Page 93 of Heavensent & Hellbent

Even in the cold, with a pounding heart, I laughed. “Why would this time be different?”

“We have to hope,” he said.

“That’s why you’re of light. You hope for things.”

He shook his head. “You’re not like them; I only see goodness in you.”

I was a jinn, we both knew it, but he liked to pretend I was better than my ancestors. He didn’t know about the bad things I did. Even if he had, he would justify them. He would always see the good in me. I didn’t say anything, just leaned my head into the crook of his neck as he flew us out of the cold, and through the night sky. We would die soon, that much I knew, but not by our own hands.

40

“I thought your angel might have tried to ‘save’ you,” Zahhak said, sloshing back the blood, teeth stained and glistening. “It would seem he cares less about you than we thought.”

We had been in the Underworld eight whole days. I should have been in the bookshop, working the Sunday shift, gossiping with Cleo while she had her third iced coffee of the day. Instead, I was at dinner with Zahhak and Azar, the day before my wedding. Trying not to react to his words.

Where was Zain? I worried that something had happened to him. This anxiety festered in the depths of my belly, more and more with each day that passed. Zahhak’s words suggested he wasn’t hurt, though how could I be sure he wasn’t just messing with me?

“You’re chugging the blood back tonight,” Azar commented, moving the food around on her plate with her fork. Neither of us had an appetite.

The night before, Azar and I had spoken in hushed whispers.

“We need to figure a way out,” I hissed.

“They’re guarding us too heavily, and they’re much stronger than us,” Azar had said. “We need to try to escape when they’re distracted, when we’re not being so closely watched.”

Earlier that day, Pouran had detailed to us the wedding plans. It would be held outside, on the palace grounds. Hundreds of guests had been invited.

Now at dinner, Zahhak was jolly, loose-lipped. Perhaps it was all the blood he consumed that brightened his cheeks, made him seem almost drunk.

“It’s a time of celebration,” he mused, draining his glass and clicking his fingers. A servant appeared almost immediately, filling his glass up to the top. “It’s not every day your granddaughter gets married. And to such a prestigious suitor. A khan. You’re very lucky.”

His eyes twinkled at me as he continued. “As Keyon’s wife, your soul will be bonded to his. Once you consummate your marriage and produce an heir, your connection with the angel should be broken, finally.”

Consummate your marriage.

Produce an heir.

I racked my brain for memories of my previous selves. What their experiences were, whether they had ever been married off to avoid being with Zain. It had never successfully happened. Though one of my selves, Sahra in the 1820s, had married another man before she met her Zain, Younes. Despite it beingfrowned upon, forbidden even, she left her husband for Younes. They ran away together.

We always found each other, in every lifetime. I held on to that. Even if I was forced into this marriage, it didn’t mean what Zahhak claimed. It wouldn’t break anything; our bond was not something that could be shattered that easily. He must have known that, and yet…the wordsconsummate your marriageterrified me. Caused me to shudder. Like my body wasn’t my own.

“No,” I said, rising from my seat. “You can’t do this!”

Zahhak was the picture of unbothered. “Well, yes, actually I can.”

Azar spoke more loudly. “The whole treaty is absurd and outdated. She isn’t going to get pregnant by the angel. Also, birth control exists. They could even promise to never have sex if that’d keep you satisfied.”

Despite everything, I couldn’t stop my face from scrunching up. “Azar, that’s gross, ew.”

“It’s true,” she countered. “And to be honest, I just don’t get the whole angels hate jinn and jinn hate angels thing. From what I’ve heard, some angels are pretty messed up and some jinn are not actually evil, so…are you all exaggerating your hatred for each other a little?”

Zahhak’s eyes widened like he had been slapped. “Exaggerating? Do you think this is all a joke, you silly girl? We are nothing likethem.”

Except, we were. Angels and jinn had been brainwashed from birth to hate each other, to fit their leaders’ agendas. Thatwas why my and Zain’s union was so despised. Because coexisting would give the leaders less power over their people.

Energy charged through me, resulting in warm hands, which were glowing red, though the flames were pathetically small under the spells of this palace.

“This is rather boring,” Zahhak said.