Elements: Secrets Of Mages (Book 7)

Gathering Evidence (Chapter 34)

"Wait. You just left him alone after that?" Xian asks, stopping in his tracks.

"He left first. Why?" Amy raises an eyebrow.

"Dude! He just said he'd stand up to his abuser with his family on the line! He's clearly not okay! You should've gone after him!" Xian frantically pulls out his phone and starts heading away. "I'm going to find him! Where could he be...? Zodiac Cove...?"

Xian quickly takes off, worrying about his friend. He reaches the cove in a few minutes and looks around for Jamil in the crowded area. Xian bites his lip as he looks over the crowd.

"Jamil! Jamil, where are you?" Xian calls out. Some people turn around to give him a weird look but he couldn't care less. "I swear on my magic if he went back to Adaj..."

Xian turns and from the corner of his eye he recognizes his best friend. Xian starts running towards the body under the tree.

"There you are. You had me worried," Xian sits down next to Jamil. Who frantically wipes his tears away. "Amy told me that she convinced you to take action?"

"Yeah...I'm being selfish aren't I?" Jamil's hands ball up into fists. "She said she'd kill them if I did anything...why am I taking such a big risk? I can't do this. I'm actually going insane."

"You're not. It's perfectly fine to want to leave," Xian puts a hand on Jamil's shoulder. "She's hurting you. It's okay to feel like that."

"Do not push yourself to do something that hurts you."

"It's not okay. I'm being a selfish jerk!" Jamil hides his face. "What the hell am I doing?! I'm going to get my family killed! How can I actively make that choice...? I'm being selfish..."

"Stop that," Xian pulls Jamil into a side hug. "You're not being selfish. You and I both know that this is Amy we're talking about. If anyone can pull it off without Adaj knowing, then it's her."

"You don't understand. That diner was probably filled with Adaj's people! She probably already knows what I did!" Jamil leans his head against Xian's chest. "It's not too bad though. I can handle it, I can stay put. I shouldn't be like this, I shouldn't be selfish. I'm going to tell Amy to stop. It's not bad. I mean, I get enough freedom. I get to do what I want. It's only the nights and even those aren't bad...I deserve it don't I?"

"Jamil!" Xian grabs Jamil's wrist from getting his phone. "Listen to me, you said it yourself, Adaj's people were there. She's controlling you like that!"

"No, she's not. I'm overreacting Xian. I'm just being a jerk of a guy," Jamil shakes his head. "Let me tell Amy no."

"Don't you see what Adaj is doing to you?" Xian keep his grip on Jamil's wrist. "She's making you think like this! She's been turning you powerless! You are not being a jerk of a guy for doing something about it! Even guys can be abused! You're no exception from it! Sure it's not common but it happens and it's happening to you, damnit!"

"My family is on the line here! How can I consciously make a decision that could get them all killed?!" Jamil looks up at Xian. "I can't do that! My family isn't your family. I'm not you...I can't protect them. This is the only way I can. By going through with this wedding."

"Can't you see what's happening to you? I saw Adaj change you for the worse!" Xian cries out. "You said you feel like you don't me? Well I feel like I don't know you ever since your parents arranged a marriage between you and Adaj!"

"I'm sorry," Jamil looks away. "I'm sorry, I had no room to say that to you then."

"But I'm here trying to put effort to change that! You're telling me you're giving up on yourself?! What about Owen? Have you forgotten just how much you wanted to see him happy?! How can he be happy when you're not happy?! When you're stuck with someone like Adaj?!" Xian holds Jamil closer to him, his grip tightening. "I love you bro, I can't let you back out when nothing even started..."