“But she said—” Turner got in before he continued.
Devin shook his head. “She thought she could, but it’s not possible. I’m bonded to her. Second is, while I am still a day human, I’m part of the sidhe now,” Devin replied. He didn’t know how to explain it without a play-by-play account of his time since he’d gotten there. Turner would eventually get it out of Devin, but there were more pressing matters. “I can’t just leave them. Being bonded to Nessa kind of made me a sidhe prince.”
Turner stared at Devin, taking in his serious face, and broke out in laughter. Devin allowed him to get it out of his system. However, when Turner realized Devin wasn’t laughing, his merriment stopped and he looked up at Devin.
“You’re serious?” Turner asked in shock, not knowing what else to say. The best friend that had left Turner only days ago, talked about coming back in less than a week. This Devin talked about never coming back.
“Dead serious,” Devin replied. He didn’t want to leave his friends and family. However, since he was not needed around Arianna anymore, he had already been planning on leaving for a while. Initially, Nessa had been a good excuse to leave, and now she was a great one to stay away.
Turner’s face fell. That was not what he was expecting to hear. The lycan was shocked into silence. As soft as the wind through the trees, Devin could hear Lindsey laughing. It wasn’t funny either way. It was just the truth, and he couldn’t expect Turner to understand completely … he had never been bonded to someone before.
“You’re never coming back?” Turner asked, hurt lacing his voice. “You’re just giving Arianna up?”
“I can come and visit, but I must live here now,” Devin replied. He’d never let his intentions of leaving be known to everyone before. “And Arianna made her choice. She has Andrew now. She doesn’t need me.”
“You’re really going to do this? You want to stay here?” Turner asked, looking around the empty glen.
Devin shrugged. “It isn’t really a choice now. I love Nessa.” Devin was shocked that he’d actually admitted that much. He hated how Turner could get things like that out of him.
Shaking his head, Turner smiled at him. That statement was enough to convince him that Devin needed to stay. Turner understood love. “Then I guess you stay. Why’d you call me here? It isn’t like you need my approval.”
“No. I need the bloodhound in you, actually,” Devin replied with a shrug.
Turner shook his head; he hated being called a dog. “I’m not a bloodhound, or a pet for hire.” Turner walked a few steps away from Devin and quickly turned to attack. However, a large, green-tinged hand was in Devin’s place and held tight to Turner’s much smaller hand. “What the …”
“Oh, I forgot to mention. This here is Lindsey. He’s a bit protective over the sidhe, and since I am one now, I guess he’s protective of me as well,” Devin explained. He didn’t actually expect Lindsey to defend him, but it was nice to know that the giant considered Devin part of the village, even if he was still a day human. “I suppose you should let him go. He always tries to get the best of me. He hasn’t won yet, and we kind of need his help.”
Lindsey let go, but did not move. He stood defensively between Devin and Turner. The sidhe wasn’t going to take any chances. The large, green giant sized up the smaller lycan. It would be a great fight to watch. He almost didn’t want to interrupt.
“Must I test him to see if he’s worthy to enter?” Lindsey asked Devin.
“Can I test him?” Devin suggested. It would be fun to watch, but just as much fun to test all of his new sidhe skills. There was no one in the village or palace that would even think of sparing with Devin. This was too good of a chance to pass up.
Lindsey bowed his head. “As you wish, Day Human Prince.”
“Prince? Really?” Turner replied, mocking Devin.
Devin shrugged. He was getting used to the title and the way everyone treated him. He’d prefer to be a regular person, but it was nothing he could change. Nessa was the princess, and she was his.
“So what is this test?” Turner asked. “I didn’t have time to study.”
“You never study,” Devin replied. Turner was one of the biggest slackers when it came to school that Devin had ever met. In fact, Devin was surprised he had graduated from high school. Turner grinned and didn’t deny the assessment. “Besides, this is more of a physical test.”
“You mean we get to spar?” Turner asked, his eyes lighting up with surprise, happy for the chance.
“Oh yes, spar. But let me tell you—” Devin began, but was interrupted as Turner moved to strike him. Devin blocked the blow easily and moved back to continue talking. “Things aren’t the same now. I’ve had a bit of a change in my life. I’m way too far out of your league.”
“We’ll see about that,” Turner replied. “You’re not the only one who has been practicing.”
“Yeah. Practicing isn’t exactly what I’ve been doing,” Devin replied, letting the sidhe magic flow in his veins. The double swords appeared on his back. “More like getting an upgrade.”
Turner’s eyes popped open at the sight of the swords. Sidhe magic filled the glen. Devin was ready to test out his new powers. Turner didn’t have a quick comeback this time; it was obvious that Devin was now out of his league. Devin grinned at his oldest friend. He’d play nice, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to have some fun beating on Turner.
CHAPTER 8
Turner rubbed his jaw as they walked over the bridge into the sidhe village. Devin had been nice and only hurt him as much as he could instantly heal. Night humans were always fun to spar against for that reason alone. Turner hadn’t even seen most of the moves as they came. The power between the two friends was once almost equal, but now they were too far apart; Devin was in a class of his own. Turner rubbed his face again. The jaw would feel fine in a few minutes.
“You really meant that stuff about being a sidhe now,” Turner said as they entered the first street. He was coming to terms with what Devin had told him.
“Oh, yes. The old king put all of his powers in me without actually changing me into a sidhe. I get all of the powers, but don’t have to drink blood to support them,” Devin replied, nodding to Old Man Winters as they passed. The old man nodded back as he walked beside his horse, which was pulling the cart. “Night human abilities with a day human life… guess it’s the best of both worlds.” Devin hadn’t thought hard about it, but that was the best description.
All around them sidhe were busy with their day ending, and Devin was walking a new night human through the reclusive town. Faces turned to them as they passed, and many stopped what they were doing to study them. No one said anything, but they did watch. The sidhe didn’t have many visitors, and probably none that were walking together. A day human and a lycan walking together through the sidhe village was probably a first for these people.
“Why do I feel like I’m on display?” Turner whispered. He had noticed the visible attention.
“Because we are,” Devin replied. “They don’t get out much around here. Can’t you tell? You instantly became the most interesting man in the village. Too bad they don’t marry outside of the sidhe. You’d be the most eligible bachelor, with hundreds of options.”
Turner puffed out his chest a bit more as they walked. He might have said he didn’t like to be on display, but Devin knew otherwise. Turner liked any sort of attention—good or bad. Devin was just boosting his ego when he explained it to him, and he knew the affect it would have. He preferred his friend to have confidence in this situation, and it would make his life easier back at the palace if Turner was confident.
Devin made his way through town, and it was an easy, direct walk to the palace. Everyone moved out of their way as they encountered the sidhe. The female sidhe seemed especially interested in the strange night human. It wasn’t like they had much of a selection in the city when they were forced to stay within their families. Devin made it to the palace garden walls and began to lead
the way around to the one entrance he could go in undetected. Finally, at the right one, they entered.
“What? You’re too good to use the other entrances? Is this the life of a prince? You get your own doorway?” Turner asked, noticing their walk past the others.
“You should know,” Devin replied. Turner’s father was a ruler of another night human town. While Turner was second in line to his father, behind his older brother, he did live a life of privilege way beyond what Devin ever had.
Devin led the way into the palace, to where he was sure Nessa would be anxiously waiting. She had to have known by now who Devin invited, but she was silent across the bond.
“Is everything like this?” Turner asked as he stopped. Devin turned back around.
“Like what?” Devin asked in return. He didn’t know what Turner was talking about.
“This,” Turner said as he kicked the dirt ground. It was well-tread and patted down solidly, but it was still a dirt path inside of the palace.
Devin smiled and nodded. It had seemed strange to him also when he’d first arrived, but now he didn’t even notice. The natural world around him was just that now: the world around him.
“Yes, hence the reason I needed Mori’s help. Do you think they have any real scientific equipment around here?” Devin replied, and Turner nodded in agreement. Devin opened the door to Nessa’s room.
Devin walked in, surprised to find Nessa not in the main room. He looked to the side and the open doorway to discover the cause: Ronan was finally awake. Devin went straight to where Nessa was sitting on one side of Ronan, and Gemma on the other side of her brother. Turner stayed in the doorway.
“Hey, Devin,” Ronan called to him as Devin entered. “Thanks for the save.”
Devin shook his head. Ronan seemed completely healed from the poison and back to good spirits. He was talking like Devin just made a play in a game, not that his life was in the balance or anything.
“Sorry about the toes,” Devin replied. He was truly sorry he couldn’t get the poison completely out of him. Ronan was a good guy, and Devin felt like he had maimed the young man, even if it was just a few toes to save his life. “It was take the toes, or let the poison take you. I really didn’t want to have to do that, but your father assured me that the poison wouldn’t come out no matter what I tried.”
“Ahh, I was thinking just the other day that I could do without a few toes. I don’t need to count to twenty, anyway. Besides, it makes me more mysterious,” Ronan joked. Nessa hit his shoulder as he laughed.
“You are supposed to be resting,” she complained. Gemma nodded, her face laced with concern.
“I have been resting. What do you call sleeping all day?” Ronan replied, nudging Nessa to make her fall off the bed.
Nessa stood up and dusted herself off, finally looking at Devin in the process. Her stare quickly turned to Turner in the doorway. She hadn’t noticed who Devin had brought into the village after all. Devin was thankful that Ronan recovered and could be such a good distraction.
“I take it this is the help you called in?” Nessa asked.
Gemma and Ronan also looked past Devin now. Gemma blushed and glanced back at her brother. Devin was sure he was the first non-sidhe she had met, and now Turner was the second.
“Brought friends to play? I’m passed out for just a day and you have to replace me,” Ronan said, pretending to be hurt.
Devin shook his head, glad that Ronan was obviously going to be completely fine.
“This is Turner,” Devin introduced him for Gemma and Ronan. “He’s a lycan, and I figured would be my best help in finding the assassins.”
“Any help is appreciated,” Ronan replied, still in good spirits. “I only have eight toes left, so I can’t get hit too many more times. It probably would be better to get someone with more toes.” This time Gemma hit her brother. Ronan only laughed.
“Glad to see you’re fine,” Devin told Ronan before turning to leave with Turner.
Nessa follow Devin into the living room.
“Are you leaving again?” she asked.
Devin hated to worry her, but he needed to find out who the assassins were. He was sure they weren’t done, and when they came back, Nessa would probably be at the top of the hit list. He turned to her and took her hands in his own.
“I promise to be safe,” Devin replied. “And I’m sorry to say it again, but I just need you to stay here safe as well. No matter what Ronan says, keep him here, too. You three are the last left in your family. You could all be targets.”
Nessa nodded. She could tell, even without the bond, that he was filled with concern to the point that she couldn’t argue.
When Devin opened the door to the apartment, Turner stepped outside. However, Nessa didn’t let go of Devin’s other hand; she dragged him back to her.
“You stay safe, also,” she replied, pulling him down for a brief kiss.
As he moved back, Devin smiled, and thought that he could get used to the worried Nessa. Worried Nessa was actually a bit easier to deal with. She smiled as his thought crossed the bond even though he hadn’t meant for it to.
“Both of you be safe,” Nessa said, looking to Turner. “Welcome to my messed up home, by the way.”
“Messed up?” Turner asked. “They seem like a loving bunch, all willing to kill each other off. What’s family if there isn’t any drama?” Turner winked at Nessa, and she nodded in reply. Drama was what the sidhe were all about. “Don’t worry about your lover here.” Devin smacked Turner on the back as he talked to Nessa because things weren’t like that yet. “I’ll keep him safe.”
Nessa shut the door behind them, and Devin didn’t look back. He didn’t need to since he could feel everything that Nessa was feeling. She really was worried. He thought it was silly, and if she saw how the sidhe completely ignored him she would stop. No one cared what, or where, the day human went. It gave him a sense of incognito at times, especially within the palace walls. The elite were particularly good at ignoring him, or even, for that matter, avoiding him. He wasn’t worried about the assassin attacking him; he was petrified because the attack had been made on the last of the McKinny ruling family. Nessa was going to be queen soon, but Ronan was second to her, and Gemma was probably third. Someone was trying their best to change the ruling structure of the sidhe, and Devin only knew one person that desperate. Nessa, Ronan, and Gemma would be fine if they stayed in Nessa’s room, and Devin sure hoped they would. His barrier would keep Nessa in because they were connected, but he was unsure if it would keep the others in.
“How long have the assassinations being going on?” Turner asked, following Devin through the hallways.
“Before we arrived, but I took care of the first ones,” Devin replied.
“First ones?”
“Yeah. It started out with just attempts on Nessa. It seems not everyone wants her to be queen. Yesterday it moved on to attempts on everyone,” Devin added. “What better way to stop a coronation than to make everyone afraid to come?”
“Guests are backing out?” Turner asked.
“No, not yet. We haven’t told anyone outside of the palace.” Devin turned again, taking them further away from Nessa, and back out the way they came.
“You’re hoping you can catch this one before people arrive?” Turner asked, and Devin nodded. “When do people arrive?”
“Tomorrow, mid-day,” Devin answered. He knew that it didn’t give him much time, but he couldn’t help it. They needed to find the assassin, and there was nothing he could do about the time table.
Turner stopped in his tracks. “We have less than twenty-four hours to find one or more assassins with a deadly poison that requires you to chop off toes to save a person?”
“Just about, but I’d like it to be faster than twenty-four hours. You know, quick enough that the person doesn’t kill anyone else.”
“There are already some dead?” Turner asked as they stepped out into the courtyard and exited the palace thro
ugh the same door they’d entered.
Devin began to lead Turner around the palace walls again. Soon they passed by the village and were on the complete opposite side of the palace. Turner’s line of thought was now fully on the mission.
“Yes,” Devin finally answered. “The sidhe don’t think too much of me, and a few are too proud to ask me to save their people when they are poisoned. At first it was easy to save them, but it’s been getting harder. Hence the removal of toes. But it worked, so I know I can if needed.”
“You can take poison out of people now? Cool new super power?” Turner deduced.
“Yes, cool new super power,” Devin replied. The pathway they turned on was lit by iridescent plants that glowed in the dark night, lighting the way into the trees.
Turner walked behind Devin as he led them both further down the trail. It ended at a large, open cave. Devin hadn’t been into the upper caves. His only foray into the sidhe crypt was down below only days ago, where he woke and met the former sidhe king. However, he had heard Nessa and Finn talking about the upper caves. He had traces of memories that went along with his new powers as well. Somehow, he knew exactly where to go. They walked further into the strangely lit cave, and Devin chose each turn. When they finally entered the last cavern, Devin saw the bodies of the recently dead sidhe laid out for everyone to view, and the most recent was closest to the entrance.
“This was the first one we lost,” Devin explained, passing the younger bodies and stopping at the old man he’d never really met. “He was poisoned the same time as Nessa, along with these two.”
Turner came closer. He bent down by the older man, but quickly backed up to sneeze. He tried again with the younger men and did the same. He looked closer at them without getting too close the third time and shook his head.
“Too much magic. It covers the scent. I can’t pick up anything from them,” Turner explained.
Devin nodded, as he had been afraid that would be the case. Sidhe magic covered up most everything, and therefore Devin didn’t doubt that it covered scent, too. It might be nice for the sidhe to have their dead to visit for a year after their initial entombment, but it wasn’t good for an investigation. No wonder the sidhe fought amongst themselves, and they continued to kill at the drop of a hat. They never knew the truth, and there was no way to find out. Another thing to change.