I nodded, gulping. “I guess I’m just trying to think of what could go wrong… I suppose not much, right? I mean, I can’t see how the situation could get any worse than Ben being bound eternally to those jinn. I can only imagine that good can come of this…” Even as I said the words, doubt gripped me.
“I can only assume so,” Derek replied, a similar unsettled expression on his face.
After that, all of us passed the next hour waiting in mostly silence for Cyrus to return. Some of the vampires—Rose and Ashley at the lead—considered the jinni’s offer of refreshments. But the jugs were filled with human blood. I could hardly remember the last time I’d relished the sweet delicacy, but as much as the blood called to me, there was no way I could give into the urge. I simply couldn’t. I was pleased to see that my daughter, Ashley and everyone else also refrained once they realized that it was human blood. Just two decades ago, the older vampires in this room wouldn’t have thought twice about chugging down the human blood. Now, after practicing abstinence from it for so long and training their murderous nature, they were averse to it even when it was presented to them—quite literally—on a silver platter.
When Cyrus returned, he manifested himself in the same spot he had left, just in front of his throne.
“We are ready,” he said, a hint of excitement in his voice. “Let us return to the sand above, where my army is waiting.”
He led us out of the door, retracing the same path he’d taken in bringing us down here. Climbing up the jeweled staircase, we emerged back in the desert of black sand. Surrounding us was a huge swarm of jinn. It took my breath away to see how many there were. They each shared similar features: smooth ebony skin and heavily set jaws—heavier than the Nasiris’. The women had tightly curled hair, and most of the men were bald—some sporting immaculately sculpted goatees.
“So tell me, Jeriad.” Cyrus faced the shifter. “How exactly do you propose to lead us to the Nasiris?”
“We dragons must fly by our own strength, of course,” Jeriad replied. Of course, I forgot. “For as you know, we do not accept transport from magical beings. You may fly with us on our backs, for there is plenty of space. Or, if you wish to fly using your own powers, you can soar alongside us.”
“We shall soar alongside you,” Cyrus replied after a moment of thought.
“Our destination in the human realm is a country called Egypt,” Jeriad said. “The Nasiris reside in a desert, whose name is… I forget these human names.” Jeriad looked toward Derek.
“The Sahara Desert,” Derek prompted.
“Then pray, lead us there,” Cyrus said. “Since we’re not traveling by magic, it will take some time, and I am most eager to reunite with old acquaintances…”
We returned through the same portal that we had arrived through, on the beach in the country of ogres. Traveling with supernatural speed—the jinn soaring at the dragons’ side—it wasn’t long before we arrived back in the Sahara Desert. The spell of shade that was cast upon us before we left The Shade was still active, though my throat still felt parched as we descended and touched down on the sand. The jinn cast their eyes about, scanning the area expectantly. We walked around the dunes until we located The Oasis’ boundary.
“Interesting,” Cyrus said, laying his hands flat against the invisible wall. “This is where she has been all this time… Do you know how many jinn live here?”
Jeriad looked to Derek and me for an answer. I shrugged. We really hadn’t spent much time down there. It was hard to give even an estimate. From the look on Derek’s face, he wasn’t sure either.
“We aren’t certain,” I replied. “But if I had to take a wild guess, I would say at least a dozen.”
“A dozen,” Cyrus said thoughtfully, more to himself than to anyone else. “I wonder if more outcasts joined her…”
He ran his hands along the barrier before he cleared his throat and addressed his jinn companions in a low voice. “We’re strong enough to break through this together.” He turned to Jeriad. “I suggest that the rest of you stand back. Far back.”
Derek’s hand slid into mine as we all moved backward with the dragons, while the jinn moved forward and lined up against the barrier. They adopted the same stance as Cyrus—shoulders squared, palms resting against the invisible wall.
A moment later, there was a searing flash of light, so bright that I feared for Derek’s human eyes. I reached instinctively for his neck and tugged him to face the opposite direction.