Page 18 of Charmed (Haven Realm Chronicles 2)

By the time I finished my story, questions tumbled out of Ali’smouth.

“Where’s the lamp? I want to see it. Where’s the treasure you stole? If they’re really genies, I want proof.” By the end, he was short of breath andcoughed.

I patted his back to clear the mucous in his chest. His skin was hot and clammy. Worry ate away at me. His fever hadworsened.

Kaza accepted my brother’s challenge, wincing as he rested on one elbow. A small, pale-yellow flame ignited in his palm, but it puffed out pretty quickly, and he groaned and flopped onto hisback.

Ali crossed his arms. “A parlor trick. Any magician could dothat.”

“Parlor trick?” Flames flickered in Kaza’seyes.

Ali started laughing and wriggling, as if someone tickled him, and the motion tipped Karim off his shoulder. The monkey squeaked with indignation at having his sleepinterrupted.

“Still think I am a magician?” asked the yellow-vestedgenie.

Ali’s eyes were round like Karim’s. “You really are agenie!”

I smiled at Ali and gave him theI told you soeyebrows.

“Azar, could you make a genie wish for a girlfriend for me?” A coughing fit ended hisinterrogation.

Kaza whacked Ali on the back, clearing away his hack. “Master’s brother, unfortunately, it is forbidden for a genie to make someone fall in love, to bring someone back from the dead, or to healsomeone.”

My heart settled at the bottom of my ribcage. There went my wish to help Ali. Not that the genies were in any position to assist with their weakenedmagic.

“But I can still assist you, little brother.” Kaza winced as he shifted to face Ali. “I’m the master of all things women. Let me teachyou.”

“It’s true,” said Dahvi, his voice echoing from inside one of the cupboards. “He has a million lines to woowomen.”

Woo women? So old fashioned. I kind of liked the way he talkedthough.

Ali’s mouth twisted, and his gaze drifted upward, as if he imagined using some of Kaza’slines.

I tried not to smile. My brother had never even spoke to a girl. Cursed with shyness, he just clammed up and turned red. Not like me. I wasn’t really afraid of anyone…except evil sorcerers like the vizier. I just didn’t talk to boys because I didn’t trust anyone. Three years ago, I had a brief fling with Nabil, the baker’s son, but when he cheated on me, I kicked him to thegutter.

Kaza began offering a few sage pick-up lines to mybrother.

Zand scraped a chair along the floor and sat on it backward, highlighting the bulging muscles in his forearms. I imagined them wrapping around me, lifting me up, and holding me tight. Gods. I was reverting back into a horny teenager around these threegenies.

Calmyourself!

Zand gave me an assertive smile, full of perfect, straight teeth, as if he enjoyed me watchinghim.

Drawn to him, I crossed the room. “Why does Kaza’s wound notheal?”

“Master, we’ve been trapped in the lamp for so long,” he replied in a gruff voice. “It has weakened our inner flame. As did using our power to save us all from the sorcerer. I estimate I will take at least a week in human time to recuperate and rebuild ourpowers.”

It felt like a giant fist had slammed into my chest, and I struggled to breathe. We didn’t have a week, would be lucky to have a few days. The vizier would tear the slums apart, searching for me. I trembled as I pressed a shaky hand to my forehead. Now what was I going to do for my brother and thegenie?

“What’s an inner flame?” my brotherasked.

Zand touched his chest where his heart sat in his ribcage, and my gaze lingered there for amoment.

“Our source of power,” Zandsaid.

The fiery ring in his brown eyes blazed as our gazes locked. Again, he smiled in a manner that suggested he found my admiration of his bodyamusing.

Heat scored my face. Gods. I had to stop being such apervert.

---