Nessa smiled as people watched her, but the strain was evident. ‘Dinner, dance, and then done,’ she replied, nodding to the servant that began bringing the food out.
Devin watched the people seated below. Devin looked closer to the people seated below, and the five tables surrounding theirs. Each person was covered by a haze. Nessa and her cousin Ronan were the only sidhe not covered in the cloud of magic. Devin watched the faces of the servers as they came closer and realized the magic fog was the sidhe magic they were using to distort their actual features. The current man bending down to set their plates in front of them had a crooked nose that was disguised by a much straighter, yet larger, one. Devin looked to the tables near them that had to be the sidhe head clans. All the women were older than they appeared to their fellow sidhe, and the men much weaker than they appeared to be. The sidhe didn’t use just clothing and money to appear younger, stronger, and more beautiful; they used their magic. It seemed like they used magic to hide what they found as flaws, and only Nessa and Ronan didn’t seem to care.
Devin sat patiently through the meal, as much as he could, while dish after dish was served. After the fourth course, he stopped counting. The dinner was excessively long, and Devin was beginning to see why. People moved about from table to table. He could make out several alliances between families, yet not a single one approached Nessa. She sat alone with him and didn’t even watch the floor below. Even between the head families, members wandered between tables as courses were served.
Devin’s eyes were drawn back to the table Fiona sat at. She didn’t participate in the meandering, but continued to gaze at him. He glanced her way again and found her brother was staring just as intently at Nessa. Devin was unsure what to make of the Ferguson family. The vibe he got from them was not good, yet they had done nothing to make him believe his gut feeling.
By the time dinner finally finished, Devin was sure that there were four assassins meandering in the walkway around the room. He was unsure if they were together or alone, as none seemed to move beyond a ten foot area of the walkway. Either way, Devin figured they were there for Nessa. There would be four attempts on her life, and he couldn’t let his guard down for one minute.
“May I have the first dance?” someone said next to him, pulling Devin from his study of the assassins.
Devin turned to find Finn bent down beside Nessa, extending a hand to her. Nessa looked as shocked as Devin at Finn’s sudden appearance and question after a silent meal. Nessa looked to Devin first. He nodded discreetly to her, and she looked back to Finn. Finn caught the movement and his eyes darkened momentarily, but it was enough for Devin to notice. Finn didn’t seem to like Devin at all. Finn smiled to Devin, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Devin had no clue how to interpret the sidhe, but Devin, at that moment, didn’t care. He needed to continue watching the assassins in case any planned to make a move.
Nessa held tight to Finn’s arm as he led her onto the floor. It had only been a month since she broke off the engagement, but she was surprised to find him acting like nothing was different. He was still the same old Finn.
The dance floor was completely empty except for the two of them. Nessa didn’t want to look at all the faces around her as they watched. She already had enough of being up on a podium for inspection through the terribly long meal. Nessa didn’t look at a single sidhe during the meal, but she had felt their stares. She wanted to think it was because she brought Devin, but she knew that they would have stared with or without her day human beside her. At least with Devin there, she didn’t have to be stared at alone.
“I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to come home,” Finn commented, moving her hand from his elbow and placing it around his neck. He took her other hand in his own, while sliding his other to her waist.
“I had something to take care of first,” Nessa replied cryptically.
“Your day human toy?” Finn asked, nodding his head toward Devin. “Or is he just a snack? Wait, you didn’t do a spell on him and make him follow you around now? I remember that one time…” Finn started, but Nessa giggled and placed her hand on his mouth. She didn’t need anyone else knowing about her failed attempts at love spells. She would never live that one down.
“You promised,” Nessa complained, still holding his mouth shut. Once she was satisfied he had stopped talking under her hand, she let go and moved her hand back to his neck.
Finn twirled her around the dance floor expertly, and even added in a few fancy moves. Nessa laughed as he spun her a second time, quicker than the first, causing her to grab him to steady herself. That was the Finn she knew, extravagant and always making a scene.
“You didn’t stay away because of me?” Finn asked, a bit more somber and serious. The music had slowed to match his mood.
“Of course not,” Nessa responded instantly. “I really had to take care of a few things, and there was the tournament. I planned to come back right away, but Rhys wouldn’t let me.”
Finn nodded and seemed to accept her response.
“And how have you been?” Nessa asked, a bit surprised herself for actually having the guts to ask him. She figured he hated her for breaking the engagement, but he was just fine.
“Okay,” Finn replied. That was a first. Finn was always great.
“I never meant to hurt you,” Nessa added, even quieter.
Finn gave Nessa a lopsided smile. “Breaking off our engagement was fine. I told you that before you left. I don’t believe in forcing someone to get married, but just like you, I couldn’t tell my family no. I figured if anything, I was saving you from your brother marrying you off to someone else. Do you know the O’Ryan family widower had asked for you?”
Nessa couldn’t stop her mouth from dropping open in surprise. Al O’Ryan had lost his wife over fifteen years ago. He was an old man, and he had children her age. Why would he ask to marry her? Did Rhys really consider it? Nessa was glad that she never heard that before. She would have married Finn the day they got engaged. Now that she was the ruler she didn’t have to get married, but back then she was just the sister to the king.
“Really? But he’s old,” Nessa finally replied.
“I know. You should see the women my mom is now trying to set me up with. They are all really old, or really young. Either you have to get them early or you get the leftovers. It really is ridiculous,” Finn replied.
Nessa considered Finn’s description. What was Fiona’s problem them? She was only eighteen. Really old or really young didn’t quite describe her. Really evil was better. Nessa glanced past Finn to see if Devin was doing all right and saw that he was alone. She relaxed as they continued to dance, knowing everything was fine for that moment.
“How are Mary and Alex doing?” Nessa asked about Finn’s cousin that had gotten married right before she’d left during the same party they had gotten engaged at.
Finn shrugged. “Alex died a bit ago while you were gone. Mary’s kind of taking it hard.”
“I’m sorry,” Nessa replied. That was sad news as they were actually a love match, not arranged by their parents. Nessa didn’t know Mary well as she had come from another village, but she had known Alex. He had grown up running around the Ferguson house along with Nessa and her brother Rhys. “I didn’t know.”
Finn shrugged. How could she know? She had been gone.
A new song started and it was an up-tempo beat. Finn smiled, letting all thoughts of his dead cousin fade away as he took both of Nessa’s hands in his own. Nessa shook her head. She recognized the song also. They had spent one too many nights dancing to that exact song when Rhys was trying to learn it for his coronation ball. Finn and Nessa easily caught on to the steps, while Rhys continued to trip over them. It made Fiona even more irate as they continued to dance and not help her with Rhys. She refused to be the laughing stock of the ball and insisted Rhys stay for hours more to learn the dance.
More people joined the dance floor at the new song, and Nessa was surrounded by
the magical sidhe, all dancing together. Music moved everyone to the same steps. While she disliked many parts of the sidhe, the carefree vibe surrounding her for once made her feel at home. No matter how different she was, she was still a sidhe.
Devin watched as Finn took Nessa in his arms and began to twirl her about. All eyes were on them. Devin tried to look away, but he too saw what everyone else saw, the deep friendship between Nessa and Finn. They had grown up together and it showed. They moved as one across the floor, laughing and smiling the whole time. Another song began and more people drifted down to the floor, but Devin stayed in his place and watched. He tried his best to watch the assassins, but he kept drifting back to Nessa on the dance floor.
“Admiring the happy couple?” a lady said beside him, pulling Devin back to the world around him and the dangers they presented.
Devin glanced at Fiona tentatively as she sat beside him in Nessa’s empty seat. Knowing who was now beside him, Devin went back to watching over Nessa and the assassins still roaming around in their spots, waiting for some detail he was sure, though he didn’t know what. Fiona showing up wasn’t a good sign. Devin was sure she was evil hidden behind a pretty face.
“Since Nessa broke their engagement Finn has been inconsolable, but now that I see them together I’m no longer worried. They’ll be back together in no time,” Fiona replied.
Devin didn’t respond. Nessa did look happy down on the floor in Finn’s arms, but something was still missing. Devin had spent years learning how to analyze people, and he saw friendship between them and nothing more. She had gone to great lengths to break their engagement. She disguised herself as her brother, competed in a tournament of kings, and placed at the top of the competitors. If Nessa wanted to be married to Finn, she could have just stayed home and saved herself the trouble.
“You do know that they were meant to get married this summer. It was to be a short engagement,” Fiona continued after Devin didn’t respond with a fake, consoling attitude.
Devin still didn’t reply. He had been trained over the years to be an emotionally guarded person since the greatest enemies of the dearg-dul clan were the baku, a type of night human who fed on emotion. It would take more than a few words to make him respond. Fiona didn’t seem to know much about Devin. She couldn’t get him to react as she would like, and a slight irritation broke through her voice as she continued.
“It shouldn’t take long for them to get back together. They’ve always been in love with each other. That was always the plan of our families, to be joined together. The McKinny and Ferguson blood combined would make unstoppable sidhe. For the sidhe race alone, they will have to get married since Rhys is no longer around to marry me. Once she’s back with Finn where does that leave you?” She asked sweetly, but there wasn’t much sweetness to her.
Devin shrugged. It didn’t matter who Nessa married. Who she married was her problem, not his, and he wasn’t about to tell Fiona that. And even though Devin hadn’t known Nessa that long, he knew one thing. Nessa would certainly see marriage as a problem. She had made it perfectly clear to Devin that marriage wasn’t even a consideration for her. She wanted to be free to be herself, and Devin was there for one goal- breaking the bond to let her be free.
“I’ll let you on in a little secret,” Fiona said, leaning closer and dragging her blood-red nails down his arm as she did so. “Once she’s married, she will have no need for a day human to be hanging around. Not all the sidhe are kind to their pets, but the Ferguson family is extremely kind. Always know our door is open, should you need a new home.” Fiona whispered her last sentence into Devin’s ear and waited.
Her lips were close enough that if he were to turn, he could kiss her. Devin didn’t turn, but pretended not to notice. Her hand lingered a little longer on his arm as she stood and smiled at him. “You are quite handsome for a day human. Don’t waste your time with Nessa. There’s nothing there for you. You should be able to see, just like the rest of us, that Nessa belongs with Finn,” she told Devin like they were old friends. Fiona sashayed back to her table, making sure that Devin’s eyes would follow her.
Devin couldn’t help but watch her walk away. It was true that Nessa wouldn’t need him once the bond was broken. He was already trying to decide what he would do next. Arianna didn’t need him back at her side, as she now had her mate Andrew. The dearg-dul didn’t need him either, as they were all now subordinate to Arianna. The night human world in general didn’t seem like it needed Devin anymore. He had spent over a decade in the night human world, but it was looking more like he would need to go back to just being a day human. It wasn’t a life he was prepared for, but he would have to make due. It seemed like the only option at this point.
Devin glanced to Nessa, who was fine in Finn’s arms, and then back to Fiona. She was now watching the duo dance intently. He was pretty sure everyone was watching them dance, but her face held more than curiosity, perhaps even a bit of anger. He observed Fiona a bit more to try to see through her mask. Her sidhe magic was strong, but like everyone else, she was hiding something. Her beauty was real, but something was off. He turned his surveillance to the assassins. None were still pacing. Most were getting ready for something. The tune that was playing was slowing down and coming to an end. Something wasn’t right. Devin abruptly stood and slipped between the dancing people to Nessa’s side.
“Mind if I get the next one?” Devin asked, interrupting her laughter. Finn glared at Devin, but quickly hid his disdain at being interrupted from joking with Nessa.
Nessa smiled at Finn and gave him a quick hug. It didn’t look like Finn was done with her, but she let go of him anyways. Devin tried to hide his smile as Finn left the dance floor in anger. Devin placed his hands around her waist as she placed her hands on his shoulders. He pulled her close, expecting to have to protect her at any moment. She looked up at him, still smiling from her dances with Finn. Her smile faded a bit when she saw that he wasn’t smiling back.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. She looked over his shoulder and quickly around the room, but didn’t see anything.
“We need to dance our way out of here,” Devin replied quietly, while still spinning them in circles. “Just follow my lead.”
Nessa wanted to ask more, but Devin dipped her down suddenly with one hand. Pulling her back up, his fist pressed against her back, now holding an arrow he grabbed from an assassination attempt. No one saw the invisible arrow, but Devin still held onto it. After a few more quick spins that didn’t allow Nessa to ask more questions, yet brought them five feet closer to the exit, Devin caught a second arrow from a different assassin. The first assassin was still waiting. Even the assassins didn’t see their own arrows. As they were within ten feet of leaving, Nessa finally protested.
“Devin, what is going on?” she asked, a bit winded from dancing.
‘Not now. I’m trying to save your life,’ Devin answered silently. Nessa’s eyes went big. She obviously hadn’t considered the danger to her life. ‘Now duck,’ he ordered.
Nessa instantly bent down and pretended to adjust her dresses hem. Devin held out his empty hand to help her stand back up. She smiled and stood, though there was still hesitation in her eyes. She couldn’t see the arrows in his hand. Devin smiled back, and she relaxed a little. Nessa slipped her hands back to his shoulders, and Devin took the lead again, pulling her toward the exit on the opposite side of the room from their table.
‘Dinner, dance, and then done?’ Devin asked, reiterating that they were done. He didn’t expect any kind of protest, but he had to be sure that they fulfilled the role they were supposed to play.
“I have to tell them I’m leaving,” she replied quietly. Devin spun her again before answering.
Devin reached to grab the fourth arrow, but midflight it turned back around and hit the assassin that had shot it. Devin didn’t even wait to see what would happen to the assassin. The last one he had killed turned visible the moment he died. Devin was sure this one was slig
htly hidden, but would be found quickly none-the-less. They didn’t have time to wait around for the real chaos to begin. Devin stopped dancing and grabbed Nessa’s hand in his free one to pull her the last few feet to the doorway. Nessa seemed about to protest again as Devin briefly stopped. A man standing by the doorway didn’t even notice them, but Devin knew he was the herald that announced their entrance earlier.
“The queen is tired and retiring to her room. She had a lovely time, please be sure to thank all who attended,” Devin told the man. He didn’t wait for a response, turning back to Nessa.
The herald’s eyes grew wide at being addressed by Devin, and even wider as he noticed Nessa by Devin’s side. He instantly bowed to Nessa before hurrying over to the stairs that lead out of the hall and to the vantage point overlooking the crowd. Devin and Nessa followed behind the man. He turned to the court attending, and Devin continued to pull Nessa behind him. They didn’t stop to listen to the man as the assassins all finally looked up from their weapons. Devin had Nessa out the door before the herald was finished talking, and before anyone could follow them.
“Devin we’re alone,” Nessa replied, out of breath as Devin pulled her down the hallway. Her dainty sidhe shoes clicked on the stone floor, but Devin didn’t stop.
“For now, but I doubt they won’t follow. At least the three that were still standing when we left,” Devin commented, pulling her in the direction of her room, the only safe place in the palace since they had let sidhe assassins in.
“Assassins?” Nessa asked, horror lining her face.
The Day Human Prince Page 9
