by Jessica Cage
“Rebecca, we need you to perform a tracking spell, do you think you can do that for us?” Briar kept her tone soft, coaxing. The witch was on edge, had been for a while, but even more so with the death of her friend.
“Well, of course I can!” she shouted, pointing her finger to the ceiling as she stood from the chair. She stepped away from the table, but her momentum continued and she stumbled backwards into Mysti’s arms. Once back to her feet she asked, “Who would you like to have tracked?”
“A warlock,” Jinn answered. “His name is Daegal.”
The woman’s expression sobered up quickly. The rosy color caused by the whiskey drained from her cheeks. “Oh, no, no, no, I cannot. Oh no.” She shook her head. “He is … oh no, nope. I just can’t.” She slid back into her designated chair.
“Rebecca, we need your help.” Briar kept an even tone, realizing the fragile state of the woman’s mind.
“Oh, I’m sure you do, but,” she paused for a belch that turned into a hiccup, “you don’t know what it is that you’re asking of me. I’m afraid that is out of my doing.”
“Is it really?” Jinn stepped in, challenging her.
“Well, I—” she began. She was bluffing and he called her on it, no one ever had before.
“You what?” again he challenged, and they waited to see if the woman would in fact fall apart.
“He is evil, the darkest of magic I’ve ever heard of. If I try to track him, he will know it, and he will come after me. I just can’t do it.” She shook with fear.
“Rebecca, we will protect you.” Briar leaned forward in her chair. “You have to know that.”
“Like you protected Alesea?” She couldn’t stop the words from passing her lips. She slapped her hands over her mouth. “Oh, Briar, I am so sorry!”
“It is okay.” Briar stood from her seat to walk over to Rebecca’s side. She wrapped her arms around the woman, warming her with her magic. It would ease her pain. “I understand, and you are in no way obligated to help us with this.”
“I really wish that I could.” She looked up at the woman who held her. “I do, but I don’t want him to come after me. I don’t want him to do what he’s done to so many others.”
“Rebecca, please do not worry.” She helped the woman up from her seat. “You should go get yourself some rest.” With an understanding smile, she handed Rebecca off to Mysti, who walked her to the exit and gave instructions for another fairy to make sure she made it home safely.
“Great, now what are we going to do?” Mysti returned to the table. “Is there a plan B?”
“We’re going to track him,” Jinn spoke.
“With no witch?” She laughed. “How exactly do you plan to do that?”
“I’m a witch, or at least I used to be. I’ll track him. There has to be a way.” He frowned. He couldn’t give up, not that easily, not because a witch was too drunk and afraid to help. “There must be some sort of connection between us. If I can find it, I can use it to tell us where he is.”
“Are you sure you can do it?” Briar had made her way back to her seat and to the glass of wine she’d been nursing since she’d joined Jinn in the room.
“No, I’m not entirely sure, but it should be simple enough to accomplish.” Jinn thought back to a time before he was turned into a djinn, when the magic of his ancestors came to him like second nature. That was changed when he was. Though he could still feel it there, he had been disconnected from it. He never attempted to repair that connection, unsure what it would do to him. In this case, he really didn’t have any other choice.
“What if what Rebecca says is true? What if he will be able to tell that you’re tracking him?” Mysti still stood at the end of the table, never being asked to leave the room.
“Then he’ll know I’m coming for him.” Jinn stood from his seat, no longer wanting to remain in the space. Unlike the witch who’d stumbled out of the room sobbing, he wasn’t afraid to face Daegal. Hell, he’d been waiting for centuries for a chance.
Praia positioned herself across from Jinn. It was the first time she’d been allowed to witness him as he meditated. It had always been a private event for the man, so when he asked her to be there, she jumped on the chance. It also concerned her—if he wanted her there, it meant that this wasn’t going to be a normal session and she may need to intervene. He sat on the floor across from her and eased himself into a deeper level of consciousness. His legs were folded, and his hands posed atop each knee with fingers pointed towards the sky. A soft blue light danced across his fingertips and his eyelids fluttered. He asked her to act as his anchor while he did what he needed to do to find a connection to Daegal. It would take a lot out of him to reconnect with his magic and then use it to repair and follow the broken link back to the warlock responsible for its disconnection.
Briar had allowed them to use the chamber; she didn’t want to be there, so any excuse not to occupy the space was good enough for her. It was the one place where they could be sure they wouldn’t be interrupted. Jinn also thought it would be easier to connect with Daegal because he had been in the space, or at least his magic had. He could use those traces left behind to enhance the link between them. He hoped like hell that he wasn’t barking up the wrong tree because it looked like the last one in the field.
In order to connect to Daegal, to find the link between them, Jinn had to strip away all of his barriers. He had to drop all of the walls he’d worked to put in place for centuries and go back to a time he wanted nothing more than to forget.
He’d done all he could to save the village, using natural elements to work to repair the damage that had been done. He used air, stripping it from areas long enough to suffocate the flames that threatened to burn the village to the ground. He used water to wash away the evidence of blood. The ground was tossed, hiding the damage. He worked through the town, doing all that he could, against the wishes of his wife. Two weeks had gone by and the small village was still under attack. Those who hadn’t either fled, or already died, were terrified. They came to him, requesting his help, and he didn’t have it in him to turn them away. He was always too late when he made it to them. Each time he arrived, the threat was gone, having left the town devastated once again and its occupants feeling hollow.
It was a late night when his mind wouldn’t settle. He stepped outside of his home to stare at the blanket of the night sky, which was the darkest he had ever seen it. Nitara had long since gone to bed, the sunset having passed and the moon strangely not within view. It took a while before he realized that the sky was not the still portrait he was used to, it was moving … liquid darkness shadowing out the world. His breath caught in his chest as his eyes followed the flow of the darkness off into the distance. It spilled down to the surface of the earth, just above the village. He couldn’t help himself. He took off running, hoping that he could make it in time to help. As he neared the small village, the sounds of screams reached his ears. The people, the few who dared to remain, were being tortured.
He slowed his pace as he neared the village border, not knowing what he was running into; he had to take the time to really assess the situation. The outskirts had long since been abandoned. The charred homes no longer provided shelter for families. As he got closer to the center of the village where the market was held, he witnessed more damage, more destruction. Buildings had collapsed in on themselves. Granted they weren’t modern day structures built with metal and reinforced, but the homes were made strong, using brick and wood. They’d survived torrential downpours, some of the worst storms imaginable, but not the havoc caused by this new plague. As he neared, walking carefully, he heard the whimpers of a small child, someone unable to fend for themselves. Jinn picked up his pace, he remained careful in his movement, but urgently tried to get to the source of the cries.
Sitting on the pedestal where the town crier would stand to relay important information from other places, was a small child. She was covered in soot, her dark hair matted to her skin he
avy with dirt and sweat. Tears made streaks down her face in the ash that covered her flesh. He ran to her, kneeling down to find the face of the girl. She looked up to him and sobbed. Everything thing she’d known had been taken away, the fear in her eyes was heartbreaking.
“Jinn.” She recognized him as someone who would help her, and for a brief second there was relief in her eyes.
“Annabelle, what are you doing out here alone?” Jinn knew the girl, he often chatted with her while her mom shopped at the market. The small girl was intrigued with cows and their milk. Every time she came, she had more questions to ask him. He loved indulging her and told her that she could come visit his farm whenever she wanted. She never did get a chance to make that visit.
“They are all gone. He took them all.” She looked up to him as if still trying to figure out how to process everything that had happened.
“Who?” He knelt to get closer to her face. “Who took them?”
“The man in the shadows.” She sobbed, rocking herself. “I can’t find my brother, he was to stay with me. Papa is going to be so upset.”
“We will find him, together, okay?” He held out his hand for her to grab. Her small hand wrapped as far as it could around his fingers, and he helped her to her feet. “Where did you last see him?”
“I don’t know. We were running, like the others, running to get away. Everything was on fire, all of the buildings. All of the food was lost.” She sniffled, turning to look around them at nothing in particular. “He was holding my hand, but then he wasn’t. I don’t remember letting him go! I stopped running and tried to find him, but I couldn’t. Everyone else was gone, they all vanished. I’m all alone now, aren’t I?”
Large, dark eyes peered up at the witch who had no answer for her. He thought about scooping the girl up and running out of town. She could live with them. They would never replace her family, but Nitara would be a great caregiver to the girl.
“Keep your thoughts positive, no matter what. There is always a chance to save the person you love. Okay?” He put on his best smile and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. With slow wipes, as not to get any of the ash in her eyes, he cleaned her face.
She nodded and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him. “Thank you.”
“We need to get you to safety, and then I will look for your brother, okay?”
Reluctantly the girl nodded and accepted his plan. “I want to help, but I’m tired. I need to find my brother.” She coughed. “My chest, it burns.” She held one hand over her burning chest, and the other over her cramping stomach. Jinn had to get her out of there, she had inhaled too much smoke and he knew it would be causing her a ton of pain. Jinn scouted the area for the quickest way to safety. All possible exit points were blocked, except the way he’d come. As he viewed the area, he realized he’d fallen for an obvious trick that he should have seen coming. He’d walked straight into a trap. Lifting Annabelle into his arms, he made a dash for it, but he was far too late. The path lit up in a blaze. The flames were as dark as night, but hotter than anything he’d ever felt before.
He turned, scanning for other options, there were none. He had to remain calm, if for nothing than reassuring the girl in his arms that she would be okay. He would keep her safe.
The sky lit up above them with a lightning show. Jinn looked up, thinking how Nitara would love the view. He used the flashes of light to help him survey the area. Just ahead, there was a small space, just wide enough for him to fit through. However, when he ran for it, the dark river that inhabited the sky spilled down in front of him.
“No,” Annabelle whispered. “That’s him, the man of the shadows.”
As the form expanded, a cloud of dark smoke reached out to them. Jinn backed up, and tightened his hold on the girl.
“What the hell do you want with these people?” Jinn stood in front of the man cloaked in darkness. His features were hidden behind the veil.
“I want nothing from them.” He leaned forward, pushing through the darkness, and revealed his pale face, yellowed teeth, and grey eyes. The warlock who reeked of the evil he’d invited into himself, smiled a wide grin that seemed too big for his face. “It took you long enough. I thought I had pegged you all wrong. Not very many of them left alive. Was afraid you didn’t actually care about them.”
“What?” He glanced to the girl and back to the shadows. “You can’t have her!”
“Oh, I do not want her,” the deep voice laughed. “The girl is of no use to me. It is you that I want!”
“Me?” His heart stopped as the girl in his arms vanished into thin air. She was nothing but a mirage, bait to get him within the warlock’s grasp. Shackles lifted from the ground below him, grabbing hold of his arms and pulling him down to his knees. They pinned him in place. Jinn struggled against the magic that held him down but couldn't get free. He’d walked into a trap. The warlock wanted him. He could think of only Nitara. She told him not to help but he did, and because of it, he might lose her forever.
“Yes,” the shadowed man moved in closer, and a long, frail finger reached out to Jinn, “you.” He tapped the man on the forehead. The power that sparked from just his fingertip was enough to send Jinn flying backwards where he landed in the dirt. His head smacked the ground, causing the world to shift in and out of focus and make him nauseous. Though he had little sense of where he was, Jinn managed to lift his hands just in time, using the powerful force of air to break free of his shackles and block the next attack.
“Who are you?” Jinn cried out.
“Oh, I am your worst nightmare, however cliché it may sound.” The warlock laughed a hollowed sound that echoed through the empty village. “Well, you certainly are a strong one. Very good, indeed. It means my efforts to find you have not been in vain.”
“What the hell do you want?” He struggled to maintain his shield and looked for a way out.
“You, or rather your potential. There aren’t many witches like you, vessels of such great power, and yet you sit here and deny what you were meant to be.” He launched another attack, which Jinn blocked, and it made him giggle with joy. “Oh, yes, yes. I like you. You will make a fine addition to my collection.”
“Collection?” Jinn needed to keep the man talking, he would find a way out. There had to be one. Just keep him talking until there was room to bolt. He made it to his feet, no longer seasick from the blow. From the corner of his eye he saw it, the exit he sought, the break in the fire. He would only need a second to run for it, just a moment to break away.
“Hush now, no more questions, come, come.” Daegal tossed out a lasso of green light, ready to contain Jinn, but he missed when Jinn sidestepped the shot. The mistake was just the distraction he needed. Jinn rolled out of the way, and shot a blanket of air at the warlock. The air obeyed his command, pinning the shadow man to the ground long enough for him to make his escape. “You won’t get far!” the man called behind him. “I’ve marked you, you belong to me now!”
Jinn ran through the woods, forcing his limbs to move as fast as he could. His magic aided him, making his legs feel lighter as he powered forward. His mind was heavy, though; he knew what he had to do. He would have to break Nitara’s heart, and pull her from the life they’d built together. The best thing about his girl was, though she wouldn’t be happy about it, she would support him. She would move by his side, in unison as she always had. Yeah, she’d support him, but she’d kick his ass for it later.
“Nitara!” He burst through the door calling out her name. This was not the time for gentle awakenings.
“Jinn?” His wife jumped from her content slumber and watched him hurriedly pack essentials to take. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
“We have to go, now. We have to get out of here.” He paused to catch her eye before continuing to move.
“What is going on? What did you do?” She jumped to her feet, moving to dress herself and help him pack. “Did you go to the village?” She knew her husband well.
Outside of their home, Jinn looked at the sky in the direction of the village. The dark cover was gone, but that absence made him more nervous than its presence ever had. He grabbed the reins of their horses, aiding Nitara in her climb. Atop his own steed, he gave a slight tap on its side and the horse took off running.
Hooves pounded the ground, as they raced forward, attempting to escape the monster Jinn had just faced. The prickly feeling at the back of his neck told him that they weren’t doing a great job of it, yet still they forged on. Deep in the woods, away from main roads, he thought it safer travel for dodging a foe. Unfortunately, he was wrong. Explosions rang out, trees collapsed in unison, their bases fractured sending splinters in all direction. The wooden dagger launched right into his horse’s side. His faithful steed bucked, knocking Jinn to the ground, its blood pouring onto his owner as he ran off into the distance and collapsed. Nitara abandoned her own horse to get to her husband’s side.
“Jinn, are you okay?”
He lifted his head, attempting to upright himself, only to feel dizzy and collapse back down. For the second time that night his skull had taken a beating, but this time the recovery was not so quick. His hand lifted to the back of his head, revealing blood when he touched the point of pain.
“Oh, no, Jinn,” Nitara cried. “We have to get you out of here.” With all her effort, she attempted to lift the man from the ground, tripping on the dress she wore and fell atop him.
“Nitara, you have to get out of here,” he whispered his plea. “Get on your horse and go. Get to safety.”
“I will not leave you, not like this.” There was nothing she could use to help her get him off the ground. Her magic was not as strong as his. Once they left the coven, she stopped practicing. Jinn’s gift was natural, he was born with it. Hers was something she had to work for. In that moment, she couldn’t call the air to her, the elements ignored her plea.