Page 5 of Bound By Wishes

I fell for what felt like an eternity before I was engulfed in icy cold water. My lungs threatened to implode as I kicked and thrashed, clawing my way back to the surface. I gasped for air, scarcely believing I was still alive. I fought my way through the water, dragging my body onto a slippery rocky ledge.

My body trembled uncontrollably as adrenaline coursed through my veins. I scooted further away from the water, hugging my knees tightly to my chest, and forced my panicky breathing to slow, drawing in soothing lungfuls of air. Gradually, the pounding of my heart began to ease.

I lifted my head, surprised to see a soothing blue light pouring from the depths of the cavern. Its gentle glow bathed the surroundings, forming ethereal-looking shadows that danced across the slick cavern walls.

I pushed myself to stand on trembling legs, my kneesthreatening to buckle as I scanned the area. I looked for any signs of the others in the exhibition crew, hoping that they had survived.

“Hello?” My voice shook, but the only response I received was my word echoing into the void.

I stepped forward, half expecting to see the lifeless bodies of my crew members scattered about in the dim light. Panic surged in my chest as I realized I was here alone. How was it possible that none of the others had made it down here with me? Frantically, I reached for the radio in my pocket, only to be met with emptiness. No doubt the radio was at the bottom of the deep pool, along with the others.

On shaky limbs, I continued toward the source of light that led me even deeper into the cavern. I hugged my arms closer to my body, trying to harness what little warmth they provided. The narrow passageway gradually widened, unfolding into a massive opening that stretched out before me.

Concern about survival was tossed aside as I gazed upon a rocky podium bathed in that strange blue light. The light seemed to gather, forming a shimmering halo around a mysterious ancient black oil lamp. Its obsidian surface seemed to drink in the light, pulsating with a foreign energy that sent shivers down my spine. I dared to move closer, carefully watching for any sign of booby traps.

I admired the intricate details etched into the onyx lamp. The patterns danced across the smooth surface, reminding me of a starry, moonless night. Caution begged me to stop, but it was like I didn’t have control over my body. Everything within me begged me to touch the lamp. Ireached out, my fingers trembling as they brushed across the cool, smooth surface.

With a gasp, I snatched my hand away, recoiling in alarm as inky black smoke poured from the spout of the lamp. The tendrils of darkness curled and twisted, writhing like living shadows as they reached for me.

Avoice purred in my ears, beckoning me from the unholy darkness that had claimed me for far too long. My body disintegrated into a puff of magic as it was forced from the prison walls of the lamp. As the shadowy haze around me gathered, my body returned to its normal shape and size, save for the fact that my lower half was completely made of black smoke, whipping beneath me like a tail.

I inhaled deeply, breathing in the musty-smelling air. Only when I detected notes of something sweet and tantalizing did I open my eyes to find its source. Trembling before me was a half-drowned woman with cuts and abrasions on her otherwise creamy skin. I ignored her, glancing around my surroundings.

The power that normally coursed through me was but a whimper of its former glory. I felt weak and oppressed, like someone had dammed up my magic, keeping it just belowthe surface. Anger and frustration pulsed through my veins, making me grit my teeth against the pressure building inside me.

Without another thought to the girl cowering on the ground, I burst from the damp cavern like a shooting star. My body turned to smoke as I left the cave, my magic transporting me where I wanted to go. Within minutes, I was inside the walls of the palace. I needed to work on my aim. I had intended to go to the throne room, but instead, I found myself in the courtyard. I glanced at the fountain in the center of the garden. Its clear waters poured into a mosaic basin below, catching the sunbeams and scattering prisms of light across the courtyard.

“Halt! Or I will cut you in two!” a voice boomed from behind me.

I turned toward the voice, wondering what fool was getting ready to lose their head for speaking to me in such a way.

“I suggest you stop waving that sword at your king before I use it to carve out your intestines,” I growled as he stopped before me.

A fleeting look of shock flickered across his expression before he regained his composure, his grip on the sword tightening as he stood his ground. "You must be mad. Razoul is our king, and you are not him."

Anger festered within me, my words getting ready to explode, but I was abruptly interrupted by six more guards rushing toward us. I found myself surrounded, each guard brandishing a sword at my chest. I scanned my surroundings, assessing the situation that was unfolding before me.

“Who are you?” One of them demanded, pressing the tip of his blade closer to my midsection.

I refused to explain myself to them. With a flourish of dark magic, I willed myself out of the circle of death, vanishing from the courtyard in a swirl of black smoke. As the wisps of darkness faded, I found myself once more in the familiar confines of my old room within the palace.

The room was silent and still, ravaged by the passage of time and bearing traces of neglect. Dust danced lazily in the dim rays of sunlight filtering through the sheer curtains, lining the walls that led onto my massive balcony. The bed was stripped of linens, and my mahogany desk was bare. At least Razoul hadn’t claimed my old space for himself.

The state of the room had me wondering how long I’d been trapped inside that cursed lamp. With urgency gnawing at my soul, I whisked myself away from the grim room and into the scroll room, where ancient tomes and scrolls would hold the answers to my questions. The air crackled with energy as I arrived in the well-organized room. The massive door was secured and locked, but I didn’t need doors.

My legs reappeared as I walked over to the shelves, scanning them with dwindling patience as I scoured the weathered scrolls. They remained just as I remembered, still shelved according to chronological order. I unfurled the latest scroll, skimming its contents.

As I scanned the inked script, my upper lip curled into a snarl of disbelief and rage. There, in bold letters, was Razoul's name where mine should rightfully be. My heart skipped a beat as I came upon the year recorded on thescroll, the realization hitting me like an iron fist to the stomach.

Anger erupted within me like a dormant volcano suddenly awakened, and with a primal roar, I hurled the scroll across the room. It struck the wall with a thud, unfurling across the floor in a cascade of parchment. Five hundred years! That amount of time was like a blink of an eye to me, but they were mine, and Razoul had stolen them from me while he ruled in my stead.

My vision blurred with a red haze, fury pulsating through my veins as I clenched my fists, the urge to end my brother's life consuming me. With trembling hands, I reached for the door handle, intent on finding him and wringing every stolen year from his worthless neck. But my feet were rooted to the spot, as if some invisible force held me back.

A strange sensation washed over me, as if the very air around me crackled with power. The silly genie magic within me stirred, its presence whispering to me like an annoying fly swarming near my ear. “You can’t kill him.”

The realization struck me, jolting me from the grip of my murderous rage. My little brother was smarter than he appeared. Not only had he diminished my power, but the curse forbade me to kill for my own desires or revenge.

Stepping over the bunched-up scroll lying on the ground, I reached for another, this one dated five hundred years ago. I wanted to see how my disappearance was recorded so I knew what to expect when I brought my brother’s treason to light.

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