Chapter 28
twenty-eight
Eryn
I was going to kill him. First, I was going to save him and maybe kiss him, but then most definitely kill him.
The back of my head throbbed as I raced toward the docks.
Breaths choppy because I had no time to warm up before launching into a full-on sprint, I thanked the gods Kai’s place was closer to the beach than it was to campus.
I tracked him all the way out here, following the pulse of his shadows in my mind until they suddenly snuffed out, along with the ones he left behind to keep me away.
The dull pain lingering in my skull was the only clue I had for what might have happened.
I knew going alone was a bad idea, and I should have fought harder to be included in their plans.
Damn him and his overprotective instincts. And damn me for failing to break free sooner. I smelled the ocean before I saw it, and this late at night it appeared as a wall of complete darkness that roared a daring challenge to come closer.
The full moon highlighted three figures huddled around a couple of jet skis, as well as one prone body on the sand.
My heart stopped. Kai didn’t move, but I knew he was alive.
That connection between us was still strong and wide open.
Not for the first time, I cursed myself for letting him block me with his shadows so easily.
Talk to me, Kai, I shouted down the bond. Tell me you’re okay.
No answer. Crouched behind the sand dunes near the boardwalk, I couldn’t make out what the djinn were saying, only the faint echoes of their laughter made it to me over the sound of crashing waves.
Think, think, think.
I couldn’t take on that many by myself, not without a distraction. Even Kai’s shadows hadn’t helped him. Getting to him and Rani on my own wasn’t an option. Creeping backward, I spun around with the intent of finding Ezra, but the enemy found me first.
“Would you look at that,” the djinn crowed. “Just the little birdie I was looking for.”
Covered from wrist to ankle, he sported a black turtleneck, pants, and a pair of leather gloves. Full serial killer getup.
“Well, someone was prepared,” I muttered, and the djinn grinned.
“I’ve done my research.”
“Yay for you,” I deadpanned.
Fury made me brave. My usual MO was to fade into the background, to go unnoticed. Be docile. That flew out the window when they kidnapped my best friend and threatened my bonded. My glare only made the djinn laugh as he shoved me toward the beach.
“Be a good birdie and I won’t have to tie you up.”
The next several minutes were a blur of motion and vague landmarks.
An inflatable raft tied to one of the jet skis.
The tossing of my unconscious bond onto said raft.
The spray of salt water on my cheek. Thousands of stars.
A giant boat. I tried to take in as much detail as I could, but there was no way around it. We were screwed.
Two beefy goons hauled Kai out of the raft and onto the boat.
I winced at the sound and shoved their hands away when they reached for me next.
Everyone wore gloves. Guess there was a secret memo about me shared among their little fan club.
Goodie. The boat rocked on steady waves as I searched what I could see of the deck for any sign of Rani.
The front of the boat wasn’t visible from here, and no one stood at the wheel one level above our heads. Kai lay in a heap at my feet and four djinn surrounded us, including the one who kept calling me birdie. I rested a gentle hand on Kai’s shoulder and tried to nudge him awake.
“Hey! No touching!”
Yanked away, my arms were wrenched behind my back as the door to the cabin opened.
Everyone seemed to hold their breath as the man of the hour stepped on deck.
Even the boat stilled as if the very waves were his to command.
Or maybe it was an illusion like the now-familiar pit bull that trotted out beside him.
I’d never hurt an animal, real or not, but if that dog took one more step toward Kai, I would eviscerate it.
Under the light of the moon, it was easy to make out Kol’s features.
His hair was black and oily, with slimy strands hanging down to his ears.
He stood maybe a couple of inches shorter than Kai, and had one eye that was slightly wider than the other.
He wore jeans, a fitted shirt, and nice sneakers—why the hell was everyone so terrified of him?
“What is the meaning of this?” he shouted, voice carrying across the open water.
His men frowned at one another, and the silence stretched an uncomfortable amount. Finally, one of them got the courage to answer.
“You said to get them on the boat.”
“Alive!” Kol hissed, and his pit bull snarled. “I said to bring them to me alive.”
There was very real fear in these men at his reaction. The one holding me actually shook, and his clammy fingers kept slipping off my elbows.
“Sir, he is alive.”
Kol paused and gave Kai a long second glance, pursed his lips, and then looked at me. Whatever he saw on my face convinced him—perhaps my lack of tears. Surely Kai’s bonded would be out of her mind with grief if he were dead.
“Get them below and let me know the second he wakes.” That glare turned into a smug smile as I was led past him. “This will be no fun if our guest of honor isn’t aware of the festivities.”
Yup, that was definitely the same asshole who stabbed me.
I didn’t put up a fight as they shoved me down the cramped stairs, through narrow halls, and into a humid room.
I strained my neck but saw no sign of Rani anywhere on this damned boat.
Aside from what looked like a closet or a possible bathroom, there was nowhere else down here to hide her.
Kai was tossed on the bed that took up most of the space, and I was left to stumble in beside him.
I spun to face the djinn just before he shut the door.
“Where’s my friend?” I demanded. “We held up our part of the trade.”
Technically, we were both caught rather than giving ourselves up, but hopefully, they weren’t sticklers for the details.
At the very least, I hoped they’d let her go.
What did they need with a human? The djinn looked annoyed that I questioned him, but I’d scream the walls of this boat down until I got answers if I had to.
I opened my mouth to do just that when he finally responded.
“We tossed her overboard the second we had the Alantes heir.” And then he shrugged. Like admitting to killing someone was an everyday occurrence.
Like Rani’s life didn’t mean anything. Each breath sawed my chest in half, and it took all my concentration to keep the air moving so I didn’t pass out.
Rani was a strong swimmer, but tossed in the middle of the ocean, at night, this far from shore?
I didn’t want to believe it, even though an absolutely wrecked voice in my head screamed that she couldn’t have made it.
They killed her. The first friend I ever had.
A true and loyal soul who had so much to offer— snuffed out.
Rage like I’d never felt simmered in my gut, igniting a well of power I’d allowed to lay dormant.
One I’d refused to tap into my entire life for fear of discovery.
I burrowed into it now. I took my time drawing my magick from its deep slumber.
Too much too fast and I’d alert everyone on this boat to my plans.
I scooched beside Kai on the bed, carefully drawing his head into my lap.
There was a lump at the base of his skull, but no blood.
Gently, so gently, I pushed on our bond and brushed the hair from his forehead.
A little skin contact and some hope, that was all I could offer.
While I prayed for that to work, I sent my magick out.
Only the smallest tendril, undetectable unless you knew to look for it.
That stream of magick raced for the guarded mind surrounded by a wall of ice currently searching a dorm on campus.
I gave a solid knock to that barricade, hoping now wasn’t one of the times Ezra chose to be stubborn.
I had a plan, and I needed his help if we were all going to make it out of this in one piece.
Kaiden
The pain was enough to make me think my skull was split open, but there was a sense of calm running under the agony.
My chest thrummed with contentment, and I sighed.
Wherever I was, despite the pounding in the back of my head, I was safe.
Fingers threaded through my hair and down my cheeks.
The scent of lavender filled my nose. The bed rocked to and fro in a gentle lullaby that called for me to let go and return to sleep.
Wait.
My bed didn’t rock. Not unless I had my bond under me and a whole lot of time to play.
And lavender usually meant danger—either Eryn having to use her magic, or Ezra had left a damn candle lit again.
The fingers in my hair paused when I frowned, and the lack of touch made my head hurt even worse. Fuck.
Come back.
“Kai?”
No. All at once, the fog lifted from my mind, and I sat up.
I clenched my eyes as vomit burned the back of my throat, and my head swam.
What the hell did that guy hit me with? My hand instinctively reached for the tender spot below my left ear.
Last I remembered, I was zeroing in on the group of djinn down on the beach.
Hidden in my shadows, the plan was to let the time for our meet-up pass and then follow them to wherever they were holding Rani. But one of them got the jump on me instead. One minute, spy kid, and the next, lights out.
How long was I down for? It couldn’t have been too long. And how was Eryn here? I didn’t need to open my eyes to know it was her beside me. There was no way they got past my wards, which meant…
“Please tell me we’re home in bed, and I fell asleep watching a movie,” I whispered, deadly calm.
“Well, we’re in a bed but—listen, there's not much time.”