Still, she hadn’t asked me what I planned to do next, and so I told her. “In case you haven’t guessed already, we’re going back down to the Nasiri atrium. The first thing I want to do is get rid of that damned tattoo you still have on you.”
“What will that mean exactly?” she asked, as we began to make our way through the maze of prison cells.
“You’ll be just like a regular prisoner here. The connection the jinn have with you that allows them to get inside your mind and make you hear and sense things will be removed, and consequently also the brand.”
“Okay,” she said, casting me a grateful look. “Thank you.”
Thank you. She didn’t even seem to be aware of how ridiculously inappropriate it was for her to be thanking me. I let it pass.
As we neared the storage room in the deepest part of the prison, she spoke again, “Do you think your family will come back for you?”
“Oh, they will,” I replied. “I’ve no doubt about it. My guess is they’ll all return first to The Shade, but then some will come back. Not just for me, but also because my grandfather and his girlfriend are due to arrive here—perhaps they have already—with those three dragons. They’ll need to warn him not to try to enter. Of course, none of them will be able to enter without permission, and since I’ve now forbidden the jinn to touch those they freed again, they’ll be forced to return to the island.”
“Will you go to see them?” she asked. “Tell them what’s happened to you? Even if there’s nothing they can do about it, at least it will put their minds at ease.”
I grimaced. Put their minds at ease. Telling my family that I’d just sold my soul to an ancient clan of jinn would hardly do that, but River was right that at least they would know what had happened to me. And more importantly, I didn’t want them hanging around in the desert with the hunters stationed so close by.
“Yes,” I replied. “I will have to tell them.” By now we had reached the storage room, and were already making our way down the narrow staircase toward the jinn’s kitchen. “After we get this tattoo off of you, I’ll go back up there. We’ll go back up there,” I added. I didn’t want River out of my sight, especially now that we had made enemies in this place. That bastard Michael, for one, would be after her.
We passed through the kitchen where a pile of dirty pots and plates appeared to be washing themselves in the sink, and made our way back up through the atrium toward Nuriya’s chambers on the top floor. I knocked on the front door, then stepped back with River, waiting.
When the door opened, it wasn’t Nuriya standing behind it. It was another jinni. Female, she looked almost like a younger version of Nuriya. She had the same curling jet-black hair that sprawled down her back and reached to below her waist, but her nose was less straight and more rounded at the tip. Her eyes were amethyst-colored, and her face was rounder and softer, which added to her youthful appearance. Instead of pale blue, beneath her bare abdomen was a light pink smoke.
“Where’s Nuriya?” I asked, not bothering to ask who she was exactly.
She eyed me curiously, from head to toe, and then smiled a little before asking, “What do you want her for?” Her voice sounded childish, though from the curve of her waist she was well into adolescence.
Her question grated on my nerves. “Just take me to her, will you?” I said, raising my wrist and showing her the gold band.
“Oh,” she said softly. “So you are Benjamin Novak.” This jinni only seemed to have eyes for me. I hadn’t noticed her once glance at River. “My name’s Aisha. Daughter of Karam, and niece of Queen Nuri. I’ve been delegated to look after you.”
I raised a brow. Nuriya hadn’t mentioned anything about delegating the granting of my wishes to someone else. I’d been under the impression that she would grant them herself. This left me unsettled. I didn’t know if this girl was as powerful as the queen herself, and after selling my freedom to these creatures, I was going to make damn sure that I received the service I’d paid for.
“As I said,” I said, my temper rising, “I would like to see Nuriya.”
Aisha cocked her head to one side. Another smile spread across her plump lips. “What’s wrong with me?” she asked, a teasing glint in her eyes.
I couldn’t believe that a jinni was flirting with me. This is the last thing I need to deal with right now.
Tightening my hold on River, I moved to barge right past her, but as I was a step from entering in the doorway, I hit something solid. An invisible barrier. I was forced to step back.
“Listen,” she said, an infuriating smirk on her lips. “It seems we’ve gotten off to a bad start. Why are you so bent on having Nuriya as your wish-granter?”
“Because I have no idea how competent you are,” I steamed.
“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that. If there’s something that I can’t grant you, we’ll just go to my aunt. But I am your first point of contact. The queen is very busy, and I’ll have much more time for you… much more time.”
I could sense River shifting uncomfortably on her feet at the way Aisha was flirting with me so unashamedly.
Clearly, this girl wasn’t going to let us through, so I had no choice but to cave in. I moved my hand up River’s arm, brushing up her sleeve, and showed the jinni her tattoo.
“I need you to free River from the hold you have over her, and also get rid of this mark you’ve put on her skin.”
Finally, for the first time, the jinni’s eyes fell on River. Aisha’s lips tightened as her gaze roamed River, almost as though she was sizing River up. Then Aisha looked at her brand.
“Very well,” she said. “I can do that… But you are aware that if I do, she would be treated quite differently than the other half-bloods in this place.”
I shot the jinni a glare. “What do you mean? She is my girl, and I expect her to be treated not just as well as, but better than any other half-blood in this place.”
My girl.
I finally said it.
River’s hand squeezed mine a little more tightly.
Aisha shrugged. “Then I suggest that she keeps the tattoo. It’s just… a mark that she’s one of us. It’s only natural that we’d treat one of our own better than an outsider. It also offers her extra protection.”
I breathed out sharply, then looked back down at River.
She looked confused as to what to do.
“I… I guess I could just keep it?” she said, shrugging. “I mean, I’ve kind of gotten used to it by now.”
I looked back at the jinni, narrowing my eyes on her. I wondered if it was indeed true that having the mark would mean River was safer. I guessed it made sense, since being bonded meant that she was part of the Nasiri family, and as we’d experienced for ourselves when they’d saved us from those hunters who’d boarded our sub on our journey back to The Shade, these jinn did seem to look out for their own. As much as I was loath to do it, I agreed with River.
“Perhaps you will be safer with it,” I muttered.
If River decided to leave me, I could get it removed for her then. But until that time, it seemed that she would remain bonded with these creatures and keep bearing the black mark.
Aisha ran her tongue over her lower lip. “So is there anything else you want from me?”
I heaved a sigh. “Take us back up to the desert. I need to speak to my family.”
Chapter 16: Sofia
Ben let go of my hand.
I could hardly believe it when it was happening, and then it was too late. He’d broken off from the circle, and I was transported back to The Shade along with everyone else.
The moment my feet hit solid ground, I lost myself in a panic.
“Ben!” I screamed. “We left him behind!”
Derek’s face drained of all color and everyone froze, stunned.
To my surprise, the woman I assumed to be River’s mother—for I had not gotten a chance to speak with her yet—was also in hysterics.
“River!” she gasped.
“My daughter! I lost my grip on her hand!”
“She let go of you too?” I asked, rushing up to her and grasping her shoulders.
“Let go? I thought she slipped! Why on earth would she let go of me?”
“You need to take us back there now,” Derek said to Ibrahim.
“Derek,” Ibrahim said, stepping forward, “I’m not going anywhere until I’ve found my wife. Going back to that place blindly is idiotic—look what almost happened to us! Corrine knows something about that place and I knew we should have waited for her before going there to begin with. I just knew it. I’m going to look for her again now.”
“Ibrahim,” I said, my voice trembling. “Please. We can’t wait that long. Ben, he—”
“Fifteen minutes,” Ibrahim said. “Fifteen minutes is all I ask for. If I haven’t returned by that time, Shayla and the other witches can transport you back to The Oasis without me.”
I looked at Derek desperately, then back at River’s mother, who looked like she was about to hyperventilate.
Although Ibrahim was right that waiting for Corrine’s insight might help us, we’d just left my son behind. I didn’t know that I could bear waiting more than a minute.
Derek looked torn as Ibrahim vanished from the spot. Then he approached me. Clenching his jaw, he said, “Let’s wait fifteen minutes. But not a second longer.”
Our hastily assembled army waited with us, making it clear that when we returned, they would all return with us. Although I recognized this, I was in far too much anguish to appreciate their loyalty to us in that moment. All I could think about was my son. We left him behind. Why did he let go of my hand? I couldn’t even begin to fathom why.
Those fifteen minutes must have been the hardest of my life. I couldn’t sit or stand still. I kept pacing up and down, wringing my hands while my insides churned. I could hardly bear to look at Rose. She looked so distraught as she stood near Derek, her fists clenched.
After a quarter of an hour had passed, Ibrahim still hadn’t returned.
Derek shot a look at the nearest witches to him—Leyni and Shayla. He gave them a curt nod, and they understood.
Everyone formed a circle once again, and a few seconds later, we were all standing back in the desert.
By now, the heat was unbearable and the blazing sun was high up in the sky, its rays digging into my skin. The witches quickly cast a spell of shadow over all the vampires to keep us protected. Now that I was able to open my eyes without feeling like they were burning, I spotted the three dragons nearby, Jeriad, Neros, and Ridan. Jeriad had one of his heavy wings outstretched, and beneath it stood Kailyn and my father.
On noticing us, Aiden joined us beneath the shade the witches had cast, Kailyn following closely behind him.
“What’s happening?” he asked.
My voice felt so choked up, I couldn’t handle repeating what had just happened. I was grateful when Derek stepped in. “A lot’s happened, none of it good,” he said stiffly. Derek proceeded to explain briefly how we’d failed to storm The Oasis, and how Ben and River got left behind.
I could see Aiden and Kailyn’s heads were reeling at mention of the jinn—creatures most of us had had no idea even existed until a few hours ago.
Derek and I moved toward The Oasis’ boundary, and as we approached it, I began to shout out my son’s name.
“Ben! Ben!”
I was beginning to sorely regret having waited fifteen minutes for Ibrahim. God knew where my son was now. Would he even still be up in the desert? Or could he be back down in the atrium? If he was down there, would he be able to hear us? I didn’t know if they had some kind of soundproofing around the place. It had certainly sounded quiet down there.
To my relief, my son’s voice rang out, loud and deep, to our right.
“I’m here.”
“Oh, thank God,” I gasped, as my son appeared outside of the boundary. He held a wide black parasol over his head to shield himself from the sun, and standing beside him, her arm looped through his, was River. River’s mother and siblings rushed toward her, while the rest of us focused on Ben. I raced up to him, reaching him at the same time as Rose, and we both embraced him.
“Ben!” I choked, smiling through my tears.
I had no idea why he’d stayed behind—perhaps I’d been mistaken, and his hand had simply slipped. And since he had also been holding onto River, perhaps he had accidentally pulled her back with him. Yes, I must have simply misread the situation. But whatever had happened, I didn’t care anymore. I’d found my son again, and we’d also found River. Clutching Ben’s hand, while Rose held his other, I turned around to face our witches.
“Okay,” I said, heaving a sigh of relief. “We can go now.”
Rose and I moved toward the spot where the witches were standing so we could all form a circle again, but to my alarm, Ben didn’t budge. He remained rooted to the spot. I whirled around, staring at him.
“Come on,” I urged, tugging at him.
His face was ashen as he looked from me, to his sister, and then to his father.
“Come on, Ben!” Rose exclaimed, also pulling at him. Together Rose and I both tugged on him at once, but still, he refused to move.
He slid his hands out of ours, and took a step back.
My heart skipped a beat.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, barely breathing.
He shook his head slowly. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I can’t come with you.”
“What?” Derek said. I could see that it took all the self-restraint he had to not rush forward toward Ben also.
“I can’t come with you,” Ben repeated, his voice strangely—and disconcertingly—calm.
“Why not?” I asked.
He took a deep breath. “I made a deal with the jinn. In exchange for your freedom, I must remain bound to them.”
I didn’t want to believe what he was saying.
I didn’t want to believe that it was true.
“What are you saying?” Rose gasped.
“I mean that I have sold myself to them,” Ben replied. “I might still be able to visit The Shade sometimes, but only with permission.”
As Ben continued to explain what he’d done, I was barely able to focus on his words. My mind felt numb with despair as I stared at him disbelievingly.
Soon floods of tears were flowing from my eyes. I clasped my son’s hand again and began begging him to come back with us, even though he’d just explained why he couldn’t. I just wanted it to be untrue. No matter how irrational it was, I wanted him to tell me that everything he’d just said had been a lie—or some kind of sick joke—and that he would return with us to The Shade.
I remained holding onto him, unwilling to let go, even after he’d finished answering everyone’s questions.
Rose approached me, sliding her hands down my arms, slowly detaching me from Ben.
I gulped, my vision blurred as I looked upon my son for the last time for… I didn’t know how long.
“I understand why you agreed to the jinn’s proposal.” Derek spoke somewhere from my right. “And it was a choice you made. But I don’t believe there’s no way out of this for you, Ben.”
“Maybe you’re right,” Ben replied. “But after what just happened, I don’t want you coming near this place anymore and trying to help me. Not you, not Mom, not Rose, not anyone from The Shade… I’ve done enough damage already.”
My heart felt like it shattered into a thousand pieces as he moved further away from us.
I heard the strained voice of River’s mother to my left.
“No, River. Please! This makes no sense.”
I had been so fixed on my son that I had been oblivious to what was going on between River and her family until now. River’s mother had her daughter wrapped tightly in her arms.
“I’m sorry, Mom,” River said, her voice subdued. “I just… need to stay with him.”
“But why?”
“He… he’s my friend. The best I’ve e
ver had. You don’t know how much Ben has put himself out for me. If it wasn’t for him, I doubt I’d even be alive right now. I-I won’t be able to live with myself if I don’t stay with him.”
I was taken aback by River’s words. I’d had no idea that she and my son had formed such a strong bond.
She’s actually willing to leave her family to stay in The Oasis?
I could hardly believe that she would do that for my son.
Then the truth began to sink in about what must have happened that second before the witches vanished us from the desert.
River must have realized what Ben was doing, and she let go of her mother’s hand too.
Despite my grief, I felt a sense of relief. Ben might not want any of us to stay with him in The Oasis, but at least he seemed to be allowing River to stay with him.
As I stared at the girl continuing to explain with passion to her family why she had to remain by my son’s side through this, in this Godforsaken place, I was overcome with affection for her.
As River detached herself from her mother and took a step back, I was unable to stop myself from running up to the girl and pulling her into an embrace. My face still wet from my tears, I kissed her cheeks. Clasping her hands in mine, I looked into her beautiful turquoise eyes.
“Thank you,” I breathed.
She gave me a small smile, then hugged me back. I found myself drawing comfort from the firmness of her embrace and when she let go of me, there was a sense of resoluteness in her gaze.
“I promise you, Sofia,” she said softly. “I’ll do everything I can to help your son.”
I bit my lower lip to stop it from trembling. I thought my heart might burst as I experienced an indescribable gratitude for this young woman I barely knew. River could never know how much those words meant to me.
She let go of my hand, then hugged her mother, brother and sisters one more time—wiping the tears from her sisters’ cheeks—and then moved toward my son. She slipped her hand into his and then, after one last goodbye, they disappeared within the boundary.