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2 - Even as I Drink My Lips are Dry with Thirst

The bitter chill in the air pinched at Dalí’s skin, little goosebu up all over his arms in the after over the balcony in the guest rooh to be invited to Mount Qaf He was lucky if that invite ca out over mountains that winked back at hireen of inset e his blood rush with need It didn’t take much anyway for the thirst to attack, that thirst for power, that ever-growing need to be more than what he was, but Mount Qaf emeralds were an entirely different story The need they inspired… He sighed, scratching his arht about his father’s power, his domain over this part of thetheback and forth between hoated curtains to the entrance of his father’s sprawling house that had been carved into the very rock of Mount Qaf, just like all the other royal ho color and for aup towards the billowing silk curtains that draped over his father’s enor ie Men and wo that Dalí would have been freezing in, alking at the front and back of a hts Dalí sht of a beautiful fe, her eyes wide as her faic carpet before Well, he’d seen them rolled up in his father’s house but he’d never seen one in use They were very rare The fact that this fan of celebration The luscious beauty was a gift for his father Dalí’s smile slowly melted into a frown and he felt that familiar rush of love/hate he had for his father mix into a bittersweet ue It was difficult to live in the human world and have to deal with people who had no idea how extraordinary he truly was He’d gathered a few followers these last years, made some money, some contacts -- but he still only saw his father once a year, was only allowed a glimpse into the world of Mount Qaf before it was torn fro for what his father had The knowledge that he would never have the power his father had ate at him, ate at his love for his father, despite the fact he was always so affectionate and giving whenever he saw hiifts to take back to her, gifts that had made their lives extremely comfortable Perhaps if histhem in the human world he could have hated hirateful for what he had given therateful that soned to want her Dalí felt his jaw clench, watching the curtains part withopen behind the the vicious bite of the winter chill, the entourage danced their way up the side of the ic carpet bea nervously fro a stirring of lust -- not really for her but for what she represented A Jinn -- an actual Jinn, powerful in her own right, being offered as a gift to his ive for that kind of supremacy

A knock at the door sounded and Dalí ducked back inside his airy roo that wasn’t built into the rocks of the ht and emerald free The four poster bed in the rooany and comfortable armchairs and sturdy furniture decorated the space The bed was covered in cushions he’d have to bury through to get to the actualat the bottom of it He wouldn’t unpack His father usually only required his co criet they even were an organization "Yes?"

The door swung open and a Shaitan with blood red eyes walked into the room Dalí felt a frisson of fear slither down his neck at the sight of the Shaitan that was so h to walk away fro the cowardly curl in his spine "Master will see you now"

Dalí could have sworn the Shaitan was sneering at hi hirown man, and not just any man, but a hybrid, a sorcerer, Dalí touched the e it pulse into the rooly, his eyes saying, ‘yeah, yeah, you’re Master’s son I’ not to flush at the unspoken condescension, Dalí felt a growl purr out from the back of his throat "Lead the way," he snapped and the Shaitan laughed, his red eyes glowing brighter before he turned Dalí followed the short de how his bare feet never ht, cream-colored hallith bronze sconces and bronze-fraht, vast hallway, a nuht ahead, ignoring Dalí They continued up into darker corridors as the home becalittering halls and Dalí couldn’t help hi a shot of energy shoot into hiic Like a junkie needing another hit, he touched another e around Dalí snatched his hand back froh his throat burned hot it felt so dry ant

Eventually, after what felt like hours of walking, the Shaitan knocked on a door before opening it and stepping aside to let Dalí pass

"Son," a deep, s voice called to him from the other end of the room It was a small throne roo the walls and dancing girls giggled at his father’s feet, offering hiold throne and sh the perfumed air towards his father’s position on the dais

"Father" He s despite hiht of hi had the hardest, blackest eyes Dalí had ever seen and yet when they looked upon his son, they always glittered arleaold in his ears and on his fingers giving credence to his naood to see you" His father stood up fro the shadows to reforht He walked slowly down the dais and came to a stop before his son who stood only a few inches shorter than hie into so off the perfect bank jobs anyone had ever seen, with a little help fro his heritage into so productive "Thank you, father"

"I have news" The Gleaan to lead hi to do with the delightful Jinn female that’s been bestowed upon you I already saw her Very nice"

The Gleae to the sound that caused the hair on the back of Dalí’s neck to rise "No That is not h I aht like to know that the war between ?" Dalí frowned His father had told him about The War of the Flas’ world, whose job was to manipulate and form the destinies of I was trying to change things back to the way they had been, that he was trying to usurp the Sultan Jinn That sounded crazy to Dalí but he kept his ’s side

My brother has found a way thatspoke to him telepathically so the others in the room would not hear

How?

He kept a secret from me An important secret About the Seal

Dalí’s eyes widened The Seal of Solo around a strap of leather around Asift the wearer with the ability to coood and evil What about the Seal?

His father grinned at hian to tell Dalí a story that sounded preposterous but if true, so very, very intriguing

3 - The Truth and its Last Chance

Her heart was pu her blood around her body so fast Ari felt nauseous -- like she had been running for h town until he skidded to a stop in a rando she was tailing him, Derek had dashed out of his car and into the woods, shouting over his shoulder as Ari pulled up behind him that he just needed some time alone

Well he’d had time alone Days of it!

Sto up to her dad for the first time since he’d learned the truth about her, Ari had to force herself to chase after him into the thicket of woods To her surprise, he had stumbled to a stop in the exact sae Twisted coincidence, she thought wryly, exhaling as she circled hi the skin between his eyebrows "I told you I needed sole" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true">