. We can’t win that way,” I explained as I amended my statement, bringing my husbands in. “It wouldn’t be a win at all, John. It would just be exchanging one bad guy for another. We’re not the Council. Daniel won’t grind you under his boot. When he says he wants a fair system, he means it. No one should have that much power. Not you, not Daniel, and certainly not me.”
Lee pushed past McKenzie, his focus on one thing. He moved to me and when I thought he was going to hug me or something, he fell to his knees. I leaned down, worried he was still sick, but his eyes were on Daniel now.
“I told you when I found someone I believed in, I would make my oath,” Lee stated, his voice strong. His face was passionate and I knew he was filled with emotion and ready to pledge himself to the cause. I was going to miss having him to myself. “I’m ready now.”
I looked at Daniel, prepared for him to start the small ritual that would make Lee his servant. He stared back.
“He isn’t talking about me, Z.” Danny stepped forward and popped out his claws. He held my arm in his hand gently. “It’ll only hurt for a second.”
I shook my head, not quite understanding. “My blood doesn’t do anything. It doesn’t mean anything.”
“It does to him,” Daniel said quietly.
“I will follow you, Your Highness. I will be your faithful guard,” Lee promised. “Your fight is my fight. Your fate is my fate. And your blood is my bond.”
I nodded, not quite able to stop my eyes from welling with tears. Daniel drew his claw across my arm, drawing a thin line of blood. Lee took my arm in his hands and lowered his head to take the blood that was only a formality. It wouldn’t hold him to me. His own strong heart and loyalty would do that. Just before his mouth fastened on the small cut, his eyes stared up at me and my Lee was back.
“This doesn’t mean you can pet me,” he growled and took the blood that made him my wolf.
I laughed and promised to keep my hands off of him.
“You have your army, Donovan.” McKenzie held his hand out to shake Daniel’s and make the deal. “When you’re ready, we’ll fight. When you take your crown, we’ll be at the table to help you form this new government of yours.”
Lee moved to my side, and Daniel shook the alpha’s hand. I saw something in him release as those wolves started to look at him with respect.
“Can we go home now?” Neil asked with a tired smile.
I reached out and grabbed his hand. “Yes. It’s time to go home.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
“She looks perfect, Declan.” Dev slapped his brother’s hands away from my dress.
“Well, she had better,” Declan replied, looking uncertain. “Everyone is waiting to see her. All of Faery is waiting for your return.”
We stood in front of what my Fae husband assured me was the opening to his sithein. We were in Hill Country, deep in the rolling barrens of Texas. It wasn’t the place one would expect to find an entrance to a magical plane.