Free jinn 01 - ember by Liz Schulte Page B

year. And now, all of a sudden, you want to free them all. Why?”
    “Other than saving our lives?”
    “And damning countless humans to do so. For all we know, they will expose the Abyss with their carelessness.”
    “You’re the one always telling me I need to make connections.”
    She thought for a moment. “You wanted to free them before we needed them to deflect Hell?”
    It was more than Phoenix’s offer. Part of me wanted to do this, had for some time, but I couldn’t say why. I hadn’t thought about it. My instincts said it was the only way we could survive. They had saved me more than once. It was the best way for us to survive, and that was more important to me than anyone else’s life or comfort. Was part of me looking for an occupation? Perhaps the part that had taken to leading the jinn the last time had latched on to this new opportunity. Or maybe I was just keeping us alive. Either way, it didn’t really matter why I wanted to do it. All that mattered was doing it.
    She shook her head. “I’m not freeing the jinn. Right now, I cannot imagine letting them loose on the world. You have chosen your path. Even as a jinni, you fought against your nature. I have seen too many who don’t, who relish in killing and causing pain. I will not be responsible for that going ungoverned.”
    “It doesn’t have to go ungoverned.”
    “Who will hold them responsible?”
    I took a deep breath. “We will.”
    She stared into my eyes. “You want to lead the jinn?” For a moment I thought I had her, but she shook her head again.
    “We can’t win without them,” I said.
    “We can’t sacrifice everyone else just to save ourselves. We’ll find another way or we will die trying, but I won’t damn the human race to do it.”
    There was no point in arguing further. She wasn’t going to budge. She was going to toe the Heaven line on this. That was fine. I had wondered many times why, if angels had always possessed the power to free us, did they allow the demons to keep us hostage. Perhaps it was punishment for our sins. For playing fast and loose with the souls we had been granted and they had denied. I didn’t have to talk her into anything tonight. I’d introduced the idea and planted the seeds. Olivia would come around or she wouldn’t. Either way, I wasn’t prepared to die, and no matter what she said, neither was she. Worst-case scenario, I would just string along the jinn, making them think Olivia was on board, and keep her away from them until she changed her mind. If she didn’t change her mind, we could deal with those issues when they came up.
    “How did you find out they were looking for a weapon to kill angels?” I asked.
    She smiled. “I talked Baker into being a distraction and sneaked one of his burner phones into the back room of the church they are soiling. I listened from my phone. Speaking of that, I need a new phone. If Mom tries to call, she won’t be able to get me.”
    I had to hand it to her—she was resourceful. “I’ll get you one. Did you get Baker to talk to you? What was going on with him?”
    Her eyes widened and she shrugged. Always a terrible liar. “I think he was just tired and irritable. What should we do about Mom? The guardian is watching her, but maybe staying in the house isn’t a good idea.”
    “We should probably move her at least.”
    Olivia nodded. “Where?”
    I wasn’t sure there was a place out of Hell’s reach if they really wanted her. “Do you think she would agree to become a nun?”
    Olivia laughed. “Somehow I doubt it.” Her face went serious and her tongue darted out, wetting her lips. “Do you think we should have the guardians move her? Somewhere neither of us knows about?”
    That idea wasn’t my favorite, but I followed her logic. If we were captured at some point, we could give up her location, but I didn’t trust the guardians. Sure, things had been fine for a while now, but it wasn’t that long ago they were in shambles and one