Page 85 of Waves
“Is it there?” I asked for the thousandth time.
“Patience, patience, child,” Lizza clucked what was left of her tongue, but a new hole in her cheek turned the sound into a strange sort of suction noise. I looked sideways to share a disgusted look with Gita—as had become our habit lately whenever Lizza was near—before remembering that I’d given her the day off to be with Humberto. He’d officially withdrawn from the tournament about an hour ago and I’d let them go off to celebrate. Of course, it wouldn’t have made sense for Gita to be here anyway. While she knew many of my secrets, she didn’t know this one. And wouldn’t. I was clearly still exhausted from the strain of facing off against the dragon and Sahar.
The castle mage and I stood shoulder to shoulder in one of my sitting rooms in the palace of Palati, the green glass windows giving the space an eerie glow.
Raj splayed lazily across my settee, asleep, somehow able to breathe in his djinn form beneath the water, though I didn’t see any gills. Shirtless, wearing pants and sporting bare feet instead of that twist of smoke on his lower half, he looked nearly human.
It had been a surprise to find him here when I arrived with the rest of our traveling party. I’d expected arrogant defiance of my wishes—for him to have figured out some loophole that allowed him to sprawl across my bed and claim it for himself. For him to try to set a trap.
He hadn’t.
For some unknown reason, he’d done exactly as ordered.
It made me study the djinn’s relaxed features, my eyes moving from the stubble lining his strong jaw to the straight line of his nose and then to the eyelashes that never should have belonged to a man. Long and perfectly curled, they gave such a delicate appearance to a djinn built of unadulterated evil.
I hadn’t woken Raj yet, determined to wait until Lizza was certain her X-ray fish or some other technique would verify what I was already certain of—the bastard had my heart.
A clinking noise came from Lizza’s black bag of mysteries as she leaned farther into the thing than should have been possible, her entire torso disappearing. “Ah-ha!” she cried, voice echoing as if she was inside a vast wine cellar. “Here it is.” With a flourish, she popped upright holding a nearly empty bottle. She shook it and two transparent fish flopped within. “It’s not much, but hopefully it will get the job done.”
Inhaling, I took a step closer and immediately, Ugo came closer as well. My mer guard was on edge, his spear at the ready, his fiery gaze focused on Raj as if he could burn the former king on willpower alone.
“Put the blade to his neck,” Felipe growled, stepping protectively in front of me, hands clenched as if he wished he had his own spear. He’d swapped his tail for legs once we’d reached my chambers, and I vaguely wondered if he wanted to kick Raj in the jewels.
Mateo crowded my left side, his tail swishing water around my calf. Though he didn’t look as ready to fight as the other two,I had little doubt his role was to yank me backward as the other two surged forward—if Raj did try to pull any tricks.
Keelan stood in the back of the room near Paavo, his expression stoic. He was probably still in shock after everything with his mother, but he’d refused when I’d offered to let him leave. Mr. Whelk floated in front of his chest, staying close.
I’d quickly briefed the trio when I sent for Lizza so that they knew what to expect.
Even with their support, anticipation skittered across my skin unpleasantly. I both wanted to find my heart and didn’t.
"Raj, I wish you'd wake up," I whispered, twisting the ring, my stomach corkscrewing in tandem.
The djinn's head jerked before his eyelashes fluttered and a dangerous blast of lust washed over me, nearly buckling my knees when our gazes locked. My hand flew to my chest, startled, and it was a moment before I calmed the rapid thrum of my pulse.
What the hell was that? Was the lust his trick? Does he know about our connection? Is he using it to get to me?
"Open wide," Lizza crooned, twisting the lid off her jar.
Immediately, Raj sat up, brows furrowed, concern etched on his face.
"I wish you'd eat these," I told him, without explanation.
"What is it?"
Of course, the former sultan couldn't just heed my commands, even if they did magically bind him. Suspicion swirled within my gut, and it took me a moment longer than it had with the lust to realize that the feeling was his. He didn’t trust me.
The feeling was mutual.
"Eat those fish so that I can see the truth."
Raj blinked and opened his mouth to ask a question before stopping himself. Whether he did it of his own accord or because Felipe took the jar from Lizza and shoved it at him, I wasn't sure.
Raj grabbed the jar before swiveling his eyes to mine. With a look that yanked at my lower belly, he reached inside. He didn’t even bother to look at the disgusting creature’s foul appearance before he sucked it down.
It took all my patience to render my limbs still as he finished the second because I wanted to know more than anything. I wondered briefly if he could feel my anxious anticipation the way I could feel his emotions or if the feelings only moved in one direction. I didn’t ask.
We waited in tense silence as the seconds ticked past. Slowly as a glacier sliding across the land, his skin leached away color and became transparent.
