Page 68 of Bound By Wishes

I trailed behind him, struggling to match his long strides as he led me down the familiar hallway toward my bedroom. He stopped, motioning for a guard to open the door before shoving me inside. "You would do well not to attempt to escape again," he warned, his voice cold. "Next time, my mercy will not extend so far."

I flinched as the door slammed behind me, the loud bang echoing through the room. Tension knotted in my chest. Outside, his voice was a low growl as he commanded the guards to keep a constant watch over me. I freed my wrists from the loosely tied rope and let it fall to the floor.

A large, furry body brushed against theback of my legs, and I smiled as I turned to Namir. “Hello, there. I’m glad to see he hasn’t chained you up again,” I cooed, patting his head, feeling the warmth of his fur beneath my hand before collapsing onto the soft mattress with a weary sigh.

A groan escaped my lips when I heard a timid knock at the door. “Enter,” I huffed.

The door creaked open, and Arwa stepped inside, her eyes wide with worry as she approached. “The king has instructed me to get you cleaned up and changed,” she said softly, her gaze darting nervously around the room.

“Very well,” I muttered, rising from the bed and following her out the door. We made our way down the hallway toward the bathing chambers, the heavy footfalls of the guards echoing behind us. They trailed us closely until we reached the entrance to the final hallway leading to the women’s bath, where they were forced to stop.

Arwa helped me undress, tossing my filthy clothes aside. She poured fragrant jasmine oil into my hair and scrubbed my skin with foamy soap. She combed through my hair and braided it. The damp braid promised to yield beautiful curls by morning once it was dried. Arwa wrapped a soft towel around me, gently patting me dry before offering me a silk robe.

I followed Arwa down the hallway, my two loyal guard dogs waiting exactly where I’d left them. She pushed open my door, and I stepped inside ahead of her.

“I’ll go to the kitchen and fetch something for you to eat,” she said.

“Thank you, Arwa,” I replied with a smile. She blushed at the gratitude, her cheeks flushing a soft pink before she closed the door behind her. I could hear the gentle pitter-patter of her footsteps as she hurried away down the corridor.

A swirl of smoke gathered on my bed, and as it began to clear, the unmistakable outline of Ranen materialized, lounging casually on the mattress. “The guise of a princess suits you, sayyida,” he said as his gaze lingered on my freshly washed face, now soft with cream.

I ignored his empty compliment, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “What’s the plan?”

Ranen straightened up, his demeanor shifting to seriousness. “Tonight, while Razoul is at court, you’ll need to enter his chambers and search for the book.”

I was afraid he was going to say that. I nodded once, forcing myself to push aside the rising tide of panic. Sneaking into Razoul’s chambers and avoiding the lurking Nightshade wasn’t my ideal way of spending the evening, but someone had to do it. And it looked like that someone was going to be me.

Wisps of hair that had come loose from my braid were tickling my face, but I was too exhausted to brush them away. The warm touch of fingertips glided across my cheek, tucking the stray strands behind my ear. My eyes fluttered open, and there was Ranen, hovering just inches from my face. His closeness, combined with the softness of his touch, created a moment of unexpected intimacy.

“It’s time, sayyida,” he rumbled, his voice low and deep as he slowly withdrew his hand. “Razoul should be in court for a few hours now.”

I sat up, my cheeks burning with embarrassment as I noticed a small puddle of drool seeping into the fabric of the pillow. Ranen's smirk heightened my mortification. For years, I had struggled with night terrors, never managing more than a few hours of sleep before a nightmare jolted me awake. But ever since Ranen had learned about my sleeplessnights, his magic held them at bay. Now I was sleeping so soundly that drooling had become a new, unwelcome addition to my nights.

Ranen stepped out onto the balcony, and I followed closely behind.

“How are we getting past the guards?” I asked, glancing around for a plan of escape.

Ranen lifted his arm, and the proximity caused me to flinch, his sudden movement triggering a deep-seated reaction. The memory of Mathew’s harsh backhanded slap clawed its way to the surface—my jaw exploding with pain, the metallic taste of my blood flooding my mouth. I shoved it down, but not quick enough to keep Ranen from noticing my reaction.

Ranen slowly lowered his arm, as if he were dealing with a frightened mare that might bolt at any sudden movement. “I don’t know who hurt you, sayyida.” He growled, his tone sending goosebumps across my flesh. “But if you ever decide to trust me enough to reveal their identity, and if they’re still alive, I promise you that they won’t be for much longer.”

Our gazes collided, the wicked promise in his words mingling with my fear. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said quietly, my voice trembling.

I knew I couldn’t fool him forever. Judging by the lethal look in his eyes, he already had a general idea of what had happened. But I refused to confirm his suspicion. The thought of a genie on the warpath, hunting down Mathew, was tempting, but it would only cause more problems when I returned to that life.

Ranen nodded, a glint of understanding in his eyes. “Have it your way, sayyida, but my promise still stands ifyou ever choose to take me up on it.” He gestured toward the balcony’s edge, moving more slowly this time, as if to avoid startling me again.

I took a deep breath, pushing the unsettling memory to the back of my mind where it belonged, and stepped closer to Ranen.

He turned toward me. “May I pick you up?”

His question took me off guard, but he was so gentle and cordial with his request that I didn’t even bother asking him why and simply nodded.

Ranen approached with the smooth grace of a predator. He wrapped his strong arms around me with surprising tenderness, lifting me from the ground. The warmth of his body seeped through the fabric of my robe. As he hoisted me up, I wrapped my arms around his neck. His intense gaze held mine as he looked down at me, his eyes reflecting a mix of longing and something else I couldn’t describe. Cradling me against his chest with a grip that was both strong and gentle, he made his way toward the balcony’s edge.

“Hold tight,” he purred softly, his stubble brushing against the delicate shell of my ear. The sensation sent a shiver down my spine. I tightened my grip more so to keep from turning into a puddle of mush in his arms than fear of slipping.

Ranen wove through the air, his smoke billowing around us. As he moved over the edge of the balcony, the air seemed to solidify beneath his feet, forming invisible steps. The moonlight cast a silvery glow on the leaves, highlighting his fluid movements as he carried me toward the shadowy garden.

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