Nessa ran behind Turner, keeping close so she would not lose him. She didn’t guess she’d have trouble keeping up with him, but Turner was quicker than she expected. He made very unpredictable moves as he weaved through the palace. Obviously, the person they were chasing knew the palace well, and it made Nessa wonder who it could be. There were distant cousins to Fiona that still lived in the palace, so it could be any one of them. Whoever it was, she hoped they would find them, and get answers before they died.
The path continued through the palace. Soon they were in the courtyard. The assassin was making loops as he ran back around the way he’d already come inside. Whoever this was, he didn’t want to be caught, poison or no. Nessa paused as Turner approached an exit, and watched as he passed through. If she followed, the alarm would be set off. Nessa sucked in her breath and followed anyway. Squealing started as they continued to follow the pathway through the village. She didn’t have time to care, or to tell anyone what she was doing. They had to find the assassin.
Turner followed on, having to pause every ten feet to confirm their direction. It was easier in the palace where there weren’t as many scents. Outside there were more people and scents to confuse Turner. Nessa observed the scenery and the passing sidhe; she didn’t go into the village often, and it was a lot to take in for her. The palace was well-maintained and felt not too far off from Devin’s day human world. The village was much more rustic. Many of the homes were overgrown and in disrepair. People used unusual objects for doors, fences, and windows. There was no structure, or universal togetherness, from home to home. It was strange to see the disarray. Turner stopped for a fourth time and looked around.
“The assassin left the pathways here in the village,” Turner explained, pointing between two houses. “It will be easier to follow him through the woods. Not as many sidhe. You kind of all smell the same, no offense,” Turner added with a smile.
Nessa shook her head. How could Turner be joking at such a serious time? He didn’t wait for her response, and he kept tracking. He picked up the scent and they were off into the woods. It was a slow process, even here, where he had to stop often to find the correct scent. It was good that Devin had called Turner in because he was proving invaluable. Nessa could only imagine the assassin was running full force, and right now they were taking baby steps to catch up. She hoped they could find him in time, but if the assassin knew what was best, he would be long gone before they could get him.
Turner paused and pointed over to the side of a tree. The trail turned from there. Nessa didn’t have the slightest clue where they were, but she trusted Turner and his nose.
“Guess we go back into civilization,” Turner said, leading the way.
Nessa followed as the path they were walking on became more pronounced. It had been used often, but Nessa had no clue why. She could sense the sidhe like Devin, just to a lesser extent. They were not near the village, yet there were a few sidhe. Why would they be outside of the village? Was this a camp of sidhe waiting to attack? Were they walking into a trap? Turner walked through two trees that provided cover. He wasn’t readying for a fight, and she had to trust that, for some reason, he knew it was safe. Nessa wasn’t prepared for what she saw when she passed the foliage. There was a dilapidated village before her eyes. Nessa had no clue where she even was.
Looking around, she noticed the rough, dirt pathway that meandered from home to home. It had been used and packed down, but only by human feet, not the normal traffic that walked the streets of her village. Where were they? People were outside of their homes, but most had retired for the day. Dirty faces stared at her. They wore ragged, unwashed clothing that was practically falling off each person she saw. Most were too thin, and the few remaining that were moving into the homes—if they could be called that—did so at great pains. Nessa watched an old man, who was missing a leg, as he limped with a broken crutch. They were in terrible condition, and so was their camp. How could a place like that be close to the village and no one had ever told her about it?
“Where are we?” Nessa whispered. She didn’t want to call any more attention to herself than she already had. She didn’t know what to make of the all the scared, sad faces staring back at her. “What city is this?”
“Yours, princess,” Turner replied. He didn’t know that she had never been there, but it was clear now. Nessa knew nothing of the rest of the village that was all Devin.
Turner was still following the scent. He stopped in front of a house that was hidden by a large garden. Beautiful flowers bloomed throughout the garden and grew up the sides of the rickety house. It would have been amazing except for the condition of the house. It was weathered, and Nessa could see through cracks in the walls to a dark interior. It would be in no condition to keep out the wind, or rain for that matter. Nessa had no idea how they would make it in the snow. The place looked like a good storm would knock it down. How could this be her village? Who were these people?
“This isn’t mine,” Nessa replied, looking around at the people. She didn’t know a single face, but then again, she didn’t know a single commoner in her village, either. Nessa was sure these people didn’t belong to her community, as no one would be in that condition. Her people were well fed. Everyone had a job, and everyone lived happily, even if not given the same luxuries as the palace. This couldn’t be her town.
“Welcome to the castoffs,” Turner added, pointing to the house behind the garden. “I think you need to tell Devin to come here now. He knows these people, and he knows the assassin. I think he’ll want to deal with them himself.”
Nessa turned to Turner in shock. That was impossible. Devin had only been in the village for a few days. He didn’t have time to meet any of the castoffs. Devin had sat on the commoner council for her, but none of the castoffs could have been there. He couldn’t have known of them. Turner looked at her expectantly. He really meant for her to call Devin there. She sure hoped he was wrong. How could Devin have been there and not told her about it? She couldn’t fathom her people, castoffs or not, living in conditions like this. They were starving and in need of medical help. She had no idea this side of the village even existed. Had she been that sheltered her whole life? It seemed to be the case.
‘Devin, Turner said you would know where to find us in the castoff village,’ Nessa told Devin mentally. ‘We’ve tracked the assassin here, and Turner says you know him.’
CHAPTER 12
Devin walked into the castoff camp. He made sure Fiona was poison-free before he left, and Ronan and Gemma promised to look after her. He wasn’t sure he wanted to be around once she woke and found out what he’d done. The fact that she needed to get away from her mother was the most prominent feeling, but he’d also felt the love. Everything Fiona had ever done was to get her mother’s affection. Devin had no clue how she was going to react when she found out what he had done, but he’d have to deal with it later. Nessa and Turner had found the assassin in the castoff camp. Devin actually considered it was a good hiding place, as most of the sidhe would never look there, but he was shocked when he found Turner waiting outside the hovel of Mara and Colin.
“We didn’t go inside, but we made sure no one left. Nessa can feel two people inside, and the assassin scent ends here. I’ve walked around the whole house, and I’m sure the assassin didn’t get out, not that there’s another way,” Turner reported to Devin.
Devin mentally noted that he owed Turner big time for being there and catching the assassin. Friends like Turner were hard to come by. Devin nodded to him, walked past both him and Nessa, and paused at the garden outside of the house. He looked around at all of Mara’s plants, but didn’t find a single bush in the mix. Mori had told him it was a bush that the poison was made from. Mara didn’t have the ability to make her plants into anything but flowers—that was evident by the flowers that took over even the pathways—how could they be involved?
Devin walked up to the doorway and paused again. There was a vine growing up the si
de of the house toward the back where there was a tree that the walls leaned against. Devin stepped closer to look at the heart-shaped leaves. They looked very similar to the ones Mori sent, even if they weren’t in the bush form. Was it possible this was the poison he was looking for? Did Mara grow that? Was it coincidence? There were no flowers, but Devin didn’t get any closer just to be safe. He walked back to the door.
Devin thought back to when he’d met the pair. Mara was innocent and kind. It was hard to see her doing anything to hurt a soul. Maybe it was Colin. He was rougher on the edges, but Devin didn’t feel any malice from the young man, either. Everything Colin did appeared to be for Mara. How could either of them be the assassin? Devin went over their first conversation in his head. What had he missed?
Devin knocked on the door urgently.
“Colin, open the door,” he called a bit loudly to the closed door.
Nessa and Turner looked through the cracks. It was completely dark inside, but everyone could see movement within. They were in there.
“Colin, let me in to save her. I get it. Mara didn’t have a choice. She is a Ferguson,” Devin told the closed door.
“What?” Nessa asked, moving to stand beside Devin. Turner grabbed her arm and kept her beside him. Devin wasn’t in the safest position, especially if the assassin had more poison, and Turner couldn’t let Nessa get closer.
Devin turned to Turner and Nessa. “When I met them, they told me that Mara was a Ferguson. When I asked if the Ferguson family had any plant growers left, she told me no. That’s because she was their last one. I swear that she wouldn’t have done anything to hurt anyone unless Maureen was behind it.”
Devin knocked on the door again with the same urgency. Mara was more than likely dying. She was responsible for the deaths of several elite sidhe, but that didn’t matter. He needed to save her. She had been treated badly for just loving the wrong man, and Devin couldn’t help but side with her. He couldn’t let the idea of freedom of love die with her.
“Please, Colin, let us in,” Devin pleaded to the closed door. He already knew there was magic on the door, and he wasn’t going to be able to push it in easily. He was going to need to use force to enter unless he could convince them otherwise.
There was no reply. Devin sighed. How could Colin let her die?
“I promise you nothing bad will happen to either of you. I have no doubt Maureen was behind everything. Please, just let me in. Let me help,” Devin pleaded. “I will keep you safe.”
“What can a day human do?” Colin finally replied from behind the closed door. His voice was rough and ragged. He had been crying.
“I can do much more than you ever could imagine,” Devin replied. He didn’t want to show who he was to the castoffs that were now gathered and watching the scene. “Please let me in. I can show you.”
The door still didn’t open. The people who’d gathered around to watch began to point at Nessa. Devin heard the whispering. They knew who she was. Their voices were growing louder as each passed the message on to his neighbor. Princess Nessa was among them. Devin needed to act quickly. He needed to save Mara and get Nessa back under protection. Nessa wasn’t responsible for their living conditions, and had no clue about the castoffs, but they didn’t know that. He didn’t want any of them to turn on her right now.
In the modest hovel, a crash resounded. Devin pushed on the magic with his bare hands and felt the sting. He needed in there. Something was wrong. There was no choice. Everyone would look at him differently now. Devin let the sidhe magic race through his veins and the double swords appeared on his back. He didn’t wait for a response before he pulled the blades from his back. Devin placed a sword on the corner of the door near the handle and pushed. The magic that was keeping the door shut was instantly broken by the old king’s blades. After Devin sheathed the swords he reached for the handle, but stopped. He didn’t need to move as the door opened from within.
Mara’s big, brown eyes stared at Devin in shock. Devin was just as surprised to see her. He was sure it was Mara that was the assassin.
“You’re that day human,” she whispered as she looked at him. Devin nodded, at a loss for words. “You can help him?” she asked, pointing to Colin who was lying on the blankets in the corner of the room. It wasn’t Mara after all. Colin was the assassin.
“He didn’t want to help Maureen, but he did it for me,” Mara told Devin as tears poured out of her eyes. “He’s dying because of me.”
Devin hurried over to Colin and knelt beside the young man. Devin didn’t need to search his mind to know that anything he did was because he cared for Mara. Devin had just met him, but he knew that he was willing to risk anything for his love, otherwise how could he have ended up a castoff? Devin placed his hands on the young man’s chest and looked for the poison in his system. He searched a second time, but there was nothing. He was poison-free. He looked just like all of the other poisoned people, but he wasn’t.
“What, exactly, did Maureen do to him?” Devin asked Nessa in the doorway.
“I’m not sure,” Nessa replied. She had been too far away to tell what had happened for certain. “You can communicate with any sidhe, right?” Nessa was correct. Devin now had the ability to mentally talk with any sidhe because of his new power. “Ask her?” Nessa’s suggestion was logical, just no use at that point.
Devin shook his head. “Not an option.”
“Why not?” Nessa asked in reply.
‘Maureen is dead,’ Devin replied silently since they had an audience just outside of the door.
‘Dead?’
‘I transferred the poison she had used on Fiona to her in order to save Fiona and her child,’ Devin replied quickly. They were running out of time. It wasn’t the time to have a debate about Maureen.
‘Why would she poison her own daughter?’ Nessa asked, but Devin didn’t reply. He didn’t have time for that conversation. He needed to figure out what was wrong and fix it as soon as he could.
“I can’t find anything wrong with him,” Devin told Mara and Nessa, hoping they could help.
“Nothing at all?” Nessa asked. Nessa figured Maureen had just used the same poison on the assassin when he howled and ran from her.
“No. There’s no infection, no poison, nothing. He’s completely healthy, if a bit underweight and undernourished.” Devin looked back through Colin’s body. There really was nothing wrong. He should have been awake.
“Could it be in his head?” Turner asked from his spot beside Nessa.
Devin looked up at Turner. He was always more the action-type of person, but that was by choice. He really could be just as perceptive and smart as anyone else; he just didn’t like to show it. Devin looked back down at Colin. Turner had to be right. There was nothing that was killing Colin; it had to be in his head.
Glancing down at Colin’s unconscious body, he knew what he needed to do. He had never entered anyone’s head aside from Arianna and Nessa, and that was because there was a bond between him and the two girls. This was different, and somehow felt wrong, but he needed to do it to save the young man. Devin took ahold of Colin’s face and closed his eyes. He used the touch to focus on the young man’s mind. Devin pushed and found no barrier. Yes, it had to be all in his mind. Normal people would have fought to not let an intruder in.
Once inside Colin’s mind, Devin watched the flash of images. There were childhood images of learning about his own sidhe gift. Then the images fast-forwarded to meeting Mara. They shared the same type of unique gift. They understood each other. They couldn’t help but fall in love. Soon there was a wedding, and Devin watched Mara and Colin get married with their family there supporting them. They didn’t have much wedded bliss before reality set in, and the images turned to the arrival of palace guards who trashed their new home and threw them into the castoff camp with only the clothing on their backs. The images returned to happy. Colin and Mara built their house on their own. They made their garden. They grew even more in love. It d
idn’t matter where they were, they would always love each other. Devin wanted that type of love. He wanted Nessa to want him like that.
“Who’s here?” Colin’s voice asked from everywhere around Devin. That was a good sign. At least Colin could still tell when someone had entered his mind. He wasn’t completely gone. Devin hoped that meant he still had time to save him.
“I came,” Devin replied, materializing in the blank space that was Colin’s mind when the images stopped.
Colin appeared before Devin also. His hair was perfectly combed, and his clothing was no longer tattered. The man in Colin’s mind was whole and had never been in the castoff camp. He looked the way he had before they went through the hardships of being in the camp. Colin’s face showed shock as he stared at Devin.
“Day human?” Colin asked. “That isn’t possible.”
“Yes, it is me,” Devin replied. “I need to know what’s wrong with you. Mara is worried, and she needs you back.” There was one thing that motivated Colin like nothing else: Mara.
“I can’t go back to her. I was poisoned. I’m dying,” Colin replied. Devin was at a loss. He needed to bring him back, and Mara wasn’t even enough of a motivation. “How can you be here?” Colin was still confused by Devin’s entrance into his mind.
“You aren’t dying. There isn’t a single thing wrong with your body. You are healthy and fine.”
“You can’t know that. You’re only a day human.” Colin wasn’t mad, he was just stating what he thought was true.
“Yes. I know you’re well. I checked your body personally. You’re fine,” Devin replied.
How was one to convince someone they were healthy when they thought they were dying? The mind was such a hard place to reconcile for Devin. Colin was a prime example. He was willing his body to die, even though it was healthy.