Today was the funeral.
Chapter
Seven
SCORCHED SKIES
The sky rolling in above her seemed to sense her agony, the change in her wrought by the pain. It felt Ari’s mood, and like a chameleon blending into its surroundings, the sky doused itself in darkness, the bleakness of its clouds like scorched marshmallows melting in empathetic sorrow.
She’d lain in bed that morning for as long as she could, going over and over in her mind all that had changed: the truth from Charlie without him really realizing he’d given it to her, the truth from Jai, from her dad, his murder. And it was murder. She’d been pulled into the world of the jinn without thought. None of it had seemed real, except perhaps for Jai. Then Derek had fallen into a coma and it had washed away the surrealism with teardrops. It had left a blur… no crisp and clear vision of reality. That the White King toyed with them patiently had lulled her into a false sense of being. She was prey. And it was only now she realized it. All the truths had changed her. She could see clearly now.
Everything felt different.
Her life as she knew it was over.
It was time to outwit her hunter and not play into his hands like he expected.
Ari chanced a glance up at Charlie, who stood pale and handsome in black, his features taut with anxiety, his dark eyes trying to communicate with her through the hush. She was shocked by what she saw now, by what she felt — as though she was staring at a stranger.
Everything was different now.
With her newfound clarity, Ari believed that for the first time she could see Charlie; could see what he had done and what he had become.
He wasn’t the boy she’d loved.
More grief rippled over her as she looked away, the dark figures a blur until her gaze snagged upon a familiar pair of blue eyes. Rachel stared back at her, silently pleading with Ari. Her voice whispered through Ari’s memories.
“You’re in love with Charlie Creagh, sixteen-year-old cutie and all-around good guy. He’s not there anymore. I’m sorry but he’s gone.”
Ari gulped. Rachel had been right. Why had it taken this for her to realize that Rachel was right? Feeling ashamed of herself and for the way she’d treated the girl, Ari let her gaze drift away from her until it locked onto a figure in the distance. He waited for her next to a black SUV he’d conjured from his home in LA.
Jai.
He’d lied to her, too. She thought of the past few days. Everything that happened. All the things he’d withheld. What he’d omitted when he followed the Red King’s orders to make her break the barrier between herself and her powers. The consequences. And then she thought about what he’d done for her. Like Charlie, Jai hadn’t left her side. He’d given her quiet understanding, comfort, support. What did that mean? Could she trust him?
Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe she couldn’t trust her uncle, either.
Who could she trust then?
Yourself, an inner voice replied and Ari felt her spine straightening, a blaze of heat cutting through the bitter pain. This couldn’t happen to her again. Never again. It was time to grow up. Time to rely on herself. It was time to stop fearing loneliness and embrace it as a friend, as a guard and protector.
After all, it looked like a long fight ahead.
That was it. The funeral was over. Derek was buried in the ground, and only a handful of people attended. What a testament to his life. There were some work colleagues, some neighbors. Charlie’s mom. Rachel, Staci and A.J., and all their parents. Ari was glad it was a small turnout. If she had to murmur ‘thank you for coming’ one more time, she was going to scream. And she was tired of the odd looks people threw her way. Had they been expecting her to fall wailing on her dad’s coffin?
No. But maybe a few tears.
Well, Ari couldn’t give them tears. She’d already given them all to her dad days before and she wasn’t all that into becoming a huge sobbing ball of mess for the sole purpose of assuring some people that didn’t really matter, that his death indeed affected her. Brittle and unapproachable were working just fine for her instead.
After telling another mourner that there wouldn't be a wake, Ari turned away, blindly following Charlie toward Jai.
“Ari?” a soft voice asked, black patent shoes appearing before her in her downcast eye line.
An ugly knot formed in Ari’s gut as she raised her gaze to find Rachel and Staci standing in front of her, tears glistening in Staci’s eyes, A.J. standing a few feet behind them. Oh no. She didn’t want to do this now. Ever, in fact.
She cleared her throat and, for once, was glad Charlie stood so close. “Thanks for coming.” Her voice was flat and unemotional. With some effort Ari refrained from glancing around in paranoia, afraid the White King had spies watching her, waiting to see what people she treated with friendliness and affection. The people he could target next. Well, she wouldn’t give him that. She’d protect her friends even if they hated her for it.