Deliverance by Veronique Launier Page A

salvaged wood boards had been put up in spots where the stones had crumbled. The iron gate was rusty and padlocked with a chain. More old salvaged wood boards were tied to the gate, preventing anyone from seeing what was beyond the wall, though overgrown trees and vegetation crept out.
    A sound that was a mixture between a bark and some sort of lion-like growl resounded through my head and I realized the creature was using its mind voice. And I could hear it.
    Footsteps resonated from the other side of the door along with the sound of scraping metal. The wood boards were spread apart a few inches and aged hands reached through to unlock the padlock. The hands pulled the door inwards.
    What I saw then defied logic.
    Beyond the old, abandoned-looking gates was a majestic garden. A tiled path lined by large trees covered in buds led towards a rectangular pool with a sparkling fountain. An elderly woman covered from head to toe closed the gate behind me and motioned for me to follow. I looked for the griffin-dog, but he had run off chasing after a small rabbit. Birds flew from tree to tree chirping in the early morning light. I followed the woman, who led me towards the pool which was lined in mosaics of blues and yellow. Early spring flowers in yellow and magenta formed clusters in newly sprouting gardens.
    I spun in a circle and gaped at what I saw. There was no way this place was this big from the outside, but I knew of no manipulation of essence that could do this sort of magic. The woman clucked her tongue and I returned my attention to her. She led me towards the main building. It reminded me of the Golestan Palace – a former royal complex here in the city – but it was fresher, somehow. In its prime.
    Though vine covered the brick walls giving it a wild look, the structure itself shone as if it had never seen hardship or dirt. A few more buildings graced the compound. They were all ornate combinations of brick and mosaic, curves and straight lines, arches, and large glass windows that shone in the still rising sun. Scattered around the gardens, shaded by trees, were benches, filled with people. Some were covered like the silent woman who led me, while others hardly wore anything in the cold air.
    The old woman motioned for me to stop and disappeared inside one of the smaller buildings. Before I could figure out what I was waiting for, I saw it. It started small, low to the ground. A sort of smokeless fire, I knew what I was looking at was pure essence. It burned in a blue and purple flame with edges of gold, growing bigger and bigger until it was as big as I was and looked ready to engulf me. But it shifted and I saw her. Vaguely at first. Blurry through the flame but she became more and more solid.
    Her stance was one of someone who was in charge. She was obviously the mistress of this compound. Her shiny dark auburn hair was piled in large loops on her top of her head. Her unnatural bluish violet eyes glowed with that same smokeless fire, contrasting with the dark kohl that lined them. Her skin was incredibly pale but not white. Instead it glowed a soft golden color. She smelled of jasmine and lilac mixed with cinnamon and cardamom.
    She tilted her head downward and I followed her gaze. For a moment, her feet appeared like animal hooves, but I blinked several times and they became perfectly human, covered in jeweled golden slippers. She had wanted me to know she was Jinn. An odd thing for a mischievous creature said to like to play tricks. But maybe they behaved better with other supernatural creatures.
    "Welcome to my home." Her Persian was as formal as mine. Her teeth shone white when she flashed me a smile.
    She unhinged me. I couldn't concentrate on anything except her. I was mesmerized by her gaze, enchanted by her voice, speechless from her scent. She laughed like wind chimes tickled by the breeze.
    Her form shimmered around the edge and she shifted. She looked the same, but also different. Her beauty was human.