I had to trick myself into doing small, menial things like eating and cleaning the kitchen. Eventually, my body had had enough. My earlier shower eased the stiffness from my body, butit couldn’t take my pains away completely or curb the headache growing over my left eye.
No, only saltwater could do that.
Not even fifteen minutes later, I was in my bikini and at the pond, floating on my back through the crystal water. It was a bright, clear day and exactly what I needed. My body healed, and my magick replenished, fueled by the little bit of ocean that made it all the way out here.
Little whirlpools spun in the shallows beneath the willow tree. I fueled their rotation and held on as I reached back out to call even more water to my bidding. Bubbles. That’s what was needed. They couldn’t float on their own, but I used more magick to hold them aloft. The sun retracted through their curved surface and sent a mirage of rainbows dancing around me like a spinning disco ball.
Power swirled in my gut until I felt gorged on it. There was so much, more than I’d ever had room for before. Was this another side effect of bonding? I knew Ezra and I were stronger together, but no one told me it would be likethis. I didn’t even break a sweat. It was literally nothing to freeze those bubbles and drop them back into the pond like ice in a glass of sweet tea.
I wasn’t sure how long I played, but I never grew tired, and the sun had already begun its descent. Ezra was going to be so fucking proud. I’d drag him down here as soon as he got back, I didn’t care if it was midnight by then. I’d show him what I could do, how my control had grown, bask in his pride, and then celebrate with round after round of toe-curling sex.
A flock of birds startled from the willow tree, distracting me enough that my hold on all that magick fell flat. Whirlpools fell silent, and my frozen bubbles beneath the surface melted. The squawking stopped, and the steady drone of buzzing insects went silent. The hair on the back of my neck rose in warning.Something wasn’t right. On the opposite side of the pond, figures in black emerged from the trees.
Djinn.
My mind had to be playing tricks on me because there was no way they got past Ezra’s wards. There wasn’t a storm this time to move the crystals, and the thump in my chest told me no harm had come to my bond. So then, how they fuck were they here?
I ducked into the water, leaving only my eyes above the surface, but it was no use. They’d already seen me. They were hereforme. Splitting into two groups at the apex of the pond, the djinn moved closer. The one in front was older and obviously the leader. A voice inside me screamed when I saw his face. It told me to run, but it was a little too late for that.
The djinn’s dark oily hair was thinning in the front and swipes of gray spread from his temples to betray his age. I froze as he casually walked toward me, in a direct line; hands loose at his sides like this was a breezy evening stroll. He looked like an older version of the guy who kidnapped me, he—
Soloman.
The name circled my mind like a deadly twister; dark and destructive. It’s crazy how swiftly one can sink into fight or flight mode. My power already gathered in my chest, making my skin glow faintly, while my thoughts methodically cycled through my options. Flight definitely wasn’t it. I was done being a victim.
The pond was my greatest weapon; they couldn’t touch me in here, whereas I had a very long reach. I wasn’t sure if I could take down this many djinn at once, let alone Soloman, but it was better than having a stare-off. My other option was disappearing to the bottom and staying underwater until Ezra came for me.
I frantically tugged on our bond, pushing every frazzled emotion I had down it while telepathically screaming for him. He was probably too far away to hear the words, but he once told me a bond could feel their partner’s distress no matter thedistance. Also, their pain and death, but I hoped it didn’t get to that point.
Unfortunately, the djinn had other plans. Surrounded on all sides but one, I watched in horror as all five hunters pulled industrial tasers from their belts. Focusing on the enemy closest to me, I watched the bright blue arc of electricity and flinched at the loud crackling it made. Solomon stood silent, a heinous grin on his face, as his men tied elastic around the tasers to keep them on.
The blood drained from my face. They were going to electrocute the pond. They were going tokillme. I swam hard and fast for the only open spot along the shore, using all the strength in my body and an extra push from my magick to part the water and let me through. My feet met the muddy bottom of the pond as I heard the first taserplunkinto the water. Far enough away, it did nothing to me, but already I sensed it in the water molecules. They now held a charge, and each taser only added to it until my skin tingled.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I wasn’t moving fast enough. Fingers gripped the slippery weeds on the shoreline, and I tore at them while trying to claw my way up through soggy earth. The waterhurtnow, like a nonstop static pop that I felt all the way to the ends of my hair. Sobbing, I got my knee onto the shore. It sank into the mud, furthering the water’s purchase, and I knew I was out of time.
I’m so sorry, Ezra,I cried, calling out to him one last time.I tried.
All but my foot was out of the water when the last taser dropped, but it wasn’t enough. For a brief moment, every cell in my body vibrated. My limbs stiffened as that final jolt lanced straight for my heart, and then it was lights out.
Ezra
There was a definite pep in my step as I strolled beside my cousin through the twisted forest on siren land. This was a serious moment, a converging of five factions in the name of peace—there was no knocking the smug smile off my face. For once in my life, everything was going my way.
Rani accepted my bond. We found Frederick, and he was willing to help us. Solomon would be dead and buried very, very soon.
Rani accepted my bond.
I felt like I could skip. It would look stupid as fuck, but I didn’t care. Only Kai’s exasperated glare kept my feet rooted to the ground and the tiniest of wiggles in my hips.
“Can we hurry this up?” I complained, bouncing on the balls of my feet. “My girl is waiting for me.”
Kai sighed in annoyance. “Focus, Ezra! I’m not going to tell you again. This is too important.”
I grumbled but reined it in. Twigs snapped to my right, and I spun to stand between my cousin and whatever caused it. More footsteps from the opposite direction, and Kai’s shadows came out to play. The tense moments while we waited for the new arrivals to reveal themselves were enough to clear my mind of anything but my duty; to both my cousin and Rani.
Cova appeared first, his blue hair not at all easy to hide in this environment, which meant that that had to be Ember comingfrom the other side. The vampire heir walked at normal speed, and heartbeats later, all six of us stood staring at one another in the most awkward secret club meeting ever.
