Will Choose: A Djinn Short Read online

  Contents

  Title

  Copyright

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  About

  Thanks

  Will Power

  Djinn

  Blooders

  Will Choose

  Laura Catherine

  Will Choose

  Copyright © 2014 Laura Catherine

  All rights reserved. No parts of this book may be reproduced, scanned, electronically shared or uploaded without permission of the author.

  Editor: Duncan Carling-Rodgers

  Cover Design: Berto Designs

  The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  For more information visit:

  www.quillwielder.com

  Chapter One

  Even though I believed I had made the right decision in that moment, kissing Kyra made me want to take it back. I held her as we sat in the Queen’s study and every fibre of my being prickled under her touch. Our lips moved together in salty and sweet kisses that made me long for more.

  I pulled away and turned off my ability to feel. It was the only way I was going to restrain myself. The sensation of Kyra’s hands on my neck turned numb and faded into nothing. I had only mastered control of my ability in the last few weeks. Now I could turn my sense of touch on and off like a light.

  Sitting next to Kyra was almost enough to make me forget about our current situation. The Djinn compound had been attacked by Blooders, crazy people who craved our abilities so much they’d kidnap and murder us for our blood. Blooders had never breached the compound before and we were almost overrun but for Guardjinn like me, servants of the Djinn, fighting them off.

  “I have to go,” I said to her. “I’ll send a healer to check on you.”

  “Will …” Kyra whispered.

  “Rest,” I said and left her alone.

  Jack called as I shut the door to the study. “Will, where have you been? We need help.”

  Jack was about half a head taller than me with twice the muscles and a lot less hair. He had been my instructor when I train to be a Guardjinn. He had recently been promoted to head of the palace guard after the old head retired. It was a position he greatly deserved.

  He wore a suit that matched my own, but a large clawed slash cut across his at the stomach. Blood stained the fabric, but the wound was closed over enough that it wouldn’t kill him. He’d obviously seen a healer.

  “Just bringing a Djinn to safety,” I replied. “She needs a healer.”

  Jack nodded and barked orders at another Guardjinn.

  “What’s the situation?” I asked as we moved back toward the ballroom.

  “Guardjinn are out driving the Blooders from the compound and rescuing anyone they can,” Jack said, running a hand over his shaved head, “but we are spread thin. We need to regroup and do a sweep of the compound to make sure there aren’t any Blooders hiding, but there are so many injured and we need to protect the Queen …”

  “I am not your concern,” Queen Celeste said, appearing from inside the ballroom. Her dress was ripped and there were cuts on her arms. Her lips were pursed as if she was in pain, but she held her head high.

  “Your Highness,” Jack said with a bow I copied.

  “Ridding the compound of the Blooders is your top priority,” she said. “The safety of our people comes first.”

  “Yes, your Majesty. I’ll organise groups to work their way out from the palace to the outer fence.”

  “While they’re out, they should search for where the Blooders got in,” I suggested.

  “Good idea, William,” the Queen agreed.

  “Consider it done,” Jack replied and disappeared to organise the Guardjinn.

  “William, a moment please,” the Queen said, as I attempted to follow Jack.

  “We will need every Guardjinn to search the compound,” I said, fearing the look in her eyes.

  It wasn’t widely known what happened between Kyra and I over the last month, but I knew Queen Celeste was clued in. She was a clever woman even without her psychic abilities, but she believed in equal rights so she hadn’t said anything.

  “How is Kyra?” she asked.

  “Resting,” I replied. “She had a head injury from the battle, but she will recover.”

  “I’m glad. I am also pleased with you for protecting her. She is a very special girl.”

  Special. The word caught me and I couldn’t help but think about Kyra losing control of her ability after Pyke had been murdered before our eyes. She had burned with such fury it had been hard to calm her down.

  Pyke’s face flashed in my mind and I pushed it aside. I didn’t have the luxury of thinking about him now.

  “May I go back to work?” I asked.

  “Of course,” the Queen said, her eyelids drooping.

  “Are you all right, your Majesty?” I asked, reaching out a hand to steady her as she faltered.

  “Oh dear. Thank you, William. I think I just need to rest.”

  “Let me escort you,” I said.

  “No need, Nathaniel is here to unburden you.”

  Prince Nathaniel appeared behind us. He took his mother’s arm and wrapped it over his shoulder. He had a cut above his brow which was bleeding into his eyes and his suit was ripped as was my own. He gave me a thankful look and they retreated.

  I found Jack in the ballroom giving orders to a group of Guardjinn who circled around him. The Djinn who had been present at the ball were all moved to other rooms for healing and safety. The floor of the ballroom was littered with broken glass, wood and stone. Gaping holes had been blasted in the walls and large smudges of blood painted almost every surface. Bodies still lay all over the room, but were now covered by white sheets.

  “Each team knows where they are starting,” Jack said. “I want you to fan out from the palace checking houses for Blooders. Tell the Djinn to stay confined to their homes and lock their doors until told otherwise. Keep moving outward until you reach the outer fence and I want you to find where they got in. There must be a breach somewhere and we need to find it and fix it asap.”

  The Guardjinn thumped a fist to their chest. “Yes, sir.”

  “If you spot any other Guardjinn who were chasing the Blooders after the attack then inform them of the plan and join them to your team. You have two hours.”

  The Guardjinn moved out in small groups, splitting up in all directions. I approached Jack. “The Queen has retired to her room,” I said.

  “I’m worried about her,” Jack said, staring into the distance.

  “Prince Nathaniel is with her.”

  “I’ll order two Guardjinn to watch her room. She might not think she needs protecting, but I disagree.” Jack breathed heavily. “Why did they attack now?”

  “Why do Blooders do anything?” I said. “They are wild and unpredictable.”

  “They used to be,” Jack replied. “This attack felt organised, thought out. It worries me. We lost a lot of people tonight.”

  My eyes couldn’t help but flick to Pyke’s body on the floor. He was covered with a bloodstained sheet but I could still see his face in my mind.

  “Oh shit,” Jack said, staring out the broken windows.

  I followed his gaze to a group of Guardjinn who had come b
ack. Among them was Mia. Her black dress was mostly intact, she had a few cuts and bruises, but overall she was okay. She smiled when she spotted me.

  “She needs to be told,” Jack whispered.

  “I’ll do it,” I replied.

  Jack nodded and went to give orders to the returning Guardjinn.

  “Will,” Mia said with an air of relief. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and hugged me. I didn’t feel much except a slight numbing pressure. It had been so long since I’d felt nothing – being around Kyra had made me want to feel everything – but now I wasn’t sure I should ever have the sense of touch again.

  “I’m so glad you’re okay,” Mia said, lingering close to me a moment longer. “We chased the Blooders down and killed them. A few escaped through a hole in the fence on the east side. Some Guardjinn stayed to guard the hole while we returned for orders. What happened here?”

  I kept my face stern like a statue, unsure how to tell her the truth that was lying only metres away.

  “Mia …”

  “Where’s Pyke? Is he on clean-up too?”

  “Mia … listen …”

  “I bet you two got into a competition. Who could kill the most Blooders. Boys are so–”

  “Pyke’s dead.”

  Mia stopped mid-sentence, her mouth agape. Her bottom lip quivered and she forced her mouth closed. Whatever small amount of cheer she had was washed away by the weight of the devastation crashing down.

  “Wha … what?” she stuttered. “Will, what are you … He can’t be … I don’t believe …”

  “A Blooder killed him during the fight,” I said, watching the tears bubble in Mia’s eyes. “He died doing his job.”

  She wiped them away. “No,” she said. “Pyke is a great Guardjinn. He wouldn’t … He couldn’t.”

  “Mia …” I reached out for her arm.

  “No!” she shouted, backing away. “Just shut up, Will. Pyke is not dead. You’re wrong. You’re just wrong. I don’t believe you.”

  I glanced over at the covered body and Mia followed my gaze. She dashed to Pyke’s corpse and I moved just as fast to stop her.

  “Mia, you don’t want to do that,” I said.

  “It’s not true,” she said, placing her hand on the sheet. “I’ll prove it.”

  “He’s gone, Mia. You shouldn’t look.” I placed my hand on top of hers, feeling nothing. She hesitated for a moment and I thought she’d leave it alone, but with a swift yank she pulled off the sheet.

  Pyke’s eyes were closed, he looked like he was sleeping, but his skin was blue and speckled with blood.

  “No!” Mia screamed and the tears fell free. “No. No. No. Pyke!” She grabbed his shoulders and shook him over and over. “Wake up, please.”

  I reached for Mia and she slapped me away. “Don’t touch me!” she yelled and backed away from the body. She wrapped her hands around her shoulders, rubbing them up and down, her eyes locked on Pyke.

  I pulled the sheet back over my dead friend and turned to Mia.

  “I can’t breathe,” she said. “I can’t …”

  She collapsed only to be caught by Jack’s tattooed arms. “I’ve got you,” he said as she cried and cried into his shoulder.

  Chapter Two

  I moved silently through the bushes surrounding the outer fence of the compound. It had been hours since the attack and the Guardjinn had been working non-stop to secure the grounds. After Mia broke down in the ballroom, Jack sent her home. She wasn’t any good to anyone in her state and, despite her objections, she did as she was told.

  Jack had asked me to walk her back, but I refused. I didn’t want to waste time when I could be out helping my people and more importantly, I wasn’t ready to face Lily, Pyke’s mother.

  I ran along the outskirts of the compound following the tracks of a group of Blooders fleeing the compound. There were four of them, three males and a female, from the shape and depth of their footprints. We’d been tracking leads for hours on any Blooders who still might have been in the area.

  The compound was clear, we were sure of that, and Guardjinn were on guard at the hole where the Blooders first broke in. It was a weak point in our fence that had rusted through. Guardjinn had been on duty there but had been overwhelmed by the invaders. The Guardjinn had fought hard judging by the state of their bodies and the dead Blooders they had taken down, but it wasn’t enough.

  I tried not to think about it; my job now was to clear the surrounding area outside. We couldn’t have Blooders in the compound, but we didn’t want them anywhere near our borders either.

  “Will.” Jack jumped down from a nearby tree.

  I had sensed him following me for a little while.

  “I’m tracking four of them,” I said. The air was cold and still, and the darkness now had the faintest of glows on the horizon.

  “They’re heading away from the compound,” Jack said, kneeling down and studying the marks in the dirt.

  “They’re not too far ahead,” I continued, knowing what Jack would say next.

  He stood, his face a stone wall. “Leave them,” he said. “They’re moving away and we are already stretched too thin.”

  “It would be quick. If you and I–”

  “We’re dropping it,” Jack said and I remembered my place.

  “Very well,” I replied and we headed back towards the front gate of the compound. “What now?”

  “You’re been out here all night,” Jack said as we walked. “You’re done. Head home and get some rest.”

  “I’m fine,” I objected. “I’m not tired at all. I’m not injured. I can keep going.”

  “Same old Will,” Jack said, shaking his head. “Don’t you remember what I said to you in our last training session?”

  Of course I remembered it. His words had stuck with me for the last few months. You need to focus on what your limits are or you might not notice how injured you’ve gotten. Blooders use our abilities against us. There are plenty of abilities out there that can kill you.

  I remained silent.

  “If it makes you feel better, I order you to go home and be back on duty in eight hours. Better?”

  “Sure,” I said, running a hand through my hair.

  “Good. Now get some sleep. Everything is going to be worse in the morning. The light will illuminate the worst of our situation.”

  * * *

  My front door opened with a loud creak, but my mother didn’t stir. She lay on our faded, torn couch in the fetal position, her arms wrapped around her stomach. By the way she creased her brow and groaned, her sleep seemed uneasy. She must have stayed up as long as possible after hearing the news.

  She wasn’t a fighter anymore and, with no useful ability, she would not be called on to help with the search. I pulled the blue and grey blanket from her bed and draped it over her. She twitched slightly, but didn’t wake.

  Tomorrow, she would ask so many questions and I didn’t look forward to answering them.

  I shut the door to my tiny bedroom and lay down. Pyke had once told me my bed was lumpy and my pillow was thin, but I had never noticed. I stared at the ceiling, a mix of wood and metal. I didn’t feel tired. I didn’t feel anything.

  It was like there was a gaping hole inside me, numb to everything.

  I wondered what Kyra was doing. Was she sleeping? Still being looked after by the healers? Was she helping out?

  If she could have it her way, she’d be fighting Blooders with the Guardjinn. The power coming from her tonight was so strong and so dangerous. I saw my own hatred reflected in her eyes as she killed mercilessly and it alarmed me.

  I pulled off my suit and threw it on the floor, not clothes anymore but a collection of shredded material. I lay back, took a deep breath and allowed my ability to deactivate. The cold hit me straight away. It seeped into my skin, all the way to my bones. My limbs quivered and I pulled my blanket around my shoulders, huddled in a ball.

  I still wasn’t completely used to feeling things. The
small cuts on my skin stung slightly and my muscles ached as I trembled. What hurt the most though wasn’t the physical but the emotional.

  Pyke was dead.

  My best friend had been killed before my eyes. I had failed to protect Mia from the pain of the truth. And Kyra …

  I wished I could wrap my arms around her for warmth and comfort. I wished I could lie there with her, breathing in the scent of cinnamon and apples. I wanted her and yet I told her we couldn’t be together. It was true, of course. I knew what would happen to me now Ivan had seen us together.

  She was naive to think we would be accepted. I’d seen it before, what happened when a Guardjinn and a Djinn went public. It didn’t end well, especially for the Guardjinn.

  I knew the facts, I knew the consequences. Yet I longed for her touch. I couldn’t have it both ways. Be the loyal Guardjinn I had trained my whole life to become or love a Djinn betraying everything I believed in. I couldn’t have both and even though the choice seemed obvious I couldn’t make a decision.

  * * *

  “Will? Will?”

  My mother’s voice carried through the house and I bolted upright.

  “Mother?” I called in alarm.

  “Will,” she said, opening the door and gripping me in a hug. “Oh, Will, why didn’t you wake me? I was so worried.”

  “You needed rest,” I replied, feeling the warmth of my mother’s hug for the first time in my life. She rested her head on my shoulder, her cheeks damp with tears. She squeezed my waist tightly and I felt her worry and fear.

  I hadn’t considered what my actions with Kyra would do to my mother. She had already suffered after losing my father and I was about to cause her the same grief once more. My poor mother who had raised me and cared for me when I couldn’t feel.

  I lifted my arms and wrapped them around her, squeezing her tight. My mother smelled like cake batter and her skin was gritty with flour dust, but her embrace was warm and comforting.