Page 54 of Into the Abyss
“I was probably nearby, but I didn’t join inthe fun. No one ever mentioned running into two demons down therethough.”
“Wren was human at the time, and theyslipped away before the jinn realized they were there.”
“Wren was once a human?”
“Yes.” I explained Wren’s transformation toher while we snaked through the trees.
When I finished, she remained silent for afew minutes before replying, “I will save her.”
“Amalia—”
“We’re almost there,” she interrupted, andthe distant sound of laughter drifted to me.
CHAPTER 23
Amalia
The laughter died when the Faulted spotted Magnusand me standing amid the calamuts. Then, Rislen rose, and steppingaway from the fire they were gathered around, she glided toward me.Her feet didn’t seem to touch the ground as she moved, but a smallcrunch of debris accompanied her steps.
“Amalia,” she greeted and clasped myhands.
A radiant smile lit her beautiful face, andher black eyes sparkled. Pulled back into numerous small braids,her black hair intertwined into a single braid that hung to herankles. At eighteen thousand nine hundred fifty, Rislen was theeldest Faulted jinn and the one in charge of them. Her aura of lovewarmed me as she squeezed my hands.
Because the Faulted were also empaths, theirability deflected mine a little, but I was still able to pick up onsome of their emotions. Rislen once told me this was because myempath ability was stronger than average, even though I wasn’timmortal yet. The Faulted were all confused about my arrival herewith a demon, but they were also as happy to see me as I wasthem.
When Rislen released my hands and opened herarms, I stepped into them. “Rislen,” I murmured.
“Easy,” she soothed as she ran her handsover my hair and down my back. “Tell me what is going on.”
Reluctantly, I released her and glanced atMagnus. Rislen followed my eyes, and I felt her uneasiness. “Whyhave your brought a demon here?” she inquired.
“I have much to tell you,” I said.
She reclaimed one of my hands and drew metoward the fire, but her eyes remained on Magnus.
The other Faulted rose, and I made my wayaround the circle to embrace them all. Magnus’s eyes held a steelygleam as he surveyed the Faulted while he followed me. He exudeddispleasure when I hugged the male Faulted.
When I released the last Faulted, he claspedmy elbow and gave each of the three men a look that caused them toshift uneasily. I frowned at Magnus, a bit surprised by hispossessive hold. Yes, we’d skirted around sex, and he’d declared hewould have me, but I’d never seen a non-Chosen demon actpossessively of another before.
Then I realized that, if he hugged Rislen orany of the other women here, I wouldn’t like that either. In fact,the idea made my blood boil a little. I didn’t have time to thinkabout my reaction as I sat beside the fire. The flickering flameswarmed my face and warded off the growing chill in the air.
“Won’t you sit?” Rislen asked Magnus when hestood beside me.
“I’d rather stand,” he replied.
“The trees won’t tolerate any fightinghere,” she said.
The leaves of the calamuts rustled as if inagreement and turned over though no breeze stirred the air. Magnusglanced at the calamuts before looking at Rislen again.
“I understand; I’ve seen what they can do,”he said.
Rislen focused on me. “Now, what has broughtyou and this demon here?”
The story poured out of me in a torrent ofwords and emotion. I struggled not to cry when I spoke abouteverything we’d witnessed, but I couldn’t stop the tears fromspilling as I recalled Corson’s woe and Lix’s desolation.
Rislen rested her hand on my knee. “You arestill so young,” she murmured as she patted my knee. “You are notas in control of your ability, or as capable of blocking what canbe the overwhelming emotions of others. You will get there, and wewill help you learn how.”
“I don’t doubt that,” I told her. “But I’mnot here to learn how to control my ability better.”
