Darkest Day (34 page)

“A bit of warning would have helped.” I rubbed at my lids, blinking to bring back focus.

Josie bit at her lip. “I would choose to leave because I am in love with a human, and at this point in time, those relationships are very difficult to maintain.” She indicated with her hand that Felix should speak.

“I would choose to leave—”

I snapped my fingers before the crowd could get with it just in case Magwa’s charm hadn’t worked.

Felix’s lips curved. “To leave because I am in love with one of my own and wish no longer to be bound by the rules of the Council.”

The woman in red tilted her head at him.

“I’ll take Felix’s spot.” I gave him a nod.

Felix grinned. “After all this time, may I ask why?”

“I’ll get to that in a bit,” I said.

Nahir dropped his head into his hand as claps rang out through the room. When they stopped, he sat up. “Very well, then. You will replace the creatures of the night, as a Changeling. Your final answer on your human relationship, then, Miss Thorne.”

I patted my thigh. “See, here’s the thing.” With a hand on my chest, I said, “If I choose Changeling, then technically, I’m still both human and non-human as defined by the hours in the day. So I’m thinking we can just keep everything as is.”

Council members’ heads swiveled, again all to Gwen.

She rose and made her way around the table. When she reached me, she held out her hand. I took it and shook.

“Mackenzie, Mac. You’ve outwitted, outsmarted and out-maneuvered the entire Council. You’ve done so in a way that leads me to believe you will be a wonderful ruler.”

“Uh … thanks.”

“And I would grant you this option if, I truly believed that, in your heart, you could give up your human.”

That lurch hit me again. “Who are you to say, though? They’re the Council and—”

Gwen held out her hand again. I took it and shook it. Again. She laughed. “Look, Mackenzie. Closer.” That hand rested in the air as if I should do something with it.

“Pretty?” I asked.

Winn appeared beside me. He took her hand and bent it toward me, pointing to her ring. “You’re the goddess Demeter. One of the twelve from Mount Olympus. The ring is … a symbol.”

She nodded.

“Why?” Winn asked.

“The gods strive hard not manipulate this realm, but to leave the decisions to the Council. I was asked, however, to be here this last year, when we feared you would not live up to your potential. I agreed to be here to give you ideas. As a Changeling who refused to show preference to a form, I chose a new name and the damphyr form, in the hopes it would steer you down a mixed-heritage path.”

“I’m dating a goddess!” Suze’s little exclamation came with a titter and chuckle.

Gwen continued to smile at me. “As the goddess of marriage, sacred law and the cycle of life and death, you were in my charge. I’m not sure I succeeded, as your choice is not one any Changeling has ever made, but you’ve certainly accepted and taken on the uniqueness that is desperately needed. I said it before, and I’ll say it again, Mackenzie. You will make a wonderful ruler.”

“What about me?” Winn asked.

“Ah, yes.” She tipped his chin up with her finger before shaking her head and turning to me. “Maya Mackenzie Thorne, do you or do you not renounce the connection you have to the human realm?”

I held up on finger. “Couple conditions.”

Gwen’s head cocked to the side. “Speak, child.”

“Aft-after I do this, no non-human will ever have to give up the one they love. Ever. Human or otherwise. We change the rule book now and forever. No take backs. Even Changelings. None of us. Ever, ever, ever, ever, ever.”

Snickers came from the Council as Gwen turned to face them. “All in favor, say ‘I’.”

With four exceptions, the entire Council agreed.

I’d have to have a talk with Gerard, Nahir, Tino and Saroya later.

“Can we change it now since they all agreed? I mean, wouldn’t that make more sense?” I asked in a whisper.

Gwen shook her head. “No, child. Your agreement is to continue with the tradition in exchange. It is selfless, and for that, you will be rewarded, but to ensure the adjustment, you must follow through with the agreement. Is that all?”

Shudders made my legs wobbly, but I forced them steady. “Nahir has to throw away the gavel.”

Laughter preceded a thwack of sound. I turned to find the gavel embedded in the wall. “Done,” Gwen said. “More?”

“Future Changelings will never be made pawns in a game. Their parents will always be involved and will teach them from the beginning. Show them the way to greatness. Manipulation aside, we have to know what we’re up against.”

With one exception, another round of automatic ‘I’s went through the Council.

Felix must have figured he didn’t need to vote until he said, “But will there ever be another Changeling?”

Gwen clasped her hands. “Mackenzie?”

“Does it matter? The idea here is change, not the old way.” I’d once suggested a more democratic method, but I didn’t think bringing it up then would be the best idea.

Mumbles rumbled through, but no one argued with me.

“Is that all?” Gwen grinned at me.

“Not yet.” Another deep breath prepared me for my second biggest request. “You can’t take my memories away. I know the rule is that both of us have to be wiped clean, but no. I want to remember. I want to know what it felt like. All of it. I want to remember so I can make sure this never happens again, even though you’ve agreed.” Since they apparently planned to disregard Raven’s deal, I had no intention of letting them do that to me.

“You’ve thought through this well,” Gwen said.

I nodded.

She raised a hand to the Council. All said ‘I’. Even Moira, who I thought might wish some bit of heartache upon me.

I wiggled my toes in my shoes, trying to maintain my confident façade.

“Are we finished?” Nahir asked.

“Um …” I scratched at my head, glanced at Winn, and went back to Gwen. “Just one more.”

“Just one?”

I nodded.

“And?”

“I’m not going to live here. In Rune.”

“What? Why not?” Gwen asked.

“Because, since I’m going to be both human and not, I want to experience life both ways. We have technology that will let me stay in communication with you.”

“But tradit—” Nahir started

I wagged my finger at him. “If you want me to accept my position, officially, which means the last step in the process, this is how it’s going to be. We’re taking what works in the old and using the new. Council members can live anywhere, not only in this little town just because it’s in the middle of some magical black hole. Guardians know about technology and share it with us. We should be getting up with the times, not living in the stone ages just because.”

“And would you advocate letting our secret out, too?” Saroya asked.

I shook my head. “No. Never. Humans won’t ‘get’ us. We have means to make it work, no matter where any of us is. That’s all there is to it.” I forced myself still.

Gwen turned to the Council again. “Six of twelve have agreed.”

I didn’t look to see who had or hadn’t.

“As the deciding factor in these matters, I will side with you, Mackenzie.”

A breath of air rushed from me.

“And is that it, then?”

With a heavy heart, I said, “Yes.”

“So say you, Maya Mackenzie Thorne. Your words are true when said. Please repeat after me. On this day …”

I stared at Winn. “On this day …”

“… I renounce …”

Gulping, I said, “… I renounce …”

“… my human relationship …”

A tear slipped from my left eye and tickled its way down my cheek. “… my human relationship …”

“… such that I may rule with focus on the Council.”

I mouthed ‘Goodbye, Winn’ before facing Gwen and saying, “… such that I may rule with focus on the Council.”

Gwen ran a hand down my cheek. “You’ve done well. The ceremony is complete.” She turned to Magwa. “At this time, you’ll administer the necessary elements?”

Magwa stepped forward. His gaze met mine, and he mouthed, ‘I’m sorry’.

Bernie rose and went to Winn’s side. Alina did, too. Josie moved from her position at the head table and stood with him.

Winn, tall, proud, his head held high and shoulders square rose, too.

I wanted to mirror him, but inside me, every nerve ending screamed in pain. My heart wanted to explode. My fists burned with the nails I’d dug into my palms.

My mom and dad both came and stood next to me.

Still, staring at Winn, I waited.

Magwa lifted a hand and sprinkled glittery dust onto Winn’s head. “Memories sustained. Memories removed.”

Another tear fell from my eyes.

“One by one, to disintegrate, as does the body to dust upon the earth.”

Winn blinked as if the glitter had gotten in his eyes.

“Upon the morn, bring anew, to fill the space left by the old.” Magwa blew the remaining bits from his hand to Winn.

With a snap, the particles singed like fireworks and disappeared.

Winn slumped backward into Bernie and Josie’s arms.

“He’ll sleep until morning and will wake with no knowledge of our kind.” Magwa gave Gwen a little bow. He offered me a pat on the shoulder, and walked back to the table.

“Welcome to the Council,” Gwen said.

I ran from the room and didn’t look back.

30

Mac

No one had followed me the night I became a Council member. Whether they bothered, knew where I’d gone, cared or not, they’d left me alone.

To sulk.

To wallow.

I’d spent the entire night doing just that, forcing myself to breathe, to push forward. To not cry as hard as I did when Zoe died.

I would remember Winn forever in just the way I’d wanted. As Winn. As the boy who I loved and would for the rest of my life.

I’d asked for it. For the pain. The agony. So I would never forget and accidentally change the rules in the future.

By nine a.m. the Council had summoned me by text, phone, and Josie coming up through the pond water. I’d sent her on her way with a message to leave me alone.

By Monday, I’d driven by Winn’s house, stopped in front and let the car idle, but continued on.

On Tuesday, I’d parked before driving away, thinking just a glimpse would be good, but remembering what I’d said to myself. I wanted to remember him the way I remembered him.

On Wednesday, I’d gotten out of the car before getting back in.

On Thursday, with the big moving truck in the driveway, I’d taken that as my sign and stopped going there.

On Friday, I’d gone, anyway, and returned to find Maddie sitting on my porch steps.

“What do you want?” I didn’t hold back the bitterness.

She stood and held out a box toward me. “I wanted to give this back to you. I never should have taken it in the first place. Maybe if I hadn’t …” She gave a little shrug.

The package went from her hands to mine.

“I’m really sorry, Mac.” Maddie walked past me toward a car on the street.

Slowly and carefully, I opened the container and found my book.
The Carriage.
Clutching it to my chest, all my memories of Winn ran through and, tearing at my soul, forced me to my knees.

Winn

“Dude! It’s you.” Mark, my roommate stood in front of the freshman art festival that his girlfriend, Jamie, had dragged us to. She’d wanted to tour the entire campus before classes began, including the one place that, according to her, no one ever went.

She’d been wrong. The hallways and courtyard had been packed with artwork and people. All around us, students—both new and old—walked through, stopping and talking about pieces hung in showcase to the incoming freshman class and the potential they displayed.

Mark snickered at eighty percent of the hundred, or so, pieces of artwork until he’d stopped dead at the one, pointing and covering his mouth.

“It’s not me,” I said, without turning from where I stood with Jamie at a one-foot high sculpture of something indescribable.

A hand landed on my shoulder. Mark spun me around, his mass of blond curls bouncing all over his head. “Dude, it is!” He pushed me toward the wall hanging. “Look for once, already.”

At the picture, a vague sense of familiarity passed through me. “Nah, man, it’s just a guy on a couch. Looks a little like me, but half the stuff in here looks a little like someone.”

Mark shook his head. “James! Get over here, already.” His call out brought not only Jamie but quite a few others.

“Ain’t this Winn?” Mark asked.

“That’s totally you,” she said, blue eyes tracing my face from a foot away. “Oh, yeah, Winn. That’s you.”

Behind me, someone said, “Looks like you.”

Another said, “I’d place a bet on it.”

“Ya’ll are all nuts,” I said.

“Oh, and the southern comes out.” Mark snickered. “Never thought I’d get a roommate that can speak drawl and be smarter than me.” He popped me one in the shoulder.

“C’mon, Markie, I need to make some notes about a few other pieces.”

“Go on. I’ll catch up,” I said, standing in front of the picture again.

Like Jamie had done to me, I traced the boy in the picture with my gaze, taking in the room, the colors, the face. I had to admit the likeness held an uncanny similarity, but I’d never been on a couch or in a room like the one sketched. My eyes followed the line to the title,
The Boy
, and to the artist, Mackenzie Thorne.

My body went rigid—as straight as an arrow in flight before it hits its target. Mind whirling with memories, they all came crashing back down.

The vampire teeth.

The kiss.

The promises.

The ceremony.

The choices.

The nineteenth year.

I spun. All the artwork in the space came from students who’d been accepted to go to Stanford. As freshman. That year.

Right then.

I broke from the crowd building around Mac’s drawing and bolted toward the door.

It opened, streaming in light from outside along with three girls: a blonde, a redhead and a brunette. Not Mac, though. Not the girl who’d kissed me against a tree as a vampire. The girl who’d tried to turn into a dragon to scare me off.