The Seven Kings of Jinn

Understanding Ari’s state of shock, the crazy, unbelievable reality of whom and what she was didn’t seem to affect Charlie like it should. Jai didn’t like the look in his eye, his impatience, his excitement.

“Give her time,” Jai ordered. “She said she’d do this and she will, but back off and give her time to process.”

Charlie shook his head. “Giving her time will just make her overthink it. She might decide not to go ahead and then what’ll Derek do?”

Jai was intuitive enough to suspect Charlie's motives. “Derek? Is that really what you’re worried about, Charlie?”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“It means I don’t think you give a damn about Derek. I don’t know what your game is here but I will find out.”

The kid’s jaw clenched, his eyes blazing at the accusation. “Who the hell do you think you are? I’m here for Ari. Ari!” Charlie sneered in disdain. “I’m not fooled by you, dude.” He leaned in to Jai and whispered, “But just so you know… she’s been mine for a long time.”

You little piece of fu—

Smug little—

Jai took a deep breath, trying to control the desire to deck the jackass. Instead, he cocked his head. Tone mocking and incredulous, asked, “Yours? You think?”

Something about Jai's tone made Charlie flinch. He retreated as his dark eyes filled with self-directed derision. “I meant she’s my friend. She’s been my friend for a long time. Long before you came into her life.”

I can’t get caught up in this crap.

Before Jai could respond with anything that would assure Charlie (and himself) that his only part in Ari’s story was that of the guardian, Ari’s bedroom door swung open. She looked more together, her hair freshly washed, her eyes bright with determination. Jai dropped his gaze reflexively, as if blinded by the sun.

“I’ve been in there trying to psyche myself up for this,” she explained. “That would have been easier if I hadn’t had to listen to you two bicker outside my door for the last half hour, like two grumpy old men.” She brushed past him, her bare arm sliding against his. Goosebumps prickled his skin in the wake of her touch. She smelled of the heady, expensive perfume she wore all the time, a scent Jai could never smell again without thinking of her. As he and Charlie followed her downstairs, he noted the change in her gait. Ari was one of those rare girls who seemed to float from place to place when she walked, naturally graceful. Today her steps were heavier, as if the emotional burden of discovering her true identity was a physical weight.

Jai ignored the knife of some unknown but ugly feeling that ripped through him when Charlie caught up to Ari at the bottom of the stairs and pulled her into a hug.

Her small hands slid around his back, and for a moment she held tight to him. Jai felt the ugliness grow darker and deeper, like a stone caught at the back of his throat. He eyed the floor determinedly, waiting for the rustle of clothing to tell him they’d stopped embracing.

“I’m fine, really,” Ari told them quietly and Jai raised his head. Ari watched him with a wary countenance. “I’m ready to learn.”

Glad for his innate stoic professionalism, Jai jerked his head toward the living room. “Let’s go in there, sit down, and relax into this.”

She heaved a sigh and turned to Charlie. “You should go.”

Charlie’s jaw dropped, his comical expression providing Jai with more satisfaction than it should. “What? No way.”

“Charlie.” Ari’s face crumpled as she reached for him, her palm pressed to his chest above his heart. She was so comfortable and affectionate with him it made Jai grit his teeth. “I can’t have anything happen to you. And being around me… not good. Starting now, I have to walk away from all of this. From Ohio. From Dad and Rachel and Staci… and you.”

Panic lit Charlie’s eyes and for a moment Jai almost felt bad for the guy, even if he thought Ari’s sacrifice of her friends and family was the logical thing to do.

“No!” Charlie shrugged away from her. “You can’t—” he threw a dark look at Jai, cutting off whatever he was about to say. To appease him somewhat, Jai took a stroll into the kitchen where he could still hear them arguing in the hall, but at least it gave Charlie the pretense of privacy. “You can’t do this, Ari. You’ve spent the last two years being there for me, even when I didn’t deserve it, even when I didn’t want you to. I get it, okay, I do. After Mike, I knew how messed up I was and I wanted you far away from me, from that. I wanted the best, purest thing in my life to remain that, and I couldn’t guarantee that would happen if you stuck around. But I couldn’t get rid of you. You wouldn’t let me. You have been there for me, Ari. And I didn’t realize how much I need that until the night you disappeared. I took you for granted and I’m sorry. But please… please don’t give up now. Please don’t push me out of this.”