It didn’t even matter that I was no more than ten feet from the crowd of supernaturals still greeting their new arrivals. There was no safety with magic.
A hazy figure glided in from the general direction of the desert zone.
Hazy … what the hell?
I forced myself not to panic, even though I had no idea what the freak was coming. I thought I knew every type of demi-fey, but I could sense that this was more … something which was nailing all kinds of scary. I couldn’t think of a single demi-fey that possessed this sort of magic – that which coated my skin in power and raised the fine hairs on the back of my neck. This was energy unlike any other I’d felt.
Not the earthiness of the fey, or the natural magic user, this was cold and ancient, wrapped in a metallic taste that coated my tongue. Still elemental, but from the hard rocks, the minerals, the blood of sacrifice. Freaking blood magic.
As the figure moved closer, some of the fuzziness lifted from its facade. My heart stopped dead, like literally froze in my chest. And then my blood trickled in icy tendrils until I became no more than a frozen block staring at my death.
No wonder I didn’t recognize the demi-fey.
It was a jinn.
But nothing of the ordinary jinn, I was pretty sure this was one of the gods of their kind. Pure fucking legend. And it was staring at me from across the forest. I’d seen an image of one once, in my history class. Vendir Vamissa, the teacher, had raved on and on about how this species had either escaped to another dimension or were somehow wiped out from their own warring.
Jinn had not been seen for a thousand years. Hence why I had been so shocked to hear Quale say they were in the desert – and a jinn elemental … I did not have a clue how long since they’d last been seen. The lore said one could tell an elemental by the intricate black markings which began in the center of its forehead and spanned outwards to stop at the top of the cheekbones. This one had very pronounced markings.
It stood in shades of red, its skin like a burnt sunset, its features elongated and jutting, with black glittery eyes. The jinn were from the land of fey, or so the legends said, but sort of from their underworld part. Not evil, per se, but definitely had a streak of “don’t mess with me or I’ll stomp your ass.”
I could only wait and see which side of the line this one was on. If it was here to eliminate me, I had no doubts it could. The Four might not have found a weapon to kill dragon marked yet, but I just knew there were plenty of other creatures who could bring about my demise.
No worries.
Despite my instinct being to attack first, I didn’t challenge the jinn elemental. I had the very faintest of hope that it was just curious of me and not looking for blood.
Those hopes were soon dashed.
“You shouldn’t have come here,” it said, its words like whispers on the wind, weight to each and every syllable. “You are north, and north is the most important direction for the king.”
Well, shit, it was getting harder to pretend I wasn’t one of the four points to open the damn tomb. And apparently north at that. No movement from the jinn, but my survival instincts quickly rose to epic levels. Something big was about to happen.
And I was probably not going to like whatever it was.
I finally found my voice. “Are you going to kill me?” There that wasn’t so rude, I even managed not to call it an asshole.
Black eyes glittered as they scanned my face. The force of its whispered words slapped me in the face. “I did plan on it, but … there is something about you. I’m curious to see this play out now.”
From the tiny fraction of information I had on jinn, I knew they possessed foresight, scanning the ever-changing future to see a multitude of possible outcomes, which could change depending on the choices made by those involved. But according to the texts, they didn’t usually interfere in free will – fate – whatever you want to call it.
This jinn had seen something which forced it from the desert. It had wanted to eliminate me … but now it was stepping back again. What it did here would change the future it had seen. I wondered what path had opened up now.
Its scare-the-shit-out-of-me talk wasn’t done yet. “I won’t kill you, but I will also not make it easier for the king. It is time for you to demonstrate your ability to live. I will let the fates have you.”
What the freak did that mean? Something bad for sure, something very, very, very bad.
Screwed. I’m so screwed.
The winds swirled around us, those unblinking black eyes still locked on me. It was next to impossible for me to read a creature so doused in magic, with the most alien of features. Hell, trolls and ogres were easier to glean information from.
The pressure was building, but I held my ground, feet as solidly planted as I could get them.
“Jessa!” The bellow was the only thing since stepping into this clearing that really threw me. Sure I was scared, but I was not thrown … until Braxton’s voice broke through the magic.
For the first time the elemental jinn tore its gaze from me, and after about two seconds of scanning, focused on a spot to my right. I did not turn to look – enemy in front of me, friend at my back.
The jinn moved, gliding back, its words just audible. “I do not know how you have broken the ancient energy, but fate has intervened. There are three paths for you both now … one is … survival. Good luck.” It disappeared into the other side of the swirling energy mists.
Arms surrounded me then, Braxton’s heat and scent engulfing me.