Scorched Skies by Samantha Young Read Free Book Online Page B

breath she didn ’ t even know she ’ d been holding and she pushed herself up into a sitting position. She was still in the clothes she ’ d been wearing when she ’ d chased her dad out to Vickers ’ Woods but the sky was darkening outside so some hours had passed since then. “What ’ s going on?”
    “Derek is dead.”
    The words didn ’ t register at first. Ari blinked, her brain automatically trying to rearrange the sentence so it made sense. “What?” her lips felt numb all of sudden.
    “Derek is dead. He was killed.”
    Derek is dead.
    Ari shook her head, fumbling to push herself off the bed. She stumbled to her feet and shoved strength into her legs. She charged past her uncle and out of her room, racing down the hallway to her dad ’ s bedroom. She pushed open the door and found it empty. That didn ’ t mean anything. He was probably downstairs. Shaking now, Ari spun around to leave only to find the entrance blocked by The Red King.
    “He ’ s gone, Ari.”
    “No.” She shook her head, anger making her eyes glitter with unshed tears. “You ’ re lying.”
    Her uncle shook his head sadly. “The White King sent two Shaitans after you. One knocked you out in the woods and the other gave Derek a brain aneurism.”
    It was blunt. Harsh. It didn ’ t make sense. Dad? The things he ’ d said. Blunt. Something had hit her. It hurt. She ’ d switched off. DAD!   “I want to see him,” her voice shook. “I want to see him.”
    “We put him back in his car. Someone will find him and the coroner will declare it natural causes. It ’ ll be easier that way.”
    Natural causes?
    Derek is dead.
    The room spun and Ari fought to draw in oxygen. Everything. It had been for nothing. She hadn ’ t saved him. Who had she been kidding? Derek is dead.
    “I really do love you, kid. I guess I just never loved you enough.”
    “The White King?” she whispered hoarsely, hitting the floor with a painful thud when she miscalculated the space between her and the bed. She was vaguely aware of The Red King ’ s strong hands wrapping around her upper arms as he lifted her easily, like plucking a daisy from the grass. He sat her down on the bed and took two careful steps backwards. Ari found herself focusing on those very blue eyes of his. “The White King?” Her father had done this? Deliberately?
    Dad.
    The pain exploded out of her in soul wrenching fury as she screamed, the wail turning to body jarring sobs. She couldn ’ t feel her limbs. Everything was gone except for the agony in her heart and burning fire in her throat. There were distant sounds all around her. Hurried footsteps growing louder. Familiar male voices calling out in anxiety. And in among it all The Red King ’ s voice was there, authoritative, flat, in control. After a long while her cries began to slow, to ease, to quiet, and she became aware of the soft fabric against her wet cheeks. Ari blinked, the world returning to her in painful gulps. She was lying on her dad ’ s bed. It was dark outside now. Her swollen eyes looked over, following the Jinn presence she felt in the room. The Red King sat beside her on the bed, watching her. They were alone. Ari could have sworn Jai and Charlie had been in the room.
    “Why?” she croaked, another tear slipping down her cheek.
    Her dad was gone. Why?
    The Red King reached over, brushing her hair from her face in a fatherly gesture that added another crack to her already broken heart. “My brother ’ s plan was twofold. One, killing Derek was revenge for you outwitting him and two, if you seek vengeance for what he ’ s done, if you kill the Jinn who did this, you will be forced to Mount Qaf to be tried in court. Once The White King has you in Mount Qaf he ’ d use that opportunity to manipulate you to his will.”
    Ari let that settle on her for a moment.
    A moment was all it took for a small ember to flare into a rage. She sat bolt up, her body suddenly firing with energy. “I ’ m not going