“Maybe I’m already starting to see it,” I murmured, my eyes on hers. I wasn’t sure what had made the words spring from my lips but once I’d set them free I found I didn’t want to take them back.
“I think I am too,” she replied. “In all the years I’ve been bound to that lamp, none of my masters have ever even considered freeing me. You always thank me for my magic and you always treat me like I’m a real person, not just some creature to bend to your will.”
I reached up to brush my fingers into her hair. “That’s because they were fools. Anyone who can’t see what you are doesn’t deserve to have you, Kyra.”
“But you see me,” she said breathlessly.
Before I could say anything else, she closed the distance between us and pressed her lips to mine.
Fire lit my veins and I moved forward, meeting the ache of her desire with my own.
Our kiss deepened and her hands landed on my shoulders as she climbed into my lap, her body pressing against mine in a way that drove me crazy.
Her mouth moulded to mine as she surged forward, demanding more from me. And my heart was thundering with enough intensity to make me breathless.
Her fingers moved to my shirt and she started unhooking the buttons, her fingertips brushing over my flesh. A deep groan escaped me as I tried to pull back.
“Kyra,” I warned. She didn’t shift away, moving her mouth down my neck as she pressed on, with more of my buttons falling open at her direction. “A few days ago you were afraid to kiss me, are you sure you want-”
“I wasn’t fully myself then,” she whispered, halting just long enough to look at me and make sure I could see the truth to her words. “But now I know who I was. And who I am. I want you, Aladdin. I want all of you for as long as I can have you.”
My heart leapt at her words and I found myself tipping backwards as she pushed me down beneath her.
“I’m yours,” I swore. “Only yours, Kyra and you can have me for as long as you want.”
The smile that lit her features sent my pulse spiking before she caught my mouth with hers again. I gave in to her demands as my hands found her waist and I pulled her ever closer to me. If this woman wanted me for a moment or a lifetime then I knew I’d never say no to either demand.
She lit a fire in my soul and offered me endless hope and possibilities. With her in my life, I could imagine things I’d never even dreamed to want before. And as I drew her body closer to mine, I knew I’d never want any other woman again. She was it for me. For so long as she wanted me. And though she was a slave to the lamp, I was a slave to her. She’d taken my heart within her hand and filled it with something I’d never thought was possible. And I could only hope that she’d never want to release me from her power.
My thoughts were in turmoil as I paced back and forth in Aladdin's room. How could he be so damn calm all the time? He'd been off gallivanting somewhere with Kyra for hours. I at least hoped he was up to something useful.
“Rest, Cassian. We're not getting out of here tonight,” Rapunzel's gentle voice made me slow.
I glanced over to where she was sitting on a bed made up on the floor, her fingers knotted together. She gave me a small smile, but I didn't manage to return it.
I turned away again, returning to stalking up and down before the doorway. Now I was unchained, I'd be ready to face any man who walked through that door. I wanted my blood pumping; I needed to keep my adrenaline levels up. Captain Marik might have been a vicious bastard, but he'd known a thing or two about training men for war. Let your guard down once and you'll find a blade sliding under your ribs. That's what he'd always told us. He could have made a killing telling bedtime stories.
Rapunzel took a slow breath and I fought the urge to look over at her again. She'd been in a strange mood ever since she'd found out I'd been the one standing in Aladdin's place the night she'd let herself trust him. She was most-likely disappointed. She wanted Aladdin, which meant...
My heart diced to pieces in my chest.
She's hurting. And now she has to watch Aladdin parade around with Kyra on his arm, staring at her like she's the reason he gets up in the morning. And Rapunzel might not have wanted that Pageant to go ahead, but it did. And she met someone she thought she liked. Maybe even loved.
My emotions weren't easily wrangled, but I'd had enough practice over the years in stifling them. And I used that to my advantage now, burying any unbidden thoughts toward the Princess under a mile of dirt. Aladdin’s impression of me sprang to mind and I wondered if it had hurt so much because it was entirely accurate. Damn him.
One breath. Two.
Ready.
I stopped pacing, facing her instead and frowning at the sight of her miserable expression. I cleared my throat, unsure of how to broach this subject. But I'd do my best. That was what I always did for her, and this wouldn't be any different.
Self sacrifice hurts more these days than it used to.
“You probably think he's a complete lout,” I stated abruptly and Rapunzel's brow crinkled in confusion. “I mean to say, Aladdin's eyes tend to wander. And I'm sure it has come to your attention that they have wandered onto Kyra.” I watched her closely, assessing her reaction, unsure whether I should have tried to find a handkerchief for this discussion. But from the looks of the place, any handkerchief that lived here was not something you wanted near your face.
Rapunzel nodded, her lips twisting up at the corners. A smile? Why the hell was she smiling?
Growing up in a house full of women had made me pretty good at reading them, but the Princess was puzzling me to no end right now.
“Yes, I see that,” she said with a little nod.
I took a step closer. “And I'm sure that's quite upsetting for you.”
She shrugged. “Honestly? I expected he'd take mistresses if we married anyway.”
“So...you're okay with his cavorting? Because frankly, I find it disrespectful to say the least.” My hands curled into fists. I knew he was playing a part to trick the thieves, but he didn't need to continue to play that game in front of the woman he was supposed to be courting.
Rapunzel's smile widened and I lifted a hand to scrape it through my hair, confused as hell. “Am I missing something here?”
“Yes,” she said, starting to laugh.
“What?” I asked, a grin tugging at my mouth as her laughter became infectious.
Rapunzel rose to her feet and I had to wonder how she managed to look so devastatingly beautiful in a dress that was little more than a potato sack.
“Aladdin and I...we're so different. And I don't mean in class or status. Those things don't mean much to me,” she said, her smile falling away. “I've only ever had books to tell me about what to expect from love. I've read a thousand stories where a man and a woman from entirely different worlds come together, defeat the odds and fall in love. But...I'm not sure it's always like that. Sometimes, people are just different. Out of alignment with each other. Do you know what I mean?” She tilted her head to one side and I half nodded, half shook my head. Because I knew what she was saying, but I wasn't sure I believed it entirely anymore. The old Cassian would have scoffed at the idea of the Princess falling for a thief. But neither of those titles defined either of them. They both had hearts of pure gold. So why wasn't that enough to bring them together?
There was only one conclusion I could draw which made any sense to me. “Love is fickle,” I decided. “It plays to one rule, then one day flips that rule on its head.”
Rapunzel grinned, her full lips drawing too much of my attention. “It means a thief can love a genie,” she whispered and I nodded, my heart softening at the idea of those two together. Something about them seemed to fit. The warmth in her had thawed the icy exterior he'd no doubt kept in place for most of his life. But what did that mean for my Princess?
Rapunzel inched closer to me. “And a Princess could love a royal guard.”
It took me three seconds to absorb those words. And the world froze in time as
I stared at her, replaying them in my head to find the joke in them. But it wasn't there. I didn't even try to laugh it off, because the intensity in her gaze told me she'd meant it. “I suppose she could,” I said, my voice hoarse as I snagged on the one word which had made any sense to me. “It could happen,” I continued before she answered. “But it shouldn't.”
“Cassian-” she whispered, the word holding a plea, but she never managed to voice it as Aladdin and Kyra burst back into the room.
My tongue weighed heavily in my mouth as I glanced between them, their hands locked together in a clear show of affection. My jaw tightened as Aladdin looked between Rapunzel and I then released a sigh. “Think we need to have a chat, love. Like alone,” he said to Rapunzel and she nodded in agreement. Aladdin released Kyra, giving her a lingering look before he led the Princess out of the room.
My gaze remained on the door for a moment as I processed what was happening. I wasn't a fool. It was obvious he was making his intentions clear. And I had to admit that made me kind of proud of him.
Trust Aladdin to break it off with the Princess of Osaria.
Why does this feel so good?
She said a Princess could love a guard.
And you told her she shouldn't.
Holy shit. What did I just do?
My heart jolted as Aladdin’s voice sounded through the walls. It was muffled, but if I strained my ears I could catch every word.
“The walls are thin,” Kyra breathed, her eyes widening. “We can hear outty but they can’t hear inny.”
I nodded, inching closer to the wall and resting my ear to it.
“I don’t wanna break your heart, love, but…”
“You’re not breaking anything, Aladdin,” Rapunzel answered and my pulse galloped.
“I’m not?” Aladdin sounded vaguely disappointed and I pursed my lips. Kyra floated closer, resting her ear to the wall next to me, but I imagined she could hear everything they said anyway.
“Not that I want to break your heart or anything,” Aladdin went on. “I just don’t think I’ve ever let a girl down without her crying over the loss of me.”
Rapunzel released a laugh. “Well sorry to spoil your streak but you’re not letting me down. And I really am happy for you and Kyra.”
“You are?” Aladdin said hopefully and I noticed Kyra was hovering an inch off of the floor with the biggest smile on her face.
“Really, you’re made for each other,” Rapunzel said earnestly.
A tense pause passed and I almost drew away from the wall before Aladdin spoke again.
“I’m only going to say this once, ever. But I think most of the stuff you liked about me before wasn’t really me-”
“I know,” Rapunzel cut over him.
“You know?” Aladdin whispered so low I barely caught it. “So are you going to do something about it?”
I listened intently, my breath held and my heart practically stopped. There was no reply and I sensed she’d either responded with a nod or a shake of the head.
Aladdin laughed and the next thing he said evaded me. Their voices carried too far away and I stood frozen in place as I turned over what I’d heard.
“Cassiaannn?” Kyra sang, snapping her fingers in front of my face. I turned to her with a frown that felt permanently etched into my face.
“Kyra,” I breathed, reaching out to clutch her shoulders as a manic energy possessed me. “You're the most honest girl I know, so I need you to tell me something.”
“Anything,” she said brightly, their conversation having injected some serious happiness into her.
“This is going to sound-” I cleared my throat “-a little self absorbed.”
Kyra snorted a laugh. “You? Self-absorbed? This is going to be good, isn't it?”
I couldn't find it in me to smile back as I battled with my words, trying to phrase this right. “Am I...worthy of a Princess? In any sense of the word?”
Her eyes widened and they shone like two turquoise oceans. “You love her – I knew it!”
I ran a hand down the back of my neck, stepping away. “I'm not sure that's ever been a secret. But when that love turned from admiration into romance, I really couldn't tell you.”
“I don't know either. But I do know that I like Aladdin because I have this knotty feeling in my chest right here.” She pressed a hand to her heart with the most innocent of smiles. “Do you feel it too when you think of Punzle?” She stepped forward, taking my wrist and pressing my palm to my own chest.
My heart thumped a fast but powerful beat under my palm. There was a tightness surrounding it that made my chest feel wrapped in chains. “Yes, Kyra. I feel it too.”
“Then you have to tell her,” she breathed and ever-so-slowly, I nodded.
Wait. Did I actually just agree to that?
I turned to make up a bed on the floor, needing something to distract myself but Kyra caught my arm. “I didn't answer your question yet.”
I raised a single brow, waiting.
“You're worthy of a Princess, Cassian. And I think she's worthy of you too.”
***
Telling the Princess how I felt was not going to happen in a small, untidy room where Aladdin and Kyra were two metres away. Although, when Rapunzel and Aladdin had returned from their talk, I'd been half tempted to pull her into my arms and bare my soul to her.
The shit-eating grin on Aladdin's face as Kyra curled up next to him on his bed was priceless. And Rapunzel had looked almost as pleased as she'd dropped onto the made-up bed beside mine. She’d fallen asleep not long after while I’d stayed alert long into the night.
Now, it was early morning and I'd been awake nearly half an hour as I lay on the pile of blankets on the floor. The hazy light drifted through a small, dusty window on one wall and fell down on me in a shaft.
My hands itched for a weapon. I despised being unarmed; it reminded me of the first time I'd come here. But I'd stolen that scimitar once and I'd damn well do it again.
Rapunzel stirred, releasing a soft moan as she rolled onto her side. Her golden hair trailed onto my bed in a silken sheet and I fought the urge to touch it.
I'm going to tell her.
But is that really a good idea?
If I looked at the facts, she'd made a clear suggestion that she liked me like that. But still...my heart was keen, but my logical brain was not. What was I really asking for here? Of course I wanted her and that had nothing to do with the title that came with such a reality. But the rest of it...
I let my thoughts drift into the possibility of a life where I stood at Rapunzel's side as she ruled Osaria. Was I really worthy to stand there? Kyra thought so but-
Footsteps sounded outside the door, jolting me from my reverie. Aladdin moved in my periphery, his hand sliding under his pillow. No doubt he had a knife stashed there. He didn't open his eyes, but I knew he was ready for an attack and my own instincts prickled in time with his.
“-hurry up, before they wake,” a gruff voice hissed beyond the door.
Adrenaline surged, my muscles coiled. What the hell? We're already their prisoners, what more could they want?!
“Here.” Aladdin sprang out of bed, waking Kyra before he tossed me my Forken scimitar.
I cursed his name as I caught the hilt and drew it from the sheath, ready to fight for everyone in this room.
“That's the last time you steal it,” I hissed as the door handle squeaked on the other side of the door.
“Come on, mate,” Aladdin said, lowering into a fighting stance as Kyra and Rapunzel scrambled out of bed. “We both know that's not true.”
The door burst open and Aladdin and I charged forward shoulder to shoulder. Kyra yelled out, diving after us, but Aladdin knocked her back. “Don’t show them anything,” he growled with meaning as I rammed my scimitar into the belly of one of the thieves.
A line of muscle was waiting beyond the door and I crashed forward in my desperation to stop them from getting past me. I swung my sw
ord, but there was barely any room to maneuver it.
A tide of men piled up against me, my blade not finding the flesh it craved. I discarded it in favour of my fists, slamming my knuckles into every face that came at me.
Aladdin braced me, pushing his strength into holding them back, but there were too many at once. We crashed to the floor and a swirl of gold hair signalled Rapunzel leaping over me.
“Stay back!” I yelled as she smashed a candlestick over a thug’s head. He slumped backwards, blood blossoming on his head and Rapunzel swung at him again, her blows frighteningly accurate. Holy shit.
Aladdin used my shoulder to get up, launching himself forward into the thronging bodies. He tackled two men at once and Kyra dove onto one of their backs to assist him. Someone caught her around the waist and Aladdin twisted around, surrendering the moment they held a blade to her neck. She could have gotten them away with magic but he shook his head, begging her not to and I had to agree. If Egos knew what she was, he’d kill us all to seize her. Though I couldn’t be sure we weren’t a moment from death as it was.
Rapunzel backed up into me as three thieves wielded sharp knives at her. I stared them down, ready to tear them limb from limb.
Two men forced Aladdin to his knees and one of the ruffians thrust their hand into his pocket. My heart stumbled and horror pounded through my body as he stole Aladdin’s most precious possession. The magical lamp caught the light as the thief clasped it in his hands like a trophy and the whole world came crashing down.
As the thief’s hands landed on my lamp it felt as though freezing cold fingers had been wrapped around my throat.
I tried to scream but I could barely breathe.
I stumbled, almost falling to my knees as Aladdin fought with the desperation of a dying man to reclaim the lamp.
“I wish I could cast fire!” he yelled and my magic built in my chest in anticipation of granting his wish but I couldn’t find any way to release it.
I was caught in limbo. He was my master and he wasn’t. I was bound to the keeper of the lamp and in that moment it was no longer him.
Forbidden Fairytales- The Complete Series Page 62