The Day Human Way

by B. Kristin McMichael

  “She’s right.” Devin still didn’t know who the girl was. “I’m still a human.”

  “Not possible,” Maria exclaimed. “You have sidhe magic in you now. Even I can sense it.”

  Devin laughed. “Seems I met someone that didn’t believe in anything being impossible. The former sidhe king proved a lot of things possible that no one thought could be.”

  Maria’s mouth hung open. “The grandfather king?” she asked in awe. Obviously, even the witches knew about the sidhe king.

  “Oh yes, it’s quite the story. When we get time, I’ll tell you all about it. But right now I need you to help me. There are some sidhe under a spell, and it gets worse when only I touch them. I’m pretty sure it’s witch magic,” Devin explained, turning to lead the way.

  “There are no witches here besides us,” the girl pointed out, and then looked back at the ground as her face reddened even more.

  Devin turned back to her. She was still avoiding his gaze. The girl seemed to have a great sense of magic around her. She was strong. It hadn’t even taken her a moment to sense the whole village. Even Devin with his super sidhe powers needed more time than that to check on everyone. There were a few thousand people in the village after all. It hit Devin then.

  “Cassie?” he asked. She had just turned thirteen the last time he saw her. She had been around when he studied with Maria, but she was more of a nuisance than anything. She was the only witch he met that didn’t know about the night humans. He never understood why they wouldn’t tell her about them, and he was surprised at the lengths everyone made to keep it from her when they were training her as a witch like her mother.

  Cassie finally met his gaze. Her chocolate brown eyes studied him and looked deep within. He remembered how unnerving it could be to look at her when she was reading your soul. Even back when he was in their city years ago, he knew not to look directly at her.

  “He has magic within him, but it’s not witch magic,” Cassie commented to Maria, and then turned away. She obviously saw more but was keeping it to herself. He was glad that time taught her a little control of her power. Cassie looked to Maria before continuing. “I don’t understand. You said he wasn’t a sidhe. How can he have magic then? You said they would all have some magic, but this isn’t some. This is a lot. How can he have this much magic and not be part of their kind?” Cassie was great at sensing magic, and could actually read a person’s potential if she so chose. Devin had no clue how they kept her from knowing about the night human world with her gift.

  Smiling, Maria nodded to Devin. “This is a whole different type of people here. Remember, I was explaining that on the way here. They have a little magic each, but it seems Devin went and found the only one that had a lot of magic. I’m guessing he somehow gave it to Devin without making him one of them.”

  Cassie nodded but wasn’t satisfied with the answer. It seemed like she wanted to ask more, but stopped when someone else entered the clearing.

  “You can’t bring outsiders into the village. They aren’t welcome here,” Nessa commented as she joined them where they stood. Nessa looked more apprehensive than mad about the visitors.

  “Not like we have much of a choice,” Devin replied. “I know what I felt, and I know what the trees told me. Someone is using witch magic in the village. Cassie says there are no witches here, so the only other thing it could be is a sidhe that’s doing it.”

  “Not possible. We aren’t witches,” Nessa replied, eyeing the two strangers. Cassie kept her face down toward the ground, but Maria stared defiantly at Nessa.

  “You may not be, but obviously someone is,” Maria responded. “I can feel it from here. Someone is using witch magic in this town at this exact moment.”

  Nessa turned to gaze at the village behind them, and then back to Devin.

  ‘I don’t trust them,’ she replied in his head.

  ‘I do,’ Devin answered. ‘I know Maria and Cassie. They aren’t bad people. They’re here to help, just like Turner.’

  ‘Turner is different,’ Nessa said.

  She hadn’t verbally objected to Turner when he arrived, but Devin still felt her distrust of him. Nessa had been raised to distrust everyone—he understood that—but they did need the help of the witches. If the three suitors died, there would never be a place for him beside Nessa. They had to cure the cursed sidhe.

  ‘Because he doesn’t wield magic?’ Devin asked, hitting the nail on the head. He could tell from the moment Nessa looked at them. The witches were a threat to her, and he had no clue why. It was strange because of any of the night humans, the witches, even though they were day humans, were the closest to the sidhe in their abilities. It wasn’t the time to go into those details, though, and he would have to ask her later.

  ‘How do you know that they can even help? You say it’s witch magic. What if it’s just disguised sidhe magic?’ Nessa was grasping at straws. She believed him deep down, but her fear of the outsiders was keeping her cautious. ‘There’s no way anyone around here would associate with witches.’

  ‘No way? Your brother using someone to curse Keaton was just a coincidence, or was that sidhe magic also?’ Devin asked, raising his eyebrows to emphasize his question.

  ‘I’m not even sure that’s the Keaton I know,’ Nessa replied. The entire situation was making her uneasy.

  ‘Fine,’ Devin replied. He would have to convince her before she would let him sneak the two witches into the palace to heal her suitors.

  “Sorry that we don’t have time for a tour, but we need to make sure your magic works here,” Devin told Maria and Cassie.

  “They can’t come in here without an official invitation,” Nessa quickly spat out as soon as she realized Devin was going to let the outsiders in the village.

  “Official?” Devin asked.

  “Yes. The leaders of the sidhe can only invite people in,” Nessa answered.

  “Well then, this is easy. Maria and Cassie, let me invite you to the village,” Devin replied, waving his arm at the bridge they were about to cross.

  “It isn’t like anyone can invite people in,” Nessa stated, standing back from the bridge, but not stopping them, like she knew something was going to happen.

  Maria and Cassie followed behind Devin as they crossed the bridge. Nessa stood for a second in the glen in shock before running after them.

  “That’s not possible,” she said, catching up to Devin and stopping him. “You can’t just invite people in. You aren’t sidhe, let alone our leader.”

  “Are you sure about that? I could always let you do a thorough check on me to be sure. I promise I’m not hiding anything,” Devin teased Nessa a bit. He needed her to lighten up.

  “You know what I mean,” Nessa replied with a huff. “Only the leaders can invite people in.”

  “And since I let them in, what does that mean for me?” Devin hinted. Keaton was right, and Devin had just proved it to himself. Even if Nessa wanted to choose someone else, she couldn’t take away what he was. Devin was a leader, and he intended to take authority after he saved the stupid suitors.

  “But that’s not possible,” Nessa muttered, understanding that Devin was insinuating he was one of the leaders. “We never …” Nessa trailed off, not finishing her sentence.

  Devin raised his eyebrows, wondering what she was going to say.

  ‘The trees told me that I am the king no matter who you choose,’ Devin finally explained.

  ‘But what does that make me?’ Nessa was confused.

  ‘You are the queen. Don’t ever doubt that. Let’s just say it might be a two-power system here now instead of one,’ Devin replied.

  He wasn’t too sure himself what was going on, but he didn’t have time to sit and fret about it. They had three men that were under some sort of spell and possibly dying. They couldn’t have that on the eve of Nessa’s coronation. They needed to sort things out quickly for Nessa’s sake, and hopefully find the sidhe that was going against her still. Maybe a display
of power in front of all the sidhe would be what it took to make the attempts on Nessa stop. Devin hoped so. It would be nice to have this be the last battle.

  It didn’t take much to convince Nessa that there was witch magic in the village after a visit to the outcast camp. When Maria reversed the spell on Keaton, and he turned back into the same sidhe she had grown up with, Nessa was sure of it. There was no way possible Keaton would have remained as an old man for long if there had been a solution in the village. He had never officially been banned from the palace, but without being himself, she was sure he would never set foot back inside. As much as Nessa didn’t want to admit it, Devin was right. She was going to have to be nice to the witches and go against everything she had been raised to believe in order to counter the witch magic.

  “You can come back,” Nessa told Keaton when they got ready to leave.

  “Nah,” Keaton replied, shaking his now reddish golden hair.

  “You didn’t do anything wrong,” Nessa replied. Voicing an opinion against a ruler wasn’t punishable by exile. Her brother had been wrong in what he did.

  “I don’t belong there anymore,” Keaton explained. Nessa saw Keaton in a whole new light. She would have never guessed a noble would want to stay in the outcast camp, yet here he was. “I belong here. These are my people now.”

  Nessa looked up at the village Devin had created. It was different than the palace. The houses were stacked together, some even on top of others and a few up higher in the trees. Nothing separated the clans, and people milled about with whomever they chose. Devin had even created a small market that had a few people setting up shops. He could combine the sidhe that were all outcasts for not fitting into the normal sidhe way of life. That was what Devin was there for. This was his purpose.

  “The barriers extend around the outcast camp. Maria set up a second set to keep out witch magic. We don’t know who’s doing this, or who their target really is,” Devin told Keaton. “Make sure that everyone knows the boundaries, and that no one else can come in here. We don’t need the other sidhe seeing this yet, and I want everyone to stay safe.”

  Keaton nodded to Devin. He seemed as intent as Devin in protecting all of those around them.

  “We’ll be back as soon as we can,” Devin told him.

  Keaton gave him a small bow of his head before turning back to the village.

  “You don’t think they’re safe here?” Nessa asked as they walked to the edge of the village.

  “I’m not sure if you were really the target on this one,” Devin replied. “It could have been me. Everyone knows that I can heal the sidhe. Someone could have put the spell on them hoping that I would try to heal them quickly and kill them in the process.”

  Nessa stared at Devin. She hadn’t thought of that. She assumed that with more people plotting, and magic being thrown around, it was to stop her ascension to the throne. Everything in the sidhe world was about power. It made more sense to attack Nessa than Devin to get it, unless someone else already figured out that Devin was walking around like the king.

  “In that case, should you be entering the palace with me?” Nessa asked. She didn’t need Devin to be even more of a target than he already was.

  Pausing, Devin thought for a second. “You’re right. I should keep my distance. Maria and Cassie are shielded and invisible outside the outcast village, but I guess I should be careful also,” Devin replied.

  Nessa was in shock. She was surprised to find that Devin would even consider himself in danger. Nessa looked him over. Was he feeling okay? Was there something he wasn’t telling her?

  Devin smiled at her. ‘I spent a summer with the witches. If someone truly can use their magic, then we are all in danger. I can’t act rashly with that on my mind.’

  ‘But you have my grandfather’s power,’ Nessa replied. She had been raised to dislike the day human witches, but she was never given a reason why she should.

  ‘And though his power is great, it’s not infallible. If I don’t stay safe, there’s no guarantee I can keep you safe. They might just be trying to get rid of me to get to you,’ Devin explained.

  “Nessa is going to head back on her own,” Devin told Cassie and Maria. “We will follow close behind, but I need to keep as hidden as you two are. I can hide myself from the sidhe, but not the witch. For that, I’ll need your help.” Maria nodded and dug into the bag around her shoulder.

  Nessa turned to go, but paused and glanced over her shoulder at Devin. Was it safe to be bringing him back to the palace if someone was trying to kill him? For the first time, she was feeling what he must have felt all along. No wonder he learned how to control the magic shield he could create. Nessa was wishing that she could make one for him, too. It wasn’t fair that he was protecting her still when it might be his life on the line this time.

  Reaching forward, Devin grabbed her hand. He squeezed it and nodded to her like he knew her fears.

  “It takes more than just a witch to kill me off,” he told her. “I’d never leave you unprotected,” he added even quieter, just for her ears to hear.

  Nessa smiled as much as she could for his sake, but she was still worried. She hated that they had been fighting not even hours before, and that it was her fault. If only she had told Liam to wait when they were in the glen the day before, she could have let Devin finish talking—he could have asked her to marry him. She had no doubts she would have said yes, because she wasn’t about to live her life without him. Just the thought that someone was going to hurt him made her worry. Life without him would have been impossible if they could barely manage to even survive without each other.

  Nessa began to walk away but stopped short. Devin was waiting right behind her. “What about the gates?” she asked. Anyone would know when they came and left the palace. If she entered and then it went off again when Devin entered, the mystery witch sidhe would know.

  Grinning, Devin stepped closer. “Won’t be a problem. I already had a nice talk with the trees about that one. I can come and go without anyone knowing.”

  “And did you explain it would be nice if they didn’t do that for me?”

  “Not a chance,” Devin replied before leaning in closer and kissing her. “Stop worrying so much. Between my powers and Maria, we should be fine.”

  “Should?” Nessa added.

  Devin shrugged. He never made promises he couldn’t keep, and Nessa knew that much. It was hard to see him not completely confident about the situation. Devin knew much about the night human world. There had to be more he wasn’t telling her, but there was no time to question him. Without a solid reassurance, she was going to continue to worry.

  Nessa looked back one last time before turning to go into the village. She walked with Devin close behind … at least she thought he was. The magic the witches used seemed to dampen the bond Nessa had with him. Was it possible the magic of the day human witches was stronger than the night human sidhe? She wished she had paid more attention.

  As she walked into the palace grounds, she heard the wailing of the alarm. She was never going to get used to that. It only lasted a moment before it stopped. By the time she made it across the courtyard, Devin entered with the witches. Nothing happened. Devin was correct, the trees had obeyed his wishes. She was going to have to have a talk with the trees herself when she found the time to figure out exactly how one talked to trees.

  She hurried through the palace to the sick wing where they had escorted the witch-cursed sidhe. Not surprisingly, the three men were surrounded by their families. No one touched any of the men in fear of making it worse, but she was sure that was all that was stopping them. Liam’s cousin looked to her as she entered.

  “Did you find the day human?” he asked.

  “No, why?” Nessa replied. She had never said she was looking for Devin to anyone in the room.

  “Your uncle said you went in search of him to bring him back here to fix what he did,” the man answered.

  Nessa searched her brain for
his name. She was sure she had met him before.

  “He didn’t do this,” Nessa snapped, exasperated that no matter how many times she told them that, they all felt it was Devin’s fault. At her words, the others in the room turned back to her. Some were sad, but more so they were collectively mad at her. No one would openly show that, of course, as they knew she would be queen in a matter of hours, but they couldn’t hide their reactions completely.

  “You’re blinded by your feelings for him,” one of the men complained. “You don’t see him for what he is.”

  “And that is what, exactly?” Nessa was sick of how the sidhe treated Devin. He had given up everything to stay with her in her world, and now she was regretting his decision. Nessa was even regretting that she came back. They could have stayed in the night human territory of any of the four that Devin had previously worked for. They could have had normal lives, where people weren’t always accusing them of something or trying to kill them.

  “He’s an outsider,” Liam’s cousin spat out. “And no amount of sidhe magic within him will change that. He isn’t one of us. His loyalty will always be to the day humans.”

  Nessa couldn’t help her eye roll. It was getting old, having to defend Devin to idiot comments. No one wanted to give him a chance within the palace walls. If the nobility didn’t see that, then they were either blind or maybe that was their dislike of him. No one born and raised noble had ever even tried to befriend the common sidhe, let alone the outcasts. Maybe their assertions of Devin being an outsider had nothing to do with his day human blood, but more with his day human mannerisms.

  ‘Can you get them out of here?’ Devin asked.

  Nessa had momentarily forgotten that he was in the room. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment that Devin had heard how the men in the room disliked him. How could she ask him to stay and be with her when it was probably impossible to change that?

  ‘Sure.’

  Nessa looked around the room. Angry eyes all stared back at her.