The world snapped back into a fast pace, and some of the wounds healed quickly while others continued to bleed. Winters dropped to his knees beside Devin as identical wounds ripped open on him. Winters held his kneel for only a few second before falling next to Devin.
‘You didn’t say it hurt this bad,’ the old man complained, all hint of his accent gone in his mind. Devin felt the youthfulness he never saw in the old man as he entered the old man’s mind.
‘It’s not too bad,’ Devin replied. ‘I’ve had worse.’ That was the truth.
Winters laughed through the bond. ‘I bet you have.’
‘Why was this important?’ Devin asked as Cassie got ready to put the potion in Devin’s mouth again. The bond would be broken, and Winters would be dead soon. The close connection they now held would be gone. Cassie moved to place the vial at Devin’s mouth, but he put up his hand to stop her.
“Give me a second,” he said, sounding stronger than he had before. The wound was still going to kill him, but not as quickly now as he shared Winters’ sidhe healing abilities.
Cassie paused and questioned him with her eyes, but she didn’t try to force him to drink it. Nessa grasped Devin’s hand tighter as she worried.
“Did the bond not completely take?” she asked.
Devin gave her a small smile. “No, we are bonded. I just need one more moment to ask Old Man Winters a few more questions.”
Winters gave a grim nod like he knew it was coming.
‘Why is this important?’ Devin asked him. He could see it in Winters’ eyes. There was more beyond the ‘saving the king’ speech he had given the girls.
Devin waited for a verbal reply and was given an image. Cassie. Devin was going to ask more as images of Cassie began to unwind, and Devin saw her age progressively backward until she was an infant in the arms of a woman.
‘Who is she to you?’ Devin could feel the tenderness in the image.
‘My love,’ he replied sadly. The dark-haired women looked familiar, yet Devin was sure he had never seen her before. She cradled the infant in her arms, and all Devin could feel from the image was Winters’ love. ‘Cassie is my daughter.’
Devin was shocked. How could that be? Cassie was only sixteen, and Old Man Winters had to be at least in his eighties.
‘I’m not really Old Man Winters. My name is Cael Ferguson. Keaton is my little brother. I’m surprised you found him. I thought he was dead when Rhys took him away.’
The image of Cassie and her mother remained. Devin saw it now. Her mother looked a lot like Maria. Devin didn’t doubt the man’s word. She had to be Maria’s sister and Cassie’s mother.
‘I found him as an old man too in the outcast camp. Cassie and Maria changed him back to his original self. He had been cursed with witch magic, and I think I know who did it. What about you? Are you cursed? Did Rolf do this to you?’
‘No, we did this to ourselves,’ Winters replied, and the image changed to a young man holding the baby now. It was easy to see Winters/Cael as Keaton’s older brother. He had the same slightly crooked nose with a dash of freckles. They even shared their chestnut brown hair. Cassie did kind of look like him.
The woman with the baby met an older couple. The four people stood around the baby, and soon the older people became young, and the young people became old.
‘Why?’
‘I met Nadia when she was lost in the woods.’ A quick image of a raven-haired girl flashed in his memory. ‘She happened upon the village after I tried my best to get her to go away. She didn’t listen. I kept her out here and never brought her within the walls of my family home as I knew it wouldn’t be safe. Once a day human enters, they can never leave. It’s the one rule both the common and noble sidhe agreed to. Nadia stayed here with the original Old Man Winters and his wife. When Nadia had Cassandra, we knew she couldn’t stay here, and we knew the sidhe would never let Nadia leave with Cassie. I took Cassie back to Nadia’s brother so he could raise her, and came back here. When I returned, I found out that they knew about Nadia being a witch. The sentenced her to death. Old Man Winters and his wife stepped in with a plan to switch places. If we became them and they became us, then we stood the chance to leave the village eventually and reunite with our daughter. They never had any of their own children and loved Nadia like she was theirs. They took our place and went to their deaths together like us. Even today Old Man Winters lies in the crypt as Cael Ferguson.’ Winters’ story was brief, but explained everything Devin was wondering about.
‘So why didn’t you leave?’ Devin asked. If he was truly another sidhe in appearance, why didn’t they just walk into the woods and disappear?
‘Because Rolf placed spells around the village. He wasn’t sure if they truly killed a witch when they killed the Winters disguised as us. We hid ourselves well, but he still suspected that Nadia was in the village. He made sure she could never leave, and I never could leave her alone either. We built this barn and put spells on it to allow me to learn everything she could teach me. I became a witch sidhe, which was completely against the laws, but I needed to be to protect Nadia.’
‘What happened to her?’ There had never been a Mrs. Winters since Devin had been in the village.
‘We didn’t realize that the spell we used didn’t just swap us outside physical identities, but inside, too. I am truly an eighty-three-year-old man even though I have only been alive for thirty-four years. I’m old, and I’m dying. I can’t change that. There is no going back from the spell we cast.’
‘And Cassie doesn’t know?’
‘This is the first time I have seen her since we left her with the witches almost sixteen years ago. She looks so much like her mother, I knew the instant I saw her in the outcast village who she was. I knew I was already dying and had a chance to save you, but by saving you, I have a chance to save her, too. Sidhe law doesn’t allow non-sidhe to ever leave. I know you won’t let that happen to your friends. If you died, they would be forced to stay, but with you as king, I know you will keep her safe. I can’t stay around to protect her. Everyone will know that I practice witch magic, and that’s punishable by death. I can’t protect her now, but you can.’
‘I promise I will.’ Devin didn’t even hesitate. He would always protect Cassie. Her father was giving up his life to let Devin live, the least he could do was protect her.
‘Thank you.’ Winters took a shuddered breath in. The wound was harder for his eighty-year-old body than Devin’s younger one. ‘We need to break this bond now. Thank you for everything.’
Devin opened his eyes and nodded at the older man. He wasn’t really an older man, and that made it even harder to watch as his breath labored.
“Devin, we need to break the bond now,” Cassie told him, bringing him back to the two girls sitting and waiting for him.
“Yes,” Devin replied, wishing he was a strong night human for once in his life. He had made the choice to never be anything but a day human, but it was hard not to realize that had he been turned into a night human, the wound might not have been lethal. His day humanness made it hard on everyone, and it was costing the not-so-old-man next to him his life.
“Devin,” Winters gasped out, “tell her about me one day.”
Devin nodded as Cassie opened the vial and held it up to Devin’s lips. Hundreds of images passed before Devin’s eyes. Images from Cael’s childhood until the point they were in now all filed through Devin’s mind. As everything moved forward at a brisk pace, Devin was sure he would have hours’ worth to tell Cassie one day. The images slowed down and stopped. Devin watched from Cael’s eyes the first time he met Nadia. She was beautiful with her waist-length, dark brown, almost black hair. It swished behind her as she ran through the meadow outside the village. She was chasing butterflies with the biggest smile on her face. She was happy. Devin could feel it then. Her eyes turned to meet the man watching her from the shadows. Cael Ferguson was the happiest in his life at that moment. He had found his other half. Cassie was
truly a child of love.
The liquid bond snapped between him and the old man. Nessa wasted no time rebinding to him. Devin didn’t need to be talked into it this time. Cael was giving up his life for his daughter. Devin had to make sure Cassie was safe and could leave the village. Devin would protect her; he would change the sidhe. He knew why he was chosen by the old king now. The sidhe didn’t just need to change their old ways; they needed to be completely remade and brought into the world of the other night humans. Devin would do that.
Winters gasped from beside Devin as Devin’s body healed more from the bond with Nessa. She held tightly to Devin as the remaining wounds were now shared with her. As expected, Nessa didn’t complain or cry at the pain. The physical pain was nothing to her. She was a warrior. She held her ground and watched with Devin the old man that had given his life for Devin. There was nothing they could do to help. Devin sat up as Cassie moved over and took the old man’s hand in her own. She stared into his eyes as his breath labored more.
“Be safe, child,” he said as he closed his eyes. “Remember your promise, Devin.”
Old Man Winters took his last breath and life left his body.
Devin stood in the clearing where he had tried unsuccessfully to propose to Nessa only days before. Ronan, Gemma, Liam, Lele, Maria, Turner, Keaton, and Cassie were there with him now. Lindsey stood guard not too far away, but artfully blended into the scenery so that Cassie didn’t see him.
“Now you both know exactly what this entails when you say yes?” Keaton asked Devin and Nessa.
Grinning, Nessa nodded, as did Devin.
“Vanessa McKinny, there will be no speech this time, and no time for someone to interrupt us.” When Devin winked at Liam, the redheaded oaf laughed. Devin didn’t need a long speech. Nessa knew exactly what he felt, and he knew what she felt. The bond had returned, as it was always meant to be. “Marry me.” Devin held out a ring for Nessa. She slipped her finger into it and grinned at him.
Devin didn’t wait for Keaton to speak as he began to say something but took a step forward, taking Nessa into his arms and kissing her like he had wanted to since the first time he met her. He didn’t know then what the feeling was he felt, but he knew now. He loved her as much as one person could love another. Nessa completed his life, and now together they would change things.
They had already begun changing the sidhe in the two weeks it took to clean up everything from the mess the two witch sidhe had caused. Devin and Nessa had only needed a day to heal with their combined powers, and from there they began accomplishing what needed to be done. Devin disbanded the royal and commoner class system of the sidhe and moved to elections. Most of the sidhe, including many in the various families, had voted for Devin to lead them. The remaining sidhe stood behind Nessa. A two-part system was set up to govern them, and the laws were completely changed. Maria and Cassie had returned home during that time and now were back to witness the wedding that was finally taking place.
Devin’s clinic and lab were exactly what the sidhe needed. Slowly, the sidhe realized the outside world wasn’t their enemy, and several palace sidhe even worked in the new building. Devin had never thought he would see a day that the sidhe embraced technology, but they were ready, even if it scared them a bit. Change had come, and it wasn’t as bad as the nobles thought it would be.
Rolf had been imprisoned and sent back with Maria to the witches. It turned out his form of magic was not practiced by them, and he had broken many laws and traditions of the witches by stealing from their ancient texts. It was better to have him away from the sidhe as it was. Maria assured Devin that they could keep Rolf contained.
Cassie had returned with Maria, and Devin couldn’t help but steal a few glances at her. She didn’t know she was part sidhe, but then again, she didn’t know about night humans in general. Devin would wait until she found out about night humans to spill the details that he knew. She never had a chance to get to know her parents, and he would be there for her as he understood the pain that went with that. She was special. Even more special than Maria knew. Devin caught a few glances of the sidhe in her and couldn’t wait to see how that all turned out.
Devin pulled back from his kiss with Nessa, and his friends all cheered. Devin couldn’t help but grin. When he was taking Nessa back to the sidhe he wondered what he was going to do with his life, but he didn’t need to wonder any longer. He had a purpose and a reason again. She was right in his arms, smiling back at him. He didn’t know how his life was going to turn out, and he sure didn’t expect after everything to get what he had, but he was fine with that. He had finally gotten his own happily ever after…
Authors note:
Thank you for reading THE DAY HUMAN WAY! If you enjoyed reading this book, please consider leaving me a good review at your favorite bookseller’s site. It’s one of the best things that you can do to help me out so that I can continue writing and publishing. Join my mailing list to get the latest updates on my books: http://www.bkristinmcmichael.com/list
Thank you for reading my second series in the night human world. If you haven’t read the first series and like the night human world, make sure to pick up THE BLUE EYES TRILOGY. Devin’s story is complete, but that doesn’t mean I am done with the night human world. Look for the first book in a brand new series that follows Cassie in the night human world coming in late 2015/early 2016 called THE WITCHLING’S APPRENTICE
I greatly appreciate all the support from everyone, and it keeps me going day in and day out! THANK YOU!!
While you are waiting for The Witchling’s Apprentice to come out- check out my time travel college romance series The Chalcedony Chronicles- Here’s a sneak peek at book 1 in the Chalcedony Chronicles
Carnelian
Chapter 1 – Welcome to College
I had the perfect idea of what going off to college would be like. I’d move into the dorms on the first day I could. My family would come along and my mom would cry over the thought of me growing up, especially since I was her only child. They would hang around, not wanting to leave, and finally I’d have to shoo them all out, reassuring them that I’d be okay. That’s how everyone pictures it going. Yet, here I sat, a day late, staring at my new home for the next four years, alone.
My mom and grandfather made the seven-hour trip north with me from Chicago to Minneapolis, but Grandfather got called away on business and my mom had to go with him. He was her ride home after all. Grandfather was in the antique business, and he had a lot of wealthy and powerful clients. I was used to them calling him away at a moment’s notice by now. I drove the last two hours to Lake Superior and Castor, the nice college town that Morton Carole was in. I chose to go to a school far from home, and now I regretted it as I sat outside the campus dorms, pondering my first steps toward being grown up.
Independence. That’s what college was for me. I’ve spent my entire life with my grandfather and mother, and yes, my mother was the hovering type. I never was allowed to go on trips with my friends, or even leave the city without her by my side. She worried every day about my walk to school. She hated cars and was afraid I’d get in an accident. Luckily, grandfather convinced her I would need a car here at college, so I did have wheels now. She never seemed to lack for something to worry about.
Sitting in my used Civic, looking at the massive dorms with people flowing everywhere, independence scared the crap out of me. Right now, the one thing every recent high school graduate wanted was staring me in the face, and I yearned to give it back. I was turning out to be the most timid college freshman in history. Thank you, Mom!
After taking a deep breath, I steadied my nerves and finally turned off my car to go to the registration table sitting outside. I gathered all the courage I found and opened the door. The large square brick building in front of me would be home for the next four years. It was intimidating yet exciting at the same time. College was the pinnacle of growing up, and I couldn’t wait any longer. It was time to start a new chapter in my life.
The registration table was set up with several college students sitting around waiting. The fifteen-foot walk to the table was excruciating. I felt like everyone that passed was staring at me, the scared freshman. In reality, probably no one even glanced my way. The official move-in day was the day before, and I missed the opportunity to be lost in the masses of new students. I was late on purpose. Figuring the crowds would be smaller, I planned to arrive today with my grandfather and mother to help. I tried to concentrate on the table, hoping to see a helpful face, but the girl there just glared at me as I approached. I crossed the parking lot and waited. The beautiful, long-legged brunette who already glared at me, now ignored me and sat talking to the girl next to her. They were obviously friends, as the brunette kept talking and the other girl kept nodding along, never getting a word in edgewise. I stood and waited. I thought the welcome table was to welcome new students, but this girl was anything but welcoming.
“I’m sure by the end of the week he will be coming back to me. He always does. You know he can’t find anyone better than me,” the brunette told her friend.
Poor guy, I wanted to add. I had grown up with girls like the one in front of me. Everything about her was fake, from her eyelashes to her boobs. Private school at St. Maria’s had prepared me for two things at the same time: fake girls and dealing with the people you never really want to be associated with. This girl was exactly that.
I coughed to get their attention. I didn’t need to learn more about the poor guy that the girl had her sights set on. The brunette looked up, surprised that I was there.
“Marcella Navina,” I told the girl, pointing to my name on the list.
“Oh, a new freshman,” the brunette said as she held out her hand to the girl next to her. The second girl was digging through a box looking for the correct key. Finally, she found it and handed it to the brunette. “Welcome to Morton Carole. If you need any help, feel free to ask. We’re all happy to help new freshman.” From the tone in her voice I somehow doubted that. “You are in Murdley, which is on the opposite side of the dorms here.” She said Murdley with disgust, as if she couldn’t imagine who would want to be stuck in the studious dorm. She held out her hand and her minion placed a map in it. “You can either go through the courtyard, through the connecting hallways, or around the outside to get there. Room 215. Good luck, and welcome to college.” A smile was plastered across her face, but it didn’t reach her eyes. I gave her my best fake smile back as I took her keys and map. I didn’t really need the map. I had already memorized it weeks ago.