jinn 01 - ember Read Online Free

imagination. He must have sensed the angel perking up for a fight. “ Someone left a note on our door.”
    “Where did Baker and Femi go?”
    “To see what they can find out about who is targeting us.”
    “Shut the door and don’t touch the note. I’ll be there soon.”
    I hated when he was bossy. I knew it was nerves and I knew his past loss played no small part in it, so I tried to be patient. But other times I wanted to smack him. I went to get the tongs from the kitchen. Plucking the letter from the door, I brought it in and laid it on the counter. Holden appeared behind me a misty cloud of black smoke.
    “I told you to leave the note on the door.”
    “Oh, I forgot I took orders from you.” I smiled sweetly at him. “You’re being extra aggravating today.”
    He cracked the knuckles on his left hand and looked at the letter. “Now’s not the time, Liv.”
    His voice was too dismissive. Seriously, what did they think I was going to do? This time I did smack the back of his head. His fingers clenched into a fist on the counter as he turned back to me with a look that had made far bigger people than me cower. “What?” His face was hard and impassive as he stared down at me.
    “You left me home today, Holden, to sit here and wait for you. Do it again and I’m going to start digging into this by myself. I’m not going to sit here and hide.”
    He nodded once. “You’re right. You shouldn’t. You and your mom should stay with the guardians.” It took me a moment to realize he was serious.
    “Holden.” I put a hand on his chest. “I am the only weapon we have.”
    “And losing you will destroy us in more ways than one.”
    I pressed my lips together. “What did you say when I was leaving you to go to my trial?” It wasn’t too long ago that the guardians had put me on trial for being a traitor to the race. Holden and I had fought side by side then, but since he had fallen back into his usual pattern of being overprotective.
    He stiffened but wrapped an arm around me. The stony resolve in his green eyes cracked. “I said a lot of things.”
    “You know what I’m talking about.”
    He tightened his grip. “We’re stronger together.”
    I nodded. “That applies here too.”
    “This is my problem, not yours.”
    “Just like the trial was my problem?”
    “It’s not the same.”
    “Sure it is. There are no ‘your’ or ‘my’ problems.” The note was all but forgotten. “They’re our problems.”
    “They’ll use you against me. The first trap and you’ll march right into it.” He shook his head. “I’ve watched you die before. Never again.”
    I wasn’t scared of jinn or demons. I had no reason to be, but I also wasn’t going to walk into a trap. “Give me a little credit.”
    “Liv—”
    I held up a hand. I wanted to make my point and him to listen to it. “You don’t think I am scared of anything, but that isn’t entirely true. I am scared of something. I’m scared they will kill you and I won’t be there to stop it. You aren’t any more invincible than I am. Together, Holden. It’s the only way to make any of this work. Divided, our weaknesses are greater than they are when we are complete. We balance each other. We make each other the best versions of ourselves.”
    His face softened and he kissed me. “No hair-brained schemes.”
    I nodded. “No bossing me around.”
    “And no matter what happens, we trust the other above everything else. If they can find a weakness in us”—he shook his head—“then we’re sunk.”
    “Always.” I may not agree with his methods, but I would always trust him to do what was best for us. Holden didn’t take things for granted, especially not our relationship.
    He kissed me once more then scooped up the note, unfolding it, the skin tight across his face. He scanned it and pressed his lips together before scanning it again. Holden’s shoulders shook as he started to laugh. He closed his eyes and looked up, wordlessly