Page 7 of Bound By Wishes

“Right,” I responded, easing further away from him and edging closer to the entrance. There was nowhere for me to go, but my body screamed for me to get away from this genie who was talking craziness.

“I’ll prove it to you.” His gritty baritone voice echoed off the cavern walls, making him sound even more intimidating.

“Um, that’s okay. I’ll take your word for it.” My gaze climbed up the slick cave wall, resting on the crack that I had fallen through. “I do get wishes, don't I?” I turned back toward him in desperation. “Because I would sure like to get out of here.”

I could tell by his pinched features he was trying to control his anger but was currently losing the battle. “I’ll get you out of here if you agree to help me get my kingdom back.”

I laughed at his response, barely containing myself before meeting his gaze again. “I’m pretty sure I get wishes regardless. I am an archaeologist, after all. I may not believe in fables and fairy tales, but I certainly know all of the legends and myths surrounding them.”

“An archaeologist, you say?” Something sinister flashed across his face before he continued. “Then I would imagine you would be interested in locating King Thalorian’s mines.”

“Ugh, don’t even mention King Thalorian’s mines. That’s the reason I find myself in yourlovelycompany.” I scoffed, continuing to pick my way around the narrowing ledge that surrounded the deep pool in the center of the cavern.

I was determined to get out of here, preferably without this crazy being’s help. Ranen’s legs disintegrated into smoke as he glided beside me, hovering above the water.

“I can take you to King Thalorian’s mines. Only my late father and I knew of its true location.” He baited me, dangling my dream before my face.

My foot slipped, but I caught myself before tumbling back into the cold water. “Or…I could simply wish for it and you would be forced to take me there.” I lifted my pert little nose in the air, daring him to prove me wrong.

“Wishes are a tricky thing. You have to word them just right to make sure you do not get more or less than what you bargained for. According to you, you already used up two wishes. One to get out of here and the other to find King Thalorian’s mines.” He paused, the act forcing me to stop and meet his glare. “But you have failed to wish for the lives of the other survivors trapped down here, not to mention the lives of thousands that will be lost if my brother remains king.”

Ranen played on the sympathy cords of my heart, and it worked like a charm. “Survivors?” I asked, glancing around.

“Two,” he clarified.

My gaze met his. “What did you mean when you said thousands of lives would be lost if your brother remained king?”

I hated the way his eyes sparkled when I asked that question, almost as if he knew he had won. “My brother is a tyrant, and he is determined to turn the Canaari people into his thralls. Their lives don’t matter to him.”

My stomach tightened like someone was squeezing it. “That’s horrible,” I said, easing further away, my boots slipping on the damp rock. “And I’m very sorry for them, but it sounds to me like you need an army, not an archaeologist.” I steadied my footing before I took another step. “What do you possibly think I can do?”

He glided closer to me. “I need someone to infiltratethe palace and find the book he used to turn me into this abomination.”

“Right.” I nearly cackled out loud. “I can’t just waltz into the palace.”

He rewarded me with a harsh glare. “According to the scrolls, the council is forcing my brother to take a wife. He is of age now, and the gates will be opened to welcome in the marriage candidates…” His eyes scoured up and down my body with a dangerous gleam.

“Whoa! Have you lost your mind?” I gasped. “I am no marriage candidate.” A coldness seeped through my bones at his suggestion. “Besides, I thought only a princess could marry the king, and I am certainly no princess.”

“That is painfully obvious,” he grumbled, which ignited my anger. “But I can make you one.”

“My head hurts,” I murmured, losing my focus. My foot slipped beneath me, and I readied myself for the water’s cold embrace as I tumbled forward. Instead, I was lifted into the air, dangling a mere few feet in front of Ranen. My heart pounded as I floated through the air.

"Make one wish, little sayyida," his voice echoed through the cavern, filling me with dread. "I will get you and your friends out of here, lead you to King Thalorian’s mines, and together, we shall save the Canaari people." The offer hung in the air, right along with me.

I hesitated, the absurdity of it all making my temples pound. Yet, despite the unease, something about it excited me—the prospect of delving into new cultures, of immersing myself in the unknown. The chance to discover ancient secrets, to learn from the past in a way that felt far more meaningful than the daily grind of being nothing morethan an assistant with a shovel. It was the possibility of true purpose, of making my mark in a field I had worked so hard to be part of.

I closed my eyes, letting the preposterous idea fester. “This is crazy.”

“The world is a crazy place, why not join in the madness?” he cooed, easing closer to me. “All I ask of you is to try. Help me save my people.” His voice softened to the purr of a predator.

“Fine,” I huffed, desperately wanting all of this to be over. “Just get me out here.”

“I believe the words you are looking for areI wish,” he said, hovering closer.

I scrutinized him, refusing to trust a single word that tumbled from his perfect lips. “You said wishes are tricky. How do I know you’ll do all those things if all I say is I wish to get out of here?”

A dangerous smirk played on his lips. “You’ll just have to trust me.”

---