Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 98961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 495(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 495(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
“Thanks for that.” The djinn shimmers backward, moving so fast I can’t tell where she’s going.
“Dammit,” I mutter through clenched teeth. “It’s really fucking annoying when you do that.” Throwing my hands out, I spin around, looking for the djinn. I’d like to see her absorb hellfire and survive that, though telekinetically snapping her neck sounds satisfying as well. Spinning around, I grab Easton’s ankles again and telekinetically hoist him off the ground a few inches, helping me pull him away from the water. It takes concentration to move a person like this, and I accidentally drop him to the ground harder than I mean to.
“Come on out and make this easier for the both of us!” I shout into the woods. “We both know I’m not going to stop until you’re back in that ring!” And then undeniably chopped to pieces or burned into a crispy pile of dust.
“It doesn’t have to be like this.” The djinn slowly comes into view, stepping through the trees and emerging onto the small clearing right before the pond. “I can grant you one wish and then we can both be on our way.”
“Again: nice fucking try, but no. I know how you twist things and manipulate the system of wishes or whatever. It’s not real.”
“Like I could create an entire other universe?” She rolls her eyes so far back Eliza would be proud. “It would be contradictory of me, anyway. Changing the world means changing the outcome of someone else’s wish. What I do is one hundred percent customizable to the wisher.”
“Salesman of the year right there, really making me want one of those things.” I roll my eyes right back.
“Only a few have truly gotten what they’ve wanted. They weren’t greedy or unreasonable, but merely sought to right a wrong in the past. I can’t change the entire future, but I am able to travel backwards through time.”
“And change history? Yeah the fuck right.”
“Not all history. Just yours.” She steps out of the shadows and light from the energy ball illuminates her face. “Imagine, if you and Lucas went to that dinner with Eamon instead of staying and fighting Paimon.”
I don’t have to imagine it since I’ve thought about it. The ritual Paimon needed to perform had to happen at an exact time. If I wasn’t home, things wouldn’t have panned out for obvious reasons.
Would Julian still be alive? If he was, then he’d tell us the details of his deal, and Lucas wouldn’t have urged me to kill Famine.
And he wouldn’t be in hell.
I want it to be real so much my heart hurts. I would gain back two people if we could just knock off the course of history just a bit. The words burn in the back of my throat, begging to be said.
I wish…
“No,” I say out loud. “There’s always a catch.” The familiar energy of Binx gets stronger and stronger. He’s almost here. Balling my fists, I wonder if it’s worth testing out my theory that the djinn wouldn’t be able to absorb hellfire the same way she absorbed the other magic. Fighting against the urge to spit out the words, wishing the past to change, I push my shoulders back and hold out my right hand, summoning a large flame of blue hellfire.
The smug look on the djinn’s face fades away, eyes transfixed on the hellfire. “How is that possible?” she mumbles and then Binx pounces, shifting into shadow form as he sails through the air. He knocks the djinn back and I twist my wrist, telekinetically snapping her neck. Binx takes it further and twists her head around one more time.
She’s not dead, but she’s definitely slowed down. Binx shadows to me, circling me twice to make sure I’m okay.
“I’m fine,” I tell him. “Is Juliet okay?”
He lets me know that she misses me but she’s perfectly fine. Kristy was over when he was able to sense me again, and she’s on her way in her car, guided by Pandora. Freya and Scarlet stayed with Eliza, swearing to protect Juliet if need be.
I rush back to Easton, take off my jacket, and drape it over his torso. My stomach twists when I drop to my knees, trembling fingers going to his neck to feel for a pulse. His neck and chest are covered in his own blood. “Easton?” I ask and slide my fingers up and down his neck, unsure if I’m feeling his pulse or my own in my fingertips.
Binx shadows around Easton, helping me get him out of the woods. We’re not far from a gravel access road, and while it’s technically private property, that’s the least of my worries.
“Hey,” I say again and wrap a sleeve of my jacket around his wrist. “Hang in there, okay?” My voice catches in my chest. “I’m getting you help.” I take a hold of his wrist, trying to heal him, but I fail. Again.