by Young, Mila
I threw my arms around them both, determined never to let go. I’d never been so happy to see my brother in my life. Karim gave an indignant squeak as if he didn’t appreciate being squished.
“Err, who are they?” My brother interrupted our miraculous reunion.
I turned to the three genies standing behind me.
Even though he clutched his injury, Kaza gave a wave.
More questions spilled out of my brother. “How’d you all get in here? I didn’t hear the door. Where’d all that smoke come from?”
My gut pinched. Too many questions. Many answers he would not like. Especially the part about getting caught and the vizier.
I couldn’t think past the intoxicating smell filling my nostrils. Smoke clashing with the smell of rain and flowers carried on a breeze.
Zand took sentry position by the window, pulling back the rag I used for a curtain and peering outside. “We mustn’t stay here long, Master,” he said, returning the curtain back to its original position and then twisting a ruby ring on his middle finger. “The dark sorcerer and his soldiers will come looking for us.”
Icy droplets of sweat slithered down my spine. Damn. Guess he had a point. With a sick brother and three magically weak genies I wasn’t exactly packing the punch of an army.
“Dark sorcerer?” said Ali.
My brother wasn’t going to stop with the questions until I gave him an answer. But right now I had to clear my head. I’d deal with Ali in a moment.
Ten thousand people lived in the slums. That was a lot of houses to check. It would take weeks for the vizier and his men to search for us. Then again, for the right price, someone might snitch. And I bet the vizier was willing to pay handsomely to find me. Unless he used magical means to track us.
All those notions sank through me like tar.
I crossed the room to the red genie. His intoxicating scent of burning coals and wood clouded my mind. “Can the vizier find us with some kind of magical locator spell?”
“No,” he said. “The lamp shields us. The vizier cannot kill us while we are bound to it. But he can hurt us. Right now, we’re practically mortal.”
Anxiety gnawed away at me. This turned things from bad to worse. Perhaps we should skip town and stay with my friend Scarlet in Terra for a week until the genies revitalized. But would that put her in danger, too?
Chapter 4
Dahvi tried to guide Kaza to the bed, but the yellow genie waved him away. “Look after the master first.”
Blue fire crackled between us as Dahvi inspected my bruises and swollen ankle. I leaned forward and pressed my forehead against his. Out of relief. To ensure he was real. Check that the dark flame hadn’t killed me, and this wasn’t some sort of sick, screw-you last dream from the vizier. Nope. Dahvi’s breath tickled my knee. His forehead blazed hot. Hotter than any skin I’d ever touched. I ran my fingers across his thick, braided hair, and the pendant shaped like fire on his necklace. All real. I was still alive. Thank the gods.
“Master?” Dahvi pulled away, his eyes, just like his body, radiated power, sincerity, and kindness.
The aqua line in his earth-brown irises pulsed, and for the briefest moment I got lost in them. The way he said master danced along my spine and twirled around my ribcage. I could get used to being called that.
“Your ankle needs ice,” he added.
Gods. He smelled so good. Like fresh rain mixed with salty water and the bubbling stream in the woods near my friend’s apothecary shop.
His intense stare made me blush. I wasn’t used to male attention. When I glanced into those sincere eyes, my pulse sped up. My mind wandered to thoughts of touching him. Running my hands over his hard chest, muscled arms, and flat stomach. Of him kissing my neck and caressing my back.
Whoa! I had to shake my mind off that topic to think straight. No way would someone like that fancy me. I glanced down at myself. Dirt-stained fingernails from climbing the rocks. Scruffy, wind-torn hair. Patches sewn onto the clothes. Grimy street rats didn’t rate as “beautiful” in this city. All I was used to was being yelled at to return stolen property or having more goods hurled at my retreating back. The yellow genie must have been mocking me when he’d said I was pretty.
I had to call on every ounce of concentration to recall what the blue genie had said to me. Ice. Oh yeah. Good one. I didn’t have any money for that. Especially after all the treasure I’d stolen remained in the prison cell. That was a luxury I’d have to do without. Besides, my injuries weren’t as urgent as Kaza’s.
“I’ll be fine,” I managed to spit out even though my tongue had twisted. “We need to look after your brother. He needs stitches and herbs to prevent an infection.”
Kaza seemed to have forgotten about his injury and pointed at Ali. “You’re the master’s brother, right? Must be. Same perfect bone structure.”
Ali’s face twisted with disgust as he cuddled a now snoring Karim.
My hands searched my face for this so-called perfection.
“I’m Kaza.” The yellow genie hobbled over to shake Ali’s hand. “Your sister’s genie. That’s my older brother Zand by the window. He’s the strong one, and he protects and looks after us.”
Zand grunted a hello and nodded at Ali. Then he got down on one knee and bowed. He was obviously the obedient soldier of the pack compared to the joker Kaza.
Kaza patted the blue genie on the chest then grabbed him in a headlock and ruffled his hair. “This is Dahvi, my youngest and favorite brother. He’s shy and sweet. That’s why all the girls love him.” He pinched Dahvi’s cheeks.
I agreed with the girls. The rings around Dahvi’s brown irises were the color of pale sapphires. And my god, those eyelashes. I was a sucker for eyelashes. My friend Scarlet, she loved men’s forearms, but they weren’t my favorite.
Dahvi playfully punched Kaza back. I could tell from their interaction they cared for each other and had a good relationship. Call it motherly instinct, but I sensed some tension between Zand and Kaza. I didn’t blame the leader of the group; being locked up with the same two genies for however long in the lamp couldn’t have been fun. Not being able to track the stars in the clear, night sky…that’d probably drive me crazy, too.
“What was your last question?” said Kaza, tapping his lip. “Oh, that’s right. We arrived here by travelling via the sacred winds.”
Ali mouthed the words sacred winds as if he thought Kaza was a kook.
To be honest, I still didn’t believe the genies were real. But after everything I’d experienced since last night, I could no longer deny any of this.
Chipper as ever, Kaza leaned on a chair for support and kept blabbering. “I’d bend the knee, as I’m supposed to for the master’s family, but I just got attacked by a tiger.” He flashed his blood-soaked bandage.
My brother’s face blanched, and his book fell to his lap.
“Gods,” I said. “Shut up, Kaza. You’re scaring my brother.”
Kaza gave me a cheeky smile. “Mind if I take a seat? My leg’s killing me.”
“Azar, what’s going on?” asked Ali, his voice barely a wheeze. “What dark sorcerer?”
Words pressed to the roof of my mouth as I prepared myself to explain it all. “Ali, you’re not going to believe this.” My stomach knotted as I snuggled beside Ali, took his frail hands, and recounted the awful story to my brother.
Meanwhile, Dahvi filled a pan with water. Cupboard doors slammed and he created quite a clamor as he opened and closed them, hunting for something. Probably bandages for Kaza.
Zand remained by the window like a guard dog keeping watch.
By the time I finished my story, questions tumbled out of Ali’s mouth.
“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 and coughed.
I patted his back to clear the mucous in his chest. His skin was hot and clammy. Worry ate away at me. His fever had worsened.
Ali crossed his arms. “A parlor trick. Any magician could do that.”
“Parlor trick?” Flames flickered in Kaza’s eyes.
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 sleep interrupted.
“Still think I am a magician?” asked the yellow-vested genie.
Ali’s eyes were round like Karim’s. “You really are a genie!”
I smiled at Ali and gave him the I told you so eyebrows.
“Azar, could you make a genie wish for a girlfriend for me?” A coughing fit ended his interrogation.
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 heal someone.”
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 weakened magic.
“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 teach you.”
“It’s true,” said Dahvi, his voice echoing from inside one of the cupboards. “He has a million lines to woo women.”
Woo women? So old fashioned. I kind of liked the way he talked though.
Ali’s mouth twisted, and his gaze drifted upward, as if he imagined using some of Kaza’s lines.
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 the gutter.
Kaza began offering a few sage pick-up lines to my brother.
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 three genies.
Calm yourself!
Zand gave me an assertive smile, full of perfect, straight teeth, as if he enjoyed me watching him.
Drawn to him, I crossed the room. “Why does Kaza’s wound not heal?”
“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 our powers.”
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 the genie?
“What’s an inner flame?” my brother asked.
Zand touched his chest where his heart sat in his ribcage, and my gaze lingered there for a moment.
“Our source of power,” Zand said.
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 body amusing.
Heat scored my face. Gods. I had to stop being such a pervert.
“At full strength,” continued Zand, twisting a ruby ring on his finger. “Kaza could heal in a matter of hours. But in this state, the wound will kill him in a day or two if I do not find ferrets’ leaf to cure him.”
By the way Zand’s jaw tightened, I knew it killed him to not be able to zap some medicine into the room. Apparently, family meant as much to him as it did to me. Hearing how dire Kaza’s predicament was broke my heart, and I clutched my chest. The news reminded me of my own troubles with my brother. I hated feeling so helpless. With the genies crammed into my shack I felt even more vulnerable.
I squeezed Zand’s arm. Zings of electricity shot through my body. Being so close to him was intoxicating. Sexiness, power, and confidence oozed from his every pore. Insecurity swept across me at my appearance—nothing but an unattractive grub in my filthy rags. Something flickered behind his gaze. His eyes held me in a trap, like a cobra hypnotizing me. I had to shake myself out of his spell.
“I won’t let that happen,” I promised. “We’ll get your brother the medicine he needs.”
My stomach twisted into knots. To be honest, I didn’t know how I’d do such a thing; I didn’t have a cent to my name, and I’d lost the sultan’s jewels. But I’d find a way.
Dahvi returned with a pitcher containing the last of our water, bandages and cloths stuffed into the crook of one elbow. He took a seat next to his brother. Something told me he was the brains and the mommy in this family of genies.
“Move over, Brother,” said Kaza, pushing Dahvi aside. “Let the master tend to my tiger scratch. I wish to be pampered for a change.” He leaned back, locking his fingers and tucking them beneath his head.
For the first time in a long time, I laughed. Not just a quick chuckle, but a deep, hooting laugh, which ended with a snort…much to my embarrassment.
Kaza’s mouth curled into an amused smile, as if he found my snorting and blazing cheeks endearing. “Very sexy, Master.”
I tucked my head, letting my dark hair fall over my face. Having three handsome males around me at once made me dizzy.
Okay. Focus. Time to clean Kaza’s wound.
I dipped a cloth into the bucket and wrung out most of the water. My hands trembled as I removed the bandage on Kaza’s leg. Thank the gods, the blood had stopped. But the wound had blackened. That couldn’t be good. By the looks of it, he might need antibiotics to prevent the injury from festering further.
Worry began to grind into my temples, bringing on a headache. Going back to the local store for herbs wasn’t an option. His prices were through the roof. My friend Scarlet had an apothecary shop in Terra that sold healing herbs. I wondered if she’d take an “I owe you genie wish” as payment.
Kaza grabbed my hand and kissed it. “Tell me your name, Master.”
I got lost in the golden ring around his blue eyes. That and the smell of flowers, baked goods, and that electrified scent the air always carried before a storm.
The genie tilted his head and offered a wicked smile. “I wish to know the name of the woman whose breast called us out of the lamp.”
“What?” I almost dropped the pitched in my lap. Kaza better stop talking about my boobs in front of my brother.
“Gross,” said Ali, sticking out his tongue. “Stop hitting on my sister.”
Wrinkles lined Kaza’s forehead as if he were confused. “Hitting a woman is forbidden in my culture. A female is to be worshipped and adored like the mother goddess.” As he said that last line, he gave me a bold wink.
Cute. But a flirt wasn’t going to win me over that easy. The least he could do was poof me into a beautiful gown and take me out to dinner…and he was picking up the bill.
Ali rolled his eyes, as if he thought Kaza was being disgusting again. Comic book back in one hand, Ali pretended to read the pages, although he kept peeking over the rim every few seconds, curiously examining the genie.
To my relief, Dahvi kept my brother busy, by chatting to him about the story in the comic book on his bedside table. My heart melted at how Dahvi interacted with Ali. Nothing was more important to me than family.
“I’m Azar,” I told Kaza, using light dabs to clean his wound. “This is my brother Ali.”
Ali offered a wave to all the genies and returned to his chat with Dahvi.
Kaza cringed as if he bit back pain. Then he flashed his adorable grin that warmed my chest.
“I knew it,” Kaza said. “P
erfect bone structure must run in your family.”
To be honest, all the male attention made me nervous. I cleared my throat and addressed all the genies. “Thank you for saving me, guys.”
A shudder consumed Kaza as he kissed my hand again. “My pleasure.”
Zand sighed and twirled his ring even harder. “Always stealing the recognition, Brother.”
Sparks flew between Zand and Kaza as if bare steel clashed together. The atmosphere in my tiny apartment thickened very quickly with hostility and choked me. Something funny was going on between the two brothers. When Zand kicked the chair away and returned to his original position at the window to brood, I sensed some residual resentment.
I didn’t want to pry, but I assumed the tension had something to do with clashing temperaments. Discord was bound to occur when two strong personalities were stuck together in a small space—like the inside of a lamp! Gods knew, I’d go mad if I could never leave my shack. Sure, I loved my brother, but spending every waking minute with him would drive me batty, too.
Dahvi grabbed a set of cards from Ali’s side table, shuffled the deck, and dealt Ali a hand. My brother eagerly accepted, as if wanting to avoid further family squabbles.
Feeling a little awkward, myself, I dove into cleaning Kaza’s gash. Thanks to the distraction of his dimples, I managed to remove the dried blood without heaving. His piercing gaze drilled into me, as if searching for my deepest and darkest secrets, forcing me to hide behind my hair and look away.
I grabbed some plum wine from another cupboard, and applied that to disinfect his wound. Kaza moaned and bit his lip.
“For someone several hundred years old, you sure do whine a lot…worse than my little brother.”
Everyone chuckled at this.
Kaza’s shudder and pain-filled grimace corrupted his fleeting smile.
I squeezed his hand.
“He doesn’t look so good,” said Ali, poking Kaza’s sweaty forehead, accidentally flashing his hand of cards.