The Seven Kings of Jinn

“Thanks,” Jai said gruffly. “Appreciate it.”

The Brother merely nodded and followed the others out of the woods.

Ari gaped. “Where are they going?”

“To call a cab back to the airport.”

“But what about…” she trailed off, tentatively taking a step toward Nick, who lay unconscious on the ground. She gulped down guilt. “Will he be alright?”

“He’ll be fine,” Jai said and then seemed to think better of it. “He won’t remember a thing of the last eighteen months, so actually he won’t be fine. But he’ll be physically fine.” He pulled out a cloth and handed it to Ari. “Clean the gunk off him and then you and Charlie load him back into the SUV.”

Nick lay in the back of the SUV, unconscious but black goo-free. Ari gripped the dashboard as they pulled into the cinema lot.

Charlie sighed, cutting the engine. He turned to her, his dark eyes concerned. “This isn’t your fault. You didn’t get him possessed, okay. It happened.”

Ari laughed humorlessly. “He’s going to wake up any minute now and he will remember nothing about the last eighteen months. How will he get over that?”

Her oldest friend reached across the seats and took her hand. “He’ll get through it. Just like you’re getting through all of this. Did I tell you how proud I am of you?”

She smiled sadly. “Me? What about you? I want to throw up all the time but you, you’re handling all of this amazingly well.”

He shrugged. “It fascinates me. Besides, I feel different.”

Glad that Charlie was no longer carrying around the weight of his brother’s death, she squeezed his hand. “Freer?”

Just like that, the temperature in the car dropped and her momentary happiness fled as Charlie’s eyes darkened and he withdrew his hand. He didn’t say a word and Ari felt her skin prickle uneasily.

“Ari!”

She turned at the sound of Staci yelling. She and A.J. were running across the lot toward the SUV. Ari and Charlie jumped out and walked around Nick’s car to meet them. A.J. looked ready to launch himself at Charlie, so Ari dove between them.

Staci’s pretty face was pinched with concern. “You were taking so long we came out to check everything was okay. Where’s Nick?”

Reciting the story they’d come up with, Ari put on an innocent and, not entirely untrue, frightened expression. “He passed out. We were just talking and he collapsed so we’re taking him to the hospital.”

“Passed out my ass!” A.J. yelled, moving toward Charlie. “What did you do?”

“A.J., A.J.” Ari grabbed his arm, pulling him toward the back of the SUV and away from Charlie, who looked far too willing to engage in a fistfight. She wrenched open the back door and pointed at Nick. “See, not a mark on him. We have to get him to the hospital.”

Nick chose that exact moment to groan, and A.J. practically shoved Ari out of the way to lean in and slap his face gently. “Dude, dude, you okay?” he asked frantically, making Ari feel terrible for their deception.

“What happened?” Nick mumbled, smacking his mouth open and shut. “My mouth. Oh God, my head.” A.J. put an arm around his shoulders, helping him sit up and Nick opened his eyes. They widened with confusion as he stared at the four of them. “What happened? Where am I?”

“Ari said you passed out,” A.J. explained.

Nick frowned. “Ari?” He looked over A.J.’s shoulder and his eyebrows drew together in confusion. “Ari? Why? Where am I?”

“Dude, at the movies. The four of us came here together.”

“We did?” He glanced around, shaking his head. “I don’t remember.”

Staci tutted. “A.J. we have to take him to hospital if he can’t remember even getting here.”

Charlie sighed and pushed forward. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

Jesus Christ, Charlie! Ari pinched him for asking such an asinine question and he winced, batting her hand away.

Nick looked near tears now and she watched A.J. grow pale with concern. “I don’t know. I was in my bed. I just got home from my date with Louise.”

“Louise?” Staci frowned.

Nick nodded, glancing warily at Ari. “Louise. Louise Buckman.”

“Your ex-girlfriend?” Staci looked up at A.J. in horror. “Were they dating again?” she whispered.

He shook his head. “No. Definitely not. He can’t stand her.” He gulped and turned back to Nick. “Nick, what year is it?”

“W-why?” Nick asked frantically now, his eyes growing larger and brighter with unshed, confused tears. “Why? You’re scaring me, man.”

“You’re scaring me. What year is it?”

He told them the year he thought it was. He thought it was two years ago.

As a collective, they gasped, even though Ari and Charlie knew it was coming.

A.J. cursed and patted his friend’s shoulder. “We’re going to take care of you, man.” He turned now to Charlie, glaring at him. “Give me the keys, I’ll take him.”

Charlie handed them over somberly. “You need help?”

“Not from you.”