Page 44 of Bound By Wishes

“Just complicates matters?” I scoffed. “That’s putting it lightly. This is awful. What would possess him to choose someone like me?”

Ranen laughed, deep and hearty, the sound flooding me with a warm, fuzzy feeling. “He must have lost his mind.”

I turned around, even though I couldn’t see him. “You're such a charmer,” I said sarcastically.

“Only when the occasion calls for it.” He chuckled softly. “Now I need for you to take a deep breath and calm down.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked, feigning calm like I wasn’t on the verge of a meltdown.

He leaned in closer, the stubble of his five o’clock shadow brushing against the shell of my ear. “Your poor little heart sounds like a sparrow trapped in a cage.”

“You can hear my heartbeat?” I asked, aghast.

Ranen’s fingers danced from my waist to my stomach, pulling me closer. “You forget, I am your genie, and I am deeply attuned to everything about you,” he whispered in my ear.

The servant boy turned the elephant, carrying us back toward the palace. I bit my lower lip, feeling the embarrassment of Ranen’s words. The palace walls loomed closer with each step, making panic rise in my chest. I had to get out of here before I lost my whole heart to this infuriating genie, whose every word and smile pulled me deeper under his spell.

Once we were back inside the palace walls, I was told to remain seated on the elephant until the guards cleared the courtyard. My anger flared as they roughly ushered the poor people back onto the streets.

I distracted myself from the horrid scene by gazing around the gardens. Perched high on the back of the elephant, I had a clear view over the tall, trimmed hedges. In the distance, several servants wrestled with a long, rectangular box, trying to maneuver it through one of the narrow servant entrances of the palace. More than a dozen guards watched over their efforts, hinting at the importance of whatever was inside.

“What do you think that is?” I asked Ranen.

Ranen’s muscles tensed behind me. “I’m not sure, but we’re going to find out.”

I sagged against his chest. “I was afraid you were going to say that.”

Mozenwrath slithered past Caleena’s bedroom door for the second time since our return, trying to appear inconspicuous as his piercing gaze swept across the room. He was no doubt trying to piece together what had happened to him earlier. The urge to shatter him into a million pieces of black sand was all-consuming, but I had to restrain myself—for now. When he stalked by a third time, his eyes full of suspicion, my patience snapped. Magic crackled at my fingertips, a searing heat that surged with my anger, and I flung my hand toward the door, slamming it in his face with a satisfying thud.

Caleena startled, sitting up from the settee on the balcony. “What was that?”

“Just shutting out a varmint,” I growled, stepping out onto the balcony to join her.

Caleena’s sharp gaze swept around before returning and resting on me. “Thank you,” she said, pressing her perfectlypouty lips together, the subtle motion drawing my attention.

I couldn't help but stare, mesmerized by their rosy hue and the vivid memory of how they felt against my own. The warmth of her kiss, the way her lips moved with mine, lingered in my mind, making it impossible to look away. When she noticed my stare, her cheeks flushed crimson before she quickly looked away.

I sat down on the settee beside her, savoring how flustered she became at my nearness. Neither of us spoke; we didn't have to. The silence between us was comfortable, and I was becoming increasingly amazed at how at peace I felt when she was around. The simple act of being near her brought a sense of calm and contentment that I had never experienced before.

As king, there was no calm in my life. It was a never-ending parade of demands and decisions. Isolation came with my responsibilities, but loneliness ran deeper as a djinn. Letting anyone close was a risk I couldn't afford. My existence demanded secrecy, and I had to guard who and what I was at all costs.

I breathed in deeply, admiring the sunset. Shades of fiery orange, deep red, and soft pink blended seamlessly, casting a warm, golden radiance over the rolling dunes. I glanced sidelong at Caleena, her skin glowing like liquid gold under the sun's caress. I felt a pang of jealousy toward the sun, for it got to touch her in a way that I did not. I looked away before I was tempted to reach out and touch her. My control seemed to snap whenever I was around her, and it was not a sensation I was used to. Her presence disrupted the carefully maintained composure I prided myself on.

Silhouettes of distant palm trees and camels dotted the horizon, standing out against the darkening backdrop. With the sun sinking, the air cooled, and a gentle breeze stirred Caleena’s dark hair. The mesmerizing sight was enough to make me lose all control. I gently reached out and tucked the stray strands of her hair behind her ear.

Caleena’s breath hitched, and the gentle drumming of her heart picked up speed. Her eyes shifted to me, and I felt like I was drowning in those deep honey pools. So many emotions flickered across her face—fear, longing, uncertainty. I slowly lowered my hand, feeling like a desert hare caught in a snare.

Caleena’s gaze followed my hand, and she took me off guard by suddenly grabbing it. Her fingertips lightly traced the smooth skin of my scars, a tender touch that sent a shiver through me. “Where did you get these scars?” she asked softly, her eyes filled with curiosity and concern. “I wouldn’t think a djinn could be hurt.”

I pulled my hand away from her grasp. “My mother,” I answered her, allowing too much anger and hurt to slip into my tone. “A djinn can be hurt by another djinn that is more powerful.”

“Your mother did this?” Caleena gasped in disbelief. Her sympathy was all I needed to snap me out of the momentary trance she had me under. I quickly stood, putting distance between us as I leaned against the stone wall. “What happened to her? I haven’t seen her or heard anyone mention her.”

“She’s gone,” I growled. “She’s been gone for a long time.” I refused to look at Caleena, focusing instead on thehorizon as the stars slowly made their appearance in the waning sky.

“I’m sorry.” Caleena’s voice was so tender, it drew my attention back to her.

“I’m not,” I grumbled, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. Caleena’s eyes widened, and I could see the flicker of shock and perhaps even fear in her gaze, as if she were struggling with the idea of me being relieved about my mother’s absence. I inhaled deeply, torn between the urge to reveal the painful truth of my past or to maintain the shield I had built around it. “I told you everyone had their own demons they were trying to escape, and she was one of mine.” Caleena stayed quiet, the silence urging me to continue. “These scars are nothing. They’re only skin deep compared to the damage she caused on the inside.” Caleena stood, slowly approaching me like I was a wild stallion about to bolt. “She was a tyrant, a poison that slowly leaked into every corner of my life.”

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