Page 18 of Bound By Wishes

I grabbed a silk plush pillow and covered my head as a groan escaped my lips. I certainly didn’t feel like playing dress-up today.

The woman needled me until I rose from the bed like the bride of Frankenstein to complete my general toiletries and then begrudgingly sat in front of a vanity. She began to fuss with my hair, eventually taming the mass into an extravagantbraid adorned with jewels. Next, she began applying my makeup. She achieved the impossible. My skin was flawless, and the fatigue that once stained my under-eyes had vanished. Dark kohl now lined my eyes, making them seem sharper, while my lips had been painted a beautiful shade of dusty rose.

She helped me dress and then finished the look by slipping on a delicate pair of sandals with curled toes. I glanced in the floor-length mirror, admiring the transformation. The teal outfit was a flowing, off-the-shoulder crop top with intricate gold embroidery and sparkling jewels. Below, harem pants billowed around my legs, the shimmering fabric catching the light as I moved. I shook my head in amazement. I may not be a princess, but I sure looked like one.

“Come.” She beckoned, holding the tent flap open, and I followed her out into the bright sun.

Ranen stood beside what looked like a traveling circus, complete with finely dressed men and women parading beneath the fluttering banners of Lidian. The air buzzed with excitement as a parade of camels, horses, and even towering elephants lumbered forward. Their backs were burdened with wooden trunks spilling over with glittering jewels and gold. The scent of fine perfumes mingled with the faint clinking of treasure. It was a display of wealth meant to dazzle and overwhelm, and I was certainly overwhelmed.

I stopped beside Ranen, who never acknowledged my presence. “Do we have to buy our way into the palace?” I asked, my voice dripping with unnecessary sarcasm, but I was tired and cranky.

Ranen scoffed. “A princess’s dowry is nearly as important as the actual union.” His haughty gaze finally ventured toward me.

“Do I meet your approval?” I spun so he could get the full effect. Despite my tiredness, I was feeling pretty in the extravagant clothes and sparkling jewels.

“Barely.” His upper lip curled into a snarl.

And just like that, my fairy-tale princess bubble was burst by this creep.

“Come on, we don't have all day. We’ve been summoned.” Ranen ignored the temporary hurt he had inflicted and motioned toward a massive elephant.

I stepped closer to it, trying to keep my mouth from dropping open and scraping the sandy ground. “You can’t be serious. You want me to get on that thing?”

Ranen turned to me, annoyance pulling at his features. “Don’t tell me you’ve never ridden an elephant.”

“Do I look like someone who has ridden an elephant?” I snapped.

He ignored me, holding his hand out. “I’ll help you mount it.”

“Mounting is not the problem. How do you steer it?” I ignored his outstretched hand, glancing at the fancy canvas-covered wooden seat strapped around the elephant’s middle and the lack of reins.

“The elephant will follow the rest, but I’ll be up there with you just in case anything goes wrong,” Ranen assured me.

I wasn’t sure if that made me feel better or worse. I glanced back up at the seat. It only looked big enough for one person. When I hesitated, Ranen walked over to theelephant and tapped it on the side, and the elephant slowly laid down.

He motioned to the elephant. “After you, sayyida.”

There was a wicked gleam in Ranen’s eyes that made me step up to the elephant despite my uncertainty. I was determined to prove to this pompous man that I could do this.

“Use its front leg as a step,” Ranen instructed as he crossed his arms over his chest, waiting impatiently.

I reached out, running my hand over the elephant’s wrinkly skin. “Hello,” I cooed.

“You don’t have to introduce yourself, just get on the beast.” Ranen growled.

“Don’t tell me what to do. I’m the princess and you…are theservant.” I looked him up and down, satisfied with myself when his dark eyes ignited with anger. I could tell he was holding back a retort.

I carefully climbed on top of the elephant and sat down in the seat. I had to cling to the sides to keep from tumbling from its back because the seat was awkwardly leaning at the moment with the animal lying down. Ranen expertly climbed up into the seat, settling behind me. My heart stalled in my chest as his thighs encircled mine. Ranen made a clicking noise and shifted his feet, signaling the elephant to rise. My knuckles turned white as I clutched the sides of the seat, holding on tight as the elephant struggled to lift itself up.

Once the beast stood upright, Ranen’s muscled chest pressed firmly against my back. I refused to glance back, sure that my cheeks were stained with embarrassment.

“Can’t you get your own elephant?” I snapped, shooting a frustrated look over my shoulder.

“I could,” he said with an evil smirk, leaning in closer and whispering in my ear, “but I enjoy watching you squirm.”

A tingling sensation ran down the length of my spine as his stubble brushed across the shell of my ear. With a frustrated huff, I shifted forward in the seat as much as possible, trying to distance myself from him.

The caravan began to move, and the enormous creature beneath me followed suit. The gentle swaying with each powerful step was a weird feeling, the ground seeming to shift and roll beneath us. My back was stiff from sitting straight, and the elephant's swaying movements weren't making it any easier.

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