Djinn (9 page)

We finally slowed to a stop. I opened my eyes to see the boy staring down at me. His face was like an angel, perfect pale skin and golden eyes.

My golden eyes.

I was taken aback. I'd never met anyone with golden eyes before. How could this boy have the same unique eye colour as me?

"Are you alright?" he asked.

I couldn't speak, couldn't move.
Was I alright? Why would he care? Why do you have my eyes?

I glanced away from his face and then I saw what I'd done. My knife was lodged in the boy's torso, my hand still on the blade.

Was I alright? You've got a knife in your stomach!

I glanced back to his angelic face. He didn't even seem to feel it; there was no reaction. He only stared at me with concern. I pulled the blade out again, but even though it was nearly as long as my forearm, his wound was barely more than a tiny cut.

"What …" I breathed, dropping the blade.

The boy's eyes never wavered from my face. He reached up and pulled a lump of mud and leaves from my hair.

I stabbed you. I stabbed you and you're acting like nothing happened.

My mind was reeling, and yet I couldn't tear my eyes away from his face. He was barely distinguishable, mud and water streaked across his face like war paint. His body was warm, despite being soaked with rain, and his arms felt safe around me.

Dad's screams filled the air.

"Dad!" My head whipped up.

He was on his knees, Pyke standing over him with an ice spike in his hand. Dad was bleeding, small stab wounds in his chest, and his face was a bloody mess. While I was here staring at that boy, Dad was being beaten up by Pyke.

I pushed the boy away, avoiding looking at him, and squirmed through the mud in an attempt to stand.

"Dad!" I screamed again, as if hearing my voice would be enough for him to take action once more, but I could see it in the way he looked at Pyke. He was defeated.

"You deserve to die after what you've done," Pyke said.

"I'm sorry." I saw Dad mouth like he couldn't speak, blood dripping from the corners of his mouth.

I raked my fingers through the mud. I had to get to him. I had to save Dad.

Pyke held Dad by the throat, an ice spike in his other hand. The point of the icicle just skimmed Dad's neck.

"No!" I screamed, finding my footing and running toward Pyke.

Pyke's eyes were locked on my unconscious father. I lunged at him but he tossed me aside like a doll. The blow winded me, and I could hardly breathe or move. Pyke raised the spike up ready to strike and I was frozen in place, literally, the power of Pyke rendering my feet useless.

The boy swooped in and grabbed Pyke's arm before he could strike.

"Don't do it, Pyke!" he shouted through gritted teeth.

Pyke struggled against him, but the other boy was clearly stronger.

"Let me go, Will," Pyke demanded. "I have to."

This Will character twisted the ice from Pyke's hand and held him in a headlock. Why did Pyke want to kill Dad so badly?

"I won't let you do it," Will said. "Calm down and stick with the mission."

Pyke struggled, but Will wouldn't give an inch. Eventually, Pyke had no choice but to give in.

Will released Pyke, who fell to his knees. The ice around my legs receded into water.

He glanced over at Mia who was beginning to stir again.

"You good?" he asked.

Mia had a half-confused, half-angered look in her eyes.

"I'll be fine," she said, standing up.

"Grab Kyra."

I wanted to move, but my legs just wouldn't work, or maybe it was the mud slicking me to the ground like glue. Either way, I was frozen in place. Mia glanced down at me with burning fury.

"Get up," she said.

I couldn't move, so she bent down and lifted me to my feet. She pulled my arms behind my back, enough so it hurt a little. I winced and looked to Dad, his eye already swollen and his lip cut deep.

"It's okay, kiddo. I love you," he said and I wanted to cry.

The boy punched Dad in the jaw, knocking him unconscious. I watched as his body fell to the ground. I'd never seen Dad like that before, bruised, bloodied and helpless. I thought with all the training he'd put me through no one could beat him, like he was untouchable.

He was supposed to be untouchable.

"Dad!" I screamed, hoping he would wake up and we could still get out of this mess.

I struggled against the Mia's grip but she only twisted my arm more.

"Mia, you're hurting her," the boy said.

I was surprised at how sincere he sounded and it reminded me of our moment in the mud.

"Relax, Will," Pyke said. "We have to be careful with this one. She's got fighting skills."

"Ivan requested she not be hurt," Will replied. He didn't look at me. In fact, I'm pretty sure he was avoiding my gaze all together.

"I agree with Pyke," Mia said. "She needs to be hurt a little."

"You won't hurt her," Will ordered in an authoritative tone. "Either of you."

"I don't want to hurt her," Pyke said, glancing back down at Dad, but Will gave him a warning look.

"She cut my face, Will!" Mia pointed to the still bleeding slice on her cheek. "My face!"

"If you ask me, it's an improvement," Pyke said, and even I wanted to hit him.

"No one asked you!" Mia snapped.

"Enough!" Will said. "We got what we came for, it's time to go."

"What about him?" Pyke gestured to Dad with a disgusted nod of his head. "Let's kill him."

They stared down at Dad contemplating his death and a sudden panic overtook my body.

"No!" I shouted. "You can't. Please, I'll go with you, just don't hurt him!"

Mia pulled me back like I was a dog on a lead. "Darling, you don't really have a choice whether you come with us or not."

I tried to tear my body from Mia's iron grip, ignoring all the pain it was causing me. I couldn't let them kill my dad. I still didn't understand why they wanted to; none of this made any sense.

"Stop struggling," Pyke said, his eye catching mine. "Trust us, you'll want us to kill him when you find out—"

"Quiet, Pyke!" Will snapped. "Ivan requested—"

"Oooh, Ivan requested," Pyke imitated with a mock high-pitched voice.

"Grow up." Mia rolled her eyes.

"Ivan wanted to tell her. We are only supposed to retrieve her," Will said, in a tone that implied it wasn't the first time.

"Please," I begged, wishing they would just listen. "Don't kill my dad. Please!"

I tried to lock eyes with Will, as he was clearly the leader. I stared at his face, shadowed by the Ute's headlights, until he had no choice but to look me in the eye. I searched Will for any sign that he might spare him. In my mind I begged, like he might read my thoughts.

"We're leaving," he said, tearing his eyes away.

"Will?" Pyke said in disbelief.

"Leave him." Will turned his back and walked down the driveway.

"You can't be serious," Pyke called, shaking his head.

"Will is right," Mia agreed.

"You're both idiots," Pyke said. "He deserves to die."

"We want her to trust us," Mia reminded Pyke, though I had no idea why they thought I would. "If we kill him, she never will. Their bond is too strong."

"He deserves it!"

Mia pushed me away into Pyke's arms like she was done with everything, and followed Will. I tried to push away from him, but he gripped my wrists, holding me in place. His eyes locked on mine, so full of anger.

"Please …" I said. "Please. Don't."

Something in Pyke's eyes softened, like he saw my desperation, but it was gone in an instant and he spun me around, arms behind my back again.

"Get moving," Pyke said and pushed me forward, forcing me away from Dad. I tried to turn back, but Pyke kept me marching.

I thought if Pyke looked back at Dad he might reconsider letting him live, so I stopped fighting. I could only strain my neck, trying to keep my eyes on Dad, knowing it was probably the last time I would ever get to see him.

Chapter Nine

Pyke guided me down the driveway and out to the main road. The rain had eased, but it was still a light mist over the world. Not that it mattered; we were all soaked to the bone anyway. I spotted a black car parked on the side of the road in front of the driveway. It was the same car I'd seen at school the day before.

I didn't want to go with them. I had to get back to Dad, he could be dying. The thought made my pulse race and I stopped in my tracks.

"Keep moving," Pyke said, pushing me forward, but I wasn't going anywhere.

I kicked my leg back and hit Pyke in the shin. He immediately let go of me and reached down to his injured leg. I spun around and punched him in the jaw. He stumbled back, running his hand along his chin before charging at me. I tried to land another punch, but Pyke tackled me into the side of the car, pinning my arms to my sides. His body was pressed up against mine, blood in the corner of his mouth where I'd hit him. He was breathing hard, eyes darting.

"Let me go," I said, breathing equally as hard.

Pyke's chest was warm against mine. I could feel his muscles moving under his soaked shirt. His face was close to mine, eyes locked with me. He moved his hand and I flinched.

Was he going to kill me? Would he go back and kill Dad?

But all I heard was the click of the car door opening.

"Get in," he said and shoved me onto the seat.

Mia was already in place on the far side, seatbelt fastened. She looked at her reflection in a hand mirror while trying to fix her damp hair. She was putting extra effort into ignoring me.

Will was in the driver's seat, hands on the steering wheel, waiting until Pyke slipped into the passenger seat next to him. He started the car and the engine purred, so unlike our Ute, that had spent a lot of its life in auto shops.

Will's hand flicked a button on the steering wheel and all the doors locked in place. I looked to the handle nearest me, wanting to try push it open, leap from the car and run back for Dad.

"Don't even think about it," Mia said, reading my mind. She was applying more eyeliner, despite the fact that none of her previous make-up had come off.

A pile of bloodied tissues sat between us. Mia had tended to the knife wound on her cheek, which brought my thoughts back to when I stabbed Will in the side and it left little more than the scratch on Mia's face.

"What are you?" I blurted out. "I don't understand what's going on. The things you can do, and Dad …" I paused for moment remembering him blasting Pyke across the yard with his magical wind powers. "What the hell is going on?"

"Relax," Pyke said, leaning back in his seat, arms behind his head. "Just enjoy the drive."

"You're kidding, right?" I replied. I seemed to have found my voice again and I was prepared to use it.

"Do as he says, darling, or I'll shut you up myself," Mia added, her attention clearly elsewhere as she moved her finger, drawing pictures on the fogged up window.

"Whoever you are, can't you just let me go? I mean whatever my dad did, I'm sure we could work something out."

Pyke snickered. "Oh, she's adorable and clueless."

"How about I knee you again and we'll see how adorable I am?" I replied.

Pyke turned in his seat ready to lean into the back and grab me. "What did you say?"

"Pyke!" I didn't even see Will's hand leave the steering wheel but it was on Pyke, fast. He gripped his jacket and pushed him back in the seat. "Just ignore her."

"Ignore me!" I said. "You can't kidnap a person and not tell them why! I deserve to know why you kidnapped me. What do you want?"

Will sighed, like it was such a chore to babysit me. "We didn't kidnap you."

I burst into laughter. "That's funny. You guys are hilarious. What do you call it then? An outing? A play date?"

"We didn't kidnap you," Will repeated, like I didn't just laugh in his face. He turned to me, taking his eyes off the road to give me his full attention. "Kyra, we were rescuing you. You've been missing for sixteen years."

I stared blankly at Will. He gave me a look of sympathy and turned back to the road.

"What happened to waiting until we got back?" Pyke asked, in a superior tone.

"She had to know," Will replied.

I couldn't move, couldn't blink. He was lying, obviously, was my first thought. As if I'd been missing for sixteen years. No, they were just trying to get in my head and throw me off.