Darkest Day (18 page)

“Winn, we gotta go,” Mac said at my side. “It’s our last chance to say goodbye.”

Mac

I didn’t know Zoe had so many friends. As I stood at the back of the chapel with Winn, his dad and Josie, scanning the room and the backs of heads, I started wondering just how many people would attend my funeral. If I ever died.

A total of twelve? The Council?

There had to be over two hundred people filling the pews. People I’d seen in the hallways at school. Teachers. Even part of the Council had come, though every time I looked at them, a boiling rage took over.

They could have saved her.

Everything inside me believed they could have, if they wanted to.

“We don’t interfere with humans.”
Their excuse didn’t work for me.
They interfered all the time. My mother, a goddess, had produced two children with a human. I believed, from Winn’s email, at least three Council members had married or partnered up with a human, producing, at the very least, Maddie—perhaps Ridge, too. If Zoe had been one of their kids, they’d have done something to save her.

The music began, a slow processional that would take the four of us, the preacher guy, and six pall bearers up front. Winn and his dad had both accepted positions. So had Suze who’d chosen all black like me. The other three were men I didn’t recognize, but one turned every time I passed. I’d nod and move on, not wanting to talk to any of them.

As we made our slow walk to the front, people around us whispered, bowed their heads, stood and sat. Tears flowed, making my own eyes water.

We passed Magwa and Nomas, and I wanted to turn, right then, and yell at them. Instead, I glared and sent silent messages they’d never hear.
‘You could have saved her!’

Keiran’s family sat in the middle with red-rimmed eyes. Why they’d decided to join, I didn’t know. I figured they’d have been home mourning.

Clara’s family didn’t attend.

On my left, Cleo and Robin, with her protruding stomach bump, sat with two men I’d never seen before, their converted husbands, I presumed. Neither held magic, but they earned a glare, too, and both turned away.

So, you know why I’m angry with you.

In front of them, Raven sat with Gerard. He nodded to me. Raven sat stoic.

You’re a damn angel. That has to mean you could have saved her.

Of the twelve on the Council, I guessed at least three had the power to heal.

We can’t intervene, my ass.

“You look like you’re about to spew fire,” Josie said in my ear as we reached the front pew.

I forced my expression flat and whispered back, “Emergency Council meeting tonight. Get them all there.”

Her hand gripped my shoulder. “We’ll talk afterward.”

I spun and swept her hand away from me. “You’re just as much to blame for this.” My words came out louder than I intended.

Josie pursed her lips. “We will talk, Mackenzie.”

“Yes, but—”

Winn turned to me, and the pain in his face made me stop the irritated, anger-filled tirade I wanted to let free. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, willing some calm into my body.

“Dear friends,” the preacher began. “Today, we remember Zoe Amanda Thomas, a young soul whose life ended far too soon.”

You got that right.

He went on. I stared into empty space.

Bernie spoke. My thoughts traveled elsewhere. To the Council. To my role. To being human or non-human. To my choice that would take me away from Winn—a fate which, at that moment, I pondered intently. I could stay human and be with him. He could become immortal and be with me. Or, like death, we would separate.

Winn spoke. I focused on him.

When it came to my turn, I walked up to the podium, a haze of uncertainty twisting itself around me. Faces stared back. The Council members I’d seen before. A group of freshman, who dabbed their eyes with tissues. Caroline and Pete together in the middle.

Maddie.

Ridge.

“Why are you here?”

A rumble of deep whispers went through the crowd. I launched myself from the front and raced down the center aisle.

Someone jumped up behind me.

When I reached Maddie, I stood over her. “Why are you here?”

Her face took on a pallor not unlike Zoe’s. “I—”

“Get out!” I pointed to the doors as someone grabbed me around the waist. “No!” I jerked in their arms. “You’re not welcome here. Neither of you.”

“It’s okay, she’s directing her anger outwardly,” the voice at my ear said.

“No, I’m not! Get her out. She’s only ever tried to take stuff from me. She’s a—”

A hand clamped over my mouth. My entire body lifted from the floor and, even as I struggled, the scene went from inside to outside, to a tree-filled courtyard, my body going lax under the man’s control.

“I’m going to set you down now, but you have to promise not to leave. I won’t catch you if you run. Are you ready?”

I nodded.

Feet hit brick. As soon as he let go, I stalked away and turned around. “Who are you?”
That’s the guy who kept staring at me.

Dressed in a black suit and tie, he stood out no more than anyone else, except for the fact he stared at me with an intensity I had experienced only with Winn.

With a tip up of his chin, he said, “I’m your father.”

17

Winn

“Mac? Mac? Wake up.” I’d followed her, and my dad’s friend who’d agreed to be a pall bearer, out to the courtyard after the spectacle inside. She’d struggled out of his arms and two seconds later slumped to the ground. “Mac?”

“She’s just fainted,” the guy I’d only ever known as Zoe’s therapist said.

Mac pushed up from the ground, her head turning left and right. She jumped to her feet and wobbled. I caught her before she toppled again.

“When was the last time you ate, Mackenzie?” Dr. Enroht asked.

She waved him off and pulled from my hold. Two steps later, she faltered again. For the second time, I took her in my arms, and led her to another bench. “I need to get out there.” She pointed toward the arched exit.

“You need to eat.” Magwa appeared from outside, a Snickers bar in-hand. “It is always good to be prepare—”

“Like you?” She stood but took the chocolate. “You didn’t help Zoe. You weren’t ‘prepared’ to help her. You—”

Magwa put his palms together, prayer-style. “We are not allowed.”

“Even for me? For me!” Her voice rose in volume and tone. “She was my sister!”

I slipped an arm behind Mac and walked her down the small pathway, away from Magwa. Tall stone walls surrounded the courtyard, giving the four of us privacy—though I didn’t understand Dr. Enrohte’s role or why he’d jumped up and brought Mac out.

“She was my sister, too,” I said, expecting retaliation.

Mac bit into her snack. “And you know what they can do. Saroya is an elf. He can heal. Magwa is a wizard. He can heal. Raven—”

“I know you want to think that.”

“I don’t
want
to think … I
know
!” She slapped her hands together as if to get my attention.

With a glance back at Magwa, I waved him out, which left Zoe’s therapist standing alone at the door again.

“Why did you go after Maddie?”

Mac’s head slumped down. “I don’t know. I just … saw her there and everything inside me wanted to strangle her.” She dropped to another bench and leaned forward, fingers running through her hair.

I sat next to her. “This is hard on all of us, and I thought you were doing okay, but maybe you’re not. Maybe we should talk to someone. I mean, Zoe’s therapist is here. He’s one of the pall bearers. He brought you out here.”

“No.” She spat the answer at me.

“Maybe he could just … you know, help us both for a little? Before we drive over to the cemetery.”

“No.” That time, the word came out softer.

“Just stay here for a minute.” I started to leave but she grabbed my arm.

“My father is here.”

“What? Your … father?” I spun around looking for him as if he’d be right there.

“He’s a pall bearer.”

I thought through the faces of the four extras who’d agreed. Two golf buddies. Zoe’s therapist. Dad’s college roommate. It took a second for me to realize the one who’d tackled Mac, Zoe’s therapist, still stood in the courtyard. “My sister’s—her doctor—he’s her dad?
Your
dad?”

Mac held the last bit of her candy bar in her hand, stretching it out to me but not in a way that would suggest I should eat it. More in an agreement. As if I’d just figured out something huge.

I spun only to find the man in question walking our way.

“How is she?” he asked when he reached us.

Mac moved to my side. “Who are you?” Her finger replaced the candy bar in the pointing action.

“I’m Rory.” He moved in closer and held out a hand to me. “Good to see you Winn, even under the circumstances.”

I stared at the man, looking at him from a completely different perspective. Rather than shake his hand, my finger extended in his direction like Mac’s had. “You?” I’d have guessed him to be in his mid-forties by his hair still dark with specks of gray in a few places.

He slid his hands into his pockets. “You know, then?”

“That means—you knew—what about Zoe?”

His hands rose, palms facing me. “Know what? That she was my daught—” His voice broke. He coughed into a fist before tucking it back. “Yes. I knew.”

Mac pressed herself forward. “What about me? What do you know about … me?”

Engine noise from outside the courtyard had us all turning. “Maybe we could talk about this after the cemetery service? There’s a large group of folks waiting.”

Mac’s cheeks turned pink.

I wondered for a moment if she knew she’d blushed.

“Death affects people in a variety of ways, including outbursts of the sort you had. No one will take issue with you.”

I took Mac’s hand and pulled her with me.

“Just one question,” she said and stopped us. “How long have you … known? About … Zoe and me?”

On a deep sigh, he said, “All your life.”

Mac

All through the procession and the final placement at the cemetery, I could think of nothing but my father. My dad. The man I’d wondered about and been told by everyone they couldn’t tell me—because my mom had kept his identity such a complete secret they didn’t know. The man she’d promised to reveal to me after I reached my nineteenth birthday.

My real dad.

Zoe’s dad. A man she’d never met—in father form—and wouldn’t.

Ever.

Winn drove us on toward The Bean, a coffee shop two miles from Primrose. “Are you sure you want to do this with just us?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

He pulled at the knot in his tie, loosening it until he looped it over his head and threw it in the backseat. “I don’t know. It’s a shock?”

“He’s a therapist. He can probably deal with whatever I’m feeling better than anyone else.”

Winn released a small chuckle. “You’re probably right.” He pulled into the parking lot and, leaving the engine running, turned toward me.

At his sigh, I said, “What?”

His eyes closed.

“Come on, Winn. Spit it out.”

“I … I just want to make sure you’re not going to make a scene in there like at the funeral.” He took my hands as if in apology. “I thought maybe we should go to somewhere private, but—”

“Winn.” I squeezed his fingers. “I’m okay. I …” Not letting go, I turned toward the window, inhaled and spun back. “I had a moment. It all kinda crashed down on me when I saw Maddie for some reason. I’ll apologize to your dad. I will.”

“He doesn’t need one. He understands. I’m more worried about this finding-your-dad thing on top of everything else that’s gone on.”

“I have you with me.”

“I was there before,” he said.

“Yeah, but you weren’t, too. This is different. This is … a … connection. It’s almost a little like getting something back. I went from mad to ‘oh my god’ freaked when he said who he was.”

“To the point you fainted.” He grinned.

“I was overwhelmed.” I pointed my finger at him. “And if you tell anyone about that, I will kill you, got that?”

His grin morphed into a smirk. “I officially have some blackmail dirt on you.” Winn pushed his door open.

I followed, quickly. “I mean it, Winn. No one is to know.”

He shut his door, his lips curving up farther. “Oh, yeah. I’ll never tell.”

We met at the back of the car and, hand-in-hand, walked into the coffee shop.

Dr. Enroht, Rory, sat at the closest table. He stood as soon as we entered and motioned us toward the counter. “Whatever you’d like. I’m buying.”

I moved straight to the girl behind the counter and said, “Chocolate milkshake.” The good doctor chuckled. I faced him, my eyebrows coming together. “What?”

“Your mother has a love of chocolate. I see she’s passed it on.”

“That’s about all she eats,” Winn said. “I’ll have the same.”

Therapist-man nodded as if he understood. “Chai Tea for me, please.”

Cashier-girl handed us a silver stand with a little red circle and a number ‘3’ at the top. “We’ll bring it right over.”

We moved off to a back table, following my dad the whole way. The idea that the man who fathered me stood right in front of me still seemed odd, yet at the same time, exhilarating.

Winn and I took one side of the booth, and ‘the man’ slid into the other. He clasped his hands on the table, his tie loosened and askew, his suit jacket still covering him. Deep, dark, chocolate eyes faced me.

Eyes just like mine.

“Why did mom hide you? Why weren’t you in my life? In Zoe’s? Why does the world think you died? Why—”

He held up his hands, a smile filling his face. “She hid me because of the law of relationships.”

“The what?” Winn asked.

“A hundred years before you were born,
all
human-non-human relationships were unlawful. Persecuted even.”

“But they aren’t now,” I said.
Except for Council members.

“No, but back then …” He pointed up. “… they’d made the decree.”