Keeping the Genie (Genie's Love, Book 3)

by Stone, Dee J.

  Salia asks us what we’d like to eat. She mentions dishes I have never heard before in my life. Apparently, they don’t have chicken or cows or any other Earth animal on Ortarus. I give Sebastian a lost look and he chuckles softly.

  “It’s been a while since I’ve had Ortarian food,” he says. “Not that I had much, since all the servants only eat bread and water.”

  Salia nods. “As the palace chef, I cooked many different dishes.” And she lists about twenty more, causing my head to spin.

  I give Sebastian another helpless look. He says, “I’ve heard of many of them, but never tasted.” He throws his hands up. “Surprise us.”

  “If you have anything that is remotely similar to pizza, I’ll take that, please. Thanks,” I say.

  Salia’s eyes widen. “Pizza?”

  Sebastian and I exchange a look and laugh.

  Renaya enters the room and sits down on the chair next to Alaric. Her eyes move from Sebastian and me to Salia. “What’s so funny?”

  Sebastian says, “Lily and I were just talking about a dish on Earth called pizza. It’s um…” His eyebrows furrow. “Well, I don’t exactly know what it is.” He looks at me.

  “It’s flat dough baked with cheese and sauce and many other toppings. It’s really good.”

  Sebastian nods vehemently. Salia taps her chin. “Maybe you can teach me how to make it one day.”

  “How exactly do you cook here? Do you have ovens?”

  “Ovens?”

  I want to mentally slap myself. Of course they wouldn’t need ovens. They have magic to cook their food. “Never mind.”

  “I’ll be back with your meal shortly,” Salia tells us before heading out.

  The room grows quiet as Sebastian and I look at his sister and Alaric. Alaric is still wearing that armor and I have no idea how old he is. Sebastian referred to him as an elder, so I’m assuming he’s an older man, but I can’t be sure. All I see are brown eyes that hold many secrets. I see the same in Renaya’s blue ones. Maybe being part of this whole rebellion thing causes them to appear this way. Hell, being part of this awful world must make them be this way. I don’t know a whole lot about it, but from what Sebastian told me, it seems like a dreadful place to live. I’m hopeful about this plan to kill the king and restore Ortarus to how it used to be, but I still have so many questions. Alaric said he’ll explain everything after we eat. As curious as I am, I wouldn’t mind getting some food into my body.

  Alaric’s eyes flicker from me to Sebastian, back to me, and to Sebastian again. “So the two of you are…”

  “Yes.” Sebastian takes my hand. “I love Lily. She means everything to me.”

  His smile is strained. I wonder if he has a wife and kids. From the look in his eyes, it seems like he suffered a great loss. I want to tell him how sorry I am, but I don’t think it’ll be appropriate.

  Renaya is sitting there with her hands clasped in her lap. Her eyes are hard and rough, the same as they were in the dungeon.

  We remain quiet until Salia returns with trays filled with…I’m not sure exactly. It looks like steak, but doesn’t smell like it. Not that it smells bad. I’m actually very curious what it is and when I ask Salia, she answers, “Meat from a common animal we have on Ortarus. It’s called Klarz.”

  “Which I think comes close to a cow,” Sebastian informs me. He breathes in the aroma. “I’ve never had Klarz before, only once as a child when my father...” His voice trails off and he and Renaya look at one another. He clears his throat. “This looks delicious.”

  I nod in agreement. Salia blushes. “Thank you. Please enjoy.” She gives us warm smiles before leaving the room.

  Sebastian and I take a bite out of our food. “It’s really good.” I find myself gobbling the whole thing down, along with a sweet drink that tastes like it was made from magic—which I guess it was. I’m so hungry I can eat a horse. Not that they have horses here.

  Alaric and Renaya are mostly quiet as we eat. Alaric talks a little about the different animals they have on Ortarus. Earth has many more species than Ortarus, and they don’t seem to have sea creatures other than fish. I remember how intrigued Sebastian was when he watched a documentary on ocean life when we visited my mom. Mom. I miss her so much. Is she wondering where I am? Is Macy worried?

  How long have I even been gone?

  ***

  Once we’ve finished eating, Renaya and Sebastian spend some time together while Alaric shows me around, introducing me to the others who are living here. Many are ex-palace servants who “died”, many are from the lower class, and a few are nobles who also want the king dead. I recognize Hastus, who was guarding the dungeon and was intrigued by my being a human.

  Alaric won’t tell me anything else about the rebellion or why I’m needed. He claims he’d like Sebastian and me to be well-rested before he explains everything. So many questions are spinning around in my head, but it’s late, I’m tired, and all I want to do is fall into bed.

  The place is small, with a few rooms, a kitchen, and the living room. The walls are brown, like they’re made from dirt. When I ask Alaric exactly where we are, he tells me he’ll get to that another time.

  Alaric shows me to my room. He pulls some worn-out clothes out of the tiny closet near the small bed. The entire room is smaller than my bedroom back home.

  “You only get two sets of clothes, I’m afraid,” he tells me.

  “Is it okay if I stick with my jeans?”

  He shrugs. “Suit yourself. Use this for nightwear.” He hands me the ratty clothes. “Good night, Lily. Sleep well and I’ll see you in the morning. We have a lot to discuss.”

  I thank him and he leaves.

  Examining the room, I learn there is a small shower, a toilet, and a sink behind a closed door. I use the sink to quickly wash myself before dressing into my nightclothes and climbing into bed. Just like the couch, this bed feels like I’m floating on a cloud. It’s not very clean and doesn’t exactly smell fresh, but it’s better than the tall grass of the meadow Sebastian and I slept in yesterday. It’s better than the dungeon floor.

  I expect to drift off to sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, but that doesn’t happen. As tired as I am, I can’t help wondering what exactly I’m doing here. Alaric and Renaya said they need me. For what? To overthrow the king? What can a human like me do?

  Tossing and turning doesn’t seem to help. Nor does counting sheep. Nothing can take my mind off the jumbled thoughts in my head. My brain is just too active. So many things have happened in the last twenty four hours, and it shouldn’t be too surprising that I’m having a hard time sleeping. But my body is begging for rest. I wish my brain would do the same.

  A hand strokes the right side of my face. “Lily?”

  My eyes open and I find someone standing before the bed. It’s dark and I can only make out the outline of his body.

  “Sebastian.” I reach for him and pull him down next to me.

  He gets under the covers, snuggling up against me. “Did I wake you?”

  I shake my head. “Can’t sleep.”

  He presses his lips to my temple. “I can’t sleep, either.” He puffs out some air. “I still can’t get over the fact that Renaya is alive. I just…it seems too good to be true. Like I’m dreaming, not that I’ve ever dreamed before.”

  I sit up on one elbow. “I’m so happy she’s alive.” I kiss him.

  “She’s changed.”

  “What do you mean?”

  He’s quiet for a second or two. “She was never a brave or tough girl. When she served at the palace, she did what she was told. Obeyed everyone’s wishes. Now she’s one of the leaders of the rebellion.”

  “I’m sure standing up for herself against the prince gave her the confidence.”

  He nods. “I’ve missed her for hundreds of years and wanted to save her from Ortarus. I never forgot about her. Not for one minute.” He sighs. “Now we’re together again, but I feel so distanced from her, like we’re strangers. Sh
e’s so…cold and different.”

  I play with his silky hair. “She’s only sixteen and has been through a lot of crap. Crap I can’t even begin to imagine. Plus, she killed someone. Even though the prince deserved it, she must feel terrible for taking another person’s life.”

  “I felt terrible, too.”

  I kiss him again. “Things are probably going to be strained at first, but I’m sure you’ll be close again soon.”

  His hands go to either side of my neck as he deepens the kiss. It’s only been about a day since I last felt his lips on mine, but it seems like years. “Thank you, Lily,” he whispers, resting his forehead against mine. “You always know what to say to make me feel better. I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  He runs his hand down the back of my head. “We’d better try to get some sleep. It’s late and Renaya told me she has a lot to tell us tomorrow. I got the impression that it’s heavy stuff.”

  “That makes me nervous. I don’t know what to expect…what we’re going to learn…it scares me.”

  He sweeps his lips down my temple to my cheek. “Whatever happens, we have each other. Always remember that, Lily. I’ll never leave your side.”

  Chapter Three

  My eyes open and I find myself staring at the brown ceiling. Where the hell am I? Springing to a sitting position, I look around. This place doesn’t seem familiar. Then the memories flood in and I remember everything. I’m in Ortarus, Renaya is alive, and apparently we’re part of a revolution to overthrow the king. Or kill the king. The details are a little cloudy at the moment.

  Sebastian. Where is he? If I recall correctly, he fell asleep next to me last night. With his arms around me, I finally managed to get some sleep.

  I dress into my jeans and T-shirt—they smell fresh, like someone washed them. I then exit my room and walk into the kitchen, where everyone is having breakfast. Sebastian is sitting near Renaya and a few others I recognize from yesterday when Alaric introduced us. When Sebastian sees me standing in the doorway, he smiles and calls for me. All heads snap up and everyone gives me friendly smiles, as they had done last night. A few who I haven’t met yet murmur, “It’s her, the one who will save us.” I return shy smiles. I’ve never liked being the center of attention. Why are they all staring at me? And, again, what do they mean that I will save them?

  Sebastian rushes over to me and takes my hands. “Did you sleep well?”

  “As much as I could, considering the circumstances.”

  “Yeah. Come and eat something. Alaric had to leave for the palace but will be back soon. He wants to talk to us.”

  I nod. “I think I’m ready for some answers.” I search his eyes. “Do you know anything? Did Renaya—?”

  “No. She wouldn’t tell me anything, not until Alaric gets back.”

  “I think someone washed my clothes,” I say.

  “Yeah. Salia’s friend, Betha, washes everyone’s clothes here.” He tilts his head toward a woman sitting near Salia. “She was a servant at the palace, too. She washed the clothing.”

  Sebastian told me that female servants took care of the “woman roles” and the male servants were in charge of the more “manly” tasks.

  “So everyone here does the job they did at the palace?” I ask.

  “Well, Salia can only use magic to make food and Betha can only use magic to wash clothes. King Sorenten limited their magic to do only what was required of them.” He leads me toward the table. “Let’s eat.”

  After I wish everyone a good morning, I sit down near Sebastian and start to eat. Bread and eggs are for breakfast. At least I’m familiar with these foods. It seems like forever since I’ve eaten freshly baked—or magically baked—bread. The smell is intoxicating. Everything here is more…real, I guess I’d call it, than on Earth. The chairs are softer, the smell of the food is more potent. That must all be due to the magic.

  “Salia,” I ask. “How does cooking work here? Are you able to just whip up the food or do you need to get them from somewhere? Can you use your magic to create anything?”

  “It depends on the Ortarian’s level of magic. I, for example, was only able to use my magic to serve the royal family. I don’t do that anymore, but I still have that magic. I’m very limited and can only create very little food.” Which is why the breakfast is very plain and basic. Delicious, but hardly enough to satisfy everyone here.

  I push my plate aside. “I’m sorry. You should save this food for someone who really needs it.”

  Salia shakes her head. “That’s okay. Please eat.” She’s looking at me like I’m an angel who fell from heaven. I catch a few others looking my way. I hadn’t noticed before, but there are a few kids here. They seem awed by me. What exactly am I? Who am I? I don’t think I can take this curiosity any longer.

  “When did you say Alaric will be back?”

  “Soon,” Renaya assures me. “He has to be careful not to arouse suspicion when he leaves the palace.”

  “He’s the king’s adviser, right? Why does he want to overthrow him?”

  Renaya takes a bite of her bread, then chews slowly. It’s as though she’s stalling. “Let’s just say he has his issues with King Sorenten.”

  I nod. “So what do you do here all day?”

  “We prepare for the revolution. Many of us sneak out to recruit others. We need a big army if we’re going to kill the king. Others sneak out to gather food and resources. It’s very risky because they might get caught by the guards, but it needs to be done.”

  “What happens if you get caught? Does the king suspect anything?”

  “No, but I’m sure he will at some point. There are rumors going around about some disloyal citizens, but I don’t think he believes it. He has complete belief in his power and doesn’t think anyone would dare challenge him.”

  Sebastian places his hand on hers. “Be careful, Renaya.”

  She pulls hers away. “I’m careful.”

  Sebastian nods slowly, his lips pressed together. I know how much her rejection and cold attitude hurts him. Taking his hand, I give it a squeeze.

  I decide to finish my food, because I notice Salia watching me, practically begging me with her eyes. As stuffed as I am, I don’t want to hurt her feelings. If giving me—whatever I am—food makes her happy, then I’ll do it for her.

  As I’m finishing up my sweet drink, a man steps forward. Hastus. We met briefly yesterday when Alaric was showing me around. He looks to be in his forties and he’s wearing the same armor Alaric wore yesterday. It’s different from the guard uniform, the color of silver, like a soldier’s armor from medieval times.

  “Lily, Sebastian, I want to apologize for my behavior yesterday,” he says. “I just never saw a human and I was curious.” He turns to Sebastian. “I’m sorry for hurting you. You have to understand how careful we must be. We don’t trust outsiders. We had to make sure you were the real Sebastian and Lily.”

  Sebastian says, “It’s all right. I know it was you who healed me.”

  “You can heal?” I ask.

  Hastus nods. “Unlike many others here, I didn’t work at the palace. I’m a noble and am good friends with the royal family. They would never suspect me as a rebel. And yes, I can heal. I have a nice amount of magic, due to my status, but it’s limited. Only King Sorenten has unlimited magic. I must conserve mine and use it when needed.”

  “Needed?”

  “Yes, to train. I train a lot, hence all this armor. You’re going to learn to battle with your magic and I’m going to teach you.”

  I stare at him. “But why me? And why do I have magic?”

  He shifts from one foot to the other.

  “Why doesn’t anyone tell me anything?” I demand.

  Sebastian rubs my arm. “When Alaric returns, we’ll have all the answers.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to blow up on you, Hastus. I’m just so confused and overwhelmed.”

  He holds up his hand. “Don’t worry about it. Everyone
here has a specific job and uses their magic to perform their duties. You’ve met Salia the chef and Betha the washer. I will be your trainer, but I won’t say any more. I fear I’m only causing you to grow more upset.”

  “What about me?” Sebastian asks. “Will I train, too?”

  Hastus raises his hands like he has no idea. “Alaric will inform you, I’m sure.” He bids us good day and walks off.

  “This is very weird,” I say to Sebastian. “Something like this has never happened before. My life was pretty boring.”

  “Boring is good, Lily. I know it’s important to overthrow King Sorenten, but I’m very worried. Worried what they want from us—from you. I worry about Renaya.”

  I push some bangs out of his eyes. “You’d rather us be on Earth?”

  He tugs me to his chest. “I’d rather we all be on Earth. Like I told you, I don’t want you here. It’s a terrible place to be.”

  “But I’m these people’s savior or something.”

  He sighs. “I wish I knew what that meant.”

  “No kidding.”

  Chapter Four

  It’s after dark when there’s a knock on my door. Sebastian and I had been talking with many others all day and fell asleep in my bed. He gets up and opens the door to reveal Alaric and Renaya. She’s wearing the guard uniform, and he’s got that armor on.

  “Did we wake you?” Renaya asks.

  I sit up. “That’s okay. I’ve been waiting all day for you to come. Everyone keeps looking at me in this weird way and no one will tell me anything. Please tell me you’re here to explain everything.”

  Alaric nods. He and Renaya sit down on the chairs facing my bed. Sebastian lowers himself near me and takes my hand.

  The room is quiet. We look at them and they look at us. After what feels like half an hour but is probably only a few minutes, Alaric sits forward. “Sorry I was late. I couldn’t get away from the palace. King Sorenten’s birthday is coming up in a few days and the palace is busy with that. Also, he has many new decrees he’s working on.”

  “Such as?” Sebastian asks.