“It took me a while to find him. Aviary’s city, where he used to live, has been abandoned since the war, and they shifted to an entirely different part of their country… It just took me a while to locate it. As for Arron, I left him on a nearby islet. I think it will be better to talk there than on this small boat… But, Benjamin, what happened to you? I fixed you up with a room, so why are you waiting out here?”
I groaned internally before outlining what had just happened. Aisha looked taken aback, her eyes falling once more on Julie.
Catching Julie’s eye, I gestured to the boat. “Well, this is all yours now.”
I expected her to look relieved, but strangely she didn’t. She looked… torn. Conflicted. Perhaps even a little disappointed.
“Um, Benjamin… if I’m honest with you, and with myself, I don’t really have anywhere else to go now that I’ve been kicked out of The Tavern. I guess I could try to find some neutral land where I could stay, but… I’ve kind of got a lot of free time on my hands. It sounds like you’ve got a huge load on your plate, and doing this all alone…” She paused, clasping her hands together. Her eyes darted to the floor. “If everything you’ve said about the Elders’ plan to rise to power through you is true, your success or failure in this mission will determine the safety of all realms… I mean, it seems that this isn’t just your fight. This is a fight that we all have a stake in… if you’ll excuse the pun.”
I stared down at the vampire, wondering exactly what she was suggesting.
“It doesn’t seem right that you should go through this so alone. I have nothing better to do and I couldn’t think of a better use of my time than this… I’m willing to help you in whatever small way I can.”
It was of course true what she said, that the outcome of this mission would affect every realm in existence, but it didn’t dampen the strong desire I had to go through this alone and not bring anyone along with me. Besides, I had no idea how her accompanying me would even be of use.
“I appreciate that, Julie,” I said. She clearly had guts to offer to come with me after everything I’d told her about my situation. “But I honestly don’t see how you could be of help.”
To my surprise, Aisha spoke up. “Actually, Ben,” she said, looking thoughtfully at Julie, “if this girl is really willing to come along, having a second vampire might just come in handy.”
I was taken aback. After all Aisha’s jealousy and possessiveness over me with River, I’d expected her to treat every female I happened to stand within a few feet of the same way.
Now she was recommending that we bring a second female into our fold—and a vampire, at that.
“How exactly?” I asked.
“I’m not sure,” the jinni replied. “We still don’t know what this journey holds for us, but I just have a feeling—call it an instinct—that we might be better off bringing her.”
I looked back at Julie, still unconvinced. “Look,” I said to the vampire, “you don’t need to do this, and you will regret this decision. I’m grateful for the help you offered me so far, and that has been more than enough to set me on my way. It seems to me like your main reason for wanting to join us is that you have nothing else to do.”
Julie looked slightly offended. “It’s true that I’m on the run with nowhere to go… but that doesn’t change the fact that I don’t think it’s right that you go through this so alone. I’ve been in the supernatural world for a long time. I’m sure I have some knowledge or could offer some assistance that could help you along the way.”
Aisha touched my forearm. “This girl is offering to come, Ben. I suggest you just let her. She seems to be quite aware of the risks… But whatever you decide, hurry up. Arron is waiting for us.”
I’d been going to refuse Julie outright before Aisha butted in and recommended that I let her come. Now, I felt conflicted. It didn’t seem wise to ignore the jinni’s words—especially when it appeared that she had no hidden motive and was simply giving advice on what she thought was best. That was rare behavior from what I had observed of Aisha since I’d met her.
I looked reluctantly back at the vampire. She might get cold feet soon enough anyway—I wouldn’t be surprised if it happened directly after our meeting with Arron, who, considering my luck, would probably deliver some more grim news.
I also had a thought at the back of my mind that perhaps, just perhaps, stumbling across Julie was meant to happen. Perhaps Julie really could be of use to us at some point during this uncharted journey.
The vampire was right that I needed all the help I could get. Though I still wasn’t sold, I found myself agreeing. “Okay. You can come with us. But you do realize it means leaving behind this boat? So you’d really better be sure about this decision.”
Julie eyed the boat, then clutched her shoulder bag closer to her. She nodded, swallowing hard. “I’d like to come with you. It feels like the right thing to do… And I guess I will still have the option to pull out. I might lose this boat, but perhaps Aisha could drop me off somewhere…”
“All right, enough talk,” Aisha said briskly. “She’s made up her mind. Let’s go to Arron.” The jinni clutched my arm and then reached for Julie’s before all three of us vanished in a veil of mist.
CHAPTER 16: BEN