“He looks bored.”
“Wel the trial hasn’t started yet.”
“So Azazil has no say in this?”
Red nodded in assurance, and for some reason the knowledge that the mercurial and frankly, insane, Sultan had no part in the outcome of his trial made Charlie feel better—insane or not, the guy was al-powerful.
He shot another quick glance at Azazil. “Do I need to bow or anything?”
Red smirked. “Only when you’re acquitted.”
“Ooh I’m liking the confidence.” Charlie rubbed his sweaty hands down his jeans. “Confidence is key.”
Chuckling, Red nodded and retreated.
Sucking in a deep, controled breath, Charlie tried not to let his legs shake again. He was going to make it through this. Today did not feel like the day he was going to die.
Right?
Ari watched as Charlie was led into the amphitheater by the Shaitans, and her stomach almost bottomed out. Seeming to sense her anxious gaze, Charlie turned and caught her eye. She offered him a reassuring smile and he returned it before giving Jai a sharp nod as he headed towards the center of the floor.
“I feel sick,” she murmured to Jai, pressing her thigh against his in comfort.
Immediately her skin prickled, like little uncomfortable needles al over her face. Her heart literaly skipped a beat as she glanced up to find Azazil smirking at her, and Asmodeus watching her with an emotionless but somehow focused expression. She gulped and fought to restrain herself from digging her hands into Jai’s arm.
Do you think he heard me? Azazil, I mean. Look at the way he’s looking at me.
Probably, Jai replied softly, Let’s just stick to telepathy while we’re here, okay.
Yeah. Okay. She shrugged off Azazil and Asmodeus’ frightening attention and glanced back at Charlie. He was shivering in the winter of the realm and Ari wondered bitterly why, if he was going to make a dumbass wish to be a sorcerer, he couldn’t have gotten the nifty temperate temperature bit of the deal. She should have brought him a sweater or something.
Jai pressed his leg back against hers, drawing her attention. Have you thought about what we’re going to do if Red doesn’t pull this off?
Loving that he used the word ‘we’, Ari wanted to take hold of his hand in hers, but with Azazil watching on and Red’s warning earlier, she managed to refrain from seeking comfort in Jai’s touch. I honestly don’t know.
Ari, he was using his ‘I’m older, wiser and a guardian’ voice, You’re not thinking of using your power are you? That’s a death wish.
I don’t know, Jai. I just know that I can’t let him die.
She felt his body tense next to her.
Don’t worry, her words were soft and cajoling, My power is the last resort. I’ll speak up first. For all their twisted ways, Jinn believe in honor and
upholding their laws. Well, Gleaming’s son attacked me—a full-blood. He was going to kill me— a crime punishable by death. Let’s see Gleaming talk
his way out of that.
After a second, she felt Jai relax, his arm brushing hers in a way that sent inappropriate tingles shooting to inappropriate places. Her eyes fel to his hand that was fisted atop his thigh. Slowly, his fingers unfurled as he relaxed, believing her. He had nice hands, she mused, strong but graceful. Just the sight of them gave her tingles too.
Flushing, Ari was glad for the distraction as The Gleaming King spoke out to the arena.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are here today to bring my son justice.” He strode in front of Charlie, his powerful muscles flexing in a way that made Ari gulp for Charlie’s sake. His eyes driled into her friend with bitter hatred and it took everything she had not to throw herself in front of him and hide him from Gleaming’s view.
“This monster, this half-blood, pretender of Jinn, kiled my son in cold-blood…”
…Unlike any trial Ari had ever witnessed, Gleaming and Red argued back and forth about the events that led to Dalí’s death with no real sense of logic—there was no offering of evidence for a start. It was just assumed that a Jinn King was to be believed.
The argument was difficult for Red because he was trying to keep Ari’s involvement in this whole ugly business as low key as possible.