Tightening my hold on River, I moved to barge right past her, but as I was a step from entering in the doorway, I hit something solid. An invisible barrier. I was forced to step back.

“Listen,” she said, an infuriating smirk on her lips. “It seems we’ve gotten off to a bad start. Why are you so bent on having Nuriya as your wish-granter?”

“Because I have no idea how competent you are,” I steamed.

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that. If there’s something that I can’t grant you, we’ll just go to my aunt. But I am your first point of contact. The queen is very busy, and I’ll have much more time for you… much more time.”

I could sense River shifting uncomfortably on her feet at the way Aisha was flirting with me so unashamedly.

Clearly, this girl wasn’t going to let us through, so I had no choice but to cave in. I moved my hand up River’s arm, brushing up her sleeve, and showed the jinni her tattoo.

“I need you to free River from the hold you have over her, and also get rid of this mark you’ve put on her skin.”

Finally, for the first time, the jinni’s eyes fell on River. Aisha’s lips tightened as her gaze roamed River, almost as though she was sizing River up. Then Aisha looked at her brand.

“Very well,” she said. “I can do that… But you are aware that if I do, she would be treated quite differently than the other half-bloods in this place.”

I shot the jinni a glare. “What do you mean? She is my girl, and I expect her to be treated not just as well as, but better than any other half-blood in this place.”

My girl.

I finally said it.

River’s hand squeezed mine a little more tightly.

Aisha shrugged. “Then I suggest that she keeps the tattoo. It’s just… a mark that she’s one of us. It’s only natural that we’d treat one of our own better than an outsider. It also offers her extra protection.”

I breathed out sharply, then looked back down at River.

She looked confused as to what to do.

“I… I guess I could just keep it?” she said, shrugging. “I mean, I’ve kind of gotten used to it by now.”

I looked back at the jinni, narrowing my eyes on her. I wondered if it was indeed true that having the mark would mean River was safer. I guessed it made sense, since being bonded meant that she was part of the Nasiri family, and as we’d experienced for ourselves when they’d saved us from those hunters who’d boarded our sub on our journey back to The Shade, these jinn did seem to look out for their own. As much as I was loath to do it, I agreed with River.

“Perhaps you will be safer with it,” I muttered.

If River decided to leave me, I could get it removed for her then. But until that time, it seemed that she would remain bonded with these creatures and keep bearing the black mark.

Aisha ran her tongue over her lower lip. “So is there anything else you want from me?”

I heaved a sigh. “Take us back up to the desert. I need to speak to my family.”

Chapter 16: Sofia

Ben let go of my hand.

I could hardly believe it when it was happening, and then it was too late. He’d broken off from the circle, and I was transported back to The Shade along with everyone else.

The moment my feet hit solid ground, I lost myself in a panic.

“Ben!” I screamed. “We left him behind!”

Derek’s face drained of all color and everyone froze, stunned.

To my surprise, the woman I assumed to be River’s mother—for I had not gotten a chance to speak with her yet—was also in hysterics.

“River!” she gasped. “My daughter! I lost my grip on her hand!”

“She let go of you too?” I asked, rushing up to her and grasping her shoulders.

“Let go? I thought she slipped! Why on earth would she let go of me?”

“You need to take us back there now,” Derek said to Ibrahim.

“Derek,” Ibrahim said, stepping forward, “I’m not going anywhere until I’ve found my wife. Going back to that place blindly is idiotic—look what almost happened to us! Corrine knows something about that place and I knew we should have waited for her before going there to begin with. I just knew it. I’m going to look for her again now.”

“Ibrahim,” I said, my voice trembling. “Please. We can’t wait that long. Ben, he—”

“Fifteen minutes,” Ibrahim said. “Fifteen minutes is all I ask for. If I haven’t returned by that time, Shayla and the other witches can transport you back to The Oasis without me.”

I looked at Derek desperately, then back at River’s mother, who looked like she was about to hyperventilate.

Although Ibrahim was right that waiting for Corrine’s insight might help us, we’d just left my son behind. I didn’t know that I could bear waiting more than a minute.

Derek looked torn as Ibrahim vanished from the spot. Then he approached me. Clenching his jaw, he said, “Let’s wait fifteen minutes. But not a second longer.”

Our hastily assembled army waited with us, making it clear that when we returned, they would all return with us. Although I recognized this, I was in far too much anguish to appreciate their loyalty to us in that moment. All I could think about was my son. We left him behind. Why did he let go of my hand? I couldn’t even begin to fathom why.

Those fifteen minutes must have been the hardest of my life. I couldn’t sit or stand still. I kept pacing up and down, wringing my hands while my insides churned. I could hardly bear to look at Rose. She looked so distraught as she stood near Derek, her fists clenched.