The Law of Stars and Sultans

Desperation flooded Ari and she found her eyes drawn back to Jai. He was no longer struggling against Red, but she could see his loss of power cut him deep. She could also tell he was deliberately not looking at her, and she knew it was because if he did, he would lose it completely.

“I won’t do it.” Ari shook her head.

“And I won’t let her do it,” Jai added darkly.

“It has been commanded of you by Azazil. If you defy him, you both die.” Asmodeus eyed Jai. “If you defy me, I will kill you, boy. So let me ask you something … how much do you really love her? Will you let her go willingly and give her the peace of mind that the man she loves at least is out there somewhere, alive and healthy, or do you get in my way and I kill you? If I kill you, she has to live with the fact that she is responsible for your murder. Would you put her through that?”

Jai registered the threat and although the fight did not leave his eyes, he relaxed. Red reluctantly loosened his hold. At the same time, tears fell silently down Ari’s cheeks.

They were trapped.

She couldn’t think of a way out of this one.

As if he knew she’d come to that realization, Asmodeus whispered, “I told you I would make you feel what I felt when I had to kill Lilif. You took my other half, Ari. Now I’m taking yours.”

There appeared to be no oxygen in the chamber where she and Jai had been put for the night. As an act of “kindness,” Azazil was allowing Ari and Jai one last night together. In two days’ time, there was to be a celebratory feast announcing Asmodeus’s betrothal to Ari and then two days after that, the wedding.

As extra punishment, Jai was to remain on Mount Qaf until the ceremony was complete. Asmodeus wanted Ari to feel the pain of having Jai bear witness to his utter loss.

In the end, when even Glass and Red could do nothing to change Azazil’s mind, Ari had given in that this was happening. She couldn’t think of what lay ahead with Asmodeus. All she could feel was that what lay ahead did not include Jai. And the pain she felt … the pain was unbearable. It radiated out from her chest and formed a lump in her throat and a knot in her stomach.

Her life, her future had changed in the matter of minutes and although she should be used to it by now, she couldn’t process it. She couldn’t process how her future happiness had been destroyed in an instant.

She was alone now with Jai. She stood by the end of the bed, gazing at him in heartbreak, his eyes dark with rage and denial. “We have to leave,” he suddenly said, his voice different, thick and hostile.

Ari shook her head. “Jai, they’ll kill you.”

“Do you want to marry him?” he asked hoarsely, his eyes flashing as he strode toward her. He gripped her upper arms and gave her a little shake, causing her to gasp and reach for him. “Do you want to spend your life in his harem? Bending to his every whim? His every whim, Ari? You’ll be his bride. You’ll be in his bed.” Jai’s grip grew more painful. “Do you want me to just stand by and let that happen?”

“Jai …” The tears spilled over her lids now and she blindly reached for him, trying to soothe him. “Stop …”

His breath shuddered as he pulled her closer, his voice choked with emotion. “We’ll never see each other again.” He ducked his head so their faces were inches apart and for the first time ever, she saw tears shimmering in Jai Bitar’s eyes. It killed her. An anguished sob broke between her lips. “I can’t live without you.”

She fell against him and his arms came around her tight as she cried her heartache into his body, his own still trembling. Slowly, their knees gave out and they sat together on the floor, clinging onto one another in desperation.

Hours seemed to pass before Jai finally placed fingers gently to her chin and lifted her head to stare into her eyes. “I’d die so you wouldn’t end up in his hands.”

She shook her head, everything hurting, even her gums. “I’m going to end up in his hands no matter what, and he was right. I’ll only be able to survive it if I know that you’re out there somewhere and that you’re okay.”

“Why aren’t you fighting this?” Jai asked roughly. “You’ve fought everything. Why not this?”

“Because,” she sniffed, brushing frantically at tears that wouldn’t stop flowing, “you didn’t see him when he killed Lilif. It destroyed any little piece of light that was left in him, and all that darkness, all that darkness in him is directed at me. He’s got Azazil on his side, Jai. The sultan. There’s nowhere we could go to escape that. The last time they wanted something from me, they got it—the seal. There was nothing I could do to stop Asmodeus punching a hole in my chest. The only thing I had left was bargain. I bargained for a favor. Well, this time you are my bargain. If I do this willingly, he’ll let you live.”