Silently rejoicing when she saw the subject line: RESEARCH, she hit open and started reading.
Mira—
Historical documents show that djinn can be bound only by a powerful master—a sorcerer, a priestess, a wizard, etc.—someone who has studied a grimoire, or magical textbook, and knows how to bind a djinni without negative repercussions. They’re not bound to the object itself but to the energy within an object, which means they can be bound to anything, really, but more often than not, they’re bound to magical objects like talismans and amulets…rarely lamps like you see in popular culture. King Solomon reportedly used a magical ring made of copper and iron with a fire opal set in the metal to command the djinn he enslaved. (Djinn are severely weakened and drained of magical abilities in the presence of iron.)
I’m still looking into ways to break a bond between slave and master—I don’t know if it can be done, but if it can, all parties—slave, master, exorcist—have to be in the same realm, and ideally, in the same area. A colleague recently mentioned the Key of Solomon—a grimoire King Solomon reportedly wrote containing all his secrets regarding djinn. When I know more I’ll pass it on to you. In the meantime…
I’ve read numerous accounts of human interactions with djinn, but I’ve never heard of a djinni wanting to stay with a human by choice. Yes, they can mate with them, but it’s rare. And they aren’t known to fall in love with humans…at least not often. They’re tricky creatures, even when bound to an object. Be careful you’re not reading something into the situation that isn’t there. This isn’t just about your peace of mind; it’s about your safety as well. There are powerful entities out there—magical entities—that prey on djinn and use them to get what they want. Sometimes that’s as simple as wealth, but usually it’s something more nefarious. Like the destruction of a human soul. I’ll keep looking, but in the meantime, my advice would be this: do NOT do anything to summon this djinn back. If he’s gone, let him stay gone forever and consider yourself lucky you escaped unscathed.
—Claire
Mira sat back from the screen as the professor’s last sentence sank in. Let him go? The woman wanted her to pretend as if the last week hadn’t happened? Mira couldn’t do that. And she didn’t believe all djinn were bad. They had free will, just as humans did—or so her research said. But more importantly, her heart told her Tariq wasn’t bad. He couldn’t be. Not after the way he’d protected her from those Ghuls and the way he’d tried to get her to change her mind about her wish in the first place.
Slowly, Mira’s mind circled around to her wish. And spun right back to Dr. Sampson’s e-mail.
There are powerful entities out there that prey on djinn and use them to get what they want…like the destruction of a human soul.
Dread welled inside her. Was that why Tariq had come to her? Because some master wanted her soul? That made no sense.
But then she remembered the shopkeeper’s warning when she’d gone looking for the Firebrand opaclass="underline" Choosing to wear the opal opens yourself to consequences you may not yet foresee. Be sure it is a risk you are willing to take.
She lifted her fingers, ran them against the stone at her chest as she had numerous times since Tariq had left her in a puff of black smoke. Was that what he’d been trying to warn her about? Was that why he hadn’t made love to her on that Tahitian beach and had sent her back, telling her to think long and hard about what she really wanted?
She thought of the way he’d acted when he’d returned. Reserved. Unsure. How she’d point blank asked him if he wanted her or not, and how he’d finally admitted that he did. But he hadn’t seemed happy about that knowledge. In fact, he’d seemed…saddened by it.
Then she remembered the way she’d teased him after they’d made love, how she’d told him maybe he’d fixed her. And how panicked he’d looked at the thought.
Reality chilled a space in her chest. He’d known. From the very first. He’d known that by fulfilling her wish, he was damning her soul in some way. He’d tried to stop her wish, and when that hadn’t worked, he’d tried to prolong it. And he’d been dragged back to wherever he was now by whomever was controlling him because of that attempt.
Fear surged through her, rippled through her limbs, stole her breath. But was quickly replaced by a determination that spread a calm along every quivering nerve ending. There was still time. Nothing had been decided yet. Nothing that couldn’t be changed. And because nothing was final, she knew Tariq would be back. He hadn’t completed whatever task his master had sent him here to do. She had one last chance to make all of this right.
She hit reply on the e-mail and furiously typed her response. And her remaining questions. When she was done, she clicked send, sat back and prayed Dr. Claire Sampson could help her. Because suddenly, her wish—finding a way to make herself more desirable to Devin—didn’t matter. All that mattered was uncovering a way to free Tariq from his bonds. And maybe, if she was lucky, save her own soul in the process.
Exhaustion weighed heavy on Tariq as he crossed the portal into the human world. His wounds had healed over, but they were still tender. And he was weaker than he should be from the beating. But instead of giving him time to fully recuperate, Zoraida was antsy for him to finish his assignment.
A poof of black smoke encircled him; then his feet hit solid ground. Through the dissipating haze, Mira’s excited voice drifted toward his ears, but he couldn’t tell what she was saying. Then he didn’t care. Her body hit his, nearly knocking him off his feet, her arms wrapped around his neck, and then her lips…her sweet and succulent lips…were closing over his, parting to let him in, dragging him toward a temptation he didn’t want to give in to. Not until he figured out how he could protect both her and his brothers…and bring Zoraida down for good.
Impossible. You have to make a choice. Her or your brothers. You can’t save them all.
She pulled back from his mouth, looked up with hazel eyes that sparkled like diamonds. “I wasn’t sure when I’d see you again. I’m so glad you came back to me. I missed you, Tariq.”
Warmth spread through his chest. And words choked in his throat.
How could he choose between her and his brothers? He loved his brothers, felt responsible for what had happened to them, but Mira… She’d truly missed him. He could see it in her eyes. And not just the wish he could grant her or the fact he was a prince and a warrior. But she’d missed him, the person.
“Mira—”
She grasped his hands, pulled him forward as she stepped back toward a U-shaped couch. “Come here.”
He stumbled, the heat of her hands warming his palms, sending electrical vibrations all along his nerve endings. He looked around as she tugged him down to the couch, as she snuggled close to him on the soft leather, as he closed his arms around her and her head rested against his chest.
Teak furnishings, floor-to-ceiling cabinets, a galley kitchen, high-tech electronics, and ahead, a raised bed. This wasn’t her house. This wasn’t anywhere he recognized. Water lapped somewhere close. Water that indicated…
“Mira,” he said quickly, excitement building inside him. “Are we on the water?”
“Yes,” she said against him. “On my boss’s boat. He let me borrow it. I haven’t been able to focus since you left, so I took the rest of my vacation.”
They were on a boat. The tension in his muscles began to relax, and relief spiraled through his whole body. Zoraida couldn’t hear them on a boat. Water interfered with her ability to see through the opal he was wearing and monitor what he was doing. It was a loophole she hated. And he was forbidden from taking any mark on a boat, into water period. But he hadn’t brought Mira here. She’d brought him.