Page 1 of Ashes
PROLOGUE
JAMAL
TEN YEARS OLD
“All right,mon ange, I think it’s time to say good night,” my mother whispered while smoothing a hand over my tightly curled hair.
I peeled my heavy-lidded eyes open at the sound of her voice. I looked up and found her still lying next to me in my bed.
“Please, Mama. One more time,” I pleaded, fighting back a yawn.
She playfully flicked my nose up and chuckled. “Jamal, you were barely listening. Your eyes closed before I even got to the second verse.”
The sound of her light laugh bounced against the walls, enveloping us in a warm cocoon. I loved the sound. Italways made me feel safe and loved, and I often found myself doing everything I could to hear it again.
But my all-time favorite sound of hers was when she was singing.
Angelic, that’s how I would describe it because her voice was the most peaceful melody.
I wanted her to stay longer, I always did, but sleep kept tugging at me.
“Is Baba still working?” I asked and her smile dimmed from its usual brightness.
I immediately regretted asking and fought the urge to reach and rub away the worried line that was forming in the middle of her forehead.
I was about to apologize for asking about Baba’s work when she nodded.
“Oui, mon amour. He got caught up at work, but hopefully, he’ll be home soon.”
She pulled my plush blue comforter up to my shoulders and tucked the sides tighter, just how I liked it. I gave her a small smile and sneaked a hand out from under my blanket to rest it on her cheek, reassuring her.
“Baba always comes home. He’s putting away the bad guys, right?”
My mother nodded, a small smile curving her lips again. “Yes, baby boy. He is.”
My heart swelled with pride.
When I was old enough, Baba explained to me that there were both good and bad people in this world. That hetried to be one of the good ones and his job was all about putting the bad ones away. He did it to protect us and the people of Sardenya, the island we lived on.
He’d been working more these past few weeks because he was tasked with an important mission and it needed all of his attention to make sure everything went well.
Although I was really proud of my dad for saving so many people, Mama had been more worried these past few weeks, especially when he came home late.
“Bonne nuit, mon ange. Je t’aime,” she said quietly before kissing my forehead.
“Je t’aime aussi, maman,” I replied.
“Jamais autant que moi,” we finished in unison.
“Jamal, fi9 a weldi!” Baba called out from a distance.
I was in the middle of a very nice dream and wasn’t ready to wake up for school yet. Baba was always the one in charge of waking me up in the mornings since Mama had to work early, but the tone of his voice was different today.
It wasn’t annoyed that I was late again.
Instead, he sounded in a hurry, panicked.
I opened my eyes and sat up in bed, only for a strange smell to tickle my nose, making my stomach swish around.
