Scorched Skies by Samantha Young Read Free Book Online

mockery.
    “Let me see it. It might say ‘ I love my cat ’ or something.”
    “Whatever,” Charlie growled back, but he held out his hand anyway. Jai grabbed it a little too roughly and Charlie cut him a dirty look. The Jinn was unmoved by Charlie ’ s attempt at intimidation, he always was, and it was starting to rub him the wrong way. “Well?” he snapped.
    Jai nodded. “It says justice. Luckily for you. You know you can ’ t trust online translations.”
    “I ’ m not stupid, I checked it out on a number of sites.”
    Were they really talking about his tattoo when Ari ’ s dad was… gone?
    As if reading his thoughts Jai grew serious again. “Ari ’ s upstairs with her uncle. She was still unconscious when he brought her here.”
    They stood together as Jai filled him in on what he imagined went down in Vickers ’ Woods and then what had happened afterwards. Shaking a little, Charlie walked slowly into the sitting room, his eyes catching on a photograph of Ari and Derek in their backyard playing softball. Charlie had taken the photograph years ago. Pain clawed at his chest and knocked the wind right out of him. Derek was gone. How the hell was Ari going to deal with that?
    “So you were bored?” Jai asked, following him into the room.
    Charlie nodded, glad for the distraction. “I thought I ’ d feel different, be able to do stuff, but so far, nothing.”
    The Jinn eyed him flatly. “Sorcerers generally need talismans to power their energy, natural metals and stones. Unless they ’ re defending themselves… oh man.” Jai sighed heavily, running a hand over his short hair. Charlie noted the guardian had a habit of doing that when he was in a situation he didn ’ t want to be in. Which was a lot. “I suppose I better tell you what I just told Ari.”
    Leaning against one of the shelving units, his arms crossed over his chest, not wanting to sit down and lose advantage over the Jinn, Charlie listened as Jai explained how magic use had consequences; how, unless the Jinn were defending themselves or using specific abilities born to them, they had to pull objects from other places. It sounded a little like stealing and Charlie knew right away that Ari had not taken this news very well. He smiled evilly at the Jinn, hoping that for once he was in Ari ’ s bad books. The relationship between Jai and Ari bothered Charlie. When Jai wasn ’ t looking Charlie had caught Ari watching the Jinn with something he ’ d never seen in her eyes before and when Ari wasn ’ t looking Charlie had caught Jai watching Ari with a look in his eyes that Charlie knew all too well. Jai could deny it until his face turned blue, but Charlie knew Jai had feelings for Ari. “Ari must be pretty pissed at you right about now.”
    “Right about now I think she ’ s awakening to discover her dad is dead.”
    Cursing under his breath and feeling ashamed for the millionth time, Charlie shook his head. Thinking of Ari and how she ’ d handle losing her dad, Charlie sank into a chair and eyed the room. “I never really understood Derek,” he admitted.
    “Oh?”
    He shrugged and looked over at Jai who had mirrored his actions, lowering himself to a chair. He looked genuinely interested, and Charlie wondered if the feelings Jai had for Ari were more than physical. “Derek always kept Ari at a distance. Even when we were kids. It was like he loved her but was afraid to, you know.”
    They were silent a moment, the pall in the air growing thicker as reality developed from words into the physical. Ari ’ s dad was dead. She would feel all alone. But she wasn ’ t. He wouldn ’ t let that happen to her.
    As if reading his thoughts, Jai ’ s deep voice cut through the room, “Why did you do it, Charlie? The sorcerer wish. And who did it? Surely you know that whoever it was has an agenda all their own?”
    “I ’ m not stupid. I realize that… that the Jinn who helped me will want something from me in return. But I finally