Command The Red King to his knees for what he’s done. Command Charlie to stop chasing vengeance. Command them all! They’re all yours to
command! It’ll keep them safe. It’ll keep them all safe.
“Stop,” Ari whispered.
“What happened to Jack, Your Highness?” Michael Roe asked, his strong voice cutting through a fragile atmosphere created by whispered admissions and reluctant betrayals.
“He is dead,” Red answered unapologeticaly.
Bastards! The whispers turned to roars in Ari’s head. How dare they take whatever they want? Including innocent lives!
“This is a war,” Glass’ deep, smooth voice filed the room for the first time. “Jack was a casualty of war.”
Trey took a step in front of Michael, seeming uncaring that he was facing up to a Jinn King. “Jack was a casualty of you.”
“You learn I’m a Jinn King and yet you stil speak to me without respect?” Glass narrowed his eyes on Trey.
“Do something to earn it.”
Ari was barely aware of Glass’ mysterious smile. Her brain was too ful, too ful of everything. Her own thoughts pushed and pushed their way through the fuzz, trying to at least take control of that, even if the Seal had gained control over her body. “And my mother?” she asked, dazed, not realy able to make eye contact with anyone. “Sala? Where is she?”
A hum of energy caught her attention as it danced closer to her left side. Ari turned her head to stare at the space, confusion making her feel sick and
discombobulated, like she’d just gotten off a rolercoaster too fast. “Ms. Maggie?” she whispered.
And there… where she felt the Ifrit’s energy, the air shimmered until a figure began to etch itself into being right in front of their very eyes. Mouth open in shock, Ari looked upon a beautiful woman with long, rich, dark hair like her own and eyes… like her own… but they were older… they were eyes of a thousand nights, eyes that had made love to every spectrum of color this realm and the others had to offer.
“Sala,” Red growled as he strode across the room towards them. “You shouldn’t be here. White could come back.”
Ignoring Red, Sala stepped towards Ari, her eyes brimming with tears as she reached up to touch her daughter’s face. “I wil explain everything as soon as I can, but Red is right. I have to leave. In order to protect you I have to leave. But know… that I wil always be watching over you.” Her slender but surprisingly strong arms tugged Ari into a hug and she melted against her in shock, a little of the darkness easing back down. Sala smeled of wildflowers and honey. “I love you my darling girl. I have always loved you.” She let go of Ari just as quickly as she’d grabbed her and with a sad smile, she disappeared into the Peripatos.
“Ari.” Red was suddenly in front of her, and everyone was murmuring in surprise and shock, asking questions and causing the darkness that Sala had culed, to grow and stretch out within her. She’d just met her mother. Her real mother. And she said she loved her. “Ari,” Red repeated. “Sala has nothing to do with my father or the War. Al she cares about is protecting you. We managed to release her just before your sixteenth birthday. She left to be with you and has watched over you since.
When White finaly discovered your whereabouts and used Rabir to bring you to Mount Qaf through a wish to see your mother, the wish was keeping you in your house with Ms. Maggie. I only managed to redirect the wish in time, or my brother would have known that Sala was gone. And now he does. She’s in great danger.”
Ari was barely listening. She could feel Jai’s hand on her shoulder, but the Seal wouldn’t let her feel it. She wanted to lash out. She could envision blasting them al to hel for their lies and their betrayals. Blood red wals. Dripping bloodied wals. Something laughed in delight within her.
No! Ari gasped for air and shrugged away from Jai, stumbling back from Red as she fought to think, her words careful not to command as they fel from her numb lips. “I think… I think you better step back. I think you better leave… before I do something I’l regret.”
“Dammit,” she heard Red whisper hoarsely. “The Seal has her in its grip.”
“What wil I do?” Jai asked, his voice thick with concern.
“No, don’t touch her!” Red cried out in command to someone. “I’m going to have to knock her out.”
“No!” she screamed. No, not her. It was the Seal screaming. It opened her mouth to command and then suddenly froze, its dark limbs shriveling up as black spots covered Ari’s eyes and the room began to tilt.
Jai gazed downat Ari, watching the slow rise and fal of her chest. After Red had used his mojo to knock her out, Jai had carried her upstairs to one of the bedrooms in Jack’s house— wel, what had once been Jack’s house. It was weird to think that he’d never realy known Jack at al. That they’d met only briefly before The Red and Glass King’s had kiled him.
They were malevolent, ruthless sons-of-a-bitch.
Jai could feel their powerful energies on the other side of the door, where they stood waiting with Falon, Charlie, Trey and Michael. He’d insisted on being the only one to sit with Ari until she woke up, despite Red’s concerns that the Seal might stil have a grip on her.
Holding her hand, Jai wondered how she would be when she regained consciousness. So much had happened. Finding out her mother, Sala, was actualy Ms.
Maggie al along (although it made sense now why their make-out session was interrupted by her), and discovering Red had betrayed her from the start. It had crossed Jai’s mind more than once that Red was behind Charlie’s wish. Jai was pretty sure it had crossed Ari’s mind too, but to actualy have it confirmed. She had been beginning to trust Red. They both had been. They both needed to trust him. And the bastard had gone and ruined it.
Ari’s eyelashes fluttered and Jai squeezed her hand. She made a little groaning noise before her eyes slammed open. “Jai,” she whispered and when she turned her head on the pilow to meet his gaze, Jai sagged in relief. It was Ari. Just Ari.