White would not grant him that mercy. A coward who would stab a king in the back deserved to die slowly.
White had only a moment to spy a glimpse of his father lying frail and weak in his bed when three more Shaitans burst into the room and engaged him in a fight. Impatient to be done, he swiped a hand out around all three and watched his deadly curse create fragmentations in their bodies, until their panicked shaking caused the pieces to shatter like ice cubes onto the chamber floor. The cubes melted, and the heady scent of copper filled the room.
Brother, a little help here! Gleaming’s outraged cry blasted through his head.
How on earth was it possible that Asmodeus was fighting off two Jinn kings? Shaking his head in fury, White reappeared in amongst the small battle Asmodeus was waging against Gleaming and Shadow. His brothers busied Asmodeus while he looked for a weakness. Shadow was helpfully allowing Asmodeus to pummel his face while Gleaming tried to breach the protection enchantment Asmodeus had put up around himself. White tried to find a way in and spied the rope that held the ring of Solomon around Marid’s neck. So close … so very close.
And then he saw it.
Shadow’s fingers gripped tight to Asmodeus’s wrist, begging for relief as the Marid held him down. He was able to touch Asmodeus when the intention was not to attack.
The enchantment was a defensive one only.
Ah, Asmodeus.
White shook his head smugly, your paranoia will be the end of you.
With thoughts of harm quashed beneath his obsession to find his mother, White reached out and snapped the rope from Asmodeus’s neck. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw fire explode in the hallway, the vivid hue of blue and red warning him his brother’s Glass and Red had arrived to join the fight. White instantly teleported back to his father’s room, knowing the fight would definitely be out of his favor once Red and Glass joined ranks with Asmodeus.
It was possible that every Jinn in all of Mount Qaf was alerted to Asmodeus’s realization that the ring had been stolen.
The lieutenant’s roar literally shook the palace and the mountains beneath it.
White slammed the doors to his father’s chamber, blocking out the war cries that seemed to pound down on the palace from every side. He slipped on the Seal of Solomon, feeling its power, his mother’s power, rush through him. He stroked the brass and iron ring with tenderness. Within it resided his mother’s spirit and very soon, she would be reunited with her body.
Quickly, White strode around to his father’s bedside.
Azazil looked up at him with a strange mix of pride and rage. “You have no idea what you are about to unleash.”
White shook his head. “Mother is balance. Our world is not the same without her. And if you are going to blame anyone for this … blame yourself. You were the one who granted my daughter the favor that brought you so low. You knew something like this might happen. You invited it.”
His father nodded wearily. “I kindled a darkness, yes, but you are about to set the world alight with the blackest flame. Lilif will cast us all into shadow.”
“Enough of your lies, Father.”
White uncurled his hand, staring at the ring. “I command you to tell me the location of Lilif’s body.”
Slowly, and in great pain to do so, Azazil closed his eyes. With a sigh of exhaustion, he revealed his greatest secret.
12
Thy Will Be Undone
White lit candles upon entering the mausoleum built into the deepest depths of the Menelik, their light flickering over the sarcophagus from the old sconces. This was an area not even the state knew existed, hidden behind a rock door only accessible by powerful Jinn.
Considering only one Jinn knew of its existence in the first place, White found the tomb undisturbed. It was small, dark, carved out in a near circular shape, the rock walls protruding out here and there.
In the center, balanced on an
elaborate pedestal, sat the sarcophagus. Sealed by royal blood, it could only be opened by royal blood.
White conjured a small dagger and
scored a deep slice across his open palm. Quickly, before it could heal, he curled his hand into a fist and dripped his blood into the center of the carved coffin.
Electricity filled the air. White
watched with anticipation as the sarcophagus began to melt, revealing the youthful face of his beautiful mother. As her rattily-clothed body was revealed to him, he reached out to catch her before the sarcophagus completely disappeared. Cradling her in his arms, White felt tears of elation prick his eyes as he knelt to his knees and pulled out the Seal.
This would most probably hurt her.
“Forgive me, Mother,” he apologized
softly, his eyes glued to her sweet, pure face.
With a cry of triumph, White raised
his fist with the Seal inside and smashed it through Lilif’s breast. An ember glow immediately lit up inside her and Lilif’s eyes flew open on an anguished gasp.
As White removed his fist and
watched her chest heal over, Lilif’s frightened eyes searched the room before swinging up to his face. Slowly, as the pain diminished in her dark gaze, light returned. She recognized him.
“I knew you’d find me,” she
whispered, a soft smile on her lips.
White closed his eyes in absolute
relief. Everything would be all right now.
Opening his eyes at his mother’s
coughing, White helped her sit up, her entire body trembling against him. “Can I get you something?” he asked.
She placed a palm to her chest and
winced, shaking her head. “I would say give me a minute, but we don’t have the time.” When her eyes came back to him, White froze in confusion. Within, he saw a hard intensity he did not recognize. “We must bring on The After, son, and we must do it soon.”
***
The sound of her shower running slowly woke Ari from her dreamless sleep. Prying her eyes open, she stretched a hand out, sliding her palm over the warm space where Jai had lain next to her. The shower turned off and she smiled into her pillow.
After seeing Charlie and Mikey back
together again, Ari had returned home with Jai and collapsed in an exhausted heap. Jai had put her to bed and climbed in with her, and she’d fallen asleep curled next to him. It had been the best sleep she’d had in a long time.
It was difficult to really put her
feelings into words about what had happened since Azazil had granted her the favor. She was nervous about seeing Fallon, anxious the girl was coping, and worried about having to explain that Charlie would no longer know who the heck Fallon was. Moreover, Ari was deeply saddened that Charlie no longer knew who she was. And yet, at the same time, she was ecstatic he was the old Charlie again and that he had Mikey back.
Ari could live with not getting to
be a part of Charlie’s new reality as long as it meant he was happy and healthy.
The door to the bathroom opened and
Jai wandered out, running a hand over his barely there hair. Ari propped herself up on an elbow. He’d cut his hair again.
It was hot.
So was the near-nakedness.
He wore only a towel wrapped around
his waist.
Walking quietly toward his jeans,
Jai seemed unaware that Ari was awake. She cleared her throat, drawing his head around toward her. He smiled softly and Ari felt the smile shoot all the way down into her belly.
“Morning.”
“Morning.” She cocked her head and
patted the space on the bed beside her. “Come back.”
He grinned. “I would but I thought
you’d want to see Fallon as soon as possible.”
“I do want to see Fallon. And I
will.” She sat up and casually pulled her pajama top off, letting the sheet fall to her waist. Her heart beat a little harder at the way Jai’s expression darkened, fa
ltering as he dropped his jeans back onto the floor. “But first I want my boyfriend to come here.”
No verbal response needed, Jai
strode toward the bed, his fingers tugging his towel loose just before he reached for her. He cupped a hand around her neck and pulled her against his body, his kiss long and deep, a prelude to one very exquisite morning.
The fire in Michael’s study broke the silence as it crackled and snapped, its heat inviting in the cold Jersey winter weather. Ari sat nervously in an armchair before Michael’s desk, Jai standing by her side.
It would’ve been nice to make their exquisite morning an entire exquisite day, but Ari knew she needed to meet with Fallon. She had to attempt to explain things.
Michael sighed behind his desk,
checking his watch. “I’m sure she’s coming.”
They’d been waiting on Fallon
coming down from her bedroom for twenty minutes.
“Should I maybe go to her?”
Before Michael could respond, the
door to his study opened and Caroline walked in, a shadow behind her. Before Ari could determine who the shadow was, Caroline dragged her from the chair with surprisingly strong arms and suffocated her with the tightest hug she’d ever received.
“How can I ever repay you?”
Caroline asked, her voice barely recognizable it was so thick with emotion.
Ari shook her head, taking a step
back. “I’m not in your debt,” she assured her, her heart aching at the sheer relief and joy in Caroline’s eyes. It suddenly occurred to Ari that Michael and Caroline were in a situation no other bereaved parent had ever been in. Unlike Charlie and Mrs. Creagh, who’d lost a son and a brother but would never realize the gift they’d been given, Fallon’s parents did. Ari imagined it had changed everything for them.
It also occurred to her that Fallon
would probably be cursed with overprotective parents for the rest of her life.
A movement out of the corner of her
eye drew her gaze, and Ari’s breath caught. Standing in the doorway was Fallon Roe.
And yet it wasn’t.
Fallon Roe had big, dark eyes that
sparked with the fire of life.
This Fallon Roe’s eyes were
haunted. “Charlie’s gone?” she asked softly, her words cracking a little.
Crap. Ari’s shoulders slumped.
“Maybe we can talk somewhere alone?”
Fallon nodded. Giving her mom and
dad a small smile of reassurance, she turned and led Ari out of the study. Ari quickly followed her to the back of the house to the library/pool room. As soon as they were inside, Fallon turned. The sight of the flashing fire in her dark eyes was a relief.
“What the fuck did you to do to me
and Charlie?” she snapped.
Or maybe not so much a relief. Ari
held up her hands defensively. “Your mother and father explained already, right?”
“Yeah.” She crossed her arms
stubbornly. “But I want to hear it from you, Prophecy Girl.”
Determinedly, Ari kept the twitch
from her lips. She was delighted to see Fallon acting like Fallon and not that weird little whipped girl she’d been acting like two seconds ago, but laughing at this point in time would probably piss Fallon off. “Okay. Here’s the deal.
You know the Labartu killed you?”
Fallon gave her a “well, duh” look.
Ari tilted her head in curiosity.
“Do you remember anything after that? Did you go somewhere?”
“Seriously? You want to question me
about the afterlife before you explain yourself?”
“A little bit, yeah.”
Fallon sighed heavily and shrugged,
her arms falling at her sides. “I don’t know. All I know is, one minute that bitch Jinn was there and the next, everything was dark. But not … not like you imagine dark. It was just … peaceful. There was nothing to worry about, to think about. I existed in this warmth. I imagine it’s a bit like being in the womb again,” she snorted. “That sounds creepy. It wasn’t creepy. It was beautiful.” Her eyes dimmed. “But there was no sense of time. One minute it was dark and cozy, and the next I’m in my bedroom screaming the house down. All these images kept colliding and fighting in my memory. It was … well, I’ll admit I was really scared. It’s taken me a couple of days to sort them into the right order. To sort them into what’s real for me and what’s real for this new reality or whatever.”
Ari took a step toward her,
eyebrows knitted together. “I never wanted to cause you pain or confusion. I just wanted to fix things. After what happened to you, Charlie went nuts. He had in his possession Mount Qaf emerald and it was making him darker and darker. He killed the Labartu and then disappeared off our radar for a couple of months.
Your dad, the Guild—our Guild—was given the task of hunting him. I was given the task of hunting him.”
Fallon’s eyes softened. “But you
couldn’t.”
“Would you have been able to? Even
after …”
“Even after having my neck broken
by the bitch he was obsessively hunting?” Fallon asked, her eyebrows rising at the suggestion. “I walked into that, Ari. Charlie didn’t want me there. He tried to protect me. But I love him. I thought …” She shook her head, laughing bitterly. “I thought he needed me to protect him.”
Feeling tears sting her nose, Ari
pushed the emotion back, knowing Fallon didn’t need that kind of sympathy right now. “He did need you. Your death really broke him up.” Ari silenced to let her meaning sink in. She saw gratitude shine in the Hunter’s eyes, so she took a second before destroying the moment. “Charlie decided to blackmail me. He wanted me to keep the Guild off his back, so he hooked up with Pazuzu and a Ghulah I’d used the Seal against. He said he was going to lead them to me if I didn’t help him. So we used it against him. We killed the Ghulah but Pazuzu escaped. We got Charlie, though.” Ari tried to control her emotions as she remembered those horrible weeks and their heartbreaking conclusion. “I dried him out.”
Fallon took a step toward her. “Did
it work?”
“Yes. But I was too late. He’d
broken down about everything—about us, about you, and then your dad and the Guild came for him.” Fallon’s eyes narrowed at that piece of information and Ari held up a beseeching hand. “Fallon, your dad was doing his job. He was trying to protect the only family he had left. You have no idea what your death did to him and Caroline.”
And just like that, the anger
melted from her expression. “I can imagine,” she whispered and then heaved another sigh. “So what happened?”
Ari shrugged. “I couldn’t let
Charlie die. You know that. So … I called in my favor with Azazil. As long as things existed as they did, the Guild wasn’t safe. Jai and Trey weren’t safe.
None of us were … not from Pazuzu. Charlie was going to die, which meant that in total, I’d inadvertently killed my adoptive father, my best friend, my best friend’s girlfriend, and his little brother. So I changed it.”
Fallon nodded. “You had Azazil make
it so you were never involved in your dad’s life. But … I don’t get how that means you’re standing here. With Jai and everything still the same for you.”
“I asked Azazil to keep my reality
the same. In effect, I don’t have another past. It was an incredibly complex thing I asked him to do, and it literally drained him.”
“It also means that Charlie doesn’t
know who you are.” Fallon’s eyes dropped to the floor. “He doesn’t know me anymore.”
“I’m so sorry. It was the only way
I could think to save you all. And you should see him. He’s himself again and Mikey’s alive and it’s … wonder
ful.”
Fallon’s head jerked up. “You’ve
seen him?”
Trepidation froze Ari in place. She
answered carefully. “I hid in the Cloak.” She shook her head slowly.
“Fallon, you can’t see Charlie ever again. I did what I did to keep him out of this life.”
Her dark eyes dimmed. “It doesn’t
matter to you that I was in love with him?”
“If you love him, you’ll let him
go.”
“Maybe some of us can’t be as noble
as you.”
“It’s not about being noble. It’s
about doing what’s right for the person you love.”
“So if it was Jai you had to let go
of … would you?”
The question halted Ari, the mere
thought causing a pain deep in her chest. Finally, she replied, “If I had to let Jai go to save him … then yes.”
The tears slipped down Fallon’s
cheeks, and she wiped them hurriedly away. “I’m not trying to be ungrateful,”
she told her hoarsely. “I think what you did was amazing. It’s just … I was in that motel room with him only a few days ago, and now you’re telling me I’ll never see him again.”
Choking up, Ari nodded briskly. “I
get it,” she whispered back.
Their eyes met and for the first
time since Ari had known her, Fallon strode toward her and wrapped her arms around her tight. “You’re the only one who does.”
Ari rubbed her friend’s back
soothingly, letting her friend cry for the boy she’d loved and lost.
The sound of the double doors
crashing open broke them apart. As Fallon quickly cast an enchantment to hide her red eyes, Ari spun around to find Jai and Trey in the doorway, their expressions grim. “Oh, God.” Her heart beat hard in her chest. “What? What now?”
Jai gestured to her to follow him.
“You need to see this.”
Exchanging a quick, concerned
glance with Fallon, Ari hurried after her roommates as they guided her and Fallon into one of the family rooms. Upon entering, Ari found Caroline and Michael watching TV, Red and Glass by their sides.
“What …?” Her gaze moved from them
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