“I heard from everyone at the trial as they gossiped. Nessa was the best female fighter to come along in a long time. Seems she often times bested even the sidhe men,” Devin added, coming to a stop, just out of the reach of Finn’s now-bloodied sword. “In fact, I heard she bested each of the suitors that proposed marriage to her from Rhys. Weren’t you one of her suitors?”
Finn’s face grew red. “She may have bested me, but that was because she put a spell on all of us. See how well she fights now that there’s no spell.” Finn proudly pointed to Nessa on the ground.
“That wasn’t a fight,” Devin added as he’d seen Finn stab Nessa in cold blood. Finn didn’t even give her a warning.
Finn shrugged. “I’ve been trying to kill her for over a year, but couldn’t. I wanted to play more with her and show her that I was always the better fighter, but time is running out. This took too long. We needed this to be done now that Rhys is gone. I knew I couldn’t kill her outright after I tried a few days ago. I needed her somewhere there was no magic. I figured it out a couple years ago that she had put a spell on everyone. There was never a chance that a fatal hit would kill her,” Finn complained. “I was lucky enough that Ronan ran across me today and told me to help her. This was my opportunity, and I’m glad I was here to take it. I couldn’t exactly be picky about it now.”
“Do you care nothing for her?” Devin asked, still searching for the good Nessa saw in Finn that he himself had never seen. He had to give the guy one last chance to redeem himself for Nessa’s sake. When the fight started, it would be to kill Finn.
Finn shrugged. “She was always the little brat that followed us around. She may have grown into a woman in the past few years, but she will always be that little, protected, spoiled brat. There’s nothing appealing about that. I only tolerated her for Rhys’ sake, and now that he is gone, there’s no reason to keep her around,” Finn explained with a shrug. He was as cold-hearted as Devin had thought him to be from the very beginning.
Devin looked down at Nessa quickly. He wanted to say ‘told you so,’ but her regret was written painfully across her face even with her eyes closed. Devin felt the blood running out of the wound under his dark shirt and trickling down to his pants. He sensed the strength still left in Nessa. She was a lot stronger than Finn gave her credit for. She was pulling energy from the ground, and her wound was slowly drawing back together, yet still bleeding profusely. She was healing both of them, but she would need blood soon to finish.
Devin held up the sword he had been leaning on and pointed it at Finn. Finn smiled wickedly.
“I can smell your blood. Magic may be null in the room, but your bond isn’t. Bonds aren’t made of magic,” Finn assessed. “How could she be so stupid to bind to a weak day human? I mean, I knew she was dumb, but really! When you find someone to bind, you bind to someone stronger, not weaker.”
Nessa looked back to Devin with panic in her eyes. Devin shrugged. He concentrated on Finn and waited for him to make the first move. Finn jumped at the opportunity. Devin lifted his blade and took the power of the blow blade to blade. The pain reverberated down him and caused the wound to bleed more, but he didn’t let it stop him. Devin countered Finn’s hit with one of his own. Finn was concentrating on Devin too much to notice that Nessa was healing. Devin wanted to keep it that way, and went on the offensive.
Devin knew what Nessa was doing. They were bonded and not meant to be without the other now. Their power was combined and that made them both stronger. He would fight the physical fight while she could not, and she would use the gift that had been hers since birth, her blood magic. He could feel the power swirling up from the ground. Nessa was calling on the life that came with her own power that had drenched the ground in her blood. She was using her blood magic to make her own move in the fight.
It only took Nessa a few moments to gather the strength from the blood-drenched ground before she let it go. A flash of light exploded in the room and lit up the whole cavern beautifully. Devin didn’t have time to marvel at the sparkle all around him, and the eerie assassin women as he used the diversion he knew was coming to make a move toward Finn. The female sidhe assassins had done their jobs and not a single ally of Finn’s was still standing. The women were already fading back into nothingness where they came from. As Devin’s blade almost pierced Finn’s skin, Devin was suddenly unable to move. The world froze around them all again, but this time, Devin noticed he, along with Finn and Nessa, could still move their eyes to see what was happening.
The sidhe king moved slowly across the cavern. His momentary stretch had brought life back to all his limbs. His was a powerful sidhe that commanded respect and attention. Nessa and Finn could look nowhere but at the approaching sidhe king. Devin could feel his power as he stepped closer, but his back was to the man, so he could not see his approach.
‘Grandfather?’ Nessa asked mentally, as they could not move their mouths. She was shocked by the sight of her grandfather.
‘Yes,’ Devin replied to her. ‘He is awake.’ Devin felt her happiness surge through the bond. He could feel her hopefulness that the sidhe king would break the bond and, in doing so, save Devin. Nessa was still planning to be a martyr for him.
“I’ve seen enough,” the king said from next to Devin.
The king threw his arm around Devin and moved him to be frozen beside Nessa and Finn. Devin saw Finn’s eyes grow wide. With a snap of the sidhe king’s fingers, Devin, Nessa, and Finn could speak, but still not move.
“Grandfather,” Nessa said at the same time as Finn spoke.
“That’s impossible,” Finn said. “My mother said you were put to sleep forever. That no one would possess the strength to wake you. She said you needed a tainted changed day human. One would never be allowed through our gates. We would all feel it if someone made a new sidhe.”
The sidhe king smiled grandly and nodded. “Your mother’s and my definition of tainted was a bit different. Sorry I didn’t clarify that for her. I didn’t mean changed as in one that was already a night human. I meant on that wasn’t just a day human. The day human here is exactly that. He carries Nessa’s blood in him. He’s changed. I’m sorry if I didn’t explain that more clearly to Maureen.” The sidhe king wasn’t sorry, and he didn’t try to hide it behind his false words. They were just the words of a politician. The sidhe king knew how to play the game as well as any sidhe, and was happy to outwit Maureen.
Finn’s eyes changed from disbelief to anger as he looked at Nessa. Devin saw that Finn had found a place to channel his anger. Devin was grateful for the sidhe king’s ability to freeze time. It was saving Nessa’s life in more ways than one. Her blood had stopped flowing from her wound and Finn couldn’t use his anger to attack her more.
The sidhe king moved past Devin and grabbed the frozen Finn. Shock returned to Finn’s eyes. He couldn’t fight back and was helpless. Words would do him no good if he couldn’t move.
“Day human, are you ready to be the one to lead these people out of the darkness?” the king asked Devin.
Devin had no desire to lead anyone, and he had no desire to help the sidhe that were mostly evil as far as he had seen. He had no wish to be part of it. Their system was corrupt, each family sending assassins to kill others, and no one was true as they hid behind their magic. But he was pretty sure the old sidhe king wasn’t really asking him for an answer.
“To save my granddaughter?” the king added. He knew where Devin’s soft spot was. Even if he didn’t want to willingly save the sidhe, Devin would do anything to save Nessa.
Time was frozen and Devin could feel that blood was no longer trickling out of him, but it was true. Nessa and Devin were both dying. The wound that Finn had struck had been fatal. They didn’t have much time before both Nessa and Devin would be unconscious and dead soon after that. He could still have the energy to fight Finn and Nessa might even have a bit left to try to mend the wound, but they both didn’t have enough time to live. Their lives were ending.
Devin looked into Nessa’s eyes. She hadn’t responded, but Devin was unsure if she could. Finn and Nessa were both silent. The sidhe king was looking at Devin, waiting for a response, or rather, the response he wanted to hear. It wasn’t like Devin felt he had much of a choice, as the king could do what he wanted. Devin felt that the sidhe king only asked because he wanted Devin to admit the truth. He’d do anything to save Nessa, and she meant more to him than he ever told her. Devin could feel the weight of all three staring at him. Finn hated him for what he was about to do. Nessa was begging him with her eyes to just let her die for him. The sidhe king was waiting for Devin to do what he wanted from him.
Nessa was desperately trying to tell him something, but she couldn’t even get her mental words to him. Devin could guess she was screaming for him to not agree to her grandfather. She knew why he didn’t want to be a night human, and she didn’t ask for more before. She felt what the night humans meant to Devin, and she didn’t want him to resent her. He knew exactly how she felt. He didn’t want to be a night human, or part of the sidhe world any more than he had before, but he did want her to live. Devin smiled back at her. He had to save her, and he was just going to have to accept the sidhe king’s offer and everything that came with it.
“Yes,” Devin replied, looking only at the sidhe king and his inhumanly blue eyes.
“Then let’s make use of this young man here as our sacrifice to do this,” the sidhe king added, smiling at Finn while the horror showed in Finn’s eyes. Finn was completely still as stone and couldn’t stop the old king if he tried. Even his screams were silent.
“Sacrifice?” Devin asked. He was still able to talk.
“All power must come from life,” the sidhe king replied, as if it was an obvious answer.
Not waiting for Devin to catch another breath, or ask another question, the sidhe king gripped Finn tightly and bit down on his neck, spilling blood everywhere. As the king feasted on the young man, time was let go again and Finn tried to momentarily struggle. Devin fell to his knees due to the loss of blood and crawled over next to Nessa. She was fading faster than he was. Using her magic had caused the wound to grow bigger. Devin took her hand in his and squeezed it.
“You can’t do this,” Nessa said quietly, taking only shallow breaths. “I don’t want you to be a night human. You were right. You are a day a human, and should always be one. You are meant to be a day human forever.”
Devin pulled her head onto his lap. She rested there, both thankful that he still had the energy to sit. He stroked her head and wiped at the tears that were falling. He had no idea what the old sidhe king would do to him, but he doubted that he would be a day human after the sidhe king was done with him. He didn’t want to be anything but a day human, but he needed to save Nessa. She was the last light in his dark life. She had found him when he was lost.
“Shh,” Devin said, touching her lips. “Don’t waste energy on talking.”
Devin wanted to be able to reassure her, but he couldn’t. He was going to be changed, but he was doing it for her. She needed to survive, and if she didn’t, he didn’t want to either. For the first time since he met her, he was happy about the bond. They would be together now in life or death, whatever came first.
‘Devin, please don’t. Just let me die. Once I’m dead, the bond is broken. You can still be saved,’ she begged as she closed her eyes.
Devin felt the pull of her life trying to leave her body. She was letting go to try to give him life. But the bond didn’t work that way. If she died, he would too. The pull was as familiar as it had been over a month ago for him, but this time it was him pulling for her to stay. He needed her to stay. He needed to save her.
‘You can’t leave yet,’ Devin told her firmly.
“No, she can’t,” the sidhe king entered their conversation.
The king took Nessa gently off Devin’s lap and pulled Devin up to standing again. Devin stared into the sidhe king’s eyes and waited. He had no clue what would be done to him, but he had said yes. Devin only hoped the king would act fast. Devin could only force Nessa to hang on a few moments more.
“We need to do this now,” Devin said. He tried to stand on his own but still needed support from the old king. Devin’s body was giving out just like Nessa’s, but he kept his head held high, watching and waiting.
“I save you, and you save her,” the sidhe king said right before casting a spell and pressing a thumbnail-sized bead into Devin’s open chest wound. The force of the sidhe king pushed Devin on the ground again, flat on his back.
Devin felt a burning pain as the sidhe king’s hand entered his midsection. He screamed out, and Nessa opened her eyes to the sound. His scream brought her back from the brink of letting go. The pain intensified as it pulsed inside Devin. The hand entering him was painful, but the worst of it was the small bead that was now inside him. It seared and spread in the open wound. It melted to the flesh and melded inside Devin’s chest. The king pulled his hand back and the wound began to rapidly reknit. Devin felt the tug of the skin and organs as they regrew instantly. He held back a second scream at the intense pain of his body healing faster than he ever felt. The forcing of skin together was as bad as the wound was pulling it all apart. Devin gritted his teeth as the pain continued, and all he could do was wait. He counted in his head. Unsure how long it would take, he continued to count through the pain.
When the thirty seconds of constant pain ceased, Devin opened his eyes to find the sidhe king cradling Nessa in his arms. She was now unconscious. Devin didn’t know if they had done it fast enough. Had they been able to save her? Blood no longer dripped from the wound, but she still didn’t wake. After Devin sat up, the king slipped Nessa over into Devin’s arms and smiled. Devin didn’t wait for directions on how to save Nessa- he grabbed one of the knives from the ground and tore open his wrist. She needed day human blood. He dripped the blood into Nessa’s lifeless mouth and hoped he wasn’t too late.
“My time is at an end now, Day Human. I knew the only way to make you strong enough was to give you my own life and power,” the sidhe king said, breaking Devin’s concentration from Nessa. Devin noticed the sidhe king had aged rapidly and was continuing to do so. “Protect my granddaughter and tell her that I loved her. I knew the day she was born that she would do something great for the sidhe people. Now I know that she can with you by her side. Don’t be afraid of your powers. Learn how to use them and become the man I have been waiting for, become the Day Human Prince I prophesied. Save my people. “
The sidhe king smiled as Nessa gasped and opened her eyes. He touched her face gently before his skin grayed even more, becoming ashen and flaky. He was fading fast and would be gone in only a moment. Nessa reached for the old man. Her hands went to him, but passed through. Within a moment he disappeared and left only ash on the ground. The king that all the sidhe people had feared was gone, and Devin and Nessa were still alive.
CHAPTER 13
Nessa felt the tears as they dripped, but could not stop them. Her grandfather had been right there, and she couldn’t stop him from fading away. She didn’t even get to give him a hug. She had spent a decade waiting for the moment he would wake, and now he was gone. Devin wiped the tears away, and she looked to him. He radiated sidhe magic now. She had failed him, too. Because she didn’t unbind them on time, Devin was now stuck being what he never wanted to be, a night human. Nessa couldn’t help but cry more. Devin pulled her to himself and she held on tight while crying.
“I’m sorry he left so soon. I know you wanted more time with him,” Devin said quietly.
She did want more time with her grandfather, but that was only one problem now. Devin was a rock in dealing with the tears she couldn’t stop. Nessa knew he had dealt with a lot of loss over his life. Devin knew how to handle it, but he was still trying to help her, even after he became what he never wanted to be.
“I’m sorry we didn’t unbind quick enough. I couldn’t save you from becoming one of us.?
?? Nessa sniffled into his bloodied shirt.
“I’m not,” Devin said quietly. Nessa didn’t understand.
“But I heard him ask you, and I heard you turn,” Nessa replied, still in tears.
“I’m not a night human,” Devin repeated.
Devin sliced a new wound on his hand, and his blood beaded up, but quickly healed. Nessa could smell the blood. He wasn’t a sidhe. He wasn’t a night human. He was still a day human. She stared at him in awe. She could feel the magic coming off him, yet he was still a day human. It wasn’t imaginable, yet there he was in front of her.
“How is that possible? I can see the magic in you. You look just like grandfather,” Nessa added, scooting back from Devin to have a better look at him. The outline of the sidhe magic was coming off him in wisps. “I swear, it looks just like him.”
“I don’t know how it’s possible,” Devin replied, holding out a hand for her. “While time was frozen, we had a little talk. He told me he was going to make me one of you, but not a sidhe. He said he used his own power. I have no idea what that means, or what he did. But I completely agree. I can feel the magic, too. He did something to me.”
Nessa eyed Devin over again from top to bottom. No one ever said it was possible to give your sidhe power away, but then again, her grandfather was one of the most brilliant sidhe ever. He could do more than the whole village combined, and knew more about what it meant than anyone. He had spent years researching his powers, and all that came before him, but still, even this was a stretch for what he was able to do. If anyone knew a way, it would have been him. He was still amazing to Nessa just as it had been when she was a little child.
“Take out his swords,” Nessa suggested.
Devin cocked his head to the side as if to say ‘are you crazy?’ with just his eyes. Nessa rolled her eyes and sighed at the same time. He was still the same old annoying day human, Devin. That much didn’t change with the new sidhe magic in him.