Charmed: A Haven Realm Novel

by Young, Mila

  Zand jabbed a glowing arm through the Shaitan’s winds, grabbing her by the neck and choking her. She kicked at him, punching him with one hand as she waved the other, as if she was calling to someone or something. Black tendrils reached out and struck the wall. Blocks grazed across each other as they shifted. Two flung through the air.

  Dahvi pushed me to the ground. The bricks smashed on the wall above us and thumped onto the ground next to us.

  “Very well.” Zand crushed the Shaitan against the wall. “You made your choice, Sister.”

  She scratched at his arm, assaulting him with magic, dulling and shrinking his red flames. Using what little magic he had recuperated weakened his inner flame. How much longer could he hold off the Shaitan?

  Dahvi scooped me into his arms. “Come. Let us get our brothers.”

  “We can’t leave him—”

  Dahvi silenced my protests by tossing out a blast of magic, and it trailed along the walls. The tree roots responded, growing in size and crawling along the stone. They seized the Shaitan, tying her to the wall.

  Dahvi carried me into the stairwell. “Zand has faced worse. She’s a Shaitan. They’re not as powerful as Ifrit.”

  “Yes, but he’s a genie and not at full power,” I contended.

  “Neither is she,” replied Dahvi, carrying us down a long hall. “Dark magic binds her power to the city. She cannot utilize it all until she’s released.”

  This news comforted me somewhat. At least the Shaitan and Zand were on somewhat of an even playing field.

  Within a few moments, we’d reached the vizier’s tower, where Dahvi paused at the bottom of the staircase. For a moment, we stared deep into each other’s eyes. Waves of Marid magic floated around his pupils. Love for me radiated deep within his soul. It flowed from me, too. We hugged for a long moment before he pulled away.

  “Ready?” he asked, lowering me to the marble staircase.

  “Ready,” I said with a forceful nod, even though my gut told me otherwise.

  What we encountered in the vizier’s tower at the top was not what I had expected. I imagined shadow central, red eyes in the darkness, putrid, rotting garbage, and the smell of decay. To my surprise, tall arches and columns allowed plenty of light to filter through. Colored silks puffed from the breezes straying in from the balcony. Incense sticks burned, spreading the scent of frankincense through the tower. Candles flickered in the stained-glass lamps dangling from the ceiling. Geometric-patterned tiles decorated the floors and walls. Gold inlaid practically every item of furniture, showing no expense had been spared.

  Hated to say it, but I had to admit the vizier’s taste in furnishings were pretty classy…unlike the man himself.

  We continued into the next room, where Dahvi stopped dead.

  Chains bound Kaza to the floor. Golden streams of magic teamed off him and into the dark flame flickering on a marble stand. Bits of his gray, cracked skin flaked off. His torso sagged over his bent legs.

  My pulse streamed. Where was Ali? Did the vizier have him chained somewhere else? Was he already dead? The last thought ground my insides to pieces.

  Dahvi and I were at Kaza’s side in a flash.

  “Brother!” Dahvi clutched Kaza’s face and lifted it. Dahvi’s skin darkened from the effect of the dark flame.

  The yellow gave me a weak wink. “There’s my desert queen,” he croaked.

  “Oh, my love.” I stroked his face, and the same darkness touched me. “Are you all right? Where is Ali?”

  “Never been better.” Kaza feigned a smile, but behind his expression I sensed his torture. “That old sack of bones has our little brother.”

  I smiled. Knowing Kaza considered Ali a part of his family made me feel good. Using our bond, I searched inside Kaza, sensing his declining heartbeat. By the looks of it, he didn’t have long before his life force gave out completely. The ache in my chest threatened to split me in two. We had to get him out of here, but how? Messing with the dark flame would mean certain suicide, and I didn’t know any magic to free him.

  “Which one of you devils farted in the lamp?” asked Kaza.

  Gods. Always a joker. But this wasn’t the time or place to goof around.

  “Whoever it was,” warned Kaza, “there’s a prank coming your way.”

  I imagined Kaza setting up some elaborate practical joke—but only if we survived.

  Dahvi laughed. “Wouldn’t have it any other way, Brother.”

  “Hurry up and kill that sack of bones, would you?” said Kaza.

  My fingers itched for it. For my freedom. For the genies’ freedom. For my brother’s life. For my new family.

  “Welcome.” The eerie, familiar voice came from a darkened hallway. “I wasn’t expecting you so early.”

  The vizier!

  All over my body pinched as if ants nipped at me. My suspicions that he’d been expecting us were horribly confirmed.

  The creep slid out of the shadows, clutching my brother’s shoulder with his bony fingers. Chains on Ali’s wrists and ankles clinked as he shuffled forward. Bruises marked his cheeks and arms and even his chest above the line of his cotton shirt. Lines streaked his dirty face, no doubt caused by the tears he’d cried.

  I didn’t need genie magic to stir my inner fire. God’s fire blazed all throughout my body.

  “Hand over my brother,” I said, refusing to let this creep say too much when his voice grated on my every nerve.

  A long laugh bellowed from the vizier, and he steepled his fingers. “My dear, street rat. You are not in a position to negotiate.”

  I still have two genies, buddy. Well…one at the moment.

  “Ali,” I said, struggling to remain calm for his sake. “I’ll get you out of here, okay?”

  My brother whimpered as the vizier rolled his wrist and hand.

  Dahvi stormed forward. Dark characters representing some foreign language glowed on the marble he stepped on. Black flames sprung out of the floor. A grey cone of energy rose from the floor surrounding him. He smacked into it and stumbled backward, holding his nose.

  The vizier wore a smile like a vulture about to dine on a camel. “I’m afraid, dear street rat, that all your bargaining chips are now in my possession.”

  Dahvi smashed his fist against the barrier trapping him. Blue ripples radiated outward from the gloom. The panic claiming his face cut at my insides.

  “No.” I put my hands where Dahvi’s were, and electricity zapped me, and I stepped back.

  Two genies out of action didn’t leave me much to work with. I could only pray to the gods that Zand came out of his battle alive and with some juice left to take on the vizier.

  Another laugh erupted from the evil man. He enjoyed playing with people. The cat hunting the mice. This bastard was sick.

  My heart screamed at me to crack him on the nose. My mind said otherwise. The creep had untold dark magic. That left me with nothing to fight with. What was I going to do? When Zand showed up, was he going to walk into another trap, too? Then what? We’d really be stuffed.

  The vizier glanced over my shoulder and clapped his hands as if he was delighted with something.

  Then I heard it. Someone groaning. Something being dragged along the floor.

  My stomach plummeted to my toes. Every muscle tensed as I turned.

  The Shaitan entered the room, dragging Zand by one wrist. Bruises marked his entire body, and blood wept from several wounds. What had she done to him? How had she defeated him? Last time I’d seen him, he had taken some blows, but overall, he’d seemed to have the upper hand.

  I pressed my open palm against my stomach. “Zand,” I whimpered. Stinging tears pricked my eyes, and my hands flew to my mouth. No. Not Zand. My protector. My last hope, trickling down the drain.

  Defeat flashed in his eyes as his gaze met mine. Our connection told me he was badly wounded both physically and magically.

  I wanted to scream.

  The Shaitan bitch dropped Zand, and his torso thumped onto
the ground. She smiled at me and kicked him, sending him sliding across the floor. He stopped right next to Dahvi. The same foreign writing activated on the marble. Dark flames circled Zand and a cone of magic circled him, too.

  My blood rushed through my veins like a shooting star. She’d picked the wrong side. I didn’t know how, but I would kill her.

  The vizier collected the dark fire in his palm. “Very good, my dear djinn,” he said, running his hands across the flames, as if stroking a pet.

  It sent a sickening chill through me that filled me with dread. I felt the call of its darkness, like I had the last time we’d met.

  “Now grant my freedom, sorcerer,” said the Shaitan.

  “Once the genies’ powers are mine, I shall set you free.”

  Chapter 15

  I backed away, tripping over the edge of the rug. My backside hit the floor.

  The vizier let out a cruel laugh that bounced off the wall. “There’s no one to save you now, street rat.” The edge of malice in his voice promised me a painful death.

  I shrank away from him, unsure how to save my brother and genies and get the hell out of there. By the look of it, we were well and truly screwed. Ali and I would meet our ends, our bodies tossed into the river.

  I glanced at my genies. Dahvi’s gaze was glued to Kaza.

  Zand said something, but I couldn’t make out the words. Frustrated, he yelled and pointed at something to my right.

  I scanned around the room for what he meant. Was he trying to point out a weapon to fight the vizier? Sure, I cold bash him over the head with a hookah pipe, but that wouldn’t kill him. Maybe choke him with some silks. Burn his eyes out with some incense?

  “Now that everyone is assembled, I have no need for this little flea anymore.” The vizier pushed my brother to the floor.

  “Ali.” I crawled on hands and knees across to him.

  “What do you want me to do with them?” the Shaitan asked.

  Zand’s fingers twitched, as if he was pointing at something.

  My gaze followed his line of direction, my gaze landing on a white column with gold-leaf embellishment at the top. What was so special about that?

  “Kill them,” replied the vizier. “Throw their bodies to the sharks.”

  Anger pulsed within me, hungry for the destruction of both of them.

  Zand jabbed with more fury and mouthed the words “dark flame.” What was he trying to tell me?

  I tried to connect to his heart, but there was only darkness. Damn it.

  My gaze flew to Dahvi, hoping he understood and could help me out. He, too, pointed at the column.

  What was so special about it?

  Think. Think. What was my genies’ plan? Smash the dark flame into the column? Cause a chain reaction and blow up the palace? But what about everyone else who lived within the walls? My mind was such a blur.

  The Shaitan gravitated in our direction. She seized my brother by the throat and lifted him into the air. Ali’s dangling legs kicked as he tried to break free.

  Fear clawed across my body.

  “Ali, no!” I launched to my feet.

  My fingernails dug into my palm as I curled my fist. Filled with the fierceness of a mother bear protecting her cubs, I cracked her right in the nose. Blood poured out her nostrils, and she stumbled backward.

  Huh! Djinn bled, too.

  My brother slumped to the ground.

  For laying a finger on him, I kicked her in the gut.

  Residue from Zand’s fight clung to her. I sensed it. She was burned, wounded, and weakened from their fight. It wasn’t going to take much to push her over the edge.

  I’d been in many scrapes as a youngster. In the orphanage. On the streets against older and bigger kids. I could handle myself in a fight. As long as the Shaitan didn’t unleash her power on me, we were on an even playing field.

  “Get up, you fool,” shouted the vizier.

  I’d deal with him next.

  While the Shaitan was bleeding and distracted, I made my move. The heel of my foot laid waste to her consciousness. Her head smacked against the marble. Out cold, she’d no longer been a problem.

  Hah! I’d just beaten a djinn without any magic. This gave me confidence I could take on the vizier. But I may have to weaken him first.

  Dahvi cheered me on from inside his prison.

  Zand flashed me a proud smile and pointed to the column again.

  What was up with that?

  A wave of the vizier’s hand made the dark fire grow. Darkness replaced the white in his eyes. His skin took on a gray pallor as if the dark magic absorbed his life force. But I knew that was a fool’s hope. The evil power was only fueling him with shadow, rage, and vengeance.

  A blast of his gloomy magic struck me, lowering me to my knees. The evil power sank its claws into me. My life force bled from me as it had the last time, feeding the dark magic. Energy stripped out of my muscles. My heartbeat slowed. Breaths were stolen from my lungs, and I gasped, clawing at my throat.

  Eyes closed, the vizier seemed drunk on the power flowing into him.

  My gaze swung around the room. There was no Karim to save me now. The guards had seen to that by setting my house ablaze.

  Ali crawled closer me to from my right.

  Kaza groaned to my left.

  The genies were trapped in front of me. Both of them trained their finger at the column.

  Against the blood draining away and the energy being zapped from it, my mind scrambled to make sense of the genies’ meaning. What did they want me to do?

  Then I saw them. The trails of black dots on the floor, leading to their jails.

  Something Zand had said before we entered the tunnels clicked in my mind. On his scout of the palace, he’d seen traps buried beneath the floor. But how did they work? What did the column have to do with it?

  By this point, Ali had reached me. “No, Azar, no.”

  When he touched me, the darkness crawled along his skin, and he sucked in a breath. I was powerless to push him away.

  “Break the traps,” he whispered in my ear.

  With what? I glanced again at the column, and the answer finally hit me. Gods. I was so stupid. Make the post fall. How the heck was I going to achieve that? I couldn’t just punch the thing and make it topple. But if I could hit it hard enough, then it might fall.

  I glanced at Zand.

  His eyes begged for me to stay alive.

  The fog in my mind cleared a little. Finally, I understood his message. Get the vizier to strike the column with his magic. Maybe, in the process, I’d weaken him, too, like he’d done to Zand. Then, once my genies were free of their traps, they could burn him to a crisp.

  When I glanced up, I caught sight of Ali hobbling straight for the vizier.

  Shish kebab. What was he doing? I couldn’t find my voice. It was jammed way down in my throat thanks to the dark magic bleeding me.

  I wished Ali could kick the evil vizier in the balls, but that wasn’t happening with my brother’s chained feet. Instead, Ali lifted his hands and clunked the end of his wrist chains on the vizier’s forehead. Just like Karim had done. Ali would have made the monkey so proud!

  The blow shook the vizier from his stupor.

  All claim on my life from the dark flame faltered. Energy seeped back into me. My chest pumped air through my body. Blood crashed through my veins.

  The vizier batted away my brother with a powerful blast.

  “No!” Power returned to my limbs in a torrent of fury. I stumbled to my feet. Woozy and unsteady, I stomped forward.

  In my mind, I apologized for not going straight to Ali, but any deviation from the plan might end us all.

  The vizier’s glare cut into me. He aimed a finger me.

  But with each step, my energy returned.

  I ducked as another of the vizier’s detonations exploded above me. I’d always been fast—other than the one time the vizier’s guard had gotten me. I did have an injured foot. Today, history wa
s not going to repeat. I dived another discharge and rolled along the floor.

  More bombs went off. For a dark sorcerer, the vizier was a pretty awful shot. But I didn’t begrudge him that because it kept me alive longer.

  Just a few more yards.

  Up on my feet, I grabbed anything small. Candleholders sailed through the air. One smashed behind the vizier, and he jumped. Another crashed at his feet. The last one hit him in the chest.

  Hah!

  He roared with rage.

  I kept going.

  So did he. Tearing everything to shreds with his magic. Pillows exploded, pumping stuffing everywhere. Chairs exploded into thousands of pieces. Glass from the lamps rained down over me. The acrid smell of burned fabric drowned my nostrils.

  For a few blows, I hid behind his sofa until he turned it into sawdust.

  Dark magic sliced through my arm, and I screamed. Instead of blood gushing out, the wound festered with bubbling black goo.

  Clutching my arm, I scrambled to my feet.

  Dead ahead, the column called for me. It was now or never. I made a run for it.

  The vizier aimed all his hatred at me. Buzzing black projections sailed past me. One gazed my leg, and I yelped. Not even my limp stopped me. My legs pumped hard, pushing me the last bit of distance. Just as Zand had calculated, the vizier’s final blow cut the pillar right through the middle.

  A laugh rumbled in my chest that he’d been stupid enough to fall for our plan.

  The column groaned as it teetered. Down it crashed, sending vibrations rattling through my bones. The roof creaked and sagged as it lost one of its supports.

  The vizier’s piercing shriek sounded as if it belonged to a thousand dead souls.

  Tremors rocked the palace. Cracks traveled along the marble floors and walls. The whole place groaned as if about to collapse. A split several meters deep opened up in the ground. The stand storing the dark flame toppled and smashed. It burned into the floor like acid. How it had not done the same to the stand, I did not know.

  The magical barriers holding the genies went out with a crackle and snap.