“I’m coming back.” She tugged him closer, their faces almost touching. “I’m coming back to you. I will always come back to you.”
***
After their private and very epic goodbye, Ari let the Roes and the Creaghs know she was preparing to leave for Mount Qaf. Rather than cracking an inappropriate joke like she would have done before, Fallon gravely hugged Ari and wished her luck. After more hugging, Ari took Jai’s hand to combine their energy. She needed to telepath to Red in Mount Qaf and that could take it out of a person. Ari needed to keep all of her strength for whatever was coming next.
Red, I need you to bring me to Mount Qaf! she shouted, hoping he could hear her.
Ari, I can’t leave here unless it’s extremely important, he answered impatiently.
I know how to take down Lilif.
In an instant, fire exploded in the room and Mrs. Creagh yelled out, her two boys cursing. The Red King stepped out of the Peripatos and eyed Charlie who looked at Red like he was a god among men.
In a way, Ari guessed he was.
“You’ve found him. Good.” Red turned back to Ari. “I think I know what you’re planning and I don’t know if I like it.”
“I know I don’t,” Jai murmured.
“Red,” Ari sighed heavily. “You know this is the only way.”
He held out his hand. “Let’s go.”
With one last glance around the room and one last long look into Jai’s eyes, Ari took her uncle’s hand and let him whip her through the unbelievable roller coaster ride to Mount Qaf.
Thankfully, Ari had become used to the sensation of traveling the Peripatos, so much so that even the more exhilarating ride to another realm didn’t affect her like it used to. She stepped out with grace and attempted to keep her face expressionless, even though she’d never before been hit by a more powerful wave of magic.
Sitting in a large, thronelike chair by the fireplace in an elaborate parlor, Azazil alone emanated enough power to make a human stumble back. Sitting in a room with his six sons—Red, Glass, Lucky, Gilder, Shadow, and Gleaming—and with Asmodeus standing by his side, the feeling was almost crushing on her chest. It took her a moment to get used to the thickened air. She checked out the two Jinn kings she’d never met.
From the description Charlie had given her from his very limited time spent in the Gilder King’s presence, Ari knew the tallest of the kings with the long golden hair was Gilder. His energy, in particular, pulsated with power. Ari was fascinated by his hair—each strand looked like real spun gold. He eyed her dispassionately and she felt a shiver ripple down her spine. Charlie had also told her Gilder thought she should have been eliminated in order to save all of the fuss. She was guessing after everything that happened in the last few days, his opinion had not wavered.
The other king who drew her gaze was the Lucky King. Despite the optimism of his name, the balding, handsome, and very young-looking king wore an expression so dour, Ari almost flinched when he lifted his wounded eyes to her.
What a depressed-looking soul he was.
“Ari, aren’t you brave,” Azazil murmured, bestowing a saccharine smile upon her. “My sons aren’t particularly happy they’re holed up in my palace in hiding from their mother. It goes against their natures to hide, you see, and they just so happen to blame this entire fiasco on you.”
Ari gulped and quickly glanced at them all, her eyes flicking away from Asmodeus’s dark expression. “You were the one who said yes.”
There was a moment of silence and then Azazil threw his head back in laughter, his white silky hair shimmering around his shoulders. His eyes glittered as they came back to her face. “Oh, I am glad you’ve developed some bite since the first time we met.”
“Being a pawn in a Jinn Sultan’s game will do that to a person.”
“Ari,” Red warned her under his breath.
However, Azazil waved off her comment. “Yes, yes. We have all played a part in the realization of this situation we find ourselves in. I said my sons blame you, not I. Why are you here?”
Steadfastly ignoring Asmodeus’s gaze, Ari replied, “When Lilif came to me in the graveyard, she was unable to command me.”
“Hmm,” Azazil nodded, “Red said something of that sort. Why do you think that is?”
“She’s the Seal. It didn’t work on Asmodeus, and when he attempted to use it on me, it didn’t work, either. I think we became so entangled in its power that it no longer holds any over us.”
Asmodeus’s voice rumbled throughout the room. “I think I’m going to be most displeased with where this is going.”
Deciding she didn’t have time to be afraid, Ari’s gaze snapped to him, her eyes flashing fire. “We’re the only ones who can withstand her command. It’s up to us to take her out.”
Asmodeus took a threatening step toward her. “We’re not killing her.”
Ari’s expression turned incredulous. “Are you kidding me?”
“Do not push me, Ari,” he growled and Red automatically shifted closer to her, as did Glass. Asmodeus curled his lip at them both. “Like you could stop me,” he taunted.
“Enough.” Her voice was cool, calm and totally authoritative, drawing surprised looks from all of her uncles.
“Asmodeus, listen to reason.” She took a step toward him now, letting him know she wouldn’t back down. “I know she’s your sister. I know that. But Lilif is never going to change her mind about destroying the realms. I know you might not care about my world, but what about Mount Qaf? What about the millions of Jinn she is going to destroy?” Ari turned, imploring Azazil. “You couldn’t kill her before because she was connected to too many threads in both worlds. Well, she isn’t any more. If we kill her, whatever tangible connection she has to the worlds may cause some disruption. For the greater good, I’m afraid that’s a risk I’m willing to take. It’s been centuries, Your Highness, and it’s time to end this once and for all.”
There was silence in the parlor and Ari was afraid every single one of them could hear her heart escalating as the quiet stretched on and on. Finally, Azazil nodded slowly, for once his expression entirely grave. “You are right, Ari. You are right.”
“No,” Asmodeus whirled on him. “You cannot be serious?”
Azazil glowered at his first lieutenant. “There is no other way, Asmodeus. Lilif must die. And you are going to help Ari kill her. That’s an order.”
With a roar of impotent rage, Asmodeus was suddenly a blur across the room as he flew at Ari. She found herself brushed aside, her hip landing hard against the tiled floor as she fell. Eyes round with fear and shock, she looked up to see Red and Glass holding Asmodeus back.
“Asmodeus, calm yourself,” Azazil commanded.
The lieutenant shot Ari one last vicious look before he breathed deep and stepped back, shrugging Red and Glass off him. He held up a hand to warn them off and backed up slowly, his expression quickly smoothing.
Glass growled under his breath and then turned to Ari, holding a hand out to her. She took it and as he helped her to her feet, he asked quietly, “How is Trey?”
She gave him a soft, trembling smile. “He’s well.” He misses you.
At her telepath, Glass’s expression softened and she found herself sandwiched protectively between him and Red. “I don’t feel particularly happy about letting Ari disappear after Lilif with Asmodeus after that violent display toward her,” Red said.
Azazil shook his head, his eyes like ice chips as he turned to his oldest confidant. “We need Ari to end this.
If Asmodeus harms her before Lilif is taken out, I will personally destroy him.”
Shocked inhalations rounded the room and Asmodeus stiffened, his expression disbelieving. “You threaten me? You did this!” he sneered. “You allowed this foolish favor to happen and this is the consequence. You and she,” he pointed back at Ari, “did this.”
Azazil didn’t flinch. “And now you’re going to undo it.”
Finally realizing he h
ad no other option, Asmodeus glanced back at Ari, disdain and disgust warring for supremacy in his eyes. “Well, do you have a brilliant plan or are you just all about the words these days?”
Ignoring his acidic attitude, Ari nodded. “First we have to get her on her own—no Jinn around her that she can command to distract us.” She took a deep breath. “I think you should be the one to do it. Despite everything, Lilif won’t … she won’t be expecting …”
“She won’t be expecting me to betray her,” he finished, his voice quiet and full of anguish.
His despair was harder to take than his anger. Ari bowed her head to hide her sympathy, taking a minute. When she finally met his eyes, she replied, “Yes. Once you have her alone and off guard, you’ll telepath for me to come to you and together we’ll finish it.”
“Simple but effective,” Gilder murmured, drawing Ari’s attention. He nodded, watching her with careful and perceptive eyes. “It might work.”
The others murmured agreement and it suddenly occurred to Ari that they were standing around talking about killing their mother, and the only one who seemed to be affected by it was Asmodeus. She held her sigh inside, knowing despite her royal blood and her affection for Red and Glass, Ari would never understand the complicated minds of the Jinn kings and their Sultan.
17
Even the Moon Needs Its Dark Side
The young Roe Guild Hunter’s pleas for mercy were becoming annoying. It was wasteful to torture him, and White, irritated by the whole display, walked away from Lilif’s Marid as he continued his torment on the boy.
The Roe Guild had fled to numerous safe houses across the world, making it difficult to track down Michael, who was the one most likely harboring Charlie Creagh. White, of course, would rather separate himself from the torturing of one of the Guild, not particularly in the mood to have to deal with his brother Gilder’s retribution. He could be extremely vicious when the Guilds were interfered with. Not that he should be too concerned as he was, in fact, helping his brothers. Acting as a double agent as it were, though he was receiving no information from Red in return for the information he was feeding him. All that Red would tell him was that they had a plan to take care of Lilif. It seemed his brother still didn’t trust him.
Despite it being more than a little annoying, White had to agree it was probably smart of him. There was nothing stopping Lilif from deciding to command White, after all, and if she did, he would reveal everything to her.
Passing the room filled with a family from the Roe Guild, White closed his eyes in disbelief at the carnage. When he opened them, he glared at the three Marids standing guard, their clothes speckled with blood. “Who ordered you to kill these Jinn?” Gilder was definitely going to take umbrage with this.
“I did.”
White whirled around and watched his mother approach down the safe house’s narrow hallway. It was a small apartment in Andalucía and they’d had to put up a sound enchantment so the very close neighbors wouldn’t hear the screams.
“Was that necessary?”
Lilif looked almost ashamed as she shrugged, and then quickly became annoyed that White had made her feel so. “I’m tidying up loose ends. Plus, if word gets back we’re killing off his Guild one by one, he might give up the boy.”
“The other boy, the one your Marid is having too much fun with, doesn’t know anything.”
“Well, kill him.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “If you’ve suddenly grown softhearted on me, White, I suggest you find someone who does know something.”
***
The plan was for Asmodeus to wait for Lilif at White’s palace. A scout had told them that she spent some of her time there while the White King and her Marids were in the Mortal Realm searching for Charlie. Lilif hadn’t moved her army from Azazil’s palace grounds, but they had grown quiet and were no longer exhausting themselves with a useless barrage of energy against the protection the kings had placed around it.
Ari waited in tense silence in the parlor with the Jinn kings. Asmodeus had left hours ago and still, there’d been no telepathic shout to bring her to his side.
“Do you think he’s turned?” Shadow asked the room.
Azazil immediately gave a gentle shake of his head. “He would not betray me.”
His certainty did nothing to appease Ari’s nerves. If Asmodeus wouldn’t betray Azazil, then what the hell was taking so long?
“Maybe I should just go,” Ari murmured. “Make sure he’s doing what he’s supposed to be doing.”
“I think that might be best,” Gilder agreed.
Ari waited for the go-ahead from Azazil, but none came.
Until two hours later and Asmodeus had still not called on her.
“Fine.” Azazil flicked a hand at her in a beleaguered gesture. “Go.”
Her head turned and her eyes met Red’s. With mirrored grim expressions, Ari gave him a small nod and then closed her eyes, thinking of the parlor in White’s palace where Lilif spent the most time. She heard the flickers of flame around her and then she was moving at the speed of light, her hair whipping around her until the hiss disappeared and her body stilled.
Her eyes flew open in time to watch Lilif fly across the room and smash against the back wall, a mirror shattering into pieces around her. She fell to the floor and raised a hand to slow the descent of glass raining upon her. As the shards descended, they melted into liquid, harmless.
Asmodeus was a blur of wind across the room and his fist came down into Lilif’s chest, reminding Ari of the time he’d ripped the Seal of out her. A horrific, squishing, crunching noise was abruptly interrupted by Lilif’s shriek of pain as she gripped Asmodeus’s wrist and gazed up at him in anguished betrayal.
“Brother?” she murmured.
Asmodeus froze, his expression tortured as he gazed down at her. “Lilif,” he whispered hoarsely.
“Don’t,” she begged.
Seeing his hesitancy, Ari rushed forward. “Kill her. Asmodeus, kill her!”
“Do not listen to her. If I die, you will not survive. I am yours and you are mine.”
“She tried to kill you!” Ari yelled the vital reminder. “Kill her!”
She watched the war in his eyes and felt the world tilt beneath her feet as his shoulder slumped and he hung his head. What he didn’t see was Lilif’s expression change, the brittle hardness settle on her features as she drew back her own fist.
Knowing exactly what Lilif intended, Ari didn’t have a second to think. Using her incredible Jinn speed, Ari crossed the room in her own multicolored blur and stood on Lilif’s arm before she could punch into Asmodeus’s chest.
It broke under her foot and Lilif screamed.
And then Ari was flying back, her head smacking against the wall with an eye-watering wince. She managed to find her feet, blinking away tears of pain so she could assess what the hell had just happened. To her surprise she found Asmodeus standing between her and Lilif.
“What are you doing?” she groaned, about to push herself off the wall when flames erupted behind him and Lilif disappeared into the Peripatos.
Despair washed over Ari and she let out a low moan.
Asmodeus glanced back at the empty space behind him and clenched his jaw before turning back to Ari.
“You let her go,” she growled, forgetting who she was talking to. “You had her and you let her go!”
That’s when the lieutenant attacked her.
His hands were bruising around her upper arms, his breath hot and angry in her face. The room spun as he crashed her against the opposite wall. Just as Ari was about to fight back, his grip loosened and he pressed her there, but the violence was leaking out of him.
She blinked, trying not to tremble as he glowered down into her face. “She is my other half,” he breathed raggedly.
“And you are asking me to destroy her. It would be like destroying myself. Do you have any idea what you are asking?” His voice cracked with emotion. Despite her fear and distr
ust of him, Ari felt his sincerity and pain and couldn’t help but offer comfort.
She wrapped her small hands around his wrists and leaned closer, speaking softly so as not to incite his rage again. “I do. I do know what I am asking. I wish that I weren’t, but there is no other way and I am so sorry for that. But we have to do this together, Asmodeus. If I could, I would do it alone. I would save you from this.” His jaw flexed and his eyes searched hers for sincerity. “I can try to save you from the worst of it. I can be the one to draw the sword upon her. I’ll spare you that.”
After a moment of quietly contemplating her face, Asmodeus’s features hardened and he leaned in so close their lips were almost touching. Ari sucked in her breath, her heart pounding with fear at his proximity. “It is your fault I have to do this in the first place. If not for your favor, Lilif would still be hidden.” He brushed his mouth gently over hers and she dug her nails into his wrist in an effort to warn him off, her head pressed against the wall. He smiled unhappily, wickedly, against her lips before peppering kisses along her jaw that made her shudder.
He stopped at her ear and whispered, “If you’re still alive when this is over, I’m going to make you feel the same pain I feel.”
Abruptly he let her go, stepping back and allowing her room to breathe. Ari fought to control the shaking throughout her body, her chin jutting up defiantly in an effort to assure him he didn’t frighten her. But he was Asmodeus. He knew. He smirked at her fear, knowing he’d won.
“Let’s get back to Azazil,” he murmured lazily.
Determined to at least win something, Ari shook her head. “I have a better plan.”
***
“So, this is weird, right?”
Charlie turned around from the sink where he’d been quietly doing the dishes, lost in thought. His mom and Mikey were upstairs taking another nap. There wasn’t a whole lot else to do. Fallon’s parents seemed cool, and they were chilling out in the sitting room with Michael’s brother Gerard and his wife Megan, watching some Scottish soap opera.
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