Chapter 18
Zain sat beside me near the lake, while some of the others were in the water, splashing about.
The sun beaming overhead warmed my face.
Music sounded from portable speakers. Sabrina Carpenter rang out.
My leg tapped in time with the beat. For just a moment, I could forget about everything—the sleep paralysis, jinn, angels, my mum not being here anymore—and focus instead on the sounds of water rippling and splashing, laughter in the distance.
Zain was right: We needed a break. Even if it was just for a few hours. We needed to pause.
When we first got to the lake, Sebastian greeted us. Water dripped from his tanned chest, like he had just been in the water. On his left side was a thin tattoo that almost looked like some kind of rune.
Next to him were two people—a guy named Marcus, who towered over us all and had clearly played on their old football team, and a girl called Autumn with a kind smile and a tight, shiny afro.
“He has arrived,” Sebastian practically bellowed, his face breaking into a broad grin.
“A first time for everything,” Zain replied.
Sebastian slapped a hand on Zain’s back, and they exchanged huge grins.
“Roxana,” he said, turning to me. “I’m sorry I was a dick before. I was just shocked to see Zain speaking to a girl.”
I didn’t quite know what to say to that, so I just said, “All good. Happy birthday.”
“It’s next week, but I appreciate it.”
“Sebastian’s birthday is always a monthlong affair,” Zain said. “Ever the narcissist.”
The others laughed, while Sebastian reached over to playfully punch Zain in the shoulder, but Zain caught his hand and said, “You need to be quicker than that.”
I muttered something about toxic masculinity, which elicited an eyebrow raise from Sebastian and a chuckle from Zain.
“That’s what I’m always saying,” Autumn agreed, grinning.
To my surprise, the other people at the gathering were all friendly and chill—and perhaps my first impression of Sebastian was wrong (not that he hadn’t given me reason to think he was an ass the first time I met him).
When Zain had mentioned going to the lake with some of his friends from school, I’d imagined jocks and cheerleaders, Cleo’s words in my mind.
But the group didn’t seem to fit any one stereotype—there were people who definitely looked athletic, especially in swim clothes, and I had to force myself not to compare my body to theirs, but there were also people with tattoos, septum rings, and larger bodies, as well as conversations about philosophy, one of them promptly followed by a debate about whether a nepo baby model really was copying a Disney singer.
And the latter was a conversation I would happily participate in…
Autumn and I went at it for probably half an hour.
She was convinced the model was stalking the singer while I argued that their similarities could be coincidental.
It got heated in a way that made us cackle-laugh when we realized (a) we didn’t know these people, (b) we actually didn’t care about celebrities, and (c) we were participating in the patriarchy by blaming the women and not their messy ex-boyfriend/current husband.
Now, while Zain and I sat away from the others, soaking up the sun, he asked, “Are you not going to go in?” Even with my eyes shut I knew his lips were quirked.
I opened one eye, squinting at him. “I didn’t bring anything to swim in. Or are you suggesting we go skinny-dipping?”
He laughed, shaking his head. “I don’t know what you take me for.”
“I’m happy here, anyway.” I leaned my head back, digging my feet into the earth as if for emphasis. “On land, where some demonic figure won’t drag me underwater.”
Zain’s shoulder brushed mine as he also lay back. “That isn’t a thing, but I’m here; they wouldn’t stand a chance.”
“You seem very confident in your abilities,” I said.
“I’ve been trained—why wouldn’t I be?”
I admired his self-confidence and let myself settle into the idea that he could protect us from any threat.
I squinted at him again. “Is this what you guys do for fun, then? Splash around in nearby lakes? It’s very wholesome. Not what I imagined from a jock angel.”
“Because we work hard, chilling is a necessity. And I feel calmer around water—there’s something about it that relaxes me. It’s always been that way, even when I was little. My aunt says my mom was the same, so I must get it from her.”
I smiled. “I like that. What else did your aunt tell you about your mum?”
“That she was kind and generous, to a fault sometimes. She took her role as an angel really seriously. I think that helps me with it—to know that if I dedicate myself to it, I’ll be closer to her.” The tops of his ears went pink. “Sorry, I’m rambling.”
I shook my head. “You’re not. I like hearing about her—she sounds great.”
“What about your mom?”
I looked over at the lake and the people in it.
“She was everything,” I said. “My best friend more than my mum. We used to laugh together all the time. And she was so encouraging of all my hobbies, whereas my dad just wants me to be successful, even if it means I won’t be happy.
He’s very practical, whereas she was a dreamer. I guess opposites do attract.”
“You should keep up with your art,” he said. “For her, for yourself. It’s important. Do you still want to study law?”
“I’m not sure. I feel like I don’t have control over my life, over what degree I’m doing or even my sleep. Like, can I even go to university in September if jinn won’t stop stalking me?”
Zain’s eyes were on mine. “When we get to the bottom of why the jinn are targeting you—and stop them—we’ll work on you having some control over your life.”
At this, my brow rose. His face was earnest. “We’ll work on it?”
“Yeah.” He smiled. “What do you want to study instead, if anything?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe art? My mum and I used to paint together on Sunday mornings.
She was a great artist—I’m nothing like her—but when drawing I am at my happiest. Or maybe I shouldn’t even try and monetize my art.
I’ve always been interested in psychology.
I studied it in secondary school, so maybe that?
The truth is I don’t know. Ideally, I’d like to take a year off to think about it. ”
“So you need a gap year?”
“I guess,” I said. I knew the idea of pausing my life wouldn’t be encouraged by my dad, or even Nic. “You said you’d want to travel. Where would you want to go?”
Zain rested his head back on the sand, and with his gaze up at the sky, I could look at him properly without restraint. His eyelashes were impossibly long, his profile something I would like to draw.
“There’re lots of places. Tokyo, definitely.
Europe, for sure. I’ve always wanted to go to Italy and try actual Italian food.
But I’ve never actually been to Iran since leaving when I was six, so I would want to tour the country, starting with Shiraz, then going to Mashhad, Tehran, and the villages.
I’d like to know the place I came from.”
“I don’t feel much connection to Iran,” I said for the first time. “My parents didn’t really teach me about it. I think they just wanted us to adopt the English ways, but sometimes I do think there’s something missing from me because of it.”
“That sounds normal,” he said. “I only know about the culture from my aunt. I wanted to go see my family while she’s there, but my mentor said I was needed here. Would you want to visit Iran, if you could?”
“Yeah,” I said, not adding with you. And the thought was so embarrassing and unexpected that my cheeks began to heat up.
“Maybe we could tour together one day,” he said.
I thought he was joking, so I said back, “Yeah, definitely. I mean, I think we’d be side-eyed for being an unrelated, unmarried boy and girl gallivanting around together, but sure.”
“Ah yes, that,” he laughed. “Minor point.”
There was yelling over at the lake. One of Sebastian’s friends had dunked his head in the water, and he was trying to return the favor.
Zain looked over briefly and said, “Socializing and being an angel don’t really go hand in hand. Sebastian plays a dangerous game. I don’t know how Castiel doesn’t give him more shit for it.”
“Wait…” I got up onto my elbows. He was still lying back, eyes now shut. His features soft and settled.
“Yes?” he said, opening his eyes to find me staring at him.
“Sebastian is an…angel?” I whispered the last word.
He nodded. “Yep.”
I gazed over at Sebastian in the lake, two girls I hadn’t spoken to around him, splashing him while he hauled one of them into the air. She shrieked playfully. “Is anyone else here like you guys?”
“Only Alec,” he said, nodding to one of the guys Autumn was speaking to.
He had dark hair and a couple of tattoos.
“They’re like brothers to me, in that I love them and they annoy the hell out of me.
” Zain got up, dusted himself off, and reached his hand into the space between us for me to take.
I gripped his palm and lifted myself up with his support.
We walked over to where the rest of the group sat on the grass.
Zain reached into a cooler and produced two Popsicles.
“Cherry or watermelon?”
“Is that even a question?” I said. “Cherry, obviously.”
“Well, that’s good, because my preference would have been watermelon.”
“Perfect,” I said, taking it from him and ripping the packaging off. “Thank you.”
We sat for a while with his friends. I didn’t say much, just listened to them talk about their plans after summer. Most of them were going to college, though some talked of taking a gap year to travel the country.
After half an hour, the rest of them stripped off their clothes, revealing their swimsuits underneath, before wading into the lake.
Zain and I remained on land.
“Let’s go in,” I said, taking steps toward the edge of the water. “I’ll just go in my underwear, but don’t look.”
“Obviously,” he said, lifting his shirt over his head. Contradicting my words to him, I then looked at him. When my heartbeat quickened, I diverted my gaze to the lake, which reflected the perfect blue sky.
Keeping my focus on the surface, I stripped off my dress, removed my sandals, and jumped into the water. It was cold. Colder than I expected, and the contrast against the heat of the day made me yelp. Zain’s laughter rang out as he dove into the lake. Water splashed everywhere.
He was still grinning when he reemerged, and seeing him so weightless made me smile back.
For the next hour, we all swam lazily and then played games like Frisbee and cornhole. Some of the others were obviously tipsy, the air between us giddy.
After a few hours had passed, I realized I had to head home. Zain, luckily, had a spare towel for me, and I dried myself off as best as I could.
The sun was beginning to set as we got back into his car. I was pleasantly sleepy from the day, from being in the sun and water. I felt like I could fall asleep in the car next to him, and I must’ve done just that, because I was jolted awake by Zain hitting the brakes.
The seat belt dug into my chest, as I opened my eyes, straining to see what had happened.
It was dark. Ahead of us on the deserted road was a shadowy figure. I realized, with horror, that it was a woman, and she was lying down, head on the ground. Any cheer from the day drained from me as I peered over the dashboard.
Zain killed the engine, though his headlights still shone on the woman, presumably the victim of a hit-and-run before we showed up.
“I’m going to go out and check if she’s okay,” Zain said. “Stay in the car.”
He got out and headed toward the woman. As Zain drew even closer, it became clear that she was not injured.
Her head whipped up, her body contorting, bending impossibly as she stood.
Then a banging on the passenger door startled me, and I jumped out of my skin when I saw a dark-cloaked figure standing outside the window.
It removed its cloak—the veins on its face black, eyes pools of ink.
The scream I let out was guttural—pure surprise and fear.
And at that, the thing roared before grabbing for the door handle.
This was an ambush.