She was not sitting around waiting for White to come to her. No ‘effing way! No matter what, she was getting Jai back.
Red! She screamed telepathicaly. I need you!
She waited.
Nothing.
Shit.
Was Red not talking to her now? Was she truly on her own? How could he not be talking to her? He was the one who had betrayed her?
Red! She yeled harder, pushing more energy into the cal. Help! I need you! Now!
Seconds…
Minutes…
Nothing.
Furious tears pooled in the corner of Ari’s eyes and she thrust al that emotion into her energy, sweat roling down her forehead. RED! I NEED YOU NOW!
The crackle of fire brought Ari to her feet in relief, the sight of The Red King stepping out of the Peripatos a far more welcome sight than she’d thought it would ever be again.
“Ari.” He sighed in relief as he came to a stop before her. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“Yeah, wel your brother found me first,” she spat out her hatred and was satisfied by his look of surprise as he took in her violent expression.
His lips pinched together. “What happened?”
Her mouth trembled, belying her fragility in that moment. “White took Jai.”
“He found out about you,” Red whispered, seeming almost sympathetic.
Ari didn’t trust him for a second. “Was it you? You knew about me and Jai, I know you did. So did you tel Azazil? Did he tel White because he was bored?”
Red’s face darkened and he took one menacing step towards her. “You’l remember who you’re talking to, young lady. I kept your secret love affair with your
guardian to myself. I even kept it from my father, and believe me he is a little bit displeased to know I’m keeping things from him.”
Not sure she believed him or not, and feeling stupid for the niggling tickle of hope she felt at the thought of Red being an aly again, Ari shrugged. “You or someone else, the result is al the same. White knows. And I can’t promise that I won’t do anything he wants to get Jai back— so we have to steal Jai back. And then Jai and I need to run.”
“Run?” Red’s brow furrowed in confusion.
“Al the Jinn know about me now.”
“No. No they don’t.”
Heart lurching, Ari moved slowly towards her uncle as if she could pul those words out of him again. “What do you mean?”
“The Jinn that attacked at the school and the Jinn that attacked the Roes-”
“Attacked the Roes? What are you talking about? Charlie? Trey-”
“Are fine.” Red held up his hands in calming gesture. “Everyone is fine. The Shadow King and White set the attacks up as a distraction so that Jai would lead you somewhere White could take him without fear of interference. He needed to be able to get in and out with Jai before you could use the Seal against him. I imagine the attack was also meant to piss off me and my father.”
“So the Jinn don’t know about me?”
“No. There are stil those curious about you, but as far as I’m aware, you’re stil safe from them. For now at least.”