The Rebel Queen (Outlaw #1) - Lexi Blake Page 0,51
them behind.”
He took my hand and pulled me closer to where Zack lay.
He looked pale, and he’d lost so much weight. His brown hair was limp against his forehead. Zack took such pride in his clothes and took care with his appearance. He’d modeled himself after Devinshea, wearing slick suits and keeping up a meticulous grooming routine. He looked more wolfy than I’d ever seen him with a scraggly beard. I didn’t like it. The years had not been kind to this man who’d become family so long ago.
“Your High…Dan…it’s been so long. I thought you were gone,” Zack whispered.
Danny put a hand on Zack’s shoulder. “We got trapped and then something went wrong when we came back. We never meant to be gone so long.”
“He needs blood, Dan.” Lisa didn’t prevaricate. “You can explain later. Save him now.”
“Lisa…” Zack admonished.
Danny simply bit into his own wrist and started the flow. He put his wrist to Zack’s mouth. “She’s right, old friend. Take what you need. We’ll sort it all out later.”
As Zack began to heal, we all took a deep breath and realized what we’d managed to avoid.
* * * *
Two hours later, we sat at the big dining room table that also served as a conference room. Though because there were wolves involved there was also food. Lots of food. Albert had started cooking the minute he found out who our guests were. I happened to know he was planning yet another feast for this evening. Though the wolves would likely simply call it supper.
“How long has Zack been sick?” Daniel paced the floor. “How did you end up here? Why didn’t you go with the kids? Is Chad sick, too?”
Neil set down the turkey leg he’d been eating. I’d helped him settle everyone into various shelters around the base before we’d come back here for the debrief. I’d watched in a bit of shocked wonder as Neil had capably handled his small pack. They’d all looked to him or Lisa, who’d introduced me to my nephew Justin who was three years old and looked like his father.
“Which question should I answer first?” Neil asked. “Do you want a rundown of what happened when you disappeared or my analysis of why Zack has been in decline? Chad is good. He hasn’t had your blood in years, but he’s kept himself under control.”
That turkey leg was getting thin. I moved to serve him some of the enchiladas Albert had made. We’d asked for some privacy and I’d promised to pamper my dearest friend. “I think you should start with Zack. Danny’s feeling guilty.”
“And confused,” Danny admitted. “I know after you stopped taking my blood, you lost the strength it had given you, but it didn’t make you sick.”
“Of course it did,” Neil said softly. “You weren’t around to see how it affected me.”
When Daniel and Neil had broken off their working relationship, Neil had left us for over a year. He’d gone to the woods and kept mostly to wolf form. He’d been weak when we’d found him, but at the time we’d thought it was because he hadn’t been in human form for such a long time. “You didn’t need Danny’s blood to bring you back.”
Neil smiled my way. “No, I needed you and Sarah’s tough love and these enchiladas. Some things never change.” He looked back to Daniel. “I was sick in the beginning. I was very weak. That was why I stayed in wolf form for as long as I did. Over time, the sickness went away, and then it was loneliness that kept me from turning the way I should have. But I never got as bad as Zack has been. I don’t think Zack’s sickness is all about not having access to the king’s blood. I think it started years ago. When Myrddin took over the Council building, Zack fought. He fought hard.” Neil sighed. “How much do you know about that day? Am I about to be the bearer of really shitty news?”
“We know very little.” Dev sat next to where Daniel would sit had he not had so much nervous energy. “Last night was about getting the lay of the land. This evening we’re scheduled to have a full debrief on everything Sasha and the academics know about that day.”
“So I have to tell you because I don’t want Zack to have to do it.” Neil put his fork down, a sure sign that whatever he was going to say would be