The Rebel Queen (Outlaw #1) - Lexi Blake Page 0,91

hidden a Sarah J. Maas book behind the text he’d given me.

But luckily I knew this one. “She’s talking about a faery creature. It’s a pretty white pig that’s oddly enough actually a hedgehog. But when the hedgehog takes on the form of a white pig, it brings luck and fortune to the one who sees it. Are you telling me my son went against the orders of his commander because he saw a cute little piggy?”

The largest troll nodded. “Aye, a wise one is our Rhys. Good day, Your Grace.”

Declan watched them stride away. “They did not even wish me well.”

“I don’t either.” I stood because it looked like I wasn’t going to eat breakfast at all.

Declan put on his pouty, woe-is-me face. “Zoey, please. I know you cannot forgive me, but I need to talk to you.”

I no longer fell for anything my brother-in-law tried. My anger with him was tied to the fact that we’d gotten to a good place before Danny, Dev, and I had gone missing. He’d spent time at the Council building. He’d allowed his son, Sean, to be a part of our family. I thought we were good, and I’d been incredibly wrong. “Whatever you have to say, you can say to Dev. I’m not involved in any kind of political moves you want to make. And don’t expect him to come to Faery anytime soon.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. He will relent on that because he knows how much we’re hurting,” Declan insisted. “Devinshea never shirks his duties, and he will eventually get Rhys to see reason as well. But that is not what I want to talk to you about. I want to talk about how to fix this. You are the only one who will see this cannot be allowed to stand.”

“What?” I asked. “I assure you I’m more than happy to support my son’s decision concerning the Fae who tried to force him to do their will.”

“That was the Unseelie,” Declan argued. “One of the reasons Mother is in trouble is the fact that she wouldn’t force Rhys to perform his duties. She is heartsick over the entire thing but you will not see it because despite the fact you have a crown, you have never sacrificed for it.”

“Never sacrificed?” I’d pretty much died for that fucking crown. I sacrificed for it every single day, and I’d never truly wanted it in the first place.

A hard look came into Declan’s eyes. “Not in the way we have. You’ve never been forced to choose between the crown and your children.”

“I can promise you my crown would lose that battle.”

Declan nodded as though I’d proved his point. “And that is why you are not a true queen. Damn it, Zoey. I did not come here to fight with you. I came here to ask what you are going to do about this situation. You have to fix it. Daniel and Devinshea would never take the chance, but you will. You will do anything to set this place right.”

I sat again, shoving the anger to the back of my mind because he was saying something I was interested in. I’d shut down talking to Danny and Dev about my plans since I didn’t really have any at this point. “What are you talking about?”

He glanced around as though making sure we were alone. “I am talking about finding a way out of this mess. You were taken out of time by something magical. There must be a way to fix it.”

He was thinking along the same lines I was. The balance had been shifted by magical means, and that almost always meant it could be shifted back the same way.

Of course, there would be a price, but I was willing to pay it.

“The painting won’t work. I’ve already thought about trying to go back through it, but I’ve been assured it no longer functions. Know any time traveling spells?”

“I don’t know of spells, but I have researched some tricks we might incorporate,” Declan allowed. “I’ve been looking for a way to get you back since the moment I realized what the wizard was doing.”

“Why didn’t you use that hidden guard of yours to protect your brother’s kingdom?” That bothered me, too. We’d had powerful allies, and they seemed to have all failed.

“It happened very quickly, and the wizard was prepared.” Declan’s eyes trailed away. “He’s far more formidable than I imagined. I thought he was a friend. Devinshea told me he was someone