by Young, Mila
“There’s not enough time for us both to climb down,” said the genie. “You go first. Leave the guard to me.”
My head exploded with dizzying fear. Did a genie even know how to fight? Who would need to know how to defend themselves with brawn when they had magic? Fear scratched along my spine.
“But he’ll kill you,” I protested.
“Leave them to me,” Dahvi growled. One snap of his fingers set blue fire crackling on his thumb, but the flame went out quickly.
“No, you can’t use your magic.” Heat coursed through me the second I touched his arm. “You must save it.”
“Go.” He pushed me away then tried again and again with the same results.
Damn. His magic was still weak.
Behind him, the guard raised his sword over his head.
Terror ricocheted in my skull as I started for the ladder on the wall. “Behind you.”
Fire exploded next to us. Pale-blue smoke fanned outward. Something hissed inside the flames.
My pulse jumped into hyper mode as the source slithered out.
Oh crap. The genie had brought the cobras onto the roof. Six of them!
Startled, I almost lost my balance, but Dahvi caught me. It felt incredible to be close to him again. Even just for a fleeting moment.
“What are we going to do?” My voice scaled three octaves.
The guard came to a standstill. I couldn’t blame him. If I were him, I’d let the snakes do his job for him. His husky laugh raked down my skin.
“Master, watch out,” warned the genie.
One of the cobras struck at me, and I scrambled backward, hitting the parapet. Dahvi used that inhuman speed of his to yank the snake by the tail and fling it at the guard. The rest of the snakes rounded on the genie.
A strangled cry poured from my mouth.
The genie ignited his magic again. All the cobras burst into flames. The fire combined into a single blaze that jumped back onto the genie’s hand.
I glanced at the guard. Two halves of a sliced cobra rested at his feet. Hatred fueled his eyes as he continued his pursuit of the genie and me.
“Dahvi, we have to leave now,” I screamed, throwing my leg over the roof’s edge.
But it was too late. The guard’s sword slashed through the air. Dahvi raised a fist, deflecting the blow. The steel clashed on the genie’s wristband. Blue sparks exploded over both of them. The guard jumped back, surprised. When he regained his senses, he continued his swipes, forcing the genie backward. The guard grunted as if he’d never had to work so hard to apprehend a criminal. Most probably surrendered at the sight of his sword.
I flinched at every strike. My stomach turned to a sloppy mess.
“Get down here,” someone shouted from below.
Shish kebab. Another guard.
Just because we didn’t have enough problems, the third guard stumbled onto the roof from the opposite end.
“Dahvi, we have a problem,” I warned.
Blue flames erupted on Dahvi. Out of the resulting swell of smoke came a floating carpet branded with ocean blues and greens.
“I didn’t summon you,” cried Dahvi, grabbing the sides of his head. “You’ll have to do. Get on, Master.”
The rug swung over to me.
Little puffs of pale magic extinguished on the silk rug as I put a foot on it. Hundreds of frays spat out from the edges of the carpet, as if it were moulting. Threads of the silk weave unwound and piled on the roof.
“No, no, no,” I shouted, grabbing the carpet, trying to stop it from unraveling. It sagged in my grasp as if all of its magic had drained away. I tossed the carpet over one shoulder.
The guard’s laugh rumbled in my ear. “What a poor excuse for a genie. I’ll be rewarded handsomely when I deliver both your heads to the vizier.”
For that, Dahvi punched him in the nose, sending him flying across the roof.
The guard on the ladder grabbed my injured ankle and squeezed. Streams of pain coursed through my leg, and I screeched. Instinctively, I kicked him with the heel of my boot. Blood poured out his nose.
“I’ll kill you for that, bitch.” His fingers dug into my leg, and I screamed. He tugged at me, trying to pull me off.
“Eat sand,” I said, looping both arms through the ladder. This time, I drove my heel into him with more force.
He grunted and thumped me in the thigh.
Gods. I could barely move from the numbing pain. Over and over, I slammed into him. Nothing worked to push him off.
Bleeding from his forehead now, the fat-bellied pig snatched the carpet from me.
“No.” I let one arm go to try to get it back.
The guard sneered.
One end of the magic carpet jolted upright as if sparked back to life. Magical fire blazed across the surface, weaving all its threads back together.
My jaw dropped. Maybe the genie’s magic wasn’t dead after all.
The guard stumbled down one rung on the ladder. Taking my chances, I thrust my leg at him, connecting with his chest. This time, he fell from the ladder, landing with a thud on the ground below.
I flinched for hurting him. But it was either him or me. And I chose me.
Something whacked me in the side of my face, ending my assault. Pain cracked down the side of my skull. Blinding light blurred my vision.
Someone grabbed me by the armpits and hauled me over the building’s edge.
“I’ve got the street rat,” said the voice of the guard Dahvi had been fighting.
Tightness clamped around my lungs. Oh gods. Where was the genie? Was he alive?
“Dahvi,” I screamed.
Muffled shrieks followed, and the guard’s grip on me loosened.
I blinked away the fog in my vision. To my surprise, it was not the genie who was my savior but the magic carpet. It had wrapped around the guard’s neck and dragged him backward. The guard scratched at the carpet, trying to get it off his face.
I rubbed my forehead, both in bewilderment and relief.
The magic carpet lifted the guard into the air and over the roof’s edge. His legs thrashed, fingers clawed. A smug sense of satisfaction pumped through me as the rug let him go. Several thuds and a scream sounded as he crashed below.
Two down. One to go.
My heart hammered into overdrive.
On the roof, Dahvi fought the last guard with his fists. The genie took a blow to the gut and chest. In return, he unleashed an elbow into the guard’s face. Dazed, he sank to his knees. The genie snatched the guard’s sword from his grip and cracked the man on the head with the hilt. The guard slumped to the ground like a sack of spices.
Three down.
“Dahvi,” I said, stumbling back onto the roof.
His chest heaved as he rushed to me. “Master.” He pulled me into his arms and held me tight.
I pressed my head to his shoulder, listening to his quaking heartbeat.
“Did he hurt you?” He smoothed hair from my face.
“No. But another guard tried to pull me off the ladder.” I wanted to say more, but when I lifted my head, I got lost in the stormy sea that was his eyes. Fireworks popped in my chest. I’d never had anyone come to my rescue before other than Karim. Something about having a guy protect me for once made me feel amazing.
“I’ve lost count of the number of times I had to jump in and help Kaza out of a tussle,” he said with a chuckle, squeezing me tighter, filling me with his delicious warmth.
So that’s where he’d learned to fight. I imagined Kaza getting into a lot of trouble with his flirty winks.
“And not a scar on you.” I poked Dahvi’s nose and giggled.
“Are you saying I fight like a girl?” He tickled me.
“No.” I squealed.
Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with the urge to kiss him. But as we both leaned in, something jabbed me in the butt, and I accidentally head-butted him. Rubbing my forehead, I glanced over my shoulder. The cheeky rug waved a tassel at me.
; “Sit,” said Dahvi, taking my hand and helping me onto the carpet. “Take the weight off your foot.”
I’d always been the one responsible for Ali. Getting his medicine, clothes, water and food, cooking, cleaning, and washing. I really liked the way Dahvi fussed over me. Having someone take care of me for a change was refreshing. This was something I could get used to.
Once I was comfy, Dahvi dragged one of the guards over to the rug and lifted him on.
“What are you doing?” I scrambled to the farther edge, terrified he’d wake up and try to kill me again.
“We can’t leave them here.” Dahvi went back for the other guard on the rooftop. “When they wake, they will return to the vizier with news of finding us. That will leave our brothers in danger.”
Smart. I can’t believe I didn’t thought about that. My mind still hadn’t caught up with all the complications in my life and my lack of sleep. All of this had left me exhausted. I needed sleep desperately. Gods! I probably looked a sight with dark bags under my eyes. Being around someone as sexy as Dahvi wasn’t helping either. I could barely concentrate on anything besides those eyes.
For a few moments, he took my hand and massaged the joints. “We’ll take the guards and leave them a few days’ march from here.”
Nice. That head start would give the genies time to recover. A chance for me to save my brother. Gods. So much responsibility again.
I patted the carpet. “I have just the place.”
“Where’s the last guard?” asked Dahvi, scanning the rooftop.
“In the alley,” I said.
My muscles braced for a bounce as he jumped on beside me. But the carpet didn’t budge. Only the tassels jiggled in the breeze.
A squeal burst free as the carpet sailed over the edge of the building and lowered us into the alley, the walls of which had been covered in graffiti from the local children.
Dahvi tiptoed around the plants potted in wine barrels to lug the final guard onto the carpet.
With a smile, Dahvi pulled me between his legs and snuggled me, my back to his rock-hard chest. Basking in his warmth, I nestled into him, feeling so secure.
His breath feathered my neck. “Where to now, Master?”
My belly bubbled with excitement. I was about to go on a magic carpet ride! “Head east for the lands known as The Den. Then we’ll take a detour to visit my friend Scarlet in the woods of Terra.”
Dahvi whispered to the carpet in a foreign language that sounded like pure magic. The carpet soared above the apartment blocks.
My stomach sank into my toes. Soon, the sand-drenched alley lay several hundred feet below. Dizziness struck me. Caves and gates, I could handle with no problem. But ridiculous heights like this weren’t my thing.
His lips grazed my ear, and my heart trotted like happy, Arabian horses.
“Look, Master.” He pointed downward.
Water roared in the fountain at the center of Utaara, which fed the lush gardens filled with hedges, crawling, flowering vines, roses, and fish ponds. The carpet shifted left around tiled archways and monuments. Brightly colored silk awnings and citizens wandering the cobbled streets all contrasted with the sunbaked orange buildings.
I gasped, and my hand flew to my chest. Such beauty I’d never seen before. This was perfect. I leaned even harder into him, and he held me tighter. Being next to him felt incredible. I’d always imagined strolling through the lanes of Utaara, hand in hand, with someone special. Leaning my head on his shoulder. Having his comforting arm around my waist. Feeling safe, loved, and supported. Dahvi stirred those feelings inside me, which was insane, considering I hardly knew him. Yet he’d done something to my insides I couldn’t explain.
The magic carpet peeled west, heading along the sultan’s road, leading out of Utaara. My heart bounced in my chest at the thought of seeing my friend Scarlet. With Ali so sick lately, I hadn’t seen her in over a month, and I longed to talk to her, get a new batch of tea for Ali, too.
Dahvi’s head pressed against the back of mine. “Utaara reminds me a little of the deserts back home. Tell me about this Terra land. Exploring new places is a hobby of mine and part of the job.”
“Me, too.” I twisted to look at him, impressed we had something in common. My line of work often called for me to steal artifacts and treasures and exchange them in other realms of Haven. But…at the end of the day, I did not belong to a lamp and a master. The thought of having to eternally serve new masters made my chest ache.
The genie laughed, deep and hearty, and the sound lightened my mind. “My mother used to say curiosity always led me astray.”
“So did mine.” I smiled, remembering driving my mother batty when I disappeared all the time to explore Utaara.
By the time I was five, I’d memorized the entire map of Utaara. I knew every nook of the slums’ alleys. I’d snuck into the palace seven times and pinched countless fruit from the gardens. In the last four years, I’d visited four of the seven realms of Haven. Terra, for Ali’s herbs from my friend Scarlet. The Darkwoods, to trade with the merchants. One time, I had trekked to the mountains in White Peaks, but it was too cold for my blood, and I never went back. But the one place I kept returning to was Wildfire by the beach. A few times, I’d taken Ali when he was well. We’d swum, caught fish, and ate enough bananas and mangoes to make us sick. Every time, we’d hoped to see the merfolk who lived underwater in Tritonia, but we were never lucky enough.
My heart craved adventure and endless possibility. But my circumstances with Ali and our finances didn’t often permit travel. In Dahvi, I sensed a kindred yearning for journeying.
“Terra is sublime,” I began, finally answering his question. “Covered in thick forests, streams, and brimming with every herb imaginable. That’s why my friend lives there.” I tucked my head. “That probably doesn’t compare to what you’ve seen.”
“I have seen many lands.” His voice held a rueful quality. “One of pure darkness and terrible beasts. Wastelands of ice. A land so barren and dead that the people lived underground.”
My mind soared at those new possibilities. Perhaps once everything was dealt with, I could take the genies and Ali exploring around Haven.
“What’s it like in your world?” I asked as the carpet bumped on a pocket of air, and I gripped Dahvi’s leg.
“Tribe Marid, where I come from, is a paradise.” He used his hands to express himself, and I watched their fluidic movement entranced. “Water and rock pools, tropical vegetation, homes beneath the water, and camps above land.”
It sounded like heaven, and I longed to visit there. “Can a human travel there?”
“No.” He ran a hand down my arms, and my skin sparked with blue-genie magic. “Only those touched by the gods’ magic, those bearing the mark, may cross the barrier between our worlds and survive.”
Oh. Well, that sucked then. Wasn’t fair that genies could live and visit our world, and we were not permitted to enter theirs.
I left a hand on his thigh, and it sizzled from the heat raging between us. “Are Zand and Kaza your brothers?”
“No,” replied the genie. “But we are family now.”
That made sense. Kaza had said the genies were considered traitors to their kind and banished from their home world. So they only had each other now. My heart squeezed for them.
“What is Zand’s and Kaza’s home like?”
“Zand’s hometown is full of fire,” said Dahvi, his hand panning the expanse of sky. “Volcanoes, fiery pits, lava, heat-tolerant plants.”
Wow. I tried to picture that. The place sounded pretty chaotic. Perhaps it was best humans couldn’t visit. What if a ball of lava exploded on their head?
“Kaza’s land…well.” Dahvi laughed. “It hovers in the clouds. Everything is light and airy, and everyone farts.”
We both laughed at that. Correction—I snorted. Gods. I shrugged.
Dahvi gently squeezed my shoulders, easing the tension. “Will you get some herbs for your brother in
Terra, too?”
Whoa! Way to ruin the perfect moment.
I cleared my dry throat. “Ali needs dragon’s thistle oil, one of the strongest herbs in the land, but it is so expensive, not even my friend Scarlet can get her hands on it without payment upfront.”
Dahvi stroked my arms. “Your brother is a kind soul. I will miss our chats when I leave.”
The way he said it made it sound as if the situation between us was strictly a business deal. As if I was nothing more than a customer he was bound to serve. My chest tightened with confusion.
When I’d released the genies from the lamp, I’d felt a tug on my heart, a connection, as if the genies and I were linked somehow. Gods. I was so stupid. I’d misread everything. Dahvi was just touchy-feely. He liked to give people massages and hugs. No way was he interested in me. Not after I lay with his brother.
My throat stiffened. This was why I never got close to anyone. I never wanted to get hurt again. Other than Ali, I’d never let anyone but Scarlet get close to me. That way, no one could throw us away like our mother had. Yet, the genies did something to me. Cracks had appeared in the walls I’d built around my heart when I met them. Every interaction with them caused more of my barriers to crumble. Pretty soon, there’d be nothing to hide behind. The thought of being left exposed terrified me. And although I’d only known the genies a short time, it felt as if I’d known them a lifetime, and my heart stabbed at the thought of saying goodbye. Even if Dahvi didn’t feel the same way.
I took his hand and squeezed it. “I’m very lucky to have found you.” My voice cracked a little. “To spend time with you and to get to know you. To me, that is the greatest treasure.”
A comfortable silence swallowed us. I liked that we didn’t need to speak to enjoy each other’s company. That he didn’t demand I keep him entertained. That he kept me tight in his embrace. I shoved aside how my future would turn out and stared into the distance at the glorious blue skies, the bright sun beating down on me, and the desert landscape over which we flew.
Some time later, the sun commenced its descent below the horizon. The first star of the evening speckled the darkening canopy above. Shadows stretched across the woods we crossed. Soon, we’d reach Scarlet’s shop. But for now, we had guards to dump in the forest of The Den.