MY JENN HUSBAND

Chapter 8.THE MOTHER IN THE PRISON

*CHAPTER 8: THE MOTHER IN THE PRISON*

That night, Asabe could not sleep.

She kept thinking about what Kael said. _My father is coming. He wants your life._

She turned to Zayd. He was sitting by the window, looking at the moon.

"Zayd," she whispered. "Tell me about your mother."

Zayd was quiet for a long time. Then he spoke.

"My mother was a human. Like you."

Asabe sat up. "A human? But you are a jinn prince..."

"Half," Zayd said. "Just like you. My father, the King, fell in love with a human woman. Her name was Aisha. She was kind. She was strong. She taught me that love is not weakness."

He closed his eyes. "But when Kael found out, he told the King that my mother was a traitor. That she was teaching me human weakness. The King believed him. He locked my mother in a prison. A prison made of ice and darkness. In the deepest part of the jinn world. Where no one can go."

Asabe's heart broke. "For how long?"

"Ten years," Zayd said. His voice was shaking. "Ten years I have not seen her. I tried to save her many times. But the prison is guarded by the King's best soldiers. I could not go alone."

Asabe held his hand. "Then we will go together."

Zayd looked at her. "Asabe, it's dangerous. If my father catches us, he will kill us both."

Asabe smiled. "Then we will be careful. Your mother helped you. Now it's your turn to help her. And I will help you."

The next morning, before the sun came up, Zayd took Asabe's hand.

"Close your eyes," he said.

When Asabe opened her eyes, they were in a cold place. So cold, her teeth were shaking.

In front of them was a huge mountain made of black ice. On the mountain, there was a door. A door with no handle.

"That is the prison," Zayd whispered.

Two giant soldiers stood in front of the door. They had swords made of fire.

"How do we get in?" Asabe asked.

Zayd smiled. "We don't fight them. We walk past them."

"How?"

"Because they cannot see us if we are invisible. Hold my hand tight. Think of nothing. Be like air."

Asabe held his hand. She closed her eyes. She thought of air. Light air. Invisible air.

When she opened her eyes, her body was transparent. Like glass. She could see through her own hands.

Zayd was also invisible.

They walked slowly past the soldiers. The soldiers did not see them. They did not hear them.

They reached the door. Zayd touched it. The door opened silently.

Inside, it was dark. Very dark. And cold.

They walked down, down, down. For a long time.

Then they saw a light. A small light in a small room.

Inside the room, there was a woman sitting on the floor. Her hair was long and white. Her clothes were old. Her hands were chained.

But her eyes... her eyes were beautiful. Warm. Like Asabe's eyes.

"Mama?" Zayd whispered. His voice broke.

The woman looked up. She saw Zayd. Tears fell from her eyes.

"Zayd? My son? Is it really you?" She cried.

Zayd ran to her and hugged her. "Mama, I came. I finally came."

The woman touched his face. "You grew up. You became a man."

Then she saw Asabe standing behind him.

"Who is she?" she asked.

Zayd held Asabe's hand. "Mama, this is Asabe. My wife. She is like you. Half-human, half-jinn. She helped me find you."

Aisha looked at Asabe. She smiled. "Come here, my daughter."

Asabe walked closer and knelt down.

Aisha touched Asabe's face. "You have the same power I had. The tears. The wind. I know. I had it too."

Asabe's eyes widened. "You had it too?"

"Yes," Aisha said. "That is why the King locked me. He was afraid of my power. He was afraid I would become stronger than him. So he locked me. And he told Kael to find girls like us. Girls with tears of gold."

Asabe felt cold. "So Kael was not looking for me by accident? He was sent by the King?"

Aisha nodded. "Yes. The King wants all the tear-girls. He wants to use them to live forever."

Suddenly, the ground shook. An alarm sound filled the prison.

"They found us!" Zayd shouted.

The door burst open. Soldiers ran in.

But Aisha stood up. The chains on her hands broke by themselves.

She smiled. "Ten years I waited. Ten years I kept my power hidden. Today, I will use it."

She raised her hands. A huge light filled the room.

"Zayd! Asabe! Hold my hands! We are leaving this place!"

Asabe grabbed Aisha's hand. Zayd grabbed the other.

The light became brighter and brighter. And then...

They disappeared.

When they opened their eyes, they were back in Asabe's room. Safe.

Aisha looked around. She touched the bed. She touched the window. She cried.

"I'm free. After ten years, I'm free."

She hugged Zayd and Asabe.

"Thank you, my children. But listen. The King will be angry now. Very angry. He will come himself. We must be ready."

Asabe looked at Zayd. Zayd looked at his mother.

The family was together at last. But the biggest war was about to start.