Page 56 of Bound By Wishes

My breath stalled as he brought my injured hand to his lips. The dark stubble of his face brushed against the sensitive skin of my palm, sending a tingling shiver up my arm.

“Allow me to heal the injury caused by my soon-to-be dead brother,” he murmured, his voice low and soothing. With a featherlight kiss that swirled with his dark magic, the skin wove together. In a matter of seconds, the wound was healed like it had never been there. The warmth of his touch lingered, leaving a faint, comforting glow in its wake.

“Ahem…” Malik startled me, clearing his throat from the entrance of the tunnel. “Should I leave the two of you alone for a moment?”

I pulled my hand from Ranen, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment at having Malik witness the intimate exchange. I turned away, trying to regain my composure as I faced Malik.

“Who is this, sayyida?” Ranen asked, his voice laced with a hint of menace as he edged closer to Malik. His gaze was sharp and assessing, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. “And shall I turn him into a pile of sand?” The suggestion hung in the air, heavy with the dark magic that crackled around him.

Malik took an uncertain step back, his eyes darting nervously between me and Ranen. “Cal?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

I stepped in front of Malik, placing myself between him and Ranen. “This is my friend Malik,” I said firmly. “He helpedme find you.”

Ranen’s swirling dark magic curled menacingly through the air, but he recalled it. His expression softened. “Very well, ya amar.”

Malik gripped my arm, pulling me closer to him so that he could whisper in my ear. “Did he just call you his moon?”

A flush of heat pinched my cheeks as I pulled away. “Yeah,” I said, swallowing hard. “He has a habit of calling me that.” My gaze brushed across the stony floor as I shifted awkwardly.

Malik eyed me skeptically. “Why do I feel like you’ve left out some critical need-to-know information?”

“We don’t have time for this,” I said, brushing aside Malik’s concern. “We need to get out of here and stop the Nightshade.” I turned to Ranen. “My blood released that thing. Is that how we put it back?”

Ranen folded his arms across his chest, a serious expression settling on his face. “It’s not that simple,” he said. “The blood of King Thalorian sealed the tomb, but his scepter defeated it.”

“His scepter?” I asked. “Where is it?”

“In his mines,” Ranen answered, his gaze piercing mine.

Malik shook his head. “This just keeps getting better and better,” he said sarcastically.

Excitement surged through me at the thought of seeing King Thalorian’s mines, even though our situation was grim. The thought of seeing those legendary depths reignited a dream that my father and I had shared. The idea of stepping into the very place we had only read about in dusty tomes and ancient scrolls was intoxicating.

“What are we waiting for?” I asked with a smile,stepping closer to Ranen. The warmth of his body radiated against mine, a welcomed relief from the cold, damp cave.

Ranen’s gaze traveled the length of my body, and the cold I felt seemed to melt away entirely. His magic wove through the cave, crafting a tapestry that unfurled into an intricate rug on the ground. The fabric shimmered with swirling patterns, its surface a deep, rich crimson interlaced with threads of gold and silver.

At the center, a large medallion depicted a menacing serpent coiled around a scepter, its eyes seem to glimmer with evil.

“Umm, what are we supposed to do with a rug?” Malik asked, stepping forward.

Ranen ignored Malik’s question and extended his hand toward me, his eyes shining with a playful challenge. “Care to go on a magic carpet ride with me, sayyida?”

Ahint of mischief danced in Caleena’s eyes as she stared down at my hand. Slowly, she placed her hand in mine, and I closed my fingers around hers. The thought of never letting her go again crossed my mind. The warmth of her touch seeped into my cold bones, stirring something deep within me, making me feel alive again.

I had only been in the lamp for a few days this time instead of years, but it felt like an eternity. The darkness was suffocating, and I couldn't shake the malevolent voices that whispered constantly. They urged me to lose control, to surrender to the chaos swirling inside of me.

The thought of Caleena out there with the Nightshade was the only thing that held me together, the fragile thread that kept me from breaking entirely. I clung to the memory of her, using it to anchor myself in the overpowering darkness. The way her honey-swirled eyes sparkled when shelaughed, the soft curve of her smile, and the warmth of her touch—they were the only lights in the void that guided me back to sanity.

I ushered her onto the rug, wrapping an arm around her as she nestled closer to my side. The warmth of her body against mine was a comfort I hadn’t realized I needed until that moment.

“Don’t worry about me.” Caleena’s friend sneered as he stepped onto the rug. “I’ll just make myself comfortable in the back.”

He sat down a few feet away from us, crossing his arms with a huff. Despite his grumbling, there was a glint of curiosity in his eyes as he took in the magical rug beneath us. I wasn't thrilled with the idea of letting a stranger in on our family secrets, but if Caleena cared for him, I would grant him some leeway. For her sake, I would tolerate his presence, for now.

As the rug lifted off the ground, I felt her slight tremor of excitement, or perhaps it was nervousness, but either way, I tightened my hold on her. The sensation of her so close, trusting me, filled me with a protective instinct I’d never felt before. I warned myself against her forbidden touch. She wasn’t the one for me, especially after discovering she was a direct descendant of our enemy. And yet, something about her nearness soothed the beast in me that prowled just beneath the surface. Every instinct I had screamed to keep my distance, but the pull toward her was undeniable.

“How exactly are we getting out of here?” Malik asked from behind me.

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