Chapter 23
"Heyder," Ali looked up at his friend as the jinn kneeled in front of them glared up with angry eyes. "He's not going to speak."
"No, shit," Heyder growled.
"Maaz is on his way," the jinn spit out through his teeth. "You have gone too far."
Angered, Heyder's eyes pulsed silver, ready to blast off the jinn from the face of the earth.
"Be very careful with your next words," Heyder warned. "There's a reason why I'm on the throne and not you."
"Because you're a killer," the jinn said. "And a traitor."
"Because I will slit your throat right now, right here and not even blink an eye," Heyder glared.
"Go ahead. You killed the man that raised you...." the jinn laughed. "Who am I compared to him?"
Heyder raised his hand high above his head and summoned his magic. The jinn's words had lit up the guilt he had been carrying around for years. He reminded himself why he had killed Zubair, but no matter how much he tried to bury it, Heyder couldn't overcome the sinking feeling inside of his chest.
As the raw lethal magic gathered in Heyder's palm, Ali's eyes grew concerned. He knew better than to get in his friend's way. But killing the jinn wouldn't make the guilt any lighter. Ali struggled to find some way to divert Heyder's attention when Hayden stepped out in the clearing.
"Baba," the boy looked at his father with the same concern as Ali.
"You should not be here, Hayden," Heyder didn't take his eyes off of the jinn counting the seconds until Heyder's hand ripped through his chest.
Hayden slowly crossed the distance between him and his father. He laid his hand down on Heyder's shoulder and urged his arm to lower.
"Mom is worried," he said. "So is Birdie. She's turning pale and red all at the same time."
His jaw working and his eyes shifting focus, Heyder slowly lowered his hand. Taking a step back, he looked up at Ali and opened his mind-link.
Take him to Maksim, Heyder said.
Are you sure? Ali pulled the jinn to his feet.
We can't take him to court and risk the news of the feys spreading. Maaz already knows and I bet he is on his way.
What do we do about his mind-link? Ali asked. We can keep him out of the court but he's probably calling everyone he knows.
Before Heyder could respond, Hayden stepped forward and raised his hand. The blue light that emitted from his palm made the jinn hiss in disgust and struggle. Hayden lowered his palm to the jinn's forehead and the flames started to die as if someone had stomped out a wildfire.
Ali held up the boy's limp body as he returned to his human form. Hayden waited until all the flames were out to step back and look up at his uncle.
"What did you do?" Ali asked.
"I severed his mind-link," Hayden said.
"That's not possible."
"It is for me," Hayden said quietly before turning away to look at his father.
Heyder stared at his son for a few lingering seconds before shifting his gaze back to Ali.
"Take him to Maksim," he said.
"Alright," Ali threw the sleeping jinn over his shoulder.
Hayden and Heyder watched as the portal opened and Ali stepped through. The forest suddenly fell silent, the snow eating up and sound. Heyder's eyes landed on the puddle of melted snow on the ground where he had kept the jinn kneeled.
