Page 25 of A Fate in Flames

“The stone is hidden somewhere within their realm.Finding it requires you to become someone they would never suspect.”Her eyes flashed with intensity.“You must earn their confidence.Work your way into their society.The Jinn are creatures of suspicion who have spent centuries perfecting the art of detecting deceit.One false move—one misspoken word, and they will tear you apart without a second thought.”

Was that supposed to reassure me?

She clasped my hands between hers.“You will need to play a dangerous game of deception.Become what they least expect.A mortal who embraces their ways.Who shows reverence for their customs.Only when they begin to lower their guard can you search for the stone without raising alarm.”

Zaheera released my hands and took a step back.“If we execute this carefully—if you learn to navigate their world as I instruct, you will remain unharmed, and the threat against your realm will cease.”

I crossed my arms, staring at her in disbelief.

“Oh,sure.Just stroll into the realm of the Jinn, end their king’s life, and come back alive.Sounds simple enough.”The sarcasm practically dripped from me.“But one small problem, Zaheera.I don’twantto go to a land where everyone wants me dead.Alone.”

“You won’t be alone.”She turned, lifting her hand, pointing to the forest beyond us.“He will journey with you.”

I followed her gesture, my heart plummeting as I caught a glimpse of a familiar figure darting behind a tree, limbs flailing in a poor attempt to remain hidden.A mess of light brown strands peeked out from behind the bark.

Oh, for the love of—

“Theo!”I groaned, torn between wanting to hug him and throttle him.

Theo stepped out from behind the tree, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Oh hey, Elira,” he mumbled, his voice slightly cracking.He cleared his throat.“I was just, uh… walking, you know, and then, well… here you are.”He attempted a casual shrug but failed miserably.

Idiot.

Zaheera hardly acknowledged him before stepping toward us.

“You will leave now,” she stated.“There is no turning back.Do not speak of me or of what you must do.Whenever you need me, call my name and I will answer.”

She dissipated into swirling smoke, vanishing into the wind.

Theo exhaled loudly, throwing his heavy arm over my shoulders.

“The things I would do to her,” he muttered.“You have no idea.”

I shoved his arm off and turned away, staring into the trees ahead.

We were as good as dead.

Seconds stretched into minutes, and minutes felt like an eternity before I finally forced myself to move.The forest floor crunched beneath my sandals, fallen leaves and twigs announcing every step.Turning back wasn’t an option.I couldn’t run into my mother’s arms or listen to her soothing voice tell me everything would be okay.

There was no comfort left for me, only the unknown.My only guide was the unseen force of Zaheera, an invisible thread pulling me toward the Veil.

Mist clung to the undergrowth, wrapping around tree trunks.I slipped beneath a low-hanging branch, pushing aside a curtain of moss that dripped with morning dew.Birds flitted through the canopy above, their songs echoing through the woods.

I paused to catch my breath, leaning against the rough bark of an enormous oak.Despite the beauty of dawn, my heart remained weighed down with dread.

I turned to Theo, my reluctant companion.The one person who now shared this impossible burden.He was picking his way carefully through a patch of thorny bushes, his hair catching on leaves.

“How did you find me?”I asked.

“I couldn’t sleep.I went outside for some fresh air and then I saw you.”He hopped over a fallen log and shot me a lopsided grin.“You looked like some assassin sneaking around in the dead of night.All hunched over and tiptoeing.”

I let out a small chuckle, but it quickly faded.

“You were all alone.I got worried, so I followed you.”He sighed.“Plus, your stealth skills are terrible.I could hear you breathing from fifty feet away.”

I rolled my eyes.“Did you catch everything she said?”