The Glass King had saved their skin.
“Charlie, how did you…?” Trey gestured to the mess Charlie had made. “It’s not possible.”
“He didn’t.” Glass strode forward. “I did.” He stopped before Charlie and it was easy for him to read Glass’ expression. ‘Put the emerald away and let me take the credit.’
Hastily shoving the emerald back in his pocket, Charlie watched with a churning gut as Glass swiped a hand over the air around Charlie, the floor, the ceiling, the wal, the blood and body matter disappearing. Just like magic.
Taking a shuddering breath, Charlie tried to calm himself enough not to be sick.
He’d kiled someone. Again.
Worse stil—the way he felt, the way the emerald felt— it was intoxicating. Exhilarating.
He felt invincible.
“Hel, I thought for a minute there he was going back to Mount Qaf for trial,” Trey blew out a relieved breath.
“He wouldn’t have anyway.” Glass gestured to the bodies of the Jinn. “I didn’t give you much time to realize it before I took them out, but these are sorcerers.”
“Sorcerers? I don’t understand. What are sorcerers doing here? Looking for Ari?”
Before Glass could answer the sound of chaos reigning from the back of the house met their ears. Cries of outrage mingled with the destruction of furniture. And then the gun shots rang out.
“My brother,” Glass growled as al three of them rushed towards the sounds. “The Shadow King. Many of his servants are sorcerers. And I can smel his dishonor from here.”
Adrenaline pumping, Charlie hurried after Trey and Glass, coliding with Trey in the doorway of Michael’s office. In one corner Caroline fought hand to hand with what Charlie was sure was a human man. Michael was aiming a gun at him, trying to get a clean shot. On the floor were two more humans, a young man and a woman, and a third body with an energy pulsing from them. A Jinn. Not dead, Charlie registered, seeing the rise and fal of the male Jinn’s chest. Or was it a sorcerer?
And in the corner, hovering above a glass cabinet where Michael displayed ancient weaponry he colected, was another Jinn. His long dark hair was braided over his shoulder, and like Glass, he wore a stark leather vest and leather trousers. His dark gaze bore into Glass, an amused smirk twisting his lips as he just floated there, cross-legged. “Just in time for the entertainment, brother.” He swept his hand over the scene.
In a blur of movement, his speed so fast he was just a streak of black and blue across the room, Glass was behind the human man fighting Caroline. He placed a hand on his head and the man froze, shuddering, his eyes roling back in his head before one last gasp escaped his now frothing mouth. His dead knees gave way and he colapsed to the floor, Caroline jerking back out of his way, alowing her husband to draw her into his side. Michael looked at Glass with amazing calm, his gun stil held tightly in his left hand.
“What on earth is going on, Your Majesty?” he asked quietly, indicating the bodies around them.
“That’s what I’d like to know,” a voice very similar to Red’s said very close to Charlie’s ear.
In unison, both Charlie and Trey backed into the room, their eyes staring up into a familiar face.
A Jinn King.
They al looked so much alike.
This one had a hawk-like nose, and peering stern eyes that swept the room, lingering on Glass and The Shadow King who stil floated from his perch in the corner.
In golden silk robes with matching golden trousers, his upper body bare under the robe except for the large ruby that hung around his neck, this king was a strange mix of danger and light. His long hair spiled around his shoulders, so golden blonde it could be mistaken for strands of the precious metal. He was also the talest Jinn King Charlie had met. Taler even than Red or Glass.
Speaking of Red.
The air in the room seemed to grow shalow as Charlie stumbled back involuntarily. The Red King stepped into the room beside his brother, a few inches shorter than the golden king.
Four Jinn Kings in one room. Charlie’s eyes nearly roled back in his head. It was almost how it had felt to stand before Azazil.
Both Red and his unknown relative were gazing up at Shadow in the corner. His eyes stil on Shadow, Red murmured to Michael, “Mr. Roe, this is my brother The Gilder King and founding father of The Guilds.”
Caroline gasped and quickly dipped her head as her husband bent deferentialy towards The Gilder King. “Your Majesty, it is an honor to have you in my home,”
Michael acknowledged, his voice ful of awe. It was the first time Charlie had seen Michael flustered.
“The honor is al mine, Michael of the Roe Guild. I just wish it was under better circumstances.” His dark eyes weren’t even on Michael. He was glaring with