Until the Stars Burn Cold Read online

  “Jinn!” she screamed and her eyes rounded in horror as Jinn’s body formed a never ending circle. He rocked for an agonizing moment at the top of the steps, the sunlight causing his silver body to gleam. Pitching forward Jinn rolled down the hard stone steps, decreasing in size with each revolution until he clattered and spun with a metallic clink at Kansbar feet. With a satisfied smile Kansbar bent down and scooped Jinn up with one hand. Jinn had been transformed into a heavy silver ring, a perfect circle just big enough to fit Kansbar smallest finger. Kansbar grinned as he inspected Jinn in miniature; his hands touched his feet and his head turned to one side, lips still parted with Shuri’s name. With great pleasure Kansbar held it up for all to see.

  “Here my dear, allow me to be the first to present you with a wedding present.” He mocked and then laughed heartily as he watched his niece drop into a dead faint.

  Chapter Three

  Ghost Gum Creek

  Ever since Mia had been a little girl, it had always felt like Christmas when Grandad returned from his latest buying trip. She had always felt that bubbling excitement as she carefully unpacked all the treasure, and this morning was no different. James Templeton chuckled as he sipped his tea and watched Mia rifle through the suitcases with uncontrolled glee.

  “You’ve excelled yourself I think this time, these are great pieces!” Mia said with a smile as she turned over the small crystal Art Deco clock in her hand.

  “Yes, I am quite pleased. Just wait until the container arrives. Mark my words, the Georgian desk will make you weep,” he answered as he put his cup and saucer down on the turned gypsy table beside his armchair. Pushing himself up, he walked over to the dining table and retrieved his briefcase. Flipping open the lid he rummaged for a few moments until he withdrew a small box about the size of a lunchbox. He headed back to his chair and sank back into its comfortable depths. “Here, I think this is what you’ve been looking for.”

  Mia raised her eyebrow as she took the box. “What’s this?”

  “A box filled with your favorite things and I’m guessing that this time at least two pieces will not make it to the shop or the auction,” he stated as he waggled a finger at her. “I believe that I did very, very well in the antique jewelery stakes this trip.”

  Her interest snared, Mia opened the box and the small bubble wrapped parcels inside. James shook his head with a grin as he heard the first ‘oohs and aahs’ escape from her lips. Mia was very professional, organized and contained in her approach to running the antique store, but her Achilles’ heel, was antique jewelery. Her interest had begun when she had been a child and he had brought her back her first Victorian padlock bracelet and appeared not to be abating anytime in the near future.

  “Grandad some of these pieces are just fabulous.” She said as she opened a packet to find a three carat amethyst pendant, set in gold and surrounded by two rows of seed pearls. “Ooooh.”

  “It’s good isn’t it? I thought you would like them,” he responded reaching for his tea and draining the cup. “I think I may go and have a nap. It was a long flight and unfortunately I wasn’t able to sleep much on the plane. What are you up to today?”

  “Oh I don’t know. Maybe I’ll take all this down to the shop and start cataloging it.” She answered as she set the box aside and smiled up at him.

  “It’s Sunday and with the exception of driving down to the airport to pick me up you’ve been cooped up in that damn shop ever since I’ve been gone. All of this can wait until tomorrow,” he said and held his hand up as she started to protest. “Young Kyle can handle the Sunday tourist trade and if there is a problem I’m sure he’ll ring. Now, take the jewelery so you can have a decent look at it and go home and sit in the garden, read a book and just relax.”

  “Well if you’re sure?”

  “Yes, go Mia.” He ordered good naturedly. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”

  Mia stood taking the box with her. “I’m glad you’re home. I missed you.”

  “I missed you too.” He answered as he leaned down and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “Now go and have a nice quiet day.”

  Mia swung by the local nursery to pick up some more pots of color. She brought a selection of pansies, lavender and irises and spent the afternoon planting and pottering about her luscious garden. It wasn’t until the sun was beginning to dip that she poured herself an iced tea and decided to investigate the jewelery. Settling down at her kitchen table she started to unpack the box. Mia scooped up the claret velvet box that rested on top, which she noted with a smile her name on a piece of white card in her grandfather’s bold hand. It was tied to the box with a piece of red ribbon. As she lifted the lid she saw a beautifully carved shell cameo from the mid 1800’s, set in a gold mount. The scene was a depiction of Cupid embracing Psyche and it gave her heart a little lurch. Grandad knew what a sucker she was for romantic sentimentality. It also didn’t matter how old she got, he still brought her home a present each time he went on a trip.

  Setting the brooch aside she began to unwrap the other small parcels. She discovered a collection of gold gem set rings from the same period as the cameo. They included bridge rings set with sapphires, rubies and aquamarines, along with a fat gold ring gypsy set with blood red garnets. There was a scattering of several tie pins and brooches with seed pearls and diamonds. But the two which caused her to pause were the bird brooches. She held the first one up to take a closer look. It was a peacock that was made in gold with ruby eyes and a tail fashioned in guilloche and blue enamel. Picking up her loupe, she turned the peacock over in her hand and tried to make out the hallmarks. She moved the magnifying lens up and down until she found the marks hidden near the birds head.

  “Gotcha. Well, aren’t you pretty,” Mia said as she found three cartouches. “18ct gold, from 1911 and made in…” she trailed off as she moved the brooch into the light and a leopard symbol came into view. “Made in London.” A sigh of satisfaction escaped her lips as she placed the peacock on the table and reached for the second, which was a bar brooch that depicted two doves on a branch.

  “Now, let’s see, what are you made of.”

  There were also three necklaces, a handful of pendants in varying styles and different time periods and seven bracelets and bangles ranging from the 1830’s to the 1950’s.

  She had worked her way through approximately half the box’s contents when she spied a small silver filigree box. As she cracked opened the lid she thought that she smelled the faded fragrance of roses, yet as she began to open the perishing blue silk parcel the scent disappeared and it left her wondering if she had imagined the whole thing. She peeled back the thin layers of silk and was confronted with a heavy silver ring. It was in the shape of a man bent over on himself. Gently she took it out of the box and held it up into the light. She could tell that it had been created by an artisan, and minute detail of the piece was extraordinary!

  As she studied the ring she could almost make out the individual stands of the man’s long hair, his finely chiseled face with its high cheekbones. His lips were slightly open, as if he was trying to say something. In that fanciful moment Mia longed to know what it was. His cloak was thrown to one side so half of his clothing could be seen. He wore a shirt with billowy sleeves, a vest, trousers and boots with toes that curled up. She could make out the shape of his strong shoulders, and she felt compelled to run her finger over the hard planes of his face. He was beautiful.

  An overwhelming wave of sorrow washed over her. For no reason she could fathom Mia felt tears gather in her eyes and slide down her smooth cheeks. In that second she felt confused, wretched and scared. Dragging in a deep breath she quickly placed the ring back in its box and shut the lid. She dashed away her tears, stood up from the table and walked back out into the garden. Feeling bereft she knew she had to put distance between herself and the ring.

  ~* * *~

  Adwan, 776AD

  Shuri felt her Uncle’s fingers bite into her arm as he pushed her through the door.


  “Let me go.”

  “As you wish,” Kansbar said as he released her arm. He stepped away from her and clapped his hands. Immediately a servant girl appeared. “Bring me food and drink, it has been an eventful morning.”

  Kansbar crossed the large room, his footsteps muted by the large red patterned rug.

  Shuri waited until he had sat down amongst a pile of embroidered cushions. “Please Uncle, release him. I beg you.”

  “Come and join me.”

  Shuri eyes narrowed; she paused for a moment before walking over to join him. Sinking onto the cushions, she was grateful a lower wooden table separated her from Kansbar. “Will you free Jinn?”

  “No.”

  “Why have you done this, do you truly hate me that much?”

  “I do not hate you, Shuri. But as I have said, possessing the Jetae Shamsheara comes at a price. My words are bound, I cannot take them back and sever my agreement with Farrokh. I need the stone,” he said as he held up the amulet. The Jetae stone was suspended from a chain around his neck, it smoldered faintly as the dark clouds swirled in its depths.

  Shuri opened her mouth to reply but stopped as the servant girl entered the room carrying a large tray. The girl placed a silver bowl of khoshaf on the table and two glasses. Lifting the silver jug high, she poured a long stream of pink liquid into each glass. The scent of watermelon and rosewater permeated the room. Kansbar waved his hand and dismissed the girl.

  “Why is the stone so important?” Shuri reached over and pushed the bowl of khoshaf towards him. She watched him as he reached for a plump apricot covered in pomegranate seeds and orange blossom syrup, and put it into his mouth.

  “It was conjured by an Ifrit and holds enormous power.”

  “What sort of power?”

  “Immortality.”

  “Why would you want to live forever, surely one lifetime is enough?”

  “No, it is not.”

  Shuri picked up her glass and drank, the sweetness of the drink soothing her dry mouth. “I have agreed to marry Farrokh, Uncle. Surely Jinn can be released?”

  “No, neither of you can be trusted. You shall be Farrokh’s wife until you die.”

  “I said that I would marry Farrokh, and still you broke your word. You said that you would not harm Jinn.”

  “I did not kill him. He is alive, just suspended. And that is how he will remain. Be happy niece, Jinn is alive. He will never age and while he is in the form of a ring, he will never die.”

  “Nor is he alive! He cannot walk or move, how is that living? Is there no way I can break this curse?”

  “Ah Shuri, always so passionate. Be at peace, child. The spell cannot be broken,” Kansbar said with a smirk before he popped another apricot into his mouth.

  Shuri looked at the heavy silver ring now sat on her middle finger. “I beg you, break the spell Uncle.”

  “I cannot even if I wished it. The spell is bound by the stone’s power. Jinn is doomed to the ring forever and nothing can save him.”

  “Forever,” she whispered as the full horror struck her to the core.

  “Yes, nothing will break the spell,” Kansbar said.

  “No!” Shuri cried as she launched herself across the table, knocking the glasses of the bowl of apricots and raisins to the floor. She tried to snatch the glowing stone from around her Uncle’s neck. But just as her fingers touched the smooth glass of the Jetae Shamsheara, her body was slammed backwards. She was suspended in the air, her feet dangling inches above the ground. Her heart beat rapidly as she watched her Uncle rise from the cushions.

  “Foolish girl, what would you do with the stone? You have no power to command it,” he said as he walked over to her. He raised his hand and Shuri floated up into the air until she was at his eye level.

  “I do not wish to command it, I want to destroy it. If the stone is destroyed Jinn will be free.”

  “You will not touch it again,” Kansbar said and he flicked his wrist. “The curse cannot be broken.”

  Shuri felt herself flying through the air. She just had enough time to raise her hands to protect her head before she slammed into the wall. Crumpling to the floor, she watched as her Uncle stalked out of the room.

  “You are wrong. I swear I will find a way to release Jinn.”

  ~* * *~

  Ghost Gum Creek

  Mia was in an enchanting garden, and there was something quietly familiar about how the path curved towards a bed of roses. Somehow she knew this was not her garden. It was night, and she could smell jasmine on the warm evening air. She turned to the sound of trickling water and saw a large fountain bubbling cool, clean water. A path veered off past the pomegranate trees and the apricots. Following the path she wandered past a delicate open pavilion; it was circular in shape and seven elegant pillars supported a domed roof. Mia reached out and plucked a sprig of the honeysuckle which wound around one of the pillars. She raised it to her nose and inhaled the sweet scent.

  A noise caught her attention, and turning around she saw there was nothing on the path. She was alone and the only movement came from the gentle breeze. Continuing down the path, Mia came to a large pool which was surrounded by reeds. The moon was reflected in the rippling water. At that moment she knew that she was not alone. She sensed his body close to her and her eyes fluttered closed as his arm circled her waist and his warm breath fanned against the sensitive skin of her neck. In the water’s reflection she saw that a tall man with soot colored hair stood behind. The breeze blew across the surface causing the image to undulate and disappear.

  “Beloved.”

  Sitting bolt upright, Mia could still hear the word resounding in her ears. For an instant she expected to see a green and flourishing garden, and there was a moment of disorientation before she realized where she was. Glancing around she saw that she was in her own elegant and slightly French provincial inspired bedroom. Her Edwardian glass carriage clock ticked dutifully from the small mantelpiece telling her that it was barely 5.30 am. The slightly chilled, early morning air fluttered the long pale curtains on the open sash windows.

  Mia threw back the quilt, got out of bed and made her way across the polished wood floor to the window seat. Sitting down she drew back the pale lace and looked out to the street below. All appeared as it should, yet she felt rattled. She took a deep breath and reached for her rosy wrap that matched her sleep crinkled pajamas and called herself a fool. It had been a dream and not even a nasty one so why should she feel so agitated?

  Mia pushed herself out of the window seat and made her way to the kitchen to brew a coffee. It always seemed to help. It was a dream and nothing more she told herself as she walked down the stairs. A product of an over active imagination and the fact that she hadn’t been with anyone for longer than she cared to remember. Her last relationship had ended almost a year ago. It had blown up in her face. Gary had seemed to be perfect, he was handsome with a good sense of humor and taught English at the local High School. Mia ignored the little voice in her head saying that something wasn’t quite right because she was having fun and he was easy to be with. She had thrown herself into the relationship wholeheartedly only to watch it crash and burn. Everything had been fine, or so she had thought. That was until she found out that he had quit his position and left town, along with the secretary that worked in the school office, without an explanation or a goodbye. The worse thing was she hadn’t even seen it coming.

  Mia walked to the back door and checked the latch, it was locked. She picked up the kettle, turned on the tap and filled it with water, before switching it on. Taking a breath, Mia closed her eyes and tried to remember her dream. For an instant she could see a garden and a path that beckoned her, there had been someone with her… a man. But as soon as she grasped for the images in her head, they evaporated and all she was left with was the tingling sensation on her neck, where his breath had been.

  ~* * *~

  Mia looked around ‘Tinks’. It was busy for a Saturday morning with mos
t of the tables filled up. It may be the smallest coffee shop in Ghost Gum Creek, but it had the reputation of selling the best coffee in town. The aromas of coffee and chocolate wafted throughout the shop, against a backdrop of numerous conversations.

  “You look tired,” Abbey said as the waitress placed two cappuccinos on the table. “Thanks.”

  Mia gave the waitress a smile. “Thanks Kylie.” She waited for her to leave before she answered Abbey’s question. “I haven’t been sleeping well.”

  Abbey frowned. “Worried about the auction you’re planning?”

  “No, everything under control. There are still a few things to organize but nothing to worry about,” Mia said as she took a sip of her coffee.

  “So what’s up?”

  “Oh, I don’t know.”

  “You just can’t sleep?” Abbey picked up her cup and held it between her hands.

  “No, I can fall asleep. It’s just that I keep having these vivid dreams, they wake me up.”

  Abbey’s eyes lit up. “Really? Ooo, what are they about? No, no let me guess, incredibly hot men with rippling muscles and a tropical island. Sun, surf and blazing sex on the beach, I’m right aren’t I?”

  Sinking back in her chair Mia said, “No. It’s silly, I shouldn’t have said anything.”

  “Oh, come on! You have to tell me now,” she said with a shake of her head.

  Mia sipped her coffee before placing the cup back on the table. “Okay, it’s at night and I’m in a beautiful garden. I start walking down the path, there are fruit trees, and roses and jasmine.”

  “So it’s night and your standing in a garden… is that it? ‘Cause it kinda sounds a bit boring. Where are the muscle bound men and the blazing sex?”

  “Do you want to hear this or not?”

  Holding her hands in surrender, Abbey grinned. “Okay.”