Rachel frowned at her. “Of course. We left messages on your answering machine. We even called around, but Charlie and that guy,” Rachel pointed over at Jai, “Told us you weren’t up to seeing anybody.” Her eyes narrowed as she glanced once more at Jai. “Who is that guy, Ari?” Staci nudged her and Rachel blanched. “I’m sorry. Never mind. I’m… I’m also sorry about what happened at the hospital.”
Ari shrugged. “Don’t be.”
“You must be so mad at the doctors for letting your dad out, for not catching the clot?”
“They didn’t want Dad to leave. It was nobody’s fault.” She almost choked on the lie.
Staci took a tentative step forward, her cheeks pale. “Do you need anything?” Her voice cracked on the last word and Ari had to force herself not to pull her friend into a hug. “Do you want us to come home with you?”
“Mom,” Rachel nodded a head over her shoulder to where her parents were standing by their car, “said you’re welcome to stay with us for as long as you want.”
“Tell her that’s very kind, but I’m okay. I’ll be in touch.” With that last lie, Ari pulled away from them, gripping onto Charlie’s hand and letting him lead her away. If he was surprised by her touching him, he didn’t show it. He threw a ‘don’t follow us’ look over his shoulder at the girls and hustled Ari toward Jai. Ari felt sick. Really, really sick. She was afraid she would hurl on a gravestone. Rachel and Staci would never see her again. They’d assume she’d walked out of their lives with no explanation out of pure selfishness and they’d hate her for it.
“Ari,” Charlie whispered, tightening his hold on her. “Breathe.”
With a shudder, she sucked in crisp air and nodded wanly at Jai as they approached.
“Everything okay?” her guardian asked.
“It will be,” Charlie replied and he said it with such conviction Ari almost believed him.
Feeling better, Ari removed her hand from his and got into the SUV. The guys followed suit, Jai driving.
The car filled with a heavy silence as they drove back towards town. Sandford Ridge cemetery was on the southern outskirts of town, and instead of taking the main route back in, Jai lost the other mourners and took the long way. The road stretched before them in dreary emptiness and Ari had to shake herself out of her morbid thoughts. She watched the woodlands pass them by and listened to Charlie squirm a little in his seat. She was making the guys uncomfortable, but she couldn’t care less.
“What the…?” Jai’s quiet question brought her head up. A few yards up ahead across the road, a thick fog had gathered and appeared to be moving toward them at speed.
“What’s going on?” Charlie asked, taking the question right out of Ari’s mouth.
For some inexplicable reason, her heart beat wildly in her chest. Something wasn’t right. Her spidey senses were tingling. “Jai?”
And just like that, a splutter, growl and creak brought the SUV to a stall. Jai cursed, unsnapping his seat belt as the fog flowed around the car that was now frozen in the middle of the highway like a sitting duck. “Stay here,” he ordered and jumped out of the car before Ari could protest.
What was going on? Her eyes flew to Charlie, but he was watching out front. She turned to see Jai walk around to the front of the car, his head cocked like he was listening for something. Ari was just about to demand that he get back in the car when a pair of arms came out of nowhere and dragged Jai into the fog.
With a scream of panic stuck in her throat, Ari shoved the car door open. Her fury propelled her outward and she heard Charlie calling for her, the slam of his car door telling her he was now out in the blinding fog too. She couldn’t see a thing. Everything was just white.
“JAI!” she shouted and whirled around at the sound of a boot on concrete.
Jai!
Ari, get back in the car! He yelled in her head, and she could hear his anger and annoyance.
They’re not jinn. She’d know if they were; she’d feel them. What are they?
Human, he replied. I had one, but they got away. I can’t see a thing. Now get back in the car!
I can’t. I can’t see anything either!
I’m going to clear the fog. I’ll ju—his voice cut off and Ari whirled around anxiously.
Jai? Jai!
No answer.
For a moment, the thought of something happening to him threatened to bring her to her knees. It was too much.
It is not too much. Fix this! They’re only human!
What were humans doing coming after her? And the fog? She brushed a hand through it and felt a tingle of magic. Oh yeah, their attackers might be human, but there was jinn involved. The White King. She sneered, anger turning to determination. Jai told her the cloak and her other defensive magic were her own, a part of her, like a shell was to a turtle, like skin was to a chameleon. There would be no consequences for defending herself. And the fog was a threat. Focusing on it, on the air, on the road around them, Ari imagined a swift wind pushing the fog north, thrashing its arms and legs into the fog like a child having a tantrum. Satisfaction slammed through her as the fog around her broke up, tearing apart as she bullied it northward.