The Seven Kings of Jinn

She wasn’t.

“I’m not your daughter,” she told him hoarsely, her wet gaze sliding across Derek’s deathly pale face. She brushed her thumb back and forth over his papery cold skin. “I’m…” she laughed hollowly and tears spilled down her cheeks for the first time in a long time. “I’m not anyone’s daughter. He made me to use me. You raised me and yet our blood is like water. You know what, though? I always thought we had the same smile. Kind of goofy, a little crooked… I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m not your daughter, Dad, but I am still your kid.” A sob burst abruptly from her. “I am still your kid and I’m going to protect you, even if that means becoming his kid. I am so sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” She’d never felt more alone.

After a while, a knock sounded at the door and the nurse popped her head around the doorframe. Her gaze softened with sympathy as Ari lifted her red-rimmed eyes to her. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry, but visiting hours are over for today.”

Nodding numbly, terrified of what awaited her outside the hospital room door, Ari slowly drew to her feet. She gazed down at the man in the bed she would die to protect, wondering if she saved him could she ever call him ‘Dad’ again.

“I love you.”

For a moment, she could hear his deep, rich voice in her ears. I love you too, kid.

Sucking back more tears, Ari turned sharply from his bedside and followed the nurse out of the room. Charlie, Jai, and the Red King stepped toward her from their positions around the nurse’s station. They strode determinedly, Charlie’s features tightening as he noted her red eyes. Ari sighed, dragging a hand through her hair. She knew she must look a mess. When her gaze flicked to Jai, his lack of expression stupidly hurt. The Red King just stared at her expectantly. It was to him she nodded. “Let’s do this.”

Chapter 18

Do you read me?

He could pretend to not be worried about her. Didn’t mean he wasn’t.

Jai had to stop himself from rubbing a hand across his short hair in frustration. He eyed Charlie, who bristled with impatience outside of Ari’s bedroom door. Jai didn’t want the human kid to see Ari had any effect on him. They had enough problems already.

But hell, last night, when she’d come out of her father’s hospital room, pale and frightened, those gorgeous eyes of hers red-rimmed from crying, it had taken everything he had not to push the other two out of his way and embrace her. Jai cursed inwardly. At that moment, he’d hated himself and Luca more than he ever had before. The hurt in her eyes when he’d snapped at her, when he’d looked through her, when she was so clearly upset, when she so clearly needed to be comforted.

He’d done crappy things before, but until that moment he’d never experienced this much remorse.

That’s why he was her guardian. Not her friend. Not her—

“That’s it, Ari, open up!” Charlie yelled into the door.

Jai glared at him. “Back off,” he growled, pushing off the wall to face the kid. Charlie was built for a human, only an inch or two shorter than Jai, but Jai was jinn and trained in four martial arts. He could easily take the idiot if it came to a fight.

Charlie’s eyes narrowed, and Jai felt a frisson of excitement at the challenge in them. He’d been looking for an excuse to punch this guy. “I’m worried about her, and standing out here trying to hear if she’s breathing isn’t doing jack!”

Rolling his neck, feeling the satisfying crack, Jai had to draw on all his patience and professionalism. Punching Charlie would upset Ari more, and that was the last thing he wanted.

After she’d informed them she would allow them to unlock her magic, they all returned to the house. Without a word, Ari had confined herself to her bedroom, and the Red King had assured Jai that for tonight he could leave her alone in her room. Charlie and Jai slept downstairs. The Red King departed after promising Jai he’d contact him as soon as Azazil provided him with information on the shaitan. For now, he left Ari in Jai’s ‘capable’ hands. He was to show her how to tap into her abilities—a prospect he did not look forward to as he still suffered a splitting headache from using telepathy across realms.

It was ten in the morning. Still nothing from Ari.

Not that Jai could blame her. He would have hoped after giving Charlie a copy of the book he’d conjured for Ari to read that he, too, would now understand the gravity of Ari’s situation. He’d cursed enough about it last night as he read the book, keeping Jai from a good night’s sleep every time he came across something that affected Ari directly. If Jai had to listen to him mutter, “Ari’s father is such a dick’ one more time, he seriously considered finding an enchanted bottle and trapping the kid in it for good.