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"What’s the tat say?" Jai tilted his head to the side trying to get a better look

Charlie straightened his shoulders, lifting his gaze to meet Jai’s directly "Justice, in Arabic"

For a moment, Jai’s face was deadly serious and he appeared to beCharlie carefully Finally, after a et the translation online?"

Bracing hi to feed hiht say ‘I love rowled back, but he held out his hand anyway Jai grabbed it a little too roughly and Charlie cut him a dirty look The Jinn was unmoved by Charlie’s atte to rub hi way "Well?" he snapped

Jai nodded "It says justice Luckily for you You know you can’t trust online translations"

"I’m not stupid, I checked it out on a nu about his tattoo when Ari’s dad was… gone?

As if reading his thoughts Jai grew serious again "Ari’s upstairs with her uncle She was still unconscious when he brought her here"

They stood together as Jai filled hiined went down in Vickers’ Woods and then what had happened afterwards Shaking a little, Charlie walked slowly into the sitting rooraph of Ari and Derek in their backyard playing softball Charlie had taken the photograph years ago Pain clawed at his chest and knocked the wind right out of hi to deal with that?

"So you were bored?" Jai asked, following hilad for the distraction "I thought I’d feel different, be able to do stuff, but so far, nothing"

The Jinn eyed hienerally need talisy, naturalthe a hand over his short hair Charlie noted the guardian had a habit of doing that when he was in a situation he didn’t want to be in Which was a lot "I suppose I better tell you what I just told Ari"

Leaning against one of the shelving units, his ar to sit down and lose advantage over the Jinn, Charlie listened as Jai explained how ic use had consequences; how, unless the Jinn were defending the specific abilities born to them, they had to pull objects fro and Charlie knew right away that Ari had not taken this news very well He s that for once he was in Ari’s bad books The relationship between Jai and Ari bothered Charlie When Jai wasn’t looking Charlie had caught Ari watching the Jinn with so he’d never seen in her eyes before and when Ari wasn’t looking Charlie had caught Jai watching Ari with a look in his eyes that Charlie knew all too well Jai could deny it until his face turned blue, but Charlie knew Jai had feelings for Ari "Ari ht about now I think she’s awakening to discover her dad is dead"

Cursing under his breath and feeling asha of Ari and how she’d handle losing her dad, Charlie sank into a chair and eyed the room "I never really understood Derek," he aded and looked over at Jai who had enuinely interested, and Charlie wondered if the feelings Jai had for Ari were more than physical "Derek always kept Ari at a distance Even ere kids It was like he loved her but was afraid to, you know"

They were silent athicker as reality developed from words into the physical Ari’s dad was dead She would feel all alone But she wasn’t He wouldn’t let that happen to her

As if reading his thoughts, Jai’s deep voice cut through the room, "Why did you do it, Charlie? The sorcerer wish And who did it? Surely you know that whoever it was has an agenda all their own?"

"I’m not stupid I realize that… that the Jinn who helpedfro about what happened to Mike I don’t feel powerless any questioned and eyed like I’et you killed"

"It ht, yeah"

"No It will"

Charlie frowned Could Jai really find it dishonorable of hie his little brother’s murder? Unsure of Jai’s opinion of him and unsure of how to reply, Charlie froze Words hadn’t even formed in Charlie’sstepped out of the Peripatos Was it weird that Charlie didn’t even blink at that now?

"Ari is going to be OK," he told the tense and wary "She should wake up soon" He looked at Jai "Did you do what I asked?"

"Ari should get a call very soon"

Charlie frowned, feeling very ht Jai had told him he’d left him in his car where he’d be found at the side of the woods The coroner would declare the death as caused by an aneuris treated as so that needed to be tidied up nice and easy for Ari to deal with It so about

"Who kno Ari will react to this We have tohad a determined blaze in his eyes that Charlie wouldn’t want to ut as he looked Ari’s uncle over and was reminded of his brother, Ari’s father "It was definitely The White King then?"

The Red King nodded "He’s trying to bait Ari into doing so that will land her trapped in Mount Qaf He plans for her to take revenge against the Jinn who did this, possibly even atteainst him And if she does that she’ll be forced to Mount Qaf to face trial and et what he wants from her"

"So what now?" Jai asked quietly

"Noait around for her to wake up," The Red King said "I’ll explain why an atte I just hope that this ti for power and will nothis own voice twinned with Jai’s as they replied in unison They glanced at one another, their eyes narroarily like two opponents stepping into the ring