“If you leave Petra, you will not be permitted to enter again,” Ali warned. “Neither you nor your child will enjoy the protection of the Jinn.”
I raised my chin. “Such is my choice.” Then, I turned to Layla. “Would you take me to the border, Cousin? I can make my own way from there.”
“Of course, Cousin.”
She grabbed me by the hand, and the sand swallowed us. I could feel it swirling against my cheeks and arms before it ended much faster than I’d expected. When I opened my eyes, we were in the guestroom. I quickly grabbed my jacket and shrugged into it while Layla blinked away with the promise of supplies.
Slipping my satchel over my head, I froze as I sensed power flaring. Then, Hanna appeared in front of me. “That was well spoken. Almost as insane as anything your cousin Layla has said to the council, but very well spoken.”
I dropped my gaze. “Well spoken, perhaps, but it was completely ineffective. The Jinn will not help and now . . . The dragon princes won’t help either.”
“You think you’ve lost all your allies.”
“There are a few names who might help. But, the full force I hoped to bring is no longer an option.”
“Perhaps you should go into hiding for the sake of your babe.”
I raised a hand to my stomach and then dropped it. “Hiding won’t stop anything. I can’t hide anymore. There’s going to be a war if I don’t try to do something.” My thoughts went to the Sapphire of Shinar, and the barely formed fall back plan I had for it. “It won’t be easy and certainly not ideal. Yet, what else can I do? I have to fight.”
“Then, I shall do this little bit for you.”
Before I could ask what she meant, Hanna placed her hands on either side of my face. Her fingers touched from my temple to my chin as she bent to touch her forehead against mine. She spoke in a rush of windblown words. They weren’t Arabic or Turkish. Something different, something older and carrying power. Like . . . the words Baba had spoken when they left me behind.
When she leaned back, she looked at me and gave a curt nod. “Elam’s seal on you is now removed. As I said, it was never meant to be permanent. You will need all the power you inherited from him. May your journey be blessed with success.”
She vanished, and Layla blinked into existence almost at once. She looked at me and grinned. “Now you feel like a proper Jinn, Cousin Lauren. Amman here we come!”
* * *
Chapter Ten
Lauren
The warm brush of sand gave way to bitter cold and snow pelting my face. I dragged in a gasping breath as I instinctively tightened my grip on my companions’ hands. Then, Layla gave a breathless laugh. “It’s freezing here!”
“We’re in Thrace, in the heart of their mountains,” Hasim muttered. “Did you really expect anything less in the middle of winter?”
The Jinn’s unexpected appearance in Amman when we had gone to the safe house so I could grab my go bag still made me a little wary. Although, so far, he had only grumbled when Layla insisted they both change into western clothing before we attempted to reach Thrace. Between the three of us sharing power and my firsthand knowledge of Perperikon, we had managed to use the sand passages to make our way into Thrace with a forced rest in Istanbul.
I ignored them as I studied our surroundings. We were outside the walls of Perperikon. It was dark. How much of the third day had already slipped away from us? Or, was it already the fourth day? If it was after midnight here . . .
I shook the troubling question away. I didn’t have time to focus on the time. I needed to get more help. “We need to get inside the palace.”
“A dragon prince’s palace is protected against outside intrusion,” Hasim stated firmly.
“However, the dragons would not be accustomed to Jinn means of slipping in,” Layla countered brightly. A note of teasing entered her voice as she added, “I believe we proved that with Prince Heru’s palace. You do remember that, Hasim?”
“No, not in the least,” came his deadpan reply.
Layla snickered. I squeezed their hands to get their attention. “I walked into his palace unnoticed before. Do we have enough energy to use the sands again? It will be easier than attempting to enter through the gates.”
“Just enough for a few short distances, Cousin,” Layla assured me.
“It will take us longer to recover for another far journey,” Hasim cautioned.
“If all goes well, Hasim, we won’t be reliant on the sands to get us to our next destination,” I stated simply. I took a deep breath. “I know exactly where we should go. The dragon prince’s gardens.”
Picturing the gardens where I had first met a dragon prince was far easier than I might have expected. The cold damp of the snow was exchanged for the warm fleeting brushes of sand and then . . .
“Make him talk.”
My heart gave a jolt as I recognized the voice of the dragon that had been one of Weard’s hunters. I opened my eyes to see a video playing across a smooth piece of wall. Khalid’s scarred visage was not what I saw, however. Instead, I saw Mathias . . .
He looked dead. Oh, he looked more dead than alive. His shirt was gone as were his shoes, leaving him in torn black jeans. What little skin wasn’t covered in blood and bruises was almost grey in tone. He wasn’t in chains this time or being restrained, merely lying on the floor with his eyes closed and I couldn’t see his chest moving. Then his eyelids fluttered, eyes moving beneath them as . . . A woman moved into the camera’s view, her smooth dark leather coat looking almost harsh next to pale skin that seemed to glisten with just a hint of flush in her cheeks as though she’d freshly emerged from the water. Her silvery blonde hair wasn’t wet as it fell in loose waves down her back, although, it gleamed like sunlight rippling across water in wavering patches that were impossible to pin in place. I had never seen a siren in person, save from a distance. They weren’t really welcome in the politest circles of paranormal society, given their penchant for dramatics and flagrantly attempting to snare mortals no matter how many drowned. Undines and banshees alike struggled at times against the troublemaking caused by unruly sirens and their penchant for misusing their voices. The siren studied Mathias with the disinterest of a biologist about to dissect a frog. She straddled him, making him groan and one of his bare feet twitched. He didn’t give any other reaction to her presence, though. She curled her lip in disgust before gripping his bloodied face between her hands. She leaned in close, her hair falling forward with the movement and shimmering like ripples disturbing a lake, and started singing.
“They sent a siren to toy with a dying man’s mind. Khalid knows he’s dying and, now, they do this to him? That—” Royal abruptly cut himself off and then turned to me. “Lauren! What are you doing here?”
I blinked at him and then I looked at the screen again. Mathias was twitching now, a grimace crossing his face, as the siren continued singing to him. Almost as though he were trying to fight despite being far too wounded to do so properly. What she was showing him . . . was doing to him . . .
“Turn it off.”
The video died, and it was only then that I realized I had moved to stand side by side with three dragons. Who had apparently not seen me until this moment. Prince Ciril merely raised an eyebrow before he turned to look at where Layla and Hasim were still standing, then he looked at me. He addressed me in accented English this time, instead of the Turkish we used in the past. “Lauren Hope, you grow more surprising.” He gestured to the wall that had been showing the video and added, “Though you seem to have misplaced your Myrmidon.”
Anger rose, pushing back the instinctive fear of the royal dragon. “I did not misplace him. He was taken from me. I intend to take him back,” I snapped.
“I have no doubt,” the prince murmured softly. His eyes lightened in color with a hint of fiery orange as he continued, “Then, this is why you come to my palace in the company of two Jinn.”
Royal’s eyebrows rose, and he tugged at his leather jacket.
“Lauren, you broke into the palace of a dragon prince. What are you thinking?”
“That we are all running out of time,” I retorted firmly. Shifting my attention to the prince, I kept talking. “I am aware that I did not follow protocol in approaching you. However, we have no more time for politeness or niceties or any other politics. Prince Ciril, you placed me under your protection for all the princes to know and commanded them to aid me when I needed it or to at least not interfere with me. I am grateful for the protection of your name, but now I need more than that from you. I need you to help me fight.”
“The council will never agree to such a thing,” the dragoness interjected. Her gaze was fiery orange even though there wasn’t any hint of scales crossing her tanned skin. “Brother, you cannot act on your own.”
“I made a bargain with Prince Cesarina.” The words dropped into the space between us. Both royal dragons stared at me while Royal merely sighed; although, I could almost hear him grumbling about the wisdom of my doing such a thing. At this point, however, I didn’t care. “She has agreed to convince the dragon princes to move against Weard if I am able to acquire the Jinn’s help in keeping a preemptive strike from being noticed by the norms.”
“And you brought two Jinn,” Prince Ciril murmured. He shook his head. “It’s not enough, Lauren Hope. I do not know much about the Jinn. However, I do know that concealing soldiers and a potential battle will take more than two.”
“You underestimate us, dragon,” Layla called before Hasim silenced her with a touch to her arm.
“And, the Jinn have not involved themselves with the world outside of Petra in centuries,” Prince Ciril countered. “Why would this be any different?” He didn’t wait for a reply before focusing on me once more. “I can offer you shelter, Lauren Hope. However, you would likely be safer with the Jinn.”
“I do not ask for shelter. I ask for help.” I pointed to the wall. “That video is a precursor to what they are going to do to everyone else’s families. You know that. Think of your sister. Would you see her in the same state?”
That earned me a fierce growling hiss from the woman. Something that shook me to my bones, yet, I forced myself to stand still and keep talking. “You are a royal dragon. You knew what I was from the moment you saw me. You must know that I would not be here if it weren’t vital that you participate.”
“I think you wish to save your mate who will die soon,” his sister interjected. “You come here for selfish means, Lauren Hope. Ciril, we must attend to the council soon.”
I wanted to scream from pure frustration as the dragon prince took an aggravatingly long time to respond. “Royal, conduct your fellow visitors to the guest suite next to yours. The male Jinn can stay with you. I will summon you when I have made my decision as to what to do with you.”
Then, he walked away with his sister casting one last glare at me.
I took three steps after them before Royal grabbed me by both arms. He pulled me back against him and whispered in my ear, “No. Don’t push them. Wait a little while.”
“We don’t have that much time,” I murmured. The video only confirmed my worst fears. Mathias was running out of time faster than the deadline of seven days. Khalid and the other hunters had done too much damage to him for his body to tolerate it on top of having his number unnaturally lowered.
We were running out of time. And, now . . .
Now, I wasn’t certain if there was anything I could do to save him.
* * *
Mathias
Fog swirled across the sands, blurring the line where beach melted into a cold dark ocean. Not the island paradise I had promised. Not in the least.
The storms were rolling in from the North Sea. I heard the ominous rumbles, but I couldn’t make myself care. My attention was drawn back to her . . .
I held Lauren partially in my arms, working to avoid the sword I had run through her. I wanted to apologize. What could you say to the wife you killed, though? I’m sorry? That wasn’t good enough. It wasn’t nearly bloody good enough.
“Why won’t you tell me where you wanted to take me instead?”
I stared at her cloudy eyes and the blood dried around her mouth. “You should already know. But, then, you are likely enjoying a far better slice of paradise than any I could hope to offer.”
“Tell me where to go to meet you.”
Her voice was distant, whispering through the fog.
“Come on, you blighter! Get back here and face me!”
I grimaced at the sound of the macabre and decidedly annoying boy. Couldn’t he leave me alone?
“No, I bloody well will not leave you alone! Come over here and face me!”
“Mathias, don’t leave,” came the soft whisper.
The boy cursed and then called for me again. Thunder rumbled directly overhead, and I looked up as rain fell through the fog. Rivulets ran down my face as I turned my gaze back to Lauren. How many times had I fought? How many times had I killed her? Was it the fifth time or the fiftieth?
I couldn’t remember. I didn’t want to remember. At least this time, I had used a sword. The times when I had been forced to strangle her before she could kill me . . . Those had been far worse. Every time I watched the light die in her eyes, however, I had heard a distant shriek of frustration. The small thread of possibility that this wasn’t my wife was all that kept me sane. What little was left of my sanity.
“Come on then! Leave her and face me! It’s past time to face me, Wynn Mathias! And, the innocent blood you’ve shed! Come on! Face your judgment!”
“Don’t leave. Stay with me.”
I ignored the whispers. Lowering her body, I pulled my sword free. Then, I turned and walked into the darker patch of fog. It was time to face my own personal demon . . . myself.
* * *
Lauren
Waiting is hellish when you know there are lives on the line. Waiting when you know someone you love is dying is a new level of torture. If I could manipulate the sand passages by myself, I would have left the palace as soon as the first hour crawled past. Layla tried to distract me by helping me practice my Jinn talent. It didn’t work as well since she was exhausted enough not to protest when Hasim abruptly charged into the room and ordered her to stop before she burned herself out.
The day dragged by as I slept only to be haunted by nightmares. Layla was still sleeping soundly when I gave up on trying to get any more rest. There was nothing restful about nightmares, anyway. I moved as quietly as I could out of the bedroom to find Hasim was in the little sitting room. He could not have been comfortable, curled up to fit the smaller settee with most of his legs hanging over the armrest, and yet I had no doubt that he would refuse to move if someone offered a more comfortable option. He’d positioned himself to be the first line of defense between Layla and trouble.
Creeping by, I managed to slip out of the guest suite only to stop short at the sight of Royal leaning against the wall across from me. He nodded toward a door a short ways down from me, then waited for me to start moving before he followed. As soon as he stepped through the door behind me, I whirled around and threw my left hand up. Wind stirred, slamming the door closed as Royal collided with it.
The dragon grunted from the force of hitting the door. “Neat trick.”
“You let them kill him and I shall never forgive you for it, Royal Carith,” I promised low and soft. The wind continued fluttering around me, tugging at my loose hair and at my clothes, as I kept him pinned against the door. “He counted you as his only friend, and all you are doing is condemning him.”
“Lauren.”
“I don’t know why I thought I could trust you.”
“Lauren. Hope, calm down and think. Flattening a dragon in a dragon prince’s palace is not the best way to convince anyone to help you. What would Mathias say, hmm?”
I dropped my hand, and the wind died with it. Turning my back on him, I ran shaky hands through my hair. I hadn’t bothered with my head shawl after s
howering and changing into fresh clothes. This wasn’t me. This was reckless and crazy and . . .
A wry laugh escaped me. “Considering Mathias has been the one constantly encouraging me to practice and use my Jinn talent, I have no doubt that he would cheer and urge me to do it again.”
Royal chuckled, and he was grinning when I faced him once more. “Yes, he would because he’s annoying and cheeky.” His grin faded as he nodded to me. “I am sorry, Lauren. By the time I found out Mathias was captured, they already had him in Chicago. And . . . I cannot simply walk into the heart of Chicago and expect to even make it into headquarters, much less make it back out with Mathias.”
“That’s why I’m going.”
“Lauren, that is utter lunacy. Weard will kill you.”
I shook my head. “No. They want me alive. The man calling himself the Nephilim wants me alive because he knows I have the Sapphire of Shinar.”
Royal spat a curse before he stared at me. “You have that accursed gem? Here? Ciril might not act on our instincts regarding treasures of power, but you most certainly can’t trust his sister to be nearly as civil. Get rid of it.”
“I will. After I use it.”
“And, just how do you intend to use it?”
I resisted touching my right pocket. The glamour I had woven around the gem was holding since Royal didn’t act as though he could sense it. Meeting Royals’ questioning gaze, a small voice said I should be relieved or even comforted that his eyes hadn’t changed color. Yet, I couldn’t care less if I brought his dragonish nature to the fore. “I am going to use it to force the Nephilim into making a mistake.”
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