Page 9 of Jasmine's Enchanted Genie

They grabbed handfuls of coins and jewels, stuffing them into large cloth bags. Tinkles echoing in the room as some fell on top of the rest.

A low swishing sound echoed around me, and I plastered myself to the carpet under my knees.

Gray mist swirled around me before continuing through the room, sweeping up over the piles of treasure and back down to coast through the aisles.

The men kept stuffing coins, jewels, and small gold figurines into their bags, oblivious to the mist.

I held my breath, the thud of my heart heavy in my chest.

The bits of mist merged in the center aisle and flowed en masse toward the men. I wasn’t sure what caught their attention, but they both looked up, their eyes widening like two bugs pinned in a light.

The sack fell from one guy’s hand, clattering on the floor by his feet. He whirled around and raced toward the door, the other man right behind with his sack flung over his shoulder.

When the mist reached them, it merged with them, pressing them against the door and fusing itself to their frames.

A pop, and they exploded. Gold dust drifted to the floor.

My mouth went drier than the desert I’d heard spread from a few miles away to our west to the sea many miles beyond. I guppy breathed and tried not to pass out.

“Don’t touch anything,” I hissed to myself. “Nothing but the lamp. And pray that when you do touch the lamp, the mist doesn’t find you.”

I rose to my shaky feet and rushed up and down the aisles, ignoring the poison treasure and looking only for the lamp. I found it sitting on the dais that had lit up, lying on its side as if someone had tossed it there and forgotten all about it.

Reaching out, I snapped my hand back. I didn’t dare touch anything in this room.

Only the memory of my sister’s harsh cough, of her pale face and wasted body, gave me the strength I needed to turn myself into a thief. I snatched up the lamp and raced down the center aisle for the door, not looking back. Not listening. Because I was worried the mist was swirling around, coming for me.

When I hit the door, I wrenched it open and stumbled out into the hall.

The door banged close behind me, and when I tried to turn the knob, though I wasn’t sure why I wanted to do such a thing, I found the door locked.

I collapsed against the wall and caught my breath, clutching the lamp to my chest. When I could suck in a breath without pain, I hurried to the back stairwell I’d seen on the map.

Reaching my room, I locked the door and slumped on the bed, dropping the lamp onto the blanket beside me. I closed my eyes and remained there until I’d stopped shaking.

Sitting up, I sucked in a breath and shot it back out. Again. Slowly making my heart stop racing.

I picked up the lamp and turned it one way, then the other, trying to figure out why this dented copper thing held so much value. Dust coated its surface, and a twinge of sadness shot through me. No one had cared for it, that was for sure. It shouldn’t matter. It was probably a toy a child tossed aside, nothing worth dying for.

Lifting my skirt, I started cleaning off the dust. Might as well deliver it to Cordellia in as pristine a condition as possible.

Smoke started pouring out of the spout.

With a gasp, I tossed it on the floor, trembling as more smoke erupted from inside the lamp. It was too much for such a small vessel to contain, yet it continued coming.

Then it started to solidify, and I was reminded of the mist.

Holding my breath, I waited for the mist to kill me like it had the men.

5

BOSHUN

I’d been summoned while working out. There wasn’t much I enjoyed about living inside the lamp, but my workouts, my bath time, and my meals were priceless.

Grumbling, I waited for my smoke to coalesce, to give me a true form once more. Once it did and my pointed-toed slippers were secure on the floor, I bowed. Nothing could make me smile, however.

One more conceited person to deal with. More paltry wishes to fill. Then I could return to my solitary existence inside the lamp.

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