Page 93 of Knightfall
“Don’t run again. You’ll kill them.”
“No. I’ll kill them if I stay. War is brewing.”
She squeezed my hand hard. “Forget that. You love them. Admit it.”
“Of course, I love them! That’s why I need to sarding get out of here.”
Avia sighed and leaned back against her pillows. “You need to solve the problem with them, if you love them.”
“Not necessarily,” I said. “Abbas said something interesting today … something about taking away gifts.”
Avia sat straight up in bed then, even though it made her wince. “There’s something off about him.”
“You don’t think he’s handsome?”
“I’m not blind. But I’m also not an idiot.”
“Why do you think he’s here?”
“I’m not sure. But it’s not for me, I can tell you that. He couldn’t be more disinterested if he tried.”
I stared at her. “That can’t be. He definitely spoke about alliances with me.”
“I definitely think he wants to ally with you. Emphasis on the lie part.”
“Do you mean lay or lie?” I laughed.
“Probably both,” she winked.
We giggled at her joke, letting the light-hearted moment break up our serious conversation, until Avia held her stomach and I helped her lie back down.
“I’m never eating cold pheasant again,” Avia swore.
“Yes, I’ll hold you to that until tomorrow,” I grinned. My sister’s appetite would never allow such a thing.
We smiled at one another for a moment. But soon my thoughts grew pensive again. I confessed to Avia, “Abbas might be able to help me.”
Avia grabbed my hands and squeezed them. The look on her face was grave. “I already told you, don’t trust him, Blossie. Something’s off with him.”
“But he’s part djinn. Djinn have the power to grant wishes,” I pulled away and crossed my arms.
“Wishes always go wrong,” Avia shook her head. “You wish to end a war, you get a dictator. You wish for safety, you end up in locked safely in a prison cell. Even if he has the best of intentions, which I doubt, we can’t trust him. Besides, don’t half-djinn only get to grant a few wishes anyway?”
“Three. In their semi-immortal lifespans, they only get three.” I leaned my head back against the chair and stared at the ceiling. “Shite, Avia. I just don’t want a dragon to …” I couldn’t say it.
“I know. It won’t. We’ll come up with a plan. It won’t.”
That night I slept curled up next to my little sister.
In the morning, Avia was better. And I thought the ray of sunshine peeking through the window signaled a good day.
But then Ryan entered with news that a large black shape had been spotted flying over the Cerulean Forest during the night. The forest where Cerena’s cottage was located. That was only a few hours away from the palace.
My need to run intensified.
* * *
Ihad a dancing refresher course with Connor the morning of the ball. It didn’t matter that a dragon had been spotted. My mother had ordered the refresher. So, I was not allowed to skip it.
