Of Wish and Fury (Seven Kings of Jinn)

At the thought of Fallon and Charlie hooking up, Ari’s stomach clenched. She didn’t know if it was just that her body was so used to reacting like that, or if a part of her was still jealous at the thought of Charlie being with another girl. Surely not.

Her continued silence made Fallon frown. “Is there a thing there? Between you two?”

“Not anymore. No.” Ari shook her head and at Fallon’s disbelieving look, she shrugged weakly. “It’s complicated.”

“So I should back off?”

If Ari told the girl to back off and that got back to Charlie, he’d surely get the wrong message. No. It was time to let him go. “No. Charlie’s free to date whoever he wants. He’s just going through something right now, so tread carefully.”

“The sorcerer thing?”

Ari’s mouth fell open. “The Red King told you?”

Fallon shrugged. “It’s no big deal. We’re just monitoring him. Actually, when you think about it, he’s in the best place he can be. Here he can learn to control his abilities.”

“I’m not sure that was the idea,” Ari argued, worry eating at her. “It’s better if he doesn’t use his magic too much.”

“Well, you’re the boss I guess, but I would have thought you’d want him controlling it, not it controlling him.”

Feeling annoyed at being questioned, Ari turned away to look out at the tranquil pool. It looked so inviting. “He’s learning to control his defensive magic. That should do for now.”

“He should learn how to use talismans, Ari. Magic is often dangerous for mortals. It can be as addictive as a drug if you don’t learn to control the psychological effects of having it in your system.”

“You don’t understand what he wants it for. If you did, you’d agree with me.”

“Does he want to use his magic?”

Ari curled a lip. “Of course he does. He made a wish to get it.”

“Well, he looks like a big boy to me. He can make up his own mind.”

Turning her head to stare impassively at Fallon, Fallon’s casualness inwardly amazed Ari. And then she remembered it was because Fallon didn’t know Charlie. She didn’t know he had an addictive nature. She didn’t know him well enough to care.

And wasn’t that how Ari was supposed to be acting now. “You know what? You’re right.”

Fallon smiled. “Enough hottie talk. Let’s eat.”

“Now?” Those nervous gremlins did synchronized knit right loops in her stomach. She’d only just gotten there and now she was expected to sit down for dinner with people who, if not actively disliked her, were afraid of her.

“Relax. It’s not like we’re going to eat you.” Fallon strode from the room, and Ari could do nothing but follow. Instead of sitting around the dining room in the main sitting room, Fallon led Ari into the biggest kitchen she’d ever seen. Crisp white units, stainless steel and slate tiling gave the room an ultra-modern, clean but cold look. An island in the middle of the room was covered in chopped up vegetables, cutlery and a wok, and at the far end of the room was a huge kitchen table with benches. Seated around the table was the entire team, including Jai and Charlie. Jai was talking to a pretty girl around Ari’s age who grinned so widely at him she reminded Ari of the Cheshire Cat. She giggled at something he said, and Jai smirked. Ari eyed the girl’s red hair and decided there and then she no longer cared for red-heads.

“Hey.” Charlie smiled warmly up at her as she approached the table with Fallon. Fallon took the seat on his left, so Ari squeezed in next to him on the right. “You okay?” he asked under his breath as she got settled.

She glanced up from under her lashes to see them all looking at her. A hush fell over the table as they all stopped talking, their bodies stiff with tension. She scowled, but nodded to ease Charlie’s concerns.

“I hope you like stir-fry.” A young woman with dark hair and blue eyes smiled weakly at Ari as she passed plates along the table.

“Well, if I don’t, I’ll just command you to make something else,” she answered dryly, too exhausted to play nice.

Fallon choked on her gulp of water as everyone froze.

Ari rolled her eyes. “Kidding.”

“She is kidding,” Jai assured them, casting an admonishing look her way. “Ari has never used her ability against an innocent.”

“There was that baby who wouldn’t stop drooling on me.”

Someone gasped.

Jai sighed heavily and turned fully toward her, leaning around one of the guys. “What has gotten in to you?”

Feeling as if he’d slapped her, Ari’s cheeks burned with humiliation. “Don’t talk to me like I’m a child.”

“Stop acting like one.”

“Jai, back off,” Charlie intervened. “Not here.”

Jai snapped back in his seat. “She’s not usually like this,” he assured the team.

Irritation at his constant high-handedness flashed through her. “Don’t apologize for me,” she growled. “They’re acting like I’m going to hurt them or something. It’s been a really long couple of weeks.” Stupid, weak tears burned her eyes. “I’ve lost a lot and yes, it’s inadvertently my fault, but I am not a bad person and I won’t be treated like some escaped mass murderer.”