"Thanks for your help, Lauren." I say, hoping she'll leave so we can go investigate the symbol without her getting hurt or finding out about anything.
"Uh, you're makin' it sound like I'm about to leave." She says. "I'm coming with you to see that symbol."
"Oh, I wasn't actually planning on going to see the symbol." I lie. "I just thought it looked cool."
"Come on." She argues. "You've gotta be curious about what it is."
"Not really." I shrug.
"What about y'all?" She says, turning to look at Nydia, Aatami, and Sam. "Someone has to want to go check it out."
"Um, not really." Aatami says. "Someone probably just spray-painted it there on a dare or something."
"Yeah, it doesn't seem that interesting." Nydia adds.
"Suit yourselves. I'ma go check it out, though." She starts walking away. "Bye, guys. This was fun."
I watch her go, trying to figure out a way to stop her, but I can't think of anything. As soon as she's out of hearing range, I turn to Sam.
"What do we do? That thing looked a lot like a djinn symbol. We can't let her go there. She could get hurt!"
"I really don't think we can stop her." He says.
"Well then what do we do?"
"Our best option might be to follow her, do damage control if something bad happens."
"Okay. But if all four of us follow her, it'll be hard to conceal our footsteps."
"You're right. It might be best if just one person goes." Sam says.
"Not it!" Aatami says.
"I'm doing it." I say. "This is my hunt, and I roped Lauren into it. If she gets hurt, it's my fault. I've got to make sure she doesn't."
"She'll be okay. She won't get hurt." Nydia says. "And even if she does, which she won't, it is not your fault. You never could've known that she would act like this. Okay?"
"Okay. Thanks." I take a deep breath, then head in the direction that Lauren went.
I'm creeping a few yards behind Lauren when I realise that I'm being stupid. If I just walk up to her I can tell her that I changed my mind and decided that I wanted to see the symbol after all. I don't have to stalk her like some creeper.
"Hey! Lauren!" I say, running up to her.
"Hi, Delilah. Whatcha doin' over here?"
"I decided that I wanted to see the symbol after all."
"Hmm. Are you sure you didn't just wanna see me?" She smiles, bumping her shoulder into mine.
I just smile and duck my head in response. "So, how close do you think we are?"
"A few hours, I'd say."
"Seriously?!"
She laughs. "Nah. Judgin' from the picture, we should actually be at the clearing in three, two… one."
We push through the trees and step onto white grass.
"Woah." Lauren breathes as she crouches down to examine the grass. "This ain't paint. It's like the grass is… albino, or somethin'."
"Weird." I say. "Maybe it's like, a fungus, or a mold."
"Maybe." Lauren says, but she sounds unconvinced.
I start towards the center of the clearing, looking for any signs of supernatural occupancy, other than the albino grass.
"You did not bring her."
I turn around, finding myself face-to-face with the man from my dream. Well, more like face-to-chest. He is tall.
"You did not bring her." He repeats, a dangerous tone in his voice. "I told you to bring her."
"Who the fuck are you?" Lauren says. I'm facing her, which means that the man has his back turned to her.
He whips around and rushes towards her. She lets out a scream as he grabs her forearm. A blue light wraps around his hand and sinks into her arm, and she crumples to the ground, unconscious.
"Lauren!"
"She was not who I told you to bring."
"You- you're a djinn."
"My dear, I am the djinn." He stalks over to me and traces his glowing blue finger along my jawbone.
Flashes of scenes race through my head. Me and Tris ice skating as adults, mom and dad right behind us. Nydia and I walking along a pier, holding hands. Christmas with my parents, Tris, Nydia, and Aatami right beside me.
"Stop it! That will never happen."
"Oh, I know, dear." He threads my blue lock of hair between his fingers. "Because of my children, correct? But they do not matter right now. I want to talk with you about my more… direct descendant."
"What are you talking about?"
"My daughter, of course."
"Wait, the person I supposedly stole from you is your daughter?"
"Yes. Of course, she doesn't know who she is yet. But she will learn. As soon as I get her. Now, where is she?"
"I have no idea who you're talking about, dude. You're gonna have to be more specific."
He grabs my forearm, so tight that I know there are going to be bruises. "Do not speak to me in that tone!"
"Okay, okay." I whimper. I have no doubt that this man could kill me in a singular motion, and I would like to delay that from happening as long as possible. "I'm sorry."
"Good. As for who I am talking about, I believe you know." He releases his grip on my forearm so he can stroke my cheek. I flinch at his touch, but I don't pull away, for fear of him having another outburst.
"You look much like her, you know. Yet, you are softer. Where my daughter has horns, you have wings. Nonetheless, you are dangerous in your own right. You are related to her, I suppose. Not all of her fire is from my side."
"What are you talking about? I'm related to your daughter?"
"Of course. She is your sister."
A/N: It took me so long to write this chapter! Instead of writing, I kept listening to songs from musicals and reading my favorited FFs. Oops. I should probably not wait to actually write the chapter until the day I'm supposed to post the chapter. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter, and please favorite, follow, and review!