Djinn Rebellion Boxset (Books 1 -30: A Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy

by Cage, Jessica

  “You say that as if you’ve done me some favor.” Inda rolled her eyes at the man who strutted across the room. “I should be asking you that. I had no idea you liked to live in such conditions. The way people talk about you, that should be the first bullet point. Powerful djinn, and pig!”

  “Bite me,” he groaned.

  “I would, but I don’t eat swine.” She stuck her tongue out as he flipped her off and headed for the kitchen. When he returned, he had a full beer in one hand and a sandwich in the other. Of course, he offered her nothing.

  “What do you want?” he questioned through a mouthful of food. “I’d like to get this over with, so I can return to my nap!”

  “I guess direct it is then.” Rising from the sofa, she squared off with him. “I have a message from Reverie.”

  “Reverie?” He scoffed; he had no vampire friends. Who the hell could be looking to reach him? “What could anyone in vamp land have to say to me?”

  “It would seem there is someone there who is in need of your help. Someone who we all have no doubt you will want to aide.” Inda teased with the first bit of information.

  “And that is?” He waved his hand for her to continue. “I don’t have all day for this.”

  “Oh, and what else were you going to do, besides conjure another pizza for you not to eat!”

  “I’m warning you, woman. Say what you have to say or go.” He lifted a finger, and Inda felt a force pressing against her chest. Her feet slid across the hardwood floors as he began to push her toward the exit.

  “Fine, okay!” The pressure stopped, and she straightened herself. “It’s Nitara. She needs your help … again.”

  Jinn’s jaw tightened as he processed what was said to him. “Get out,” he ordered the woman who stared at him in disbelief. “Sprout your wings and fly the hell away from my home.”

  “What?” Inda’s mouth fell open. She hadn’t been expecting a no from him. Everyone thought he would be eager to put his life on the line again for the woman he loved. They were all wrong.

  “You heard me, get the hell out!”

  “You have got to be kidding me! I did not fly all the way down here for you to kick me out.”

  “Well, I suggest you find something else to do with your time.” Jinn waved his hand and forced the bird of fire down the hall and out the door. Before she could protest or spout off another one of her witty remarks about him or the state of his home, the door slammed in her face.

  Inda fought with the handle and banged her fist on the door but to no avail. “Oh, fuck!”

  Inda flew above the fairy city, confident that her relationship with their new queen would give her a pass. Usually, anyone who dared to enter their space, by air or ground, was stopped dead in their tracks. As she assumed, she flew right on in. After one encounter with a guard verifying who she was, she wasn’t bothered anymore. Below her, she could see the lively fairies as they moved throughout the city. It was odd how ordinary their lives looked.

  They went about shopping, working, and having small talk as they walked their dogs. If she hadn’t known better, she’d imagine it was just another human city. Of course, the buildings that sprouted from the ground and the wildlife strolling through the streets also debunked that theory. She took her time about reaching her destination. Word would have gotten to Briar about the visitor she wouldn’t be expecting. She chose to give her friend a little time to get herself together.

  “Inda, it’s good to see you.” The woman who met her reminded her so much of her friend. It was as if she was a replication. Same hairstyle, pulled back into a bun, uniform was clean, pressed, not a stitch out of place. Briar had really made her mark, not only as their leader, but apparently as a fashion icon. Inda wondered what the new queen looked like. Did she keep her own style or conform to the standard set by those previously in her role?

  “You as well. You’re looking mighty fine.” She smiled at Mysti. She hadn’t seen the woman who was now second in command to her best friend in a long time, but she was never one to forget a face. “Tell me something, do you think my dear old friend could take a bit out of her day for a tired bird? It was a long flight in.”

  “For you, of course. Hang tight.” Mysti left Inda in the lobby of the city’s center where the queen lived. She headed off to get things in order for her visit. There was no way Briar would turn her away, not after having been separated for so long. Besides, the two had a lot to discuss.

  Sitting in the lush waiting area, Inda made note of the changes that her friend had apparently implemented. The large pane windows covering the building from top to bottom had been reinforced. She could see the signature of the magic that was used to further secure the building. After what happened to the last queen, and the infiltration that went unnoticed, it was no wonder she would want more security.

  The step up in safety wasn’t the only thing that changed. There were a lot of new faces, faces that at one point, she wouldn’t have assumed belonged in Vilar. Fae, the magical beings of the moon, were there. In the past, the two species stayed away from each other. Fairies were of the sun, and fae of the moon. The two celestial beings never shared the sky, and their children avoided each other just as adamantly.

  “Inda, she is ready for you.” Mysti returned and motioned for the visitor to follow her. They climbed the staircase which led to the only elevator that would take them to the queen’s chamber. Inda had never been past the main entrance to the building. The few times she had visited Briar, her friend had met her at the door and quickly escorted her far away from the palace.

  Inda had to contain her excitement as the elevator reached the top level and the doors slid open. On the other side was a small waiting area where guests would stay until the queen was ready for them. The floors were done in a gorgeous red carpet that looked as if it were lit with flames. It matched the new queen who had an affinity for fire. The gold double doors opened as they stepped out of the elevator to reveal the chamber behind them. A large room with beautifully painted walls and jeweled accents was where the throne sat, empty. Inda took in the sight of it all and couldn’t believe that this was her friend’s new life.

  “Briar will be with you in a moment. You can wait here for her.”

  Mysti left Inda in the room alone. There she stood waiting and making mental photographs of every detail of the space until her thoughts were interrupted by a voice she hadn’t heard in much too long.

  “Inda!” Briar burst into the room from a door behind the throne. She smiled brighter than she ever had before when she saw Inda there. In part, she’d thought that someone was playing a cruel joke on her, falsely announcing the arrival of her long-lost friend. She was happy to find that her worries were not just. “It’s so good to see you.”

  “You as well.” Inda couldn’t believe her eyes. In all of their time as friends, she had never seen Briar in anything but jeans, boots, and a leather jacket. Of course, her attire became more uniformed when she joined the fairy guard, but it was nothing like what she was seeing now. Her friend sported, and comfortably, a long, flowing dress with lace that hung from her shoulder, mimicking the wings that would carry her should she choose to take flight.

  “Are you sure about that?” Briar spoke hesitantly. She wanted nothing more than to pull her friend into a tight hug, but she refrained from the action. Inda had yet to forgive her for betraying her trust and she couldn’t presume that her arrival meant that she had. For all she knew, the phoenix was there to deliver the ass kicking she promised to give her if Briar failed to keep her secret.

  “Yes, for the most part, despite your terrible betrayal,” Inda teased her friend who immediately blushed with apology.

  “I’m sorry, but I had to. You know there is no way I would have told Jax anything if I could have seen there being any other way to convince him to help us.” Straight to the point, that was Inda’s way. Though she teased, Briar knew that she had really hurt her friend when she gave up her secret. She wanted so much to as
k her if she had spoken to Jax, but it wasn’t the time. If they were truly going to make amends, there would be opportunity to speak about everything later.

  “I know that.” Inda couldn’t help it; she’d already forgiven Briar though she wanted to be mad. She couldn’t, they wouldn’t be friends if she thought the woman was capable of any malice toward her. “I mean it really sucked, and it may have taken me some time to come to terms with it, but I know you wouldn’t do anything to hurt me, not unless it was a last resort. And even then, you’re really good at begging for forgiveness.”

  “So, you forgive me? I sent gifts, cards, and letters, but never heard anything back. Figured you burned them all.” Briar really had gone above and beyond—she sent gift after gift, and hoped for a response that never came, even with confirmation that the gifts were delivered.

  “You know I do.” Inda sighed. “I’m a fool, and I cannot stay mad at you.”

  “Great!” Briar pulled Inda into another warm hug, this one heated even more so by her increased happiness. “So, what brings you here, or was it just to hear me plead for your forgiveness?”

  “I wouldn’t call what you just did pleading, but yes, I must admit that I did come here with another agenda.” She sighed. “Not that reconnecting with you isn’t great, but there are other things that I must take care of while I’m here. Unfortunately, it is proving quite difficult to do so.”

  “What’s that?” Briar ushered her over to the sitting area where tea and pastries awaited them.

  “Black and white cookies, my favorite! You remembered!” Inda squealed as she quickly stuffed one of the cookies into her mouth. “Oh, they are just as good as I remember!”

  “I’m glad. I had the kitchen make them especially for you, and there is a box of them waiting for you to take home.”

  “You are the best friend a girl could ever ask for!” Inda grabbed another cookie though she hadn’t finished the one already in her mouth.

  “I try.” Briar sipped from her teacup. “So, tell me, what is the problem you’re facing? Perhaps I can be of some assistance. You know, I’m not sure if you noticed, but I kind of run things around here now.”

  “Yes, I noticed! And I must say, you look amazing.” She slapped her leg and leaned back in her chair. “I mean, look at you! You’re in a dress!”

  “I know, I never thought I’d be this comfortable in one, but if I’m honest, they’ve grown on me. Anyway, we can discuss all of that later. What’s your problem? I want to help.”

  “My problem is a drunken asshole who goes by the name of Jinn.”

  “Jinn?” Briar frowned. “What do you want with him?”

  “Oh, you know, same old story.” She popped another cookie into her mouth and followed it with a swig of tea. “A bunch of us need his help in a plot to save his long-lost love.”

  “What?” Briar placed her cup back on the table. “You’re plotting to do what?”

  “I know, it must sound like a broken record to you.” She polished off the last two cookies and looked for more. Flying with wings of fire burned a lot of energy. She would have preferred something high in protein, but the cookies were hitting the spot. “Nitara, she needs him. Call me a feminist or whatever, but this woman always needing him to come save her is getting tired.”

  “I’m sure it’s more complicated than that.” Briar laughed. “If I were you, I wouldn’t rush to bring that topic up to him. It’s a bit of a sore spot with him after the way their last encounter ended.”

  “Yeah, I kinda got that now.” Her attempt to confront the problem head-on had backfired and left her with a door slammed in her face. She hadn’t even wanted to be involved, but she gave her word and wouldn’t walk away until she convinced the man to get off his ass and help his wife. “This was supposed to be a simple job.”

  “Oh, you already visited him.” Briar couldn’t help the smirk, she thought of the last person to try to visit Jinn, it was a mission that proved to be quite comical for everyone who warned the dragon not to attempt to go there. Rick, one of the dragons who helped them fight Daegal and save the world, had demanded that Jinn step up and help find Praia. He pounded down the door though everyone warned him against it. If it wasn’t for Jax stepping in, Rick would have lost his life that day.

  “Yes, I did. You want to know what I received for my efforts to help? A swift kick in the ass that left me standing on his stoop with egg on my face! As happy as I am to see you and to squash this tension between us, that is why I’m here now.”

  “You think I can get through to him?” It made sense. After all, they had worked side by side to save the world. The assumption was a sound one, but it was also incorrect. She had been no more successful at breaking through to the man than anyone else had. Yeah, she tried a few times, but each time she hadn’t gotten past the threshold. At least Inda made it inside.

  “Yes, well, I hope you can.” She popped another cookie into her mouth. “If not, I flew my pretty ass down here for nothing.”

  “You have to understand something here. Nitara really broke Jinn’s heart.”

  “Yeah, I know. What I came down here to tell the jerk was that she only did it because she felt she didn’t have a choice in the matter.”

  “I highly doubt that I can convince him of anything,” pausing, Briar touched her chin with her finger, “but I know someone who might.”

  “Well, whoever it is, bring their ass on. I would like to get this over with.”

  Briar considered her next question carefully before she asked it. They would have to talk about it at some point, why not bring it up while she was happily stuffing her face with cookies? “Have you talked to him?”

  “No, and I don’t plan on it.” Inda straightened in her seat. Her head tilted to the side and she narrowed her gaze on the woman who sat across from her. “Should he just happen to stop by while I’m here, I’ll know who to blame.”

  “Hey, I’ve learned my lesson. My lips are sealed!” Briar lifted her hands in surrender.

  “Sure they are.” She laughed. “So, can I get room and board for the night?”

  “Of course!” Briar clapped her hands. “You shall have our very best accommodations!”

  “And that includes food, correct?” Inda rubbed her stomach and groaned. “Love the cookies, but I need some real fuel for my engine!”

  “Yes, as much as your heart desires!” Briar laughed at her friend, who was still as hilarious and sassy as she remembered her to be.

  “I knew there was a reason you’re my best friend!”

  “I hope the accommodations were to your liking.” Briar smiled as Inda flowed into the room wearing a dress designed specifically for her. It was a gift delivered to her room that morning. It fit her perfectly.

  “Yes! You know, that was the best night of sleep I’ve had in a very long time.” She beamed. “I felt like I was sleeping on a cloud!”

  “Good, that makes me glad to hear.” Briar raised a brow. “I already know that you ate well, based on the reports from the kitchen.” She snickered, happy to tease the woman who showed no remorse for the reports of her gluttony. According to the kitchen staff, Inda had given them a run for their money. There were jokes about needing to restock the pantry after finally satisfying her appetite.

  “Hey, you told me to make myself at home!” Inda laughed and twirled in the red dress she was given. The design made her feel like she was one of the fairies. She would have to remember not to shift or the lacey material would go up in flames. As much as she liked it, she would hate to see it harmed. “Thanks for the new threads, by the way.”

  “Well, we’re expecting a bit of royalty to arrive soon. If you’re to be a part of the welcoming party, you’ll need to look the part.” Briar was also dressed in her best. She wore a design similar to the one she’d had on the day before, only now she was adorned in jewels.

  “Your life is so different now.” Inda shook her head in continued disbelief. “I would have never imagined you like this. I h
ave to admit, I like it. You’re stunning!”

  “Thanks, Indy.” Briar carefully hugged her friend. “I guess becoming the queen has that effect. Trust me, it wasn’t an easy transition, but I have to admit, it has grown on me. Besides, I can wear whatever I want. Most days, unless something special is happening, I’m still in jeans and combat boots!”

  “I take it that means my arrival was special?” Inda poked, reminding Briar of the attire she wore when her friend had arrived.

  “Absolutely!”

  “So, no more late nights drinking and scoping out guys at the bar?” Inda thought back on their past. Before the world changed, the two of them had quite a few wild nights together. No man was safe. At least no man with a pair of soulful eyes and a tight ass!

  “I never enjoyed that anyway,” Briar lied.

  “Yeah, sure … whatever you say.” Inda laughed. Briar always kept a tough exterior, but when it was just the two of them, she let that guard down. No one in the world could see her the way Inda did.

  “Our guests have arrived at the borders.” Boxi, another fairy guard, peeked through the door to announce the arrival of the help Briar had called for. “They’ll be here soon.”

  “Great, thank you. We should meet them. Let’s make sure everything is in order. Double check the security. I’m not expecting any trouble, but you can never be too sure.” Boxi nodded and left the room to do as she was told. Briar gestured to Inda. “After you.”

  “Oh, no, after you.” Inda bowed. Friends or not, Briar was queen and there were protocols that had to be met.

  “The bow really isn’t necessary.”