The Day Human King (7 page)

Devin could sense the elite in the auditorium waiting for him to arrive. He needed to take his time. His temper was getting the better of him now that the adrenalin had worn off from his rush to save Nessa. The feelings he felt for Nessa were new. Devin was used to being able to control all of his emotions. Even when he found himself in love with his last charge, he still was able to keep it at bay and do his job. Unfortunately, it wasn’t that easy with Nessa. More and more, he found that he was losing control. He wasn’t sure how Nessa could get him bothered, but he was upset about what happened. Devin felt responsible for leaving her behind, and not being there as soon as she fell sick. He wasn’t going to make that mistake again. He would protect Nessa … no matter what.

Devin thoroughly looked around the palace to see where each sidhe was, and discovered they were all waiting in the auditorium for him. It was time to go interrogate the elite. Nessa was safe sitting in the room with him, but he had to be sure she would stay safe. He needed to be the monster sidhe that the old king had made him. It was time to get the elite to fall in line with his demands. When Devin stood and walked to the doorway of Nessa’s apartment, she followed.

“Not you,” Devin said to her without turning around to face her. He couldn’t let her go there where she could be a target.

“What?” Nessa asked, shocked by his statement, and upset that he was acting bossy again.

“There is no
what
,” Devin replied. “Someone in that room tried to kill you and several others today. I do not want you there. It isn’t safe.” He couldn’t make it any clearer.

Nessa stared at him, unable to respond. Nodding as if the conversation was done, Devin opened the door. Since Devin could feel every sidhe and no one was near her, he knew she was safe alone in her room. He needed her to stay safe so that he could concentrate on what he needed to do.

“You can’t just keep me locked in my room,” Nessa replied, anger rising. She obviously didn’t like the situation, which Devin could understand, but his need to protect her ruled over his empathy. “I’m a big girl, after all.”

Devin didn’t even respond. He just walked away. Nessa tried to follow, but the room was surrounded by the same invisible barrier he had accidentally used before. He was happy that he’d learned the trick, even if it was because of stress, and knew she wouldn’t be getting out. Devin heard her exasperated scream as he walked away, but he didn’t care. He’d already left her unprotected today, and he wanted nothing except to keep her safe, so he wasn’t letting her walk into a room full of sidhe ready to kill her.

‘If you don’t come back right now, I’m never going to talk to you again,’
she threatened when she found screaming didn’t work.

Turning, Devin gazed at her. She was obviously unhappy that she was stuck in her room, and he had to fight not to go back and take her hand in his. He wanted her to be happy, but more so he needed her to be safe. She meant too much to him to endanger her. He just shook his head before turning back around.

‘I mean it,’
she yelled through their connection. However, he didn’t even miss a step as he walked down the hall, in the direction of the auditorium.

When he finally arrived, there was no one left to wait for, so he could start immediately. He needed to get it over with quickly before Nessa got too mad. Rolf—the only elite that Devin trusted to tell him the truth about the rules of the sidhe world when he needed it—waited by the door as asked, and escorted him to the front of the room. Devin stood before the sidhe and looked from each family head to the next as the room quieted.

“Today we face the task of burying three people. They were all killed by poison,” Devin began. No one spoke; everyone knew what had happened by now. “I had told you before that there would be no more assassinations. I can tell that someone didn’t exactly understand what I was saying. I meant for you to stop killing each other. You are all too blind with hatred to see what you are doing. If you kill each other off,
yes,
someone will be left standing, but what will they rule? There will be no one left. This needs to stop, and it stops now. If there’s a grievance, it needs to be settled in the courts, not with the death of someone.”

The sidhe stared blankly at Devin. Most didn’t grasp what he was saying, or understand how serious he was. It was a concept they couldn’t comprehend. Devin searched the faces of the younger sidhe first, and discovered they were defiant to his words. He glanced around some more. The old sidhe were wary of him in general. His message wasn’t getting through.

“If I find anyone is responsible for the killings today, or any day in the future, I’ll remove their entire family from the noble class of sidhe. You will all be required to go back and live with the common sidhe. If I find that the heads of the family …” Devin looked specifically at Maureen—the lady Nessa thought was her adoptive mother figure in her life, but in reality, she was the one trying to get her killed any way possible. “If it is the head of a family, they will not just be removed from their noble status. The head of the family, along with direct descendants, will be kicked out of the village permanently.”

A collective gasp was heard throughout the room as they finally understood how serious he was, and Devin had to hide the smirk that was forming on his face. It took drastic measures to get through to them, and he’d hit the nail on the head when he figured out the most important thing to these people was their status. They had such little care for life, but their noble status meant everything. He was angry when he entered the room, but to be able to shock them all with the prospect of being kicked out made him smile. Devin had come to the sidhe without a real home left, knew what it was like to contemplate starting over, but it didn’t scare him like he visibly saw in the sidhe now. They truly feared not being nobles, or not living in the village. Devin couldn’t understand this, as he saw the sidhe people as strong and resilient. After all, they had managed to keep their own culture, yet now he wondered if maybe it wasn’t strength, but rather fear, that kept them going. Maybe the thought of exile was just what they needed to inspire them to stop killing each other off.

‘What did you do now?’
Nessa asked in Devin’s head. She felt the chaos falling off all of the sidhe in the room. They were even more scared of him now, if that was possible.

‘I see we are talking now. Forever came quickly,’
Devin replied.

He looked around the room one last time before leaving. His message had been received. Whoever did this wasn’t going to have help, nor would they willing admit it. Hopefully Devin’s threat would keep the chaos limited to the one assassin that they were looking for, and no one would think to join them.

Silence was Nessa’s reply to Devin’s comment. He was sure there would be silence the rest of the day, but he knew Nessa well enough by now. She wouldn’t stay quiet for long. It wasn’t in her to do that. At that moment, he didn’t care if she was mad at him. She was safe, and that was all that mattered. She’d forgive him soon enough.

After Devin’s meeting
with the sidhe the day before, Nessa wasn’t thrilled to be waking the next night and having to deal with the fallout. She’d found out from her uncle that Devin—being as overprotective as he always was—told the sidhe that if they continued to put out assassinations, he would disband any family that was involved. Nessa would have told him that wasn’t a tactic that would work with the sidhe, but he was too angry to listen, and she was too angry to help him out. The sidhe would never let another family be made into commoners, but who knew. Devin did seem to have a way to make what he wanted to happen, happen.

Rolf was early, like the day before, and Nessa was surprised to wake and find that Devin was actually in the room with her. He had already gotten breakfast, and had a tray waiting for her. She continued being mad at him for essentially locking her in her own room, and refused to eat what he’d brought. She didn’t fear the food, as Devin would make sure it was safe, but she needed to make a point. Devin couldn’t just lock her away like a helpless princess. Nessa was anything but helpless. When Rolf knocked, she was grateful to get away from Devin before she caved. It was much harder to stay mad at him now that she knew everything through the bond. He wasn’t even doing this to be mean. In fact, he was being more than caring, and she hated that she could feel it. Since his emotions were something new to her, she didn’t know how to block them out of her mind, and now he was freely sharing. He was worried beyond belief about her. She’d never had someone worried about her safety before, not even her family. It was all new and strange. As she opened the door for her waiting uncle, she had to hide her smile. Nessa wasn’t going to let Devin win, even if he truly was trying to keep her safe and happy.

“Did you look over the list?” Rolf asked, tentatively glancing into the room. Rolf was back to fearing Devin now that his worry over Nessa had passed.

Devin nodded to Rolf, and Nessa saw the small shiver that Rolf had in reply. At least one sidhe took Devin seriously, not that Uncle Rolf would have had anything to do with her assassination attempt. Her family gained nothing by her death, as her cousin and Rolf’s son had already made it clear that he wouldn’t take the throne. Since there was no one left in direct line from her grandfather to take the throne, Rolf supported her completely.

“I figured that list is too long,” Devin answered, joining Nessa at the doorway. Because he was standing so close to her, Nessa could feel the heat coming off of him.

“It is one of the requirements,” Rolf squeaked out, “to take the throne.”

“I’m not trying to change tradition,” Devin replied kindly. He had to have seen his effect on Rolf, but he didn’t comment on it. “I was thinking that if Nessa took the elite sidhe complaints, and I took the commoner complaints, it could be done possibly in a day instead of dragging out right up until the moment of the coronation. I know she must decide on the cases, as her word will be law, but I’m bonded to her, and have both her and her grandfather’s blood running through me now. I figured I could just be an extension of her.”

Rolf’s mouth hung open, and Nessa had to cough to hide her smile. She wasn’t sure Uncle Rolf had even considered that Devin would offer to help, neither had she, and Devin did have a point. He was always prepared. There was no reason he couldn’t be an extension of Nessa.

“I suppose that will work,” Rolf replied, finally coming to his senses.

Devin took the lists Rolf had given Nessa the day before and handed one to Nessa, keeping the second for himself. Nessa focused on the paper in her hand as he tried to catch her attention with a smile. At any time he could mentally talk to her, but he was giving her some space. Nessa wanted to be angry that he could act so perfectly, but she was rapidly losing the battle.

“Then we should get started,” Devin replied, motioning for Rolf to lead the way.

Rolf began to walk down the hallway, and Devin stayed behind Nessa, waiting for her to follow her uncle. Planning, helping, and even being courteous. What more could Nessa wish for in a guy? Devin was the complete package.

‘Why?’
Nessa asked silently without turning around. She was too close to caving in and forgiving him for being overprotective.

‘Why what, princess?’
Devin replied innocently.

‘Why listen to grievances?’
Nessa began to walk after her uncle. Devin kept in step behind her, which Nessa appreciated since she wouldn’t have to turn around and look at him.

‘Why not? Did you see the list? You’d be in there from sundown to sunup every moment until the coronation. I figure if I help out, you might just get a bit of rest. You did almost die yesterday,’
Devin replied. She didn’t need to be reminded, but she felt it again. He was taking the poisoning upon himself again, thinking it was his fault. Nessa shook off the feeling.

His reply made sense, but Nessa still didn’t completely understand. Why would he spend time listening to people complain? That didn’t sound like fun. None of the other rulers ever had help. Her brother, Rhys, had ruled on his own. Her father never asked her mother to help with anything. Her grandfather ruled with an iron fist that no one could deny. They sat for hours listening to complaints from common and elite sidhe alike. It kind of went with the job, no matter how boring it could be. Devin was a strange addition to the sidhe world, and she would have to get used to that fact.

Rolf stopped at the amphitheater and looked between Devin and Nessa.

“If you both are to be meeting with people, we will need a second room,” Rolf told them, aware that his logistics wouldn’t work well.

“I can meet with the common sidhe in the courtyard,” Devin replied. That was so Devin. He didn’t require a fancy room where he sat above the people. A park bench in the courtyard was more than enough for him. Nessa knew exactly why the sidhe needed Devin as their king: they needed the humility that went with the man she fell in love with.

“If you would like,” Rolf replied, perplexed by the arrangement. He couldn’t fathom why Devin would want to sit as equals with commoners.

Nessa shook her head as she caught Devin’s innocent glance at her. He knew exactly why Rolf was confused. All of the sidhe were confused by Devin, and that was a good thing. Since he was being himself, he didn’t mind in the least.

“Once Nessa is settled, I’ll wait in the east courtyard for anyone on the commoner list,” Devin explained as he ushered Rolf and Nessa into the large room in which he’d threatened the noble sidhe just the day before.

Nessa followed her uncle past the waiting mob of people without looking to see who was there. The list said enough. At least a quarter, maybe even half of the palace residents had a complaint. They usually settled grudges themselves, therefore she knew there wasn’t going to be much with real substance. It was going to be a long day, and she wasn’t looking forward to any of it. However, since Devin had cut her list in half, it wasn’t going to be as bad as she’d originally thought when Rolf had handed her the list. At least she hoped it wouldn’t be as bad.