Darkness, Kindled (20 page)

At that, Charlie raised an eyebrow and curled his lip. “I had a tattoo? I hate tattoos.”

“You had the word ‘justice’ written in Arabic around your wrist,” Ari explained.

Charlie made a face. “I sound 
pretty tortured.”

“Yeah, you do. Dude, you love me a lot,” Mikey teased. Ari couldn’t help but giggle. It reminded her of old times.

Throwing his brother an unamused look, Charlie retorted, “I was obviously bored without your incessant pain-in-the-assery in my life.”

“Pain in the assery?” Mikey nodded.

“I like that. I’m using that.”

“You can’t use that. If I impart any wisdom in this life, it’s ‘be original.’”

“Well, considering your history, I would’ve gone with ‘stay away from suppressants and sorcerers.’”

Ari sucked in her breath as 
everyone stiffened at the crack.

Mikey raised an eyebrow. “What? Too soon?”

Lips twitching, Charlie turned back to Ari. “You sure I went on a rampage because of this guy?”

Ari burst out laughing, all the fear and anxiety melting away for just a second. Everyone stared at her like she was nuts. Charlie asked, a small smile playing on his lips, “What? What is it?”

Her eyes flickered between Mikey and him and she shook her head, her eyes shimmering with tears. “Everything was worth it. To hear you two bickering again.” She turned to Jai and squeezed his hand. “It was so worth it. Does that make me an awful person?”

Jai shook his head, his expression serious. “Never.” He tugged on her hand and spoke to the others as he led her out of the living room. “Ari and I are just taking a minute.”

Worried that Jai’s sudden need for privacy meant something else had happened, Ari’s heart raced as she hurried up the stairs after him. She followed him into one of the smaller back bedrooms and watched with trepidation as he carefully closed the door behind them. He turned to her with a determined expression on his face. “What’s goi—”

The question was swallowed in his kiss as he pulled her into his arms and crushed her mouth under his, his hands tangling in her hair.

Her surprise quickly burned away with his heat, and she wrapped her arms around him, melting into the desperate, intoxicating kiss. When he finally let her up for air, he gazed into her face with hooded eyes, brushing his thumb tenderly over her swollen mouth. “I just really needed to do that.”

Oh.

A slow, delighted smile spread 
across her face and his beautiful eyes brightened at the sight of it. “Well, you know any time you get that urge, just go for it. I’m willing to accommodate.”

He grinned. “Good to know.”

She rested her head against his 
chest and sighed, enjoying this moment of peace since it was only going to last for another few minutes.

Feeling Jai’s fingers brush through her hair melted her even more, and she longed for the day when this was the kind of moment that wasn’t stolen.

“Did you get any sleep?” he asked quietly.

She nodded. “Trey made me.”

“I knew I was friends with him for a reason.”

She smiled and reached up to press a kiss to his throat. “I have to go.”

Jai’s arms tightened. “I want to come with you.”

“You know I need you here 
protecting them.”

“And who’s going to protect you?”

Tilting her head back to meet his eyes, Ari gave him a cocky smile. “I don’t know if you know this, but I’m pretty kick-ass now.”

He nodded casually. “There’s a 
rumor to that effect floating around the Jinn world.” He smiled a little but Ari could still see the concern—maybe even fear—hiding in the back of his eyes.

She smoothed her hands down his 
chest in a comforting gesture. “I promise you that I am going to get out of this alive. I promise.”

“You have to.” The desperate 
emotion in his eyes gripped her heart. “I need you to for the both of us. If …
if something happens to you, if I have to live my life without you, I’m afraid of what will happen to me. I’m afraid I’ll get bitter and angry like my dad. Or worse … destroy everything that touches me like Charlie did.”

The air was sucked out of her at his declaration, and her fingers unconsciously curled into his shirt. The immensity of the responsibility he was putting on her shoulders might have made a lesser person panic. Or at least a person who didn’t love him back just as much. Instead she cradled what he’d said in her chest next to her pounding heart and offered it protection with fierce determination.

“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 had 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.

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.