That smirk crossed his face again, and I noticed the quick circumnavigation his eyes did of the scene around us — the mangled fey bodies, the creatures snarling and trying to break past the magic barrier – and I thought, for a moment, there was a sign of strain, just very mild around his eyes. I was probably imagining it.
Louis leaned in to whisper his last power-laden words. “Yes, you did very well on your own. Thankfully … they didn’t wake or it might have been a different tale.”
I wasn’t even going to ask what they were. Right now I didn’t care.
Just as I dropped my leg into the shimmery portal, I heard Braxton ask. “How much time has passed, Jake?”
I swung my head around, leaving that leg hanging in the unknown. What did he mean? We’d only been here for like a day or so.
“Almost three weeks.”
Uh, what?
“Time moves differently in Faerie land?” I was proud there wasn’t even the slightest waver in my voice.
The Compasses both rested their gaze on me. Jacob was the one to answer. “Yes, time is much slower here, which is why the fey can live many more millennia on this world. We are practically immortal here, and yet there are so many dangers that our lives ended up being much longer on Earth.”
I rubbed my right hand across my face, trying to arrange my thoughts into a semblance of order. “So the rise of the dragon king…”
“Seven days,” Louis answered, with no extra frills.
Holy hell. Schooling my features, I finished stepping through the portal. The trip back was more intense than usual for a step-through. I felt extreme pressure and a mild turbulence, but eventually I made it to the exit. I arrived back on the edge of the sanctuary-forest-zone from where I’d disappeared.
I waited for the others to finish their journey back, and even though I was exhausted I didn’t let my guard down. I walked in a circle, keeping an eye on all angles, making sure nothing or no one got the drop on me. I wasn’t sure what the hell was going on with the jinn, but if they came for me again I needed to have a plan. But how was I supposed to find any helpful information on a race, that until this moment, I’d thought was no more than a supernatural fable?
A shimmer appeared in the air right before Jacob exited the doorway. I reached out and captured his hand, holding it tightly in my own. I was so glad to see him again. Braxton was next, and Louis the last through. He’d have held the shield until the rest of us were safe.
Braxton straightened to his full height, which was like somewhere in the clouds, his head shifting around as he took in the surroundings. He got right to business. “First thing, we need some rest, and then we have to deal with the potential future threat of the jinn.”
He’d had the same thoughts as me.
“A jinn sent you to Faerie?” Louis showed no surprise or fear in regards to the appearance of these ancient fey. Of course, he didn’t seem to fear anyone, so that wasn’t the best indicator.
Braxton growled low in his chest. “Yes, it was a jinn. I just managed to grab on before she disappeared.”
Louis’ expression didn’t change. I wasn’t sure he was grasping the true seriousness of the situation. “It was an elemental jinn.” My voice had a ring of challenge.
Louis pushed back strands of his light hair. Something flashed across those eyes, but still his relaxed expression remained. If it was still there in a minute, I was punching it right off his face.
“An elemental you say … well, there was no way lizard here just attached himself. That jinn allowed him to go with you.”
I wasn’t denying that. I remembered the words the scary-ass thing had spoken. “It seemed to think I was dangerous and was sending me to Faerie to die.” I looked between my friends. “The Four said that dragon marked can’t die, so… what was that all about?”
Louis answered: “Just because nothing on Earth can kill you, doesn’t mean nothing in Faerie can.”
And suddenly the jinn’s actions moved up to another level of deadly.
On that ominous note from Louis, we started to trudge toward the main part of the community. I was actually looking forward to the death ride up in the elevator, just so I could fall into bed. Even food wasn’t number one on my mind, although I wouldn’t say no to a piece of cake if it landed in front of me. My stomach rumbled then, as if it had been slumbering and my thoughts had awoken the beast.
My eye started to roam over Jacob and Louis, as if I could discern their secrets with a glance. “Did you bring me any cake?”
I growled and Jacob actually paused. “She’s got that look on her face again.” His tone was as wary as it should be in these circumstances.
Louis’ laughter rang out, breaking whatever tension had been layering our group since we ran into each other in Faerie. Braxton even joined in, his deep tones sending those tingles down my spine. These two supernaturals were so powerful that to watch them together, well, it was beyond captivating. Jacob could hold his own with almost any other supe in the world, but he was not of the level of Braxton and Louis.
With another chuckle, Louis waved his hand, and in the blink of an eye he was holding a medium sized white plate. Resting on it was heaven. Chocolate … and caramel … with flakes of dark chocolate coating the side.
He held it out to me and I actually drooled a little. “I’m sure they won’t miss this in the dessert shop,” the sorcerer said, and he rapidly moved up my list of favorite people in the world. He might be in the top ten now.