Page 24 (1/2)
Prologue - Each Thread Pulled, Unravels Us
Milions of granules of glittering sand were suspended in the air al around theht shot through al the spaces in between each grain Ari stared in awe for aif she would be able to create the same effect with the desert sand It was like a fat funnel—as though a tornado had swept over the ground in a powerful, frantic dash only to have someone even more powerful hit the pause button on it
Despite the extraordinary visual impact, Ari was more i er ears overhearing their words
Turning her attention to Lilif and her son, The White King, Ari prowled around them She was now used to her visions, or dreaer to learntowered over his beautiful mother who appeared as if she were no older than hiraceful fraely colorless garers providing the only sparkle of color Her dark locks were puled back in an elegant coiffure, a thin circlet of diaht situation across her forehead Entranced, as she alas by the female Jinn, it took Ari a moment to remember her real father’s presence His curious silence drew her eyes towards hily into his face As soon as Ari took him in she stopped, transfixed by his expression For Ari, The White King was the coldest Jinn she had ever met Only once had she witnessed hier she’d ever seen White was the reat surprise that Ari looked upon this younger version of the Jinn King and saw love and respect in his eyes, and a soft quirk of a smile on the corner of his lips He was vulnerable before Lilif Unguarded More human, somehow
“You know I love your theatrics, Mother, but is this realy necessary?” he s to the sand cocoon around them
Lilif’s eyes narrowed “Of course Or have your brothers not caught your ears yet?”
I to cause mischief I think father put them up to it I assure you, I don’t believe them”
“Good” Lilif placed a gentle hand on his forears me such relief, my son I would never hurt any of my children How can they accuse ?”
“Father,” White answered grimly
“That’s why I have brought you here” Lilif stepped back fro her hands in a way thatShe frowned This was not the Lilif Ari had co to turn you al against me”
“Why? What has happened?”
“We have been disagreeing often on his selfish pursuit of pleasure He see of our ways, of our purpose I fear that soon he wil even begin
interfering in his sons’ purpose —that heyou al to interfere in one another’s days, to interfere with the Importants’ destinies
His petulance, his propensity for boredo Do you fuly understand what his childish irresponsibility wil lead to? Over time, each destiny that is broken, each path that is turned, each road that is lost, wil create cracks in the fabric of nature, of tiht The realms wil start to colide into one another, until there is nothing but a wasteland of dust Only the strongest wil survive Only the iin anew, alone in one, smaler world…”
Ari felt the breath leave her body at Lilif’s prophecy, her sto with fear Were her words true? Is that realy ould happen if Azazil lost control of it al? Is that what The Red King hadthe Seal against the Sultan could be catastrophic? She gulped, suddenly very glad she had taken his advice
Attention drawn back to White, Ari realized he was just as aghast “So everything wil be gone, but us?”
“Almost Azazil was the one who forewarnedwith the threads of our existence, and yet I believe, in the end, it wil be your father that brings such a disaster to fruition”
“Do the others know this?”
“If they don’t, we have to tel thee with concern Ari narrowed her own eyes, not quite as taken in by Lilif as her son obviously was
“Mother, we cannot let Father play these ga these last few years Balance… the balance is our purpose”
Lilif nodded wearily “It is I brought you here to ainst your father Even if that ainst your brothers”
The White King straightened with deter ant to know of this He is just as suspicious as I am of Red and Glass’ offensive claims of late”
“And Shadow?”
“Yes, Shadow also Gilder and Lucky, I am not so sure of You know they like to maintain cowardly neutrality”
“Don’t speak so harshly of theent natures and their sense of honor They do believe deeply in their purpose just as you do”
“I shal leave now and speak with the and try to counterbalance any unwritten chaos that upsets the balance”
“Hurry” Lilif reached up and stroked his cheek lovingly