Page 105 of Heavensent & Hellbent

Zahhak had his hands in the air and, catching Zain unawares, used his powers on him again, dragging him closer with invisible threads. And it was my fault for distracting him—for doing the opposite of what I was meant to do in coming here.

I willed fire into my palms and shot fireball after fireball at Zahhak, the impact blowing him off his feet and sending him tumbling.

The pull he had on Zain broke once more, and Zain fell to the ground. I ran to him.

“Are you okay?” I breathed.

He stood, a thunderous expression on his face. “What are you doing? You’re going to get yourself killed.”

I shook my head. “No, I’m not.” It wasn’t just my current self who said this, but the many versions of me. They surged within me. Their power sang. They had died many times before, and now they willed us to survive.

“I’d like a little privacy,” I heard Zahhak purr behind me. I turned, and his hands were already raised in the air. He threw them down, and it was like we were encased in a bubble of his own making. Just Zain, Zahhak, and me. Beyond us was nothing but smoke.

“What…” I began.

Zain moved himself between me and Zahhak. “He’s blocked us from the rest of them.”

“I want to see your face, dear Roxana, when I kill your angel. With no interruptions, no disturbances,” Zahhak cooed, taking steps toward us. “Then I will kill you. It’s a shame, but maybe I will try again in the next cycle. Maybe your next self will be less…pathetic. Less of a traitor. Though that’s doubtful.”

I squared my shoulders.

“Thingsaredifferent this time,” I whispered.

“I can’t hear you, azizam,” Zahhak said with a laugh. “But anyway, first things first.” In his hands were daggers, which he tossed up. They stopped midair, hovering. Then he waved his hand, and they flew toward us. Zain shoved me back, away from them. Knives dug into each of his wings.

He yelled in pain, falling to his knees.

“Exactly what I thought you would do,” Zahhak said.

“Zain!” I cried. His face was instantly drained of blood.

“It is very easy to knock an angel down,” Zahhak mused. “Embarrassingly so. Their wings are so sensitive.”

Zain drew a breath and yanked the dagger out of his left wing, grunting gutturally as he did so. He was still on his knees, though. He needed time to recover.

Kill them, the snakes seemed to be hissing.

No.

The rush of Rabiya rumbled within me at the sight of Zain hurting, his wings bleeding, staining the white featherscrimson. While my heart broke at the sight, hers hardened.No, she said within me.

No, Bahar breathed.

No, Sahra roared.

No, Mahsa yelled.

No, Gol cried.

No, Anahita screamed.

All the versions of me after Rabiya saidno. Enough. And I felt all the other versions of me, predating Rabiya, who never met Zain but who felt our trauma, course through my body, willing the cycle to end.

I took a step forward, raging, and my flames erupted around us, creating another circle enclosing us. This time, Zain was outside the bubble, protected from Zahhak. Safe.

This was between me and the Jinn King.

“She’s learning,” Zahhak cooed, eyes darkening.