They were in White’s mortal home in Saint Lucia since it was clear his palace was a no-go area at the moment. He gazed at the beautiful Caribbean waters as he waited for quiet to fall over the home.
Finally, Lilif strolled out onto the bamboo-constructed balcony, the air around her crackling. He slid her a glance but didn’t say anything. There was nothing he could really say to soothe her. Asmodeus, her twin brother, had just tried to kill her.
If Azazil’s story was true, Lilif had allegedly tried to kill Asmodeus centuries ago. As far as White was concerned, Asmodeus’s recent attempt on his twin’s life was only fair, really.
Not that he was going to say that.
He looked back out at the water.
His mother had called him to her, leaving the Marids to deal with the search.
He didn’t know what she wanted, other than to abuse the Shaitans he had on staff at his villa and destroy designer furniture. For now, however, he was glad to be away from the pursuit that involved the wasteful destruction of their kind.
They stood in silence, White almost enjoying the moment, recalling the days not so long ago when the only being in this world he’d loved had been his mother, when Red’s voice blasted into his head. Tell Lilif Ari has Charlie and she’s prepared to make a deal.
The White King stopped himself from tensing at the message and replied, That so obviously screams trap. You may be right. Mother may in fact be insane, but she’s not stupid.
Just do it.
It’s your funeral, White thought to himself before he turned casually to his mother. “I just received a message from your son, The Red King.”
She glanced sharply at him. “And?”
“He says Ari has Charlie and is prepared to make a deal.”
Lilif sneered. “Trap.” She flicked him a suspicious look. “Does this mean you’ve been communicating privately with your brother behind my back? I’d hate to think you are the reason Charlie was put into protective custody in the first place.”
White stared her down. “Red and I aren’t exactly on speaking terms these centuries. This is the first I’ve heard from him.”
Giving him a haughty nod, she turned to stare out at the water again. “As I said, it’s obviously a trap.”
“Oh, you think?” he muttered sarcastically.
“You were far less impertinent when you were younger.”
“What can I say? I’ve developed an edge.”
For some reason, that made her laugh. “Indeed you have.” She chuckled again and then fell quiet, her mood turning introspective. Five minutes later, she shrugged. “What do I do? Do I take the bait?”
Before he could curb his tongue, he found himself being helpful. “If I were you, I’d use the Cloak and discover for myself whether he’s really there.”
Lilif mulled this over for a moment and then turned her body to face his. “If I do, I want you to be ready to jump into the fray with me.”
When Mexico freezes over. “Of course, Mother.”
“Okay.” She nodded, decided. “Ask Red where Ari and the boy are.”
***
They had one last chance to take Lilif by surprise.
After Asmodeus let her go, Ari counted on the fact that Lilif believed her brother didn’t have it in him to kill her. So, just in case Lilif was hiding in the Cloak watching all, Ari reversed her and Asmodeus’s roles this time around. She, along with Jai and Trey, stood in Rancocas State Park, again in the clearing where Pazuzu had almost killed Trey. Behind the three of them stood the bait, a nervous but willing Charlie Creagh.
Lilif would never see Jai and Trey as a threat because she could command them to do what she wanted. However, they were there to take care of Charlie when Ari and Asmodeus began the final battle. Their presence was a risk. That’s why the new plan had to go off without a hitch. It meant relying on Asmodeus, and Ari was more than a bit nervous she was going to end up shit creek without a paddle.
“This waiting thing is kind of making me need to pee,” Charlie commented quietly.
Ari shot him a look over her shoulder. “I told you to pee before we left.”
“Yeah, I did. It’s funny how fear can shrink your bladder to the size of a walnut.”
Jai glanced back at him now.
“You’re doing fine.”
“You won’t be saying that when I pee myself.”
Trey grinned and attempted to be helpful. “Actually, although fear can weaken the bladder, it can also tense it up.
Let’s hope you’re that kind.”
“You have much experience with fear and tense bladders?”
Trey gestured to the clearing. “Had my throat slit right in this clearing. That was kind of scary.”
Ari winced and Jai shot Trey a disbelieving look. Charlie made an almost humorous squeak. “Is he kidding?” he asked Ari. “Please tell me he’s kidding. No one said anything about throat cutting. I’m rethinking this whole shark-chum thing. I’m not really a brave guy.”
“Yes, you are,” Ari told him sternly.
“Now tighten up that bladder and be quiet. Please.”
He answered her with a minute of silence before murmuring, “A little gratitude would be nice.”
She’d just flashed him a shaky grin when the oak off to the side of her began to shimmer. All of them sensed it and her magic immediately sought Jai’s and Trey’s, ember colliding, sparks flying.
Lilif stepped out of the Cloak.
She smirked and then narrowed cold eyes on Ari. “My brother abandoned you, then? You think you can take me on alone?”
Asmodeus! Now!
The tall, dark Jinn burst out of the Peripatos with renewed determination and as he lunged at a shocked Lilif, Ari could see the raw pain in his face fueling his need to end this once and for all. She almost thanked the heavens for it and hoped his expression meant this was the end. Lilif shot out a charm at the four of them before Asmodeus knocked her to the ground, but the charm bounced off the strong protection enchantment they’d created around them. With one last look at Jai, Ari blurred across the clearing and latched onto Asmodeus … and then the world was whirling and spinning and rushing and tumbling and sucking and squeezing and crushing …
She came to a crashing halt, her back on warm sand, a low sun casting heat across a darkening desert. It was a landscape she remembered from her visions when Lilif and the Seal were inside her.