Page 48 of Heavensent & Hellbent

“Naturally, yes.”

“Cool, this is a very normal and chill conversation.”

Zain turned off the engine. “It’s important that you know. And in the Underworld, jinn are much stronger than they are on Earth. So, as well as sticking with me, don’t let yourself be persuaded by any you meet. They can be very…alluring. Just don’t speak to them, okay?”

“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t want to.”

“Some are seriously pure evil.”

Pure evil. Something about the way Zain described jinn sparked a memory just out of reach. It threatened to show itself, but the thought, frustratingly, faded away, even as I tried to grab hold of it.

“I feel like we’ve had this conversation before. Something about what you’re saying sounds familiar.”

“You said Rabiya was tricked by them, right?” Zain offered.

“Yeah,” I said, voice distant. Why hadn’t I told Zain about the balls of fire coming from Rabiya’s hands? Or my mother’s words, the idea that Rabiya thought she could handle herself against the jinn?Because you know you shouldn’t, a voice seemed to be telling me.

“Do you know why the jinn freaked out when I touched it yesterday?” I asked quietly.

Zain shook his head. “I’ve been thinking about that. I’ve never heard of human touch repelling a jinn.”

I didn’t say anything.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

I nodded and left the car. I debated bringing my bag with me, but it felt useless where we were going, so I took the lighter out and put it into my jeans pocket. I had worn a practical Underworld outfit today: baggy jeans, a long-sleeved top, and my Doc Martens.

What I wasn’t expecting was for Zain to cross the street and make his way toward an alley. What was it with alleys lately? I hesitated for a second before following. It seemed ordinary, the industrial-sized bins overflowing with trash, producing an unpleasant odor. When I saw a rat dart from underneath the bin to the main road and down a gutter, the yelp I let out made Zain turn.

“Why are we here?” I asked, irritated. “I thought we were going to a portal?” I imagined someplace much grander.

“Thisisa portal.” He marched farther into the alley and toward a red wooden door that led to the back of one of therestaurants. I expected him to open it, or knock, anything but get a lighter out of his pocket.

It was silver, and engraved with patterns I couldn’t make out from where I stood. It appeared to be antique and different from the one he had given me to stun jinn. He muttered something under his breath before he flicked it open. The ignited flame was long and thin. He directed the fire at the door.

“What the—”

The wooden door immediately lit up. Flames covered the entire door, producing an orange glow. Instinctively, I had taken many steps back and was now pressed up against a bin. Rats and remnants of garbage were preferred to whatever was going on over there.

Fire fascinated me. I both feared and found myself intrigued by it. The smell of it, how fast it grew. The flames reminded me of being burned alive. With Zain. I could almost feel the flames closing in on us, the smoke robbing us of our breath. The panic, rising, rising, rising. The ropes tight against my wrists. Then, gazing upon my mum watching it happen. But then, something else. There was the fireball Rabiya threw, and the memory of palms burning. I must have been staring at the flames for too long, because Zain put his hand on my arm. The touch jolted me back to reality, and only then did I realize he had been talking.

“Rox?”

“What is this?”

“The portal. To enter the Underworld, you need to produce fire.”

“Because jinn are made of flames,” I continued for him.

“Exactly.”

He held his hand out for me. My eyes shifted to the door.

“Do you trust me?” he asked, not for the first time.

I searched his brown eyes. I’d meant it when I told him I trusted him to keep me safe. Taking a deep breath, I took his hand. He tightened his grip, his large hand enveloping mine, the callouses on his palm brushing roughly against my skin.

I stepped toward him so our bodies were touching. He put his other hand underneath my chin and tilted my head up. I felt the strong ridges of his chest, and I tried desperately to ignore how his touch made me feel. “Stay close. I’ll protect you,” he said, though it seemed more like he was reassuring himself. Then, in one quick move, he swept me into his arms and stepped into the fire.