“Yes, now,” Sherus said, nodding with expectation in his eyes. “Now you will fulfill your end of the deal. You have exactly one day to return to this mountaintop with your army of jinn who must be willing and ready to do our bidding. If you fail to arrive with them… well, I’m sure you already know what will happen.”

I nodded stiffly. “I understand, and I will fulfill my promise…” I paused, wincing internally at the bombshell I was about to drop. “But… I need more than one day.”

“What?” Sherus snapped. His hard expression morphed into a cocktail of disappointment and anger. “You told me that you have jinn at your disposal. Why would it take more than one day to summon them here?”

“I do have an army at my disposal,” I said truthfully. “But it’s been some time since I last saw them. I need to take into account the fact that they might not be where I left them. I need some extra leeway, but I assure you, once I find them”—and figure out a way to free them from the clutches of what are supposedly the fiercest clan of jinn of all time—“I will bring them here directly. Just… give me five days.”

“Forget it!” Sherus seethed. “Three days, or I will return you and your hapless friends right back to where you belong.”

“All right. Three days.”

Sherus glowered at me a few moments longer, then his lips formed a hard line and he nodded curtly. “Three days. And not an hour longer.”

His arm shot out and grabbed my shoulder.

“What are you doing?” I asked, alarmed.

“Obviously,” Sherus hissed, “I’m not just going to let you leave as you are. I need a way of tracking you, do I not? Otherwise you might find a way to slither out of your promise.”

A way of tracking me? I wasn’t left to wonder long as he ordered, “Step into me.”

I stared at him in confusion, but did as he requested. I moved forward, closing my eyes as my body passed through his. Then I stood still. Unlike before when I’d shot through him back in the canal tunnel, I was not expelled this time. A warm sensation surrounded me, followed by an unpleasant prickling, as though somebody was poking with me with needles.

“Now step out.” Sherus’ voice rumbled all around me.

I did as I was told, feeling oddly… cold as I did. I glanced back at him in confusion, wondering why he’d asked me to step into him in the first place. Then I heard gasps behind me. I whirled around to see all five of my ghost companions gaping at me as though I was an alien.

“Wha—?”

My eyes shot downward to my… body? What the…

I was no longer translucent, and my form had a slight aura about it, exactly the same as Sherus’ and his companion’s. I was no longer wearing my old clothes either. I wore the same garb as the fae: one sash around my waist, and another draped over one shoulder. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

I staggered back, my mouth hanging open as I gazed dumbfounded at the fae.

“Wh-What is this?” I stammered.

“You seem to have figured it out already,” Sherus replied shortly.

I balled my hands into fists and… I could feel my fingers. I clasped my palms together… I felt them touch. I reached a hand up to my face, and touched my cheek. Then I ran my fingers through my hair, down the bridge of my nose, across my shoulders… How could the fae pull off such a miracle?

“I told you I need a way of tracking you,” Sherus said impatiently. “While you possess this body, I will be able to sense your movements. And if you do not return as promised after three days, it will not be difficult for me to hunt you down.”

Still in shock, I barely registered his warning. I glanced at my companions, then back at Sherus.

“Will you do the same for them?” I asked.

Sherus furrowed his brows. “That won’t be required. You are the one who has made me a promise. I have no business with your friends.”

I took a step forward, marveling at the crunch of snow beneath my bare feet as I dared say, “But I’m asking you to do this. Would you please give them bodies, too? If you agree, I would do my utmost to return earlier with the jinn.”

Sherus exchanged glances with his blond-haired companion, who shrugged.

“Hmph. I suppose there’s no harm in it,” Sherus muttered. He turned his focus on the five ghosts. I stared as two at a time, the ghosts merged into the two fae and then stepped out with solid bodies. They still looked like themselves. Lucas was the last to be seen, and as he stepped out of Sherus, I wondered how much more his mind could take before being blown to pieces.

I couldn’t wrap my mind around what kind of powers these fae possessed, but it was a reminder that there were still so many things I did not know about them… including what exactly they needed the jinn to do. But, no doubt, we would find out a lot more about them in the days to come…

“Thank you,” I breathed.

“Thank me after you have brought me your jinn,” Sherus replied. “For if you do so successfully, I will allow you to keep these forms forever… That should be quite an incentive, don’t you think?”

Oh, my God.

Derek

Ibrahim and I didn’t stay long after Herbert’s business was done. We left Jeramiah alone in his trembling state. As we emerged in the corridor and I closed the door softly behind us, I couldn’t help but feel a stab of guilt, as well as doubt. Doubt as to whether I should have done any of this to begin with. Whether I should’ve just allowed him to continue living in his fantasy world. Seeing the man reduced to a quivering boy made me feel sick to my stomach. I didn’t feel any of the satisfaction I’d been expecting on the successful completion of this mission. If anything, I felt even worse than before we’d started.