Page 76 of Bound By Wishes

Caleena slept for what felt like an eternity. Each day that she did not awaken felt like a weight pressing down on my chest, heavier with each passing hour. The physicians assured me it was normal, and her body was healing itself from the damage inflicted by the Nightshade, but I wondered if they said that to pacify my rage.

I had everything I wanted. My kingdom was mine again, and my djinn powers surged rampantly through my veins. But I felt emptier than ever. Without her, everything else seemed hollow.

"Your Majesty?" Mozenwrath's voice pierced through the tranquility of my secluded spot. It was hidden deep in the garden, a place I often fled to escape my subjects and the haunting thoughts that often plagued me. The soothing scent of jasmine mingled with the crisp fragrance of citrus, attempting to calm my ravaged nerves.

I sat up straighter, beckoning him forward. Hope flared in my chest at the possibility that he might tell me Caleena had finally awakened.

“You need to rest, your Majesty.” He eased forward as if he were on shaky ground, and at the moment, he was.

“You dare to interrupt me just to tell me that?” I growled, rising to my feet with the stealth of a predator about to pounce. “Get out of my sight before I lose what little patience I have left.”

Mozenwrath’s eyes widened with horror as he backed out of the garden. I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling the beginnings of a headache clawing at my temples.

“Wait,” I called. Mozenwrath froze, bending low before me. “Gather the council and have them make preparations for a royal wedding.”

His mouth fell open. “Who exactly are you marrying, Your Majesty?”

“Caleena,” I answered him with a flicker of hope.

“Who?” Mozenwrath’s brown furrowed in confusion.

I didn't have the patience to explain everything to him. "Princess Soraya," I said, "is actually Caleena, the direct descendant of King Thalorian."

“Marrying one of her kind is forbidden,” Mozenwrath sneered with a look of disgust.

"Forbidden to who?" I thundered, leaning forward. "Last time I checked, I'm the king."

“But she…she may not recover,” he stuttered, his voice quivering as he struggled to meet my gaze.

“She will,” I roared, the force of my anger shaking the very air between us. “I will not accept anything less. Her recovery is nonnegotiable.” My voice was a thunderclap,each word a heavy blow. “I refuse to entertain the possibility of her death. Do you understand?”

“Yes, your Majesty.” Mozenwrath said, bowing low before scampering out of my line of fire.

I emerged from the secluded spot, each step heavy with exhaustion that seemed to drain my spirit. The soothing scents of the garden faded behind me, replaced by the numbing silence of the palace halls. The burden of hope and the sting of despair intertwined, driving me forward despite the ache that settled deep in my bones. Even with the genie curse lifted, I was unable to stray from Caleena’s side for long.

I stormed through the door, and everyone in her room froze before bowing in respect. The air constricted with a tense silence, broken only by the soft shuffling of feet and the rustling of fabric as they moved out of my path.

Namir was perched on the edge of Caleena’s bed, his tail flicking back and forth in clear agitation. His feline eyes darted nervously between the crowd of onlookers and Caleena, who lay motionless beneath a tangle of covers. The potent scent of medicines stung my nose as I made my way to her bed and sat down beside her.

Her skin was cold and clammy and glistened with a sheen of sweat. Despite myself, I ran my hand down the smooth skin of her arm. The scars and damage inflicted by the Nightshade had healed. The once-ravaged surface appeared inviting again with its creamy texture.

“There has been no change, your Majesty,” one of the physicians said as he stepped toward the bed.

“I can see that,” I snarled, my desperation morphing into anger. “Get out. All of you.”

Feet scampered across the marble floors, fleeing from my fury. The tension in my muscles began to uncoil once I heard the door click shut behind them. I bent over her and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead only to receive a low warning growl from Namir.

“You were supposed to be my pet, not hers, beast,” I grumbled, though deep down I was grateful she had a constant protector in my absence.

It was against protocol, and I was once again bound by the formalities of being king. I should keep my distance from the woman I intended to marry, following strict boundaries and using chaperones. I certainly shouldn’t be lying in the bed beside her, or gathering her in my arms, but death would come on swift wings to anyone who tried to stop me.

Caleena moaned softly in her sleep as I cradled her close to my chest. "Get up, ya amar," I murmured into her hair. "I am waiting for you, and I am not a very patient man." My chest felt as though it were sprouting thorns, each one prickling painfully from within. "But for you," I whispered, "I would wait a lifetime."

Time seemed to creep by without a care for my suffering. “You were supposed to wake up after that heartfelt declaration,” I scolded her, my voice strangled by both frustration and sorrow. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting the room in hues of burnt orange and pale pink. “Will you awaken if I kiss you, like in one of those fairy tales?”

“Don’t you dare,” she rasped against my chest, jump-starting my crumbling heart.

I froze, barely believing my ears. Her voice, though weak, was music to me. I eased her back, my hands trembling as Icupped her face. Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing the depths of her dark eyes that were heavy with fatigue but filled with a spark of defiance.

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