Smokeless Fire (Fire Spirits #1)

by Samantha Young

Snorting at that, Ari picked the book back up. Opening the pages, she felt a shiver cascade down her spine, the crinkling of the paper seeming obnoxiously loud in the quiet of her bedroom. She stared down at the first page, her stomach churning. She was afraid of a book. Afraid of discovering more about her—

  Say it, Ari.

  —kind.

  She wasn’t human.

  Without meaning to her eyes drifted over to Jai again. He wasn’t human either. But he seemed human. He seemed… like one of the good guys. Of course, she couldn’t know that for sure, but she felt it somehow.

  Her fingers trembled as she traced the bold black script on the page in her lap.

  Jinn: A History

  By

  Anonymous

  Ari wondered who Anonymous was and why he/she felt the need to be anonymous. That seemed a little ominous to her. Maybe people weren’t supposed to write down stuff about the Jinn. Maybe the book was taboo. Shrugging off her unease, Ari turned the pages and began to read. The first few chapters were about the different kinds of Jinn, the most powerful ones, the more common ones. Her eyes trailed over one of the lists and she wondered if she’d ever be able to remember this stuff.

  Jinn: This term is a collective one, used to describe individual Jinn and tribes of Fire Spirits. Jinn in their varied forms, like man, carry good souls within them or evil souls.

  Hierarchy of the Jinn:

  Azazil (also known as Iblis) : Sultan of the Jinn, Azazil is the first and most powerful of his children. He was born out of Chaos but legend tells us he has also fought on the side of good. As such, Azazil’s mercurial nature lends itself to good and evil.

  The Seven Kings of Jinn: Azazil’s seven sons. Each king reigns supreme over one day in the mortal week. They have jurisdiction over their allocated day and can interfere in the lives of Importants (see page 112 paragraph 2). In descending order:

  The Gilder King – Ruler of Sunday (neutral in the War of the Flames [see page 245])

  The Glass King – Ruler of Monday (subject to Azazil in the War of the Flames [as above])

  The Red King – Ruler of Tuesday (subject to Azazil in the War of the Flames)

  The Gleaming King – Ruler of Wednesday (subject to The White King in the War of the Flames)

  The White King – Ruler of Thursday (inciter of the War of the Flames [see page 243-245 onwards])

  The Shadow King – Ruler of Friday (subject to The White King in the War of the Flames)

  The Lucky King – Ruler of Saturday (neutral in the War of the Flames)

  Intrigued by the so-called ‘War of the Flames’ Ari wanted to skip through all the other stuff to page 243 to learn what it was and why The White King – her father – had incited it. But if there was one thing Ari knew when studying for her SATs it was to never skip the boring parts because that’s usually what came up in the exam. She drew her knees up to her chest, the book balancing on them, and she narrowed her eyes over the top of it to study Jai.

  He wasn’t going to quiz her on this was he?

  “Keep reading,” he murmured turning his page.

  Her mouth fell open in amazement. How did he do that? Flushing at having been caught staring, Ari sunk deeper into her pillows to hide behind her knees and bury her head in the book.

  It is argued whether the next in the order of hierarchy should come before the Seven Kings of Jinn for none truly understand the extent of his power…

  Asmodeus: Often referred to as Prince Asmodeus, he is Azazil’s 1st Lieutenant and the very first of the race of Marids (see page 87 para 4). Terrifyingly powerful and born of the evil Jinn, Asmodeus is loyal to Azazil – it is unknown why he is loyal to the Sultan, but his loyalty is absolute.

  The lesser royal Jinn that followed weren’t nearly so interesting as this Prince Asmodeus guy but Ari read on, her eyes glazing over every now and then until she snapped herself to attention at a list of the most common Jinn.

  Marid: Always evil, the Marid have extraordinary power and are known to live as long as 2500 years, although Asmodeus is far older (his true age remains unknown, although some postulate he is almost as old as Azazil).

  Ifrit: Like all Jinn, the Ifrit are telepathic and can converse with other Jinn this way. Like most Jinn the Ifrit can shapeshift, possess, shield themselves with invisibility by stepping into the Cloak, conjure with magic and enchantments, and place curses upon lesser beings — although their magic is not as powerful as the Marid’s. However, each individual Ifrit has one gift specific to them that can even overshadow the power of the Marid. The soul of the Ifrit is more ambiguous than the Marid. Although some are evil, some have been known to be good.

  Shaitan: Children and servants of the Sultan, the Shaitan have never been known to be anything but evil and are loyal only to those strong enough to call themselves their Master.

  Ari read on, discovering the names of some pretty disgusting creatures, along with the Nisnas she had encountered and the Labartu that had killed Charlie’s little brother. The majority of the information concentrated on the bad Jinn and Ari was left with a sick feeling in her stomach as the information planted itself firmly in her brain. It was weird. She had never wanted to know about her heritage but as she read on it became impossible to put the book down. Now that she knew what was out there, she had to know what else was out there. She had to arm herself in some way against the force of the Jinn. She was fascinated to learn that there existed half-breed Jinn — half-human, half-Jinn — that the Jinn called Hybrids. There were two kinds: Sorcerers and The Guild. According to Ari’s findings, Sorcerers were rare because most Hybrids had no idea about the Jinn and therefore didn’t connect with their magical abilities. The rare few who did were usually unable to handle the strength of the power without it turning their minds. They utilized talismans, seals and inscriptions to channel their magic. Theirs was considered ‘illicit’ magic for they often used it for their own means and to enslave Jinn. On the other end of the spectrum was The Guild, tribes of Hybrids who grew up learning ‘licit’ magic to hunt down Sorcerers and prevent any harm to humans from them or evil Jinn. They technically got away with killing Sorcerers because they were half-human but if a member of The Guild killed Jinn, rather than merely disarming them, they were called to Mount Qaf to face trial in the Jinn Courts. Wincing at how unfair that was, Ari moved on, surprised to discover that The Guild was created centuries ago by The Gilder King. Apparently he was known among the Jinn as the most benevolent of his brothers. It made Ari feel easier about The Red King; maybe he wasn’t so bad after all too? Maybe, she really could trust him? She felt like she could trust Jai anyway.

  Skimming through, Ari finally stumbled upon the history pages. What was written was only what ‘Anonymous’ considered the most important of Jinn history. She read about stuff The White King had already told her: that for centuries he and his brothers meddled in the lives of Importants, shaping destinies, building empires, destroying cities. Soaking it up, Ari turned the page to a new chapter and felt her heart pick up for no good reason at all.

  Chapter Four: The Seal of Solomon

  Religious scripts called him a Prophet, the son of David, but here he is known simply as King Solomon, enslaver of Jinn and master of the Seal of Solomon. Stories differ as to who bestowed the Seal of Solomon upon this Important but what is known is that it was a god. Placing into Solomon’s hand a ring of brass and iron, this god offered the mortal king the greatest of power. With the brass part Solomon could stamp his written commands to the good Jinn and with the iron part, he stamped his commands to the evil Jinn. With this unlimited power, King Solomon enslaved many Jinn, using them to build his great temples and provide him with whatever he wished. Over the years, out of pride and greed, he began to abuse his power, and Azazil the Great Sultan grew uneasy for the first time. Enlisting Asmodeus to determine the true power of the Seal, Asmodeus was astonished to discover that with the Seal upon his finger, Solomon could feel his presence spying upon him even when hidden within the Cloa
k. Demanding he reveal himself, Asmodeus was bound before King Solomon and trapped within a bottle as punishment for his attempted treachery. Unknown to any of us, the being who had bestowed the ring upon Solomon grew furious with his subject for treating the Jinn so carelessly. He stripped Solomon of his crown and the Seal and sent him out into the desert to die. To prevent unrest among the people He freed Asmodeus from the bottle and in exchange for the Seal of Solomon, Asmodeus shifted to appear as the mortal king and reign in his stead until his death. When his time as Solomon was over it is said Asmodeus returned to the Jinn Realm of Mount Qaf where he offered his master the Seal. Azazil attempted to destroy the ring but discovered it was indestructible. Confident in his own mastery over his people – for Azazil needed no ring to be obeyed – he offered the ring to Asmodeus, commanding he protect it with his life and never use it against the Jinn. Asmodeus is said to be evil but he is also honorable to his word. For centuries he has guarded the ring, wearing it in confidence on a strip of leather tied around his neck, daring lesser Jinn to steal it from him.

  None have.

  But as the tension grows between the Seven Kings of Jinn and their father, the Seal has taken its place as the most important weapon in the War of the Flames.

  Chapter Five: The War of the Flames

  It is said that the Seven Kings suspect their father of causing the chaos between them, and for upsetting the balance of order in their world. None can prove it. But what is universally acknowledged is the Sultan Azazil’s reluctance to restore order. He has the power to do so. But he does not. One son, one king, has grown intractable in his need to punish his father for what he considers negligence to their people. The White King. It is known throughout the many realms that The White King wishes to take his father’s place as Sultan of the Jinn. It is known also that he plans to use the Seal of Solomon to do so. He has attempted many times to steal the ring from Asmodeus, each attempt ending in the bloody and violent death of the servant sent in The White King’s stead to do so. Until his victory or failure to steal the Seal, the War of the Flames rages on, the Seven Kings of Jinn and their loyalties split into three factions: Azazil’s, The White King’s, and a place of neutrality where The Gilder King and The Lucky King refuse to be embroiled in the war. It is a sly war — for the most part it is not a physical war and will never be until the Seal passes into The White King’s hands. For now… the War of the Flames remains an ‘understanding’, and a promise of usurpation should the time ever present itself to Azazil’s treacherous son of Thursday.

  Ari slammed the book shut, the crack of pages slamming together echoing around the room. Her heart was racing hard in her chest and she had no idea why. The words kept running through her mind over and over. Azazil. The War of the Flames. The Seal of Solomon. The White King. Asmodeus. The War of the Flames. The Seal of Solomon. The White King. Azazil…

  “Ari, you OK?”

  She jerked her head up, her eyes refocusing on Jai who was leaning forward on the sleeping bag, his eyebrows drawn together in concern.

  Somehow, Ari began to breathe properly again and she nodded. He frowned in consternation and sat back. “You sure?”

  Feeling better Ari reached over and placed the book on the nightstand, and when she glanced back at Jai she raised a questioning eyebrow. “So… you’re a telepath, huh. What’s that about?”

  ~14~

  There Are Some Things Even a Dog Shouldn’t Know

  Jai was frustratingly closed-mouthed about the whole being telepathic thing. His literal reply had been, “Jinn can talk to each other with their minds.”

  That was it.

  Frustrated, Ari wanted more but he was annoyingly vague about the whole thing and would only answer one of her questions — could Jinn read minds? Her heart had spluttered in mortification at the thought of Jai being able to read her thoughts. Thankfully, he promised her the Jinn could not mind read and then promptly lay down on his sleeping bag, turning the lights off with his Jinn voodoo.

  The next morning Ari tried not to think about the book and all she’d discovered. Derek was in his office, still slinking around the house without talking to her, and Rachel was on her way over to ‘make up’. When the doorbell rang, Ari was jerked out of her daze — she’d been staring stupidly at the book on her nightstand, the haunting pages of it rolling around in her mind like spooky little ghosts. Jai came out of the bathroom with questioning eyes. She nodded to let him know that Rachel was at the door and the air around him shimmered before he exploded into a fire that quickly burnt out, leaving behind Hamlet the Great Dane.

  The knock on her bedroom door told Ari her dad had let Rachel in. Bracing herself for the multitude of moods Rachel could have picked from to face her after their ‘fight’, Ari sat down on her bed. “Come in,” she called and smirked with amusement as Jai jumped onto her bed beside her, curling up lazily on the comforter before staring determinedly at the door. Rachel came in tentatively, an apologetic smile on her face as she closed the bedroom door behind her.

  “I come in peace,” she said softly.

  It was weird. Rachel was this completely anal, bossy, know-it-all, bratty, self-important type-A pain in the ass a lot of the time. But as Ari smiled back at her, warmth gathered in her chest and the tension in her shoulders unknotted, and all she could see was the sweet, concerned, funny Rachel that had made Ari want to be her friend in the first place. “Come in, sit down.” She shimmied over, nudging Jai to make room for her.

  Rachel’s eyes widened as she approached, her face lighting up. “Oh my God, who is this enormous bundle of gorgeousness?”

  Ari smiled, swearing she could hear Jai make a snorting sound from the back of his throat. “This is Hamlet. He’s replaced Ms. Maggie.”

  Rachel’s shoulders hunched as she glanced around the room. “Is the poltergeist gone?”

  “Yup. All gone.”

  “For good?”

  “Looks like. So I got Hamlet here to keep me company.”

  Rachel giggled and sat down next to him, running her hands over his head and back. “Oh I sooo prefer Hamlet. And how cute is that name btw?” She grinned up at her. “Very witty.”

  Ari laughed. “At least one person thinks so.”

  “Oh sooo cuuute,” Rachel squeed, pressing soft kisses to his head. Jai didn’t growl or snarl or anything, but he was trying desperately to get away from her mouth. When Ari laughed at his predicament he shot her a dirty doggy look in protest. Finally taking pity on him, she reached out and touched Rachel’s arm. “So… we OK?” she asked, drawing some of her attention away from Jai.

  Rachel looked up, still patting his head. Ari could see the confusion in her eyes but she nodded. “Yeah. I don’t know what happened to you but… the reason I got so mad was because I knew it was a Charlie thing. I thought you were freaking out about him. You were so out of it at your own party, and I just felt frustrated, you know. I was so worried about you. I’m sorry for not handling it the right way, Ari. I really am.” She patted her hand, smiling apologetically. “But since then, Staci said you’re taking my advice and moving on from him, so whatever those two missing days were they were at least a very good thing.” She grinned now, reaching out to pull Ari into a hug. “I’m proud of you.”

  For thinking I abandoned a friend?

  When Rachel pulled back Ari had smoothed the scowl from her face and put a fake smile on in its place. “So have you heard any more news from Stace about Nick?”

  “Oh, he’s going to be OK. The doctors can’t work it out. There’s no physical sign of injury, external or internal. It’s just this weird phenomenon. So weird. I feel bad for him, but you know he’s alive, he’s young and fit and he can get through this. We’ll all be there to help him. Although, not yet.” She frowned. “His parents are being wicked weird about visitors right now.”

  “Is A.J. still mad at Charlie?”

  “I don’t think so. I mean he’ll never like the guy but Staci convinced him that Charlie was just there at th
e wrong time, wrong place. Although I hear he was going to take Nick to the ER so that’s, like, a point in his favor right?”

  “Right.”

  “So anyway!” Rachel suddenly cried, her mouth stretched in a cat’s-got-the-cream grin. “You have to hear about my time with Paul Schwartz.”

  “Uhh.” Ari looked down at Jai who was watching everything they did and listening to everything they said. She really didn’t want Rachel discussing her love life with the T.A. in front of him. “You hooked up, that’s great. Any plans to see him again?”

  She nodded, her eyes glittering. “I’m going to have such a ball with him this summer before I head off to Dartmouth. So… OK... I invited him to your party; you were kind of out of it that night so you didn’t see him flirting with me all night long. Nothing happened but he texted me the next day to go to the movies. Well… we got to the parking lot of the movies.” Rachel wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “And that’s as far as we got. Next thing I know my shirt is off, my hand is down his pants—”

  “Uh Rachel!” Ari stopped her, glaring at Jai for not leaving the room like a gentleman. “Are you sure you want to discuss this in front of the dog?”

  Rachel burst out laughing, her eyes washing over Ari’s flushed face. “Jeez, Ari, come on. You know you wouldn’t get all embarrassed about sex if you just traded in your v-card already. I know, I know, you were waiting on Charlie to give up the old virginity but you are too pretty to be missing out on this stuff. Seriously at one point I thought my—”

  “My dad’s home.” Ari bolted up off the bed, totally mortified that Jai now knew she was a virgin.

  Rachel’s eyebrows drew together in a glower. “So?”

  “He might hear you.”

  “Ari, what is your damage?”

  “You know… you’re right.” She blushed even harder. Rachel must think she was a total schizo. “Let’s go get a soda and some chips or something. I’ll put together a snack while you give me all the gory details.”