djinn wars 04 - broken (20 page)

“Fool,” Qadim fumed. “Wretched fool. At least he had already served his purpose.”

Those words spurred her to ask, “What purpose?”

The scowl that creased his brow only deepened. He didn’t reply at once, but reached out and took the edge of her T-shirt between his fingers so he could lift it up. Julia flinched, thinking he must have saved her from Margolis so he could have her for himself. But the djinn only moved the shirt enough out of the way so he could inspect the spot where Margolis had pressed his knife to her side.

“He did hurt you.”

“What?” All right, the point of contact there throbbed a little, but she hadn’t thought much of it.

Qadim touched his index finger to her skin, then lifted it away. There was a smear of bright blood on his fingertip.

“Oh,” she said blankly.

“Do not move.”

He went into the bathroom and came back with a moistened washcloth, which he pressed up against her side. She winced, realizing in that moment how much the wound actually did hurt.

“It is not deep,” he said. “But you should remain still for a few moments until the bleeding stops.”

Which meant she’d have to sit there and allow Qadim to go on touching her. True, she was grateful to him for interceding, for preventing Margolis from carrying out his assault, but that didn’t mean she wanted to prolong their contact any more than was necessary.

“Let me,” she told him, and placed her own hand on the washcloth. For a few seconds he didn’t move, but let her fingers rest against his. At last he took his hand away, and Julia permitted herself a small, barely perceptible sigh of relief. But she wasn’t so relieved that she would allow the previous thread of their conversation to be lost. “What was Margolis’ purpose? Besides being your lackey, that is.”

“Not a very good one.” Qadim gestured with one hand, and the chair on the far side of the room, the one next to the highboy, came drifting over. He sat down on it, gaze intent on her. His new position was marginally better than having him stand there and loom over her, but she didn’t much care for their proximity. It felt far too intimate.

Julia didn’t protest, however. He had just saved her from the proverbial fate worse than death. She could only hope he hadn’t done so in order to keep her for himself.

“No, I knew the only thing that would lure you from Los Alamos was some crisis in Santa Fe. Because of your…history…with Margolis, I guessed his escape would bring you out to investigate. And then, once you were out and away from the protection of those infernal devices that keep those of my kind at bay, you could be used to bring Zahrias al-Harith to me.”

“Why do you hate him so much?” she whispered. Because while she knew that Zahrias could sometimes appear cold and commanding, she also knew he was certainly not evil, not the sort of man who could have done anything to invoke such hatred. And hatred that had been a long time brewing, if she was any judge of character. In general, people didn’t concoct such elaborate schemes on the spur of a moment for a minor slight. Besides, she’d been around the djinn enough to know that, although many of them probably wouldn’t appreciate the comparison, they were not so very different from mortals as they would like to believe.

Qadim’s jaw clenched. “That is no concern of yours.”

“I should think it is,” she retorted, “considering you’ve dragged me into the middle of it.”

“Even so, it is not something I wish to discuss with you at the moment.” His gaze flickered down to her waist. “Let me see how your wound fares.”

With some reluctance, she lifted the washcloth away from her side, trying to ignore the twinge she felt as she did so. Thank God her tetanus booster would protect her for a few more years. After that — well, it was something she’d need to get Miles working on. All right, he was a physicist, not a doctor, but surely he could figure something out.

“The bleeding has stopped,” Qadim informed her. “But if you wish a bandage — ”

“No,” she cut in. The last thing she wanted was to give him another excuse to touch her. “If it’s stopped bleeding, then it should be fine.”

“As you wish.” He rose from his chair, but remained there, gazing down at her.

Her throat tightened. If he intended to try anything….

She forced herself to say, “Thank you, Qadim. Thank you for stopping him.”

The djinn nodded. He made a flicking movement with one hand, and Margolis’ crumpled corpse disappeared from the room. Then Qadim bent low, his face close enough that Julia feared he intended to try kissing her again. But instead he spoke, saying, “I think there are many things I would like to do for you. All you have to do is ask.”

Surprised by her own boldness, she replied, “Then let me go.”

A deep rumble of laughter within his chest as he straightened and looked down at her with amusement. “Many things, Julia Innes…but not that.”

And then he was gone.

The sun began to inch its way upward above the mountain range to the east. Zahrias leaned up against a split-rail fence that bordered a small ranch and somehow managed to refrain from cursing. His people did not suffer from hunger and weariness and thirst the way mortals did, but he knew he could not go on like this for much longer without allowing himself some sort of refreshment.

He reached out with his mind.
Jasreel.

Zahrias,
came the immediate reply.

I assume you have had no more luck than I.

No, I’m afraid not. We did come across one compound that looked promising at first, but that was only because it had solar power, and the lighting system inside the house was on a timer. But no one was there.

Of course not. It had been an idle question, really; if Jasreel had found anything, he would have contacted Zahrias right away.

What now?
the younger djinn asked.
Should we go back to Santa Fe and regroup? I fear that Jessica cannot go on much longer. She needs to eat and drink and rest.

Something Zahrias should have thought of. If he was feeling wearied, he could only imagine what Jessica must be experiencing right now, mortal that she was. Her worry for Julia and her attachment to Jasreel would have kept her going through the night, but he could not expect her to continue without any respite.

Take her home,
Zahrias told his cousin.
I will continue for as long as I can, but I cannot expect the same of your Chosen.

But if you should come across Qadim alone —
Jasreel began. Apprehension was clear in his words.

Then I will manage him on my own. This was always my fight, Jasreel. I thank you for the assistance you’ve given so far.

A long pause.
Very well, Zahrias. But reach out to me if you should need help.

I will try.
In his heart, Zahrias knew he would not do such a thing. He had never intended to put Jasreel in harm’s way. As he had said, this was his fight, and his alone.

The mental contact ended, and Zahrias pushed himself away from the fence. He had more or less exhausted the area closer to the highway, and so it was time to move deeper along this country road.

With the growing light, he could see that his surroundings really were quite beautiful. Trees bordered the road — which still appeared to have been given the designation of a highway, even though it consisted of only two lanes and was quite narrow — and warm-toned autumn wildflowers grew to either side. But Zahrias noticed all of this only in passing, because he was too busy pausing at each lane and track that led off from the highway to the individual properties. As had been the case all night long, they were deserted and quiet, their inhabitants dead for the past year. He thought some of his people might have come this way at one point, rescuing farm animals and bringing them back to Santa Fe, but he had not gone on any of those expeditions.

A set of fresh tire tracks made him stop short, however. They cut off from the highway and went down a slender lane. There were even faint black rubber marks on the asphalt right before it turned to gravel, as if the driver had pulled off in a hurry and had been going too fast for the road conditions.

Exactly the sort of thing Richard Margolis might have done.

Pulse quickening, Zahrias turned down the narrow track, which was bordered on either side by long rows of aspen trees, just beginning to turn golden. In a week or so, they would probably be quite spectacular, but right then he paid them little heed. A moment later, he spied a large house, painted a warm dark ochre shade. Parked in front of the three-bay garage was a large black truck. Smoke issued from one of the home’s chimneys, sending the fragrant, familiar scent of burning wood on the cool morning air.

She was here. He knew it, for this was the only sign of life he had yet to see in Pojoaque. How best to approach, though? For the moment, he thought the trees shielded him, because the lane curved slightly as it approached the house, and so anyone looking out the front windows wouldn’t be able to see someone coming down the lane. However, he was also close enough that Qadim might be able to sense his presence.

Well, that was what they both wanted, wasn’t it? To force a confrontation, so this might be over with once and for all?

Zahrias stepped out from the shelter of the trees and strode down the lane. The sun was rising ever higher, casting its golden light on him. It warmed his flesh, reassured him, helped to wash away some of the weariness from his fruitless search of the night before.

Another flash of gold caught his eye. Two figures approached, one tall even for a djinn, in somber earth-shaded robes. The other seemed to be wrought of gleaming metal. No, not metal, but shimmering silk, molding itself to her form, her long, honey-colored hair falling over her shoulders.

Julia.

And next to her Qadim, his expression curiously pleased. “Well met, Zahrias.”

“I think not,” Zahrias replied. He looked past the earth elemental to Julia. Had she ever been more beautiful than she was in that moment, when she looked like some spirit of air and fire herself, not quite mortal? “Are you well?” he asked.

“Yes, Zahrias. He — he hasn’t hurt me.” But there was some hesitation in her voice, enough to make him level a glare at Qadim.

The other djinn lifted his shoulders. “She is telling the truth.
I
have not harmed her. Captain Margolis wished to, but he will bother her no more.”

“He is dead?”

“Yes.”

Zahrias could not allow himself to feel too much relief at that particular revelation, for his true enemy still stood before him. “Good,” he said shortly. “Well, then, Qadim, since that particular matter has been taken care of, let us get down to business.”

“‘Business’?” Qadim echoed. “Is that how you refer to the woman of your heart?”

“It is business,” Zahrias replied, taking care to keep his voice even, “because you know that she has very little to do with any of this. A means to an end, that is all she is to you.”

“If you say so.” Qadim stepped closer to Julia, then lifted a strand of her hair and let it slip through his fingers. She didn’t move, although Zahrias thought he could see a slight shudder go through her. He had to exert all his will to remain standing where he was, to prevent himself from moving closer so he could strike the other djinn for his temerity in touching her in such a way. “I do not think you give her the proper credit. I have not spent very much time in her company, but I am coming to realize that she is far more than a means to an end.”

Zahrias ground his teeth.
He is only goading you,
he told himself.
He means nothing of what he says.

But he had seen the flicker in Qadim’s dark eyes, the way his gaze lingered on Julia a little too long before returning his attention to Zahrias. Yes, the earth elemental might have begun this enterprise as a way to get his revenge for the slight on his sister, but it appeared that now he desired a far greater reward than that.

A reward he would never have. Zahrias knew he would die before he allowed Qadim to make her his.

“Yes, a rare jewel,” he said. “But a jewel only shines when its beauty is given willingly. And I cannot think you are willing, are you, Julia?”

She shook her head. Then she replied, “He wouldn’t tell me what this is all about, Zahrias. I’m only here because he had Margolis bring me to this place.” Her eyes met his then, steady enough, but he could see the pleading in that gaze. She wanted him to make this right.

Which he would, no matter the cost. Voice cold, he said, “What is it you want, Qadim? An apology? Some sort of recompense for a slight that was never intended? Name your price.”

Qadim smiled. “I could say that my price is Julia Innes, but I know you will never agree to that. But perhaps I am thinking too small. Perhaps I would have her, and control of your little demesne down in Santa Fe as well.”

“I will never agree to that.” Truly, had some madness seized the other djinn? Zahrias’ post had been given to him by the elders of their world, that he might be steward of the community of Chosen there. It was not his to offer up, even if he wished to do such a thing…which he most certainly did not. As for Julia….

“No, I did not think you would.” Qadim shrugged. “At any rate, my doing so would certainly not satisfy my sister’s need for justice, and since I am her champion….”

“She would have done better to advocate on her own behalf,” Zahrias said sharply. “Is she so frail and feeble that she cannot speak for herself?”

A flash of teeth. “You know my sister, delicate, fragile flower that she is.”

Hardly,
Zahrias thought in some disgust.
More like a Venus flytrap, luring in its prey and then devouring them whole.
But while he guessed that Qadim had a very good idea of his sister’s character flaws, Zahrias did not believe now was a good time to mention any of them. “So what will satisfy Lyanna’s ‘need for justice,’ as you put it? The fortune I left behind in our world? I have no need of it here, and so I am happy to give it to her, if it will salve her wounded pride.”