Skimming through, Ari stumbled upon the history pages. What was written was only what ‘Anonymous’ considered the most important of jinn history. She read about stuff the White King had already told her: that for centuries he and his brothers meddled in the lives of importants, shaping destinies, building empires, destroying cities. Soaking it up, Ari turned the page to a new chapter and felt her heart pick up for no good reason at all.
Chapter 14:
The Seal of Solomon
Religious scripts called him a Prophet, the son of David, but here he is known simply as King Solomon, enslaver of jinn and master of the Seal of Solomon. Stories differ as to who bestowed the Seal of Solomon upon this important but what we do know is that it was a god. Placing into Solomon’s hand a ring of brass and iron, this god offered the mortal king the greatest of power. With the brass part, Solomon could stamp his written commands to the good jinn and, with the iron part, he stamped his commands to the evil jinn. With this unlimited power, King Solomon enslaved many jinn, using them to build his magnificent temples and provide him with whatever he wished. Over the years, out of pride and greed, he abused his power, and Azazil the Great Sultan grew uneasy for the first time. Enlisting Asmodeus to determine the true power of the seal, it astonished Asmodeus to discover that with the seal upon his finger, Solomon could feel Asmodeus there even when hidden within the cloak. Demanding he reveal himself, Asmodeus was bound before King Solomon and trapped within a bottle as punishment for spying. Unknown to any of us, the being who had given the ring to Solomon grew furious with his subject for treating the jinn so carelessly. He stripped Solomon of his crown and the seal and sent him out into the desert to die. To prevent unrest among the people, He freed Asmodeus from the bottle and in exchange for the Seal of Solomon, Asmodeus transformed into the mortal king to reign in his stead until his death. When his time as Solomon was over, it is said Asmodeus returned to the jinn realm of Mount Qaf, where he offered his master the seal. Azazil attempted to destroy the ring but discovered it was indestructible. Confident in his own mastery over his people—for Azazil needed no ring to be obeyed—he offered the ring to Asmodeus, commanding he protect it with his life and never use it against the jinn. It is said Asmodeus is evil, but he never breaks his word. For centuries he has guarded the ring, wearing it in confidence on a strip of leather tied around his neck, daring lesser jinn to steal it from him.
None have.
But as the tension grows between the Seven Kings of Jinn and their father, the seal has taken its place as the most important weapon in the War of the Flames.
Chapter 15:
The War of the Flames
The Seven Kings suspect their father of causing the chaos between them, and for upsetting the balance of order in their world. None can prove it. But what is universally acknowledged is Sultan Azazil’s reluctance to restore order. He has the power to do so. But he does not. One son, one king, has grown intractable in his need to punish his father for what he considers negligence to their people. The White King. It is known throughout the many realms that the White King wishes to take his father’s place as Sultan of the Jinn. It is known also that he plans to use the Seal of Solomon to do so. He has attempted many times to steal the ring from Asmodeus, and each attempt has failed. Until his victory , the War of the Flames rages on, the Seven Kings of Jinn and their loyalties split into three factions: Azazil’s, the White King’s, and a place of neutrality where the Gilder King and the Lucky King refuse to be embroiled in the war. It is a sly war with little bloodshed thus far. For now, the War of the Flames remains an ‘understanding’, and a promise of usurpation should the time ever present itself to Azazil’s treacherous son of Thursday.
Ari slammed the book shut and the crack of pages slamming together echoed around the room. Her heart raced and she didn’t know why. The words kept running through her mind over and over. Azazil. The War of the Flames. The Seal of Solomon. The White King. Asmodeus. The War of the Flames. The Seal of Solomon. The White King. Azazil…
“Ari, you okay?”
She jerked her head up, her eyes refocusing on Jai, who leaned forward on the sleeping bag, his eyebrows drawn together in concern.
Somehow, Ari breathed properly again and nodded. Her guard frowned in consternation but relaxed. “You sure?”