Jeriad stopped. Apparently that was all he was willing to reveal for the time being.

Our companions, now also debarked from their dragons, approached us. Rose stood on my left-hand side with Caleb. I caught her free hand and clutched it tight.

“All right,” Derek said. “Lead us.”

“I suggest we dragons surround you as we walk,” Jeriad said.

The fire-breathers formed a circle around us as we all moved forward on foot. As we trekked through the silky coal-black sand, the breeze was mild and pleasant and carried an odd, sweet aroma.

Jeriad stopped after a few hundred meters. I wasn’t sure why. This patch of sand didn’t look much different to any other… But then I noticed what Jeriad was staring down at. A medallion of sorts, with a diameter of five feet. It appeared to be forged of solid gold, and etched onto its surface was a symbol of a scorpion.

“We have arrived at the entrance to the jinn’s lair,” Jeriad informed us. “Now keep your distance.”

We all stood back, including the other dragons, to give Jeriad space.

Raising his giant right hand, he brought it thumping down against the medallion. Once, twice, thrice.

And then he stepped back too, all of us waiting with bated breath.

Ten seconds later, a man appeared before us. At least, the top half of a man—his bottom half consisted of swirling red mist. If he had revealed his legs, I was certain that he would be taller than even Derek. His bare muscled chest was formidably built. His head was bald, his skin the color of deep ebony, and his heavy jaw looked out of proportion to the rest of his face. Thick eyebrows framed dark olive-green eyes—eyes that traveled along each of us before settling on Jeriad.

“Jeriad… What brings you to disturb the peace of the Drizan?” His voice was rich and deep like dripping honey. As he spoke, he revealed his thick teeth—every single one plated with gold. I was surprised that he recognized Jeriad instantly, since the dragon had said that it had been years since they had made contact.

“We do not intend to disturb you, Cyrus,” Jeriad replied, eyeing the jinni steadily. “In fact, I have some information for you… Information that I believe might interest you greatly. About a family of jinn who have settled in the human realm.”

Interest sparked in the jinni’s eyes. He quirked a brow, his voice dropping to a hushed tone. “Could you be referring to the Nasiris by any chance?”

“Indeed, I am,” Jeriad replied smoothly.

A sinister smile formed on the jinni’s dark lips. “If you speak truth—and knowing that you are a creature of honor, I am sure that you do—then you and your companions are most welcome…”

There was a loud creak and the golden medallion lifted open like a trap door. The jinni gestured toward the gaping hole, beneath which was a jeweled staircase leading down to… who knew where. The jinni’s eyes roamed the rest of us once again, a calm, unsettlingly friendly expression on his face. He gestured toward the staircase. “Please, be our guests.”

CHAPTER 11: BEN

A isha made us vanish from the desert, and when we reappeared, it was at the edge of a massive lake.

“Where are we?” I asked.

“This is Lake Nasser,” she replied, even as she began surveying our surroundings. Her eyes fixed on a small islet covered with tall shrubs and a few short trees, about a mile into the lake. She transported us there by magic and then began scanning the bushes around us, as if foraging for something. She pointed to my left. “Over there,” she said, moving forward and beckoning for me to follow her.

She arrived in front of a particularly wide, clustered thicket. Stepping into the bushes revealed a gaping hole in the ground. A hole that looked familiar. I’d never visited this islet before, but I’d seen one of these gates before. As an infant, of course, and then as an adult—when I’d first discovered Kiev and Mona trying to break through the portal in that remote Hawaiian cavern. With the exception of the surroundings, this one was practically identical. I was looking down into the same endless, star-strewn abyss.

Without warning, Aisha nudged me—forcefully. I lost my balance and tripped. My stomach flipped as I lurched into a free fall, and I was surprised that all the blood I’d just consumed didn’t immediately come gushing out of my mouth. I fell, twisting and turning in a spiral, my insides writhing painfully. I gasped with relief as I reached the end and went flying out.

I sat up, rubbing my head. I tried to open my eyes, but my sight was still hazy from the fall. I waited a few moments for my vision to clear.

We were in the middle of what appeared to be… another desert. Though this was unlike any that I’d seen on Earth. The sand was black as charcoal, and as I ran my finger through it, it was so smooth that it felt like I was touching silk. A half-moon lit up the night with surprising brilliance and the stars scattered in the sky, unhindered by any man-made pollution, blazed almost as brightly. The breeze that wafted past me was fragrant. It had a sweet scent, like honeysuckle.

Aisha had already passed through the gate and was hovering to my left.

“Where are we?” I asked.

“Never mind,” she said. “This isn’t our destination. We go to The Tavern now.”

Before I could say another word, the sand disappeared beneath my feet and my vision blurred again. We arrived this time in the middle of a shadowy forest. Tall, thin trees surrounded us. It was almost pitch black, except for the few trickles of moonlight the canopy of leaves allowed through. In the distance, I could make out the sounds of some kind of settlement: a tide of voices, doors slamming, footsteps on stone, cutlery clattering.