Page 69 of Bound By Wishes

Once back on solid ground, Ranen set me gently on myfeet, and I missed the warmth of his embrace. I nervously cleared my throat and took a step away from him. “Can you change my clothes?” I asked, glancing down at the silky kalasiris robe with its plunging neckline that Arwa had dressed me in. “They might get the wrong impression if they find me wandering through the king’s bedchambers like this.”

Ranen’s calculating gaze traced the length of my body, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. “That’s exactly what I’m counting on.”

My eyes widened in shock, and I took another step back. The unexpected edge in Ranen’s voice and the way his gaze lingered made my pulse quicken. My mind raced to process his words, but his implication was clear.

“Excuse me?” I gasped.

“If you’re caught,” Ranen said, stepping closer with swaggered grace, “it would be better for them to believe your intent was to warm his bed rather than to steal from him, don’t you agree?”

A sheen of nervous sweat broke out on my brow. “No, I don’t agree,” I said, my voice rising in panic with each syllable. “What if he catches me dressed like this in his bedroom?” My voice rang throughout the garden.

“You need a ruse, especially since I can’t go with you,” he argued.

“What?” I screeched, disbelief hitting me like a punch.

Ranen moved with lightning speed, placing his large hand over my mouth to silence me. “Shh, sayyida,” he whispered urgently. “You know I won’t let anything happen to you.”

I nipped at his hand, and he pulled it away, a hungrygleam in his eyes and a smirk tilting one side of his mouth.

“How can you promise that if you’re not going with me?” I asked, trying to lower my voice. “Why aren’t you going with me?” I hated the tremble in my voice.

“I can’t get past Razoul’s magic,” he answered. “There’s some kind of field around his chambers keeping me out. But I’ve seen people come and go without issue.”

Panic welled in my chest just thinking about the situation he was asking me to put myself in. “What about the Nightshade?” I asked as dread clawed at my lungs, leaving me gasping for air. “Where is she?”

“I don’t know,” Ranen admitted, his usual confidence slightly shaken. “I haven’t seen her since her less-than-pleasant rise from the grave.”

The night seemed to grow colder at Ranen's words, its icy fingers trailing across my skin. The silence that followed was heavy with my unspoken fears. I forced myself to swallow past my constricted throat.

Ranen reached out, his rough fingers surprisingly tender as they cradled my chin between his thumb and forefinger. He lifted my head slowly until my gaze was locked with his. His eyes, usually filled with mischief, were now a storm of concern. “You’ll be fine, sayyida,” he promised, his confidence like a soft caress against the anxiety that was raging within me. “You’re clever and very seductive. I’m convinced there’s nothing you can’t accomplish if you set your mind to it.”

“Seductive?” I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

Ranen stepped closer, the heat of his nearness seeping through the delicate silk of my robe. “You’ve seduced me,” he rumbled low in his throat.

For a moment, the world around us seemed to fade, and all I could hear was my heartbeat drumming in my ears as I held his gaze.

“You’re just saying that to get me to do what you want,” I argued, unable to believe his words no matter how sweet they sounded.

He released my chin, letting his hand fall to his side, but his eyes never left mine. “I can’t lie to you, sayyida,” he said, raising his wrists, the cuffs around them gleaming in the moonlight.

A knot of longing and fear twisted in my stomach. I took a few deep breaths, gathering my nerve before straightening my posture. “I’ll try,” I promised.

“That’s all I ask of you,” Ranen whispered before leading me through one of the narrow servants’ passages that snaked back into the heart of the palace. The air was cool and damp, and the walls seemed to close in around us as we moved deeper into the corridors.

I trailed behind him, my slipper-covered feet making too much noise in the unnerving silence. Ranen slipped through the shadows like a phantom, his brawny figure blending with the darkness. Each movement was precise, calculated, as he avoided the guards with ease. The flickering torchlight barely grazed his form as he led us to Razoul’s chambers.

When we finally reached the high arched doors, Ranen paused, glancing back at me with a silent signal to keep going. “There shouldn’t be anyone within his chambers while he’s at court,” Ranen whispered, “but if you do encounter a servant, just ignore them and keep walking. It’s not their job to question you or your presence there.”

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat andcontinued forward, never looking back for fear I would chicken out if I did. I gripped the cold, smooth metal of the handle, and I slowly pried it open. A cold wave of panic surged through me, twisting my insides as the door creaked open. I slipped into the darkness, the shadows closing in around me.

Golden lanterns flickered, their light pooling over richly embroidered tapestries that lined the walls, the vibrant colors muted by the surrounding darkness. The marble floors seemed to whisper underfoot with every step, amplifying the soft rustle of my silk robe. The air was thick with the scent of incense, mingling with the distinct lingering fragrance of frankincense that Razoul often wore. The rich aroma seemed to cling to the walls, reminding me that I was in a place I shouldn’t be.

How many rooms did he have in his wing? The hall was lined with doors, each one more lavish than the last but none that looked like the private quarters of the king.

Finally, I approached a corridor with grand double doors where the floor was covered in a rich, deep carpet that muffled my steps as I reached the end of the hallway. Their dark wood was inlaid with intricate patterns of gold. This had to be it. I took a deep breath and reached for the handles, ready to slip into Razoul’s rooms.

The handle turned from the other side, and a wave of panic flooded through my veins. I froze, my breath catching in my throat. The door creaked open, and the slender gap revealed the startled face of a beautiful woman, her features partly obscured by layers of silk and sheer scarves.

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