A glance around the woods told him Ari had Charlie frozen and bound and was watching the events with Pazuzu unfold, helplessness stretched across her face. Her magic was channeled into binding Charlie. She couldn’t help them. Jai curled a lip at the sight of the wounded Ghulah Trey had stabbed in the side. As she struggled to her feet, Jai shot an anxious look at Ari.

“Ari, go!” he called out roughly.

She shook her head, her body at war with the plan. She trembled with the obvious need to step in.

Trey cursed on a pained cry, drawing Jai’s attention back to him. Blood dripped down Trey’s cheek from a laceration. Cutting someone’s flesh into little shreds seemed to be Pazuzu’s favorite form of warfare. A flash of ember shot out of Trey’s hands and jolted into Pazuzu with such force, the wind demon shuddered, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as he slumped on the ground. Trey twisted his head around in Ari and the Ghulah’s direction before jerking back to Jai. “Get that bitch.

I’ve got this.”

Not needing to be told twice, Jai got to his unsteady feet and forced strength into them as he strode toward the Ghulah. She arrogantly taunted Ari before attacking her, but whipped around just in time for Jai to knock her back with the powerful thrust of a magically powered uppercut. Blood dribbled from between her lips as she lowered her chin, her eyes narrowed dangerously on Jai now.

Months ago he’d faced this Ghulah and almost watched her suffocate the life out of Ari. That wouldn’t happen again. Most of the time, hand-to-hand combat wasn’t long and drawn out, as portrayed in movies. The shorter a fight, the fiercer and deadlier the attack, the better the chance of survival. Opponents well matched could dance around each other for a while, but when one uses talismans to illegally juice up their power, it means causing deadly damage as quickly as possible.

Last time Jai had danced with this bitch. He’d given her an in. By the glitter of excitement in her eyes, she was expecting the same.

Ari cried out at something, but Jai couldn’t be distracted. This had to end; otherwise, the Ghulah would just keep coming for her. Hand behind his back, Jai conjured the Kilij sword he’d admired in Michael’s weapon cabinet. With a war cry, Jai swung it out from behind him, the curved blade slicing through the Ghulah’s neck.

With a bitter cold triumph, Jai watched her head topple to the muddied ground and roll toward a tree. Her body swayed and then dropped with a thump.

“Jai!”

He jerked his head around to Ari’s distressed cry and saw her pointing behind him. Blood rushing in his ears, Jai turned to find Trey on the ground, Pazuzu straddling him, his long, gnarled fingernail scoring deep across Trey’s throat.

“NO!” Jai roared and lunged toward them, only to be thrown back by an explosion of flames. The Glass King stepped out of the Peripatos seconds before Red did, his furious blue gaze transfixed on the fatally wounded Trey. Pazuzu looked up at Glass and whatever he saw in the king’s gaze, it wiped the smug victory from his expression.

Glass’s bellow of outrage ripped through the trees causing them all to flinch, and he sent a discharge of explosive magic toward the wind demon.

But Pazuzu was too quick and he disintegrated into a funnel of sand that disappeared into the sky. The tree behind Pazuzu took the impact of Glass’s attack and cracked around the base. As it began its descent, Glass sped in a blur of color toward Trey, picked him up, and disappeared into the Peripatos.

The air thickened as Red lifted his hands toward the falling tree as if in surrender. Giving into his supplicating magic, the tree seemed to decide against flattening them and eerily creaked its way back into place upon its roots, the bark around its base magically healing until it stood strong as ever.

Dogs barking and the sounds of voices drew their gazes north.

“Park patrol,” Red swore and turned to Jai and Ari. “Ari, get Charlie back home. Jai, follow. I’ll clean up …” He waved a hand at the Ghulah.

Crushing grief clogged Jai’s throat as he dropped the Kilij from his shaking hand. “Trey,” he whispered, feeling his eyes tear up. “What—”

“Glass won’t let him die,” Red

assured him hurriedly. “Now go.”

8

Destiny: the Result of Choices

“Charlie, talk to me,” Ari whispered.

He gazed back at her with fire in his eyes. “Fuck you.”

Ari flinched and sighed.

She guessed this was a waiting game.

***

“Charlie, you need to eat something, drink something …” Ari held the cup to his mouth but he wouldn’t budge. “Charlie, don’t be stupid.”

Their eyes met and the ice in his expression froze her blood.

***

“This isn’t working,” Jai informed her in a hushed voice.

Ari shook her head. “It’s only been four days. Give him time.”

“We don’t have a lot of time left.

Michael is worried about you. He’s starting to ask questions about your whereabouts.”

“Keep stalling him.”

***

“Talk to me, please.” Ari sat on the floor in front of her friend, gazing up at him imploringly. The anger had melted from his features now, but no other emotion had replaced it. “Say anything …”

“…Charlie. Charlie? Say anything.”

***

“I’m trying to help. Don’t you get that?” Ari bit back tears and let her head fall against her chair. She was exhausted. So weary. “Charlie, come back. Please. I’m so tired. Aren’t you tired?”

***

Ari brushed Charlie’s growing hair away from his face as she held the water to his lips. When he was done, she fed him pieces of a sandwich, relief and hope building in her as he took the bites carefully so he didn’t nip her. Heavy, dark circles had grown under his eyes, and he was paler than usual. Ari didn’t want to think they were doing him more damage than good.

It had been fourteen days and he still hadn’t said anything, despite the fact that he’d started eating and drinking four days in.

When he stopped eating, Ari stepped back. “You done?” She placed the plate nearby and faced him again. “Will you talk to me? Please.”

Instead he closed his eyes.

***

“I love you, Charlie. You’re my best friend.”

Nothing.