Page 9 of Into the Abyss
Lifting her hand, she held it sideways infront of her face. Then, she weaved her fingers in a slow wavy linefrom her forehead to her chin. As she did so, a ripple stirred theair before she wiped it away with her hand. She lowered her handand folded it into the skirt of her dress.
“And in the Abyss, the jinn hold those theytrap,” she said.
But they’re all still here.Amaliafollowed my gaze when I looked at where Wren lay nestled inCorson’s arms.
“Not physically hold them; they mentallytrap them in the Abyss,” she said as she seemed to guess at mythoughts. “The jinn possess a form of mind control, but it onlyworks on those who allow them in with a wish.”
“I’ve seen humans screw themselves to deathwhile the jinn watched. They were moving freely and not trapped inany Abyss. Why is Wren there?” Corson demanded.
Amalia sighed. “The bodies of those humansmay have still moved, but their minds were in the Abyss.”
“So, jinn are somehow capable of separatingthe mind from the body?” Raphael asked.
“Or conscious awareness at least,” Amaliasaid. “Depending on what someone wishes, the jinn are capable ofdoing many things. If someone wishes to be good at sex, then thejinn may make it so they practice it over and over again, untilthey die. The wisher might not even be aware of their body’sdeterioration.”
“Those humans were miserable and aware ofwhat was going on,” Corson spat.
“The jinn are also capable of allowing thatto happen,” Amalia whispered. “They can keep the mind in the bodybut give the mind no power over the body. Some jinn take greatpleasure in pain.”
“And what about you?” I demanded.
“What about me?” she retorted.
“Do you take great pleasure in pain?”
“I’m not like most of my kind.”
Corson stepped toward Amalia. “Oh, I’m sureyou’re different.”
An almost pleading look came into her eyeswhen she looked at me. “Iamdifferent.”
I wanted to believe her, but one thing weall knew about the jinn was they were manipulative creaturescapable of almost anything.
“Fine, don’t believe me,” she muttered whennone of us responded to her.
“How can we get them out of the Abyss?” Iasked.
She refused to meet my eyes as she spoke. “Itold you, only the affected can free themselves, and when they do,their mind will return to their bodies.”
“There has to be something we can do tohelpthem get free.”
Her fair eyebrows drew together over thebridge of her slender, freckled nose. “I’m not sure if I would beable to do anything, but Icanenter the Abyss and at leastsee what they’re going through or maybe try to do… something.”
“And to do that, you would separate yourconsciousness from your body?” Caim asked.
“No, I can physically enter the Abyss.”
“You expect us to let you out of our sightfor one second?” Corson demanded.
I shot him a warning look over my shoulder,provoking her wouldn’t do us any good, but the panicked gleam inhis eyes silenced my censuring words. Not only did Wren’s life hangin the balance, but so did his.
When I turned back to Amalia, her attentionwas focused on Wren, and if I hadn’t known any better, I wouldbelieve the sad look in her eyes, which had become a more ochrehue, was real.
“No,” she murmured. “I don’t. But it mightbe the only hope you have.”
“Can you take someone into the Abyss withyou?” I inquired.
She held her palms out before her. “I don’tknow. I’ve never entered the Abyss before.”
