Great. Their first day as… whatever they were, and she’d already hurt him.
It’s not because I’m in love with him and feel like I’m betraying him, she tried to explain. It’s just, he’s here facing death because he saved someone’s
life, and I don’t feel like I should be allowed to be happy until I know he’s safe. And being with you… well, it makes me happy. Even with all this
going on.
Jai sighed and slowly turned his head to look at her. You promise?
The question caused an ache inside of her. This was a side to Jai she’d never seen before. He realy was insecure about Charlie, and he couldn’t hide it anymore. He was making himself vulnerable to her.
Wow.
A rush of overwhelming love caved in on Ari’s chest and she struggled a moment to catch her breath. She had to reassure him somehow. He had to know how she
felt. Taking tentative steps toward him, Ari smiled with her eyes. I told you I don’t think of Charlie that way anymore. And I also made it clear to him how I
feel about you.
Surprise lit his eyes and Jai straightened to his ful height, turning to face her. Just as quickly as the surprise had hit him, the spark of hope she saw in his eyes faded.
He glowered at her. You told Fallon you’d die trying to save him here.
Realization dawned as she closed the distance between them. Ari had almost died to save Jai from an Haqeeqah—the essence of the emerald of Mount Qaf in its purest form, a weapon—and it was what had finaly made him realize how much Ari truly cared for him. Did he now think that, because she’d die for Charlie, it somehow meant the same thing?
Shaking her head, Ari reached up to touch his face, something she’d wanted to do almost from the moment she’d met him. Her fingers gently stroked his cheek, tracing his high cheekbones and lower to the firm, hard cast of his jaw-line. Instead of leaning into her touch as she’d dreamed he would, Jai tensed. Jai, she pleaded quietly, if you hadn’t noticed, I’m a guts and glory kind of girl. I think I’d die trying to protect anyone I care about. It’s just the way I’m wired, I guess. I
would die trying to protect Charlie because I love him. He’s my family, and I don’t want to lose any more family. She took another step so her body pressed flushed to him, her fingers faling to his lips. The sound of his shalow breathing emboldened her. But Jai… I would die a hundred deaths to save you…
because the thought of being here without you now, the thought of losing you… is unimaginable. Their eyes locked and heat bloomed in her cheeks as Jai pressed closer to her, his hand sliding across her lower back and gently guiding her even more tightly against him. Jai, you have no idea how much I’ve fallen in
love with you. I don’t think a person could fall any harder.
His eyes widened, his lips parting with unspoken surprise. Suspended anticipation sprung between them and then immediately snapped at the sound of a loud knock at the door.
He hadn’t responded to her declaration.
Ari bit back a curse. Everyone was always interrupting them!
The door banged open before Jai could answer the knock, and to Ari’s utter shock, The White King stroled casualy into the room, his emerald robes bilowing at the back of him. The snap of fabric barely missed the one-eyed face of his monstrous Nisnas, Vadit, who trotted awkwardly behind him with his one arm and one leg.
Ari vividly remembered his attack with a wince…
She cut off into a silent scream as the monster launched into the air towards her, its mouth open wide. Ari threw her hands up to cover her face, closing her eyes tight and waiting for her subconscious to rip her out of the nightmare. Instead she felt the impact of it hit, her body slamming to the floor with a painful thud that knocked the breath right out of her. Her head smacked against the mirrored floor in eye-watering pain. A sharp streak of light shot across her eyes and then she felt wet heat clamp down on her forearm.
Agony ricocheted through her whole system as the monster’s teeth tore through her flesh.
… Stunned at his flagrant disregard for his father’s wishes, Ari stood immobile as The White King eyed Jai blankly. “This is the Ginnaye?” he asked in his flat voice.
Jai was studying him carefuly; unaware who they were dealing with since he’d never actualy met The White King. Ari wanted to grip his hand and tug him behind her. Instead she sighed as if she were dealing with a mere nuisance rather than a powerful and dangerous immortal. Yeah, she was going to take a leaf out of dear old dad’s book and play the game his way. “Jai, this is The White King.”
His Ginnaye instincts had him moving with reflexes so fast Ari was only just quick enough to pul him back to her, as Vadit let out a string of rumbling warning growls.
“Vadit, hush,” The White King commanded as he held up a beseeching hand to Jai. “I just want to converse,” he promised smoothly.
Her attempt to push Jai behind her was met with angry disbelief and she resigned to letting him stand at her side. Jai reminded her of a pot boiling over, al frothy and impatient. Ari’s muscles tensed as fear coalesced in her chest. She didn’t want Jai anywhere near White.
However, perhaps it was the memory of her dream in which she’d seen how White had once been… ‘approachable’ … but Ari found herself unafraid of him for