by Young, Mila
The shop owner blinked several times and dropped the giant sack of herbs he carried. “Where did you get this?” He bit one of the coins as if he thought them fake.
I stared at him hard. “Does it matter?”
The shop owner brushed the coins off the counter into his waiting palm. “I will need a week to prepare it.”
“No.” I gripped the counter. “I need it now. Do you have any? I’ll take an old batch. My brother’s health is declining.”
“Wait here.” The owner disappeared into the back of the shop.
I paced along the sandstone floor, praying to the gods with every fiber of my being that there was some oil left. I’d come too far to fail. They couldn’t let me down now. Not when my world teetered on a knife’s edge.
Some moments later, the shop owner returned carrying a small vial full of a honey-colored liquid. “This is only two doses worth. Your brother will need five in total. One every three days. This should tide him over until I can make the rest.”
I raced behind the counter and gave the man a hug. “Oh, thank you. Thank you.” I kissed him on the hand.
The shop owner patted me on the back of my wrist. “Come back in five days. I will have the rest ready for you.”
Epilogue
Four rotations of the moon had passed, and things had finally settled down after the vizier’s death. The dragon’s thistle medicine had cured Ali’s dark lung. It had taken a few weeks for the genies’ power to restore to full capacity. Then they had worked their magic to create all my wishes and more. Back in Utaara, the sultan had called in all the builders in Utaara to rebuild the slums. New townhouses and apartment blocks rose from the ashes left behind by the dead creep. My heart warmed, knowing all of my neighbors would receive fresh accommodations.
I glanced around my own new home. A five-bedroom mansion by the sea with salmon-colored walls, wooden floors, high ceilings, and plenty of windows to welcome the coastal breeze. The air was thick with the scent of baked Barbari bread thanks to Dahvi’s skills in the kitchen.
Zand delivered breakfast to the table out on the deck overlooking the coast—an assortment of tapas laid out on the dish, cucumbers, feta cheese, olives, jam, and other condiments.
“I’ll never get used to being spoiled,” I told him, giving his butt a little love tap.
“Nor should you, my desert queen.” He laid a big one on my lips.
I grabbed his wrist where he used to wear the gold bands holding him captive to the genie lamp. Gods, I was so glad my men had stayed with me once I had released them from their service.
I added five plates and only two sets of utensils to the table. The genies ate with their fingers; it was their culture, so I left them to it as a little reminder of home.
Teacups rattled as Dahvi set them on the dinner table. Zand added the pot to a woven mat in the center of the counter. I smiled in thanks as he poured me a cup of a cinnamon-scented brew.
Ali and Kaza had the morning off breakfast duties and sat waiting for their meal.
I gave the tops of their heads a kiss before I took my seat at my usual place on the opposite side of the table away from the fireplace. It wasn’t like we needed the extra heat. Our home by the coast was warm and tropical. But my genies thrived on the fire. They claimed it stoke their inner flame and connected them to their magic. Well…what little remained after they’d sacrificed it for a life with me.
“Oh, come on,” said Kaza, with a playful punch on Ali’s upper arm. “Are you telling me there’s no special girl in your life?”
“Gods,” said Ali, covering his eyes. “Can you put a shirt on? I’m sick of looking at your nipples.”
I snorted, hot tea spewing from my lips.
Once I had freed them, they had thrown out their vests. They’d also taken to walking around without anything covering their chests. Didn’t bother me. I got to perv all day long. But my poor brother didn’t feel the same way. I didn’t blame him. He was young and reedy, waiting to fill out, and having three gorgeous, ripped genies living in the same house probably gave him an inferiority complex.
A hearty laugh rolled in Kaza’s throat as a shirt with the words I Love Genies on the front suddenly appeared on him. Dahvi and Zand shared a smile, plucking their own shirts out of thin air—a singlet for Zand, which showed off every muscle in his chest and arms. Gods, he may as well have been wearing nothing. Not that I was complaining. Dahvi wore a shirt similar to Kaza’s that read, Genies Rock.
That was it. I was done. I slumped over the table giggling. These four made me laugh so much. This was how things usually were during our mealtimes. At least it wasn’t boring. I’d found my soul mates, Ali had three big brothers who’d protect him just as I had, and the genies scored an even bigger family.
Zand sat down beside me and patted his thigh. That was my cue to sit on his lap. I did so, positioning myself sideways, and he wrapped an arm around my waist. I rested my legs on Dahvi, and he massaged my foot.
Gods, I enjoyed being spoiled.
Kaza stuffed a cheese-and-jam bread slice into his mouth. “Spit it out, little brother. Who’s the girl? I know there is one. I’m the love god.”
Everyone at the table got stitches from that one. Although, Kaza had given me his heart and had claimed me as his only mate, he was still a ladies’ man. Always charming our housekeeper, Ali’s schoolteachers, stallholders in the market… But the flirty flattery was as far as it went. That’s the way I liked it.
Gods. I rubbed a hand to my forehead. The last thing I wanted to hear about was Kaza’s past escapades with other women.
Kaza winked, prompting Ali to spill the beans.
Red pinched my poor brother’s cheeks. “Well. There is one.”
“Does she have big breasts and a small waist?” asked Zand as he munched on some bread dipped in oil.
I cleared my throat.
“Don’t worry.” Zand ripped off a piece of lamb and patted my thighs. “She’d never compare to my desert queen.”
Damn, I loved it when he called me that.
“Why don’t you go talk to her?” encouraged Kaza.
Ali ducked his head. “She’d never look at me.”
My brother had never spoken to any girls. The poor kid was too shy.
Kaza washed his breakfast down with tea. “She will once you use some complimentary lines to woo her.”
Ali stuffed an olive in his mouth, going even redder.
Kaza loved teasing him. I think it made him feel like he had a younger brother. I guessed now that we were all family, that was the case.
Zand rubbed my thigh with his free hand, and I squeezed it back.
Dahvi tickled my foot, and I flinched, poking my tongue out at him.
“You’ll like this one, my desert queen.” Kaza blew me a kiss from across the table. Then he turned back to Ali. “Was your father a thief? Because someone stole the stars from the sky and put them in your eyes.”
I moaned. “Does that actually work?”
Dahvi went to answer, but I raised my hand, stopping him.
“Never mind,” I said, “I don’t want to know.”
“Oh, oh.” Kaza bounced in his chair. “I’ve got a good one.”
Even Ali seemed amused for a change.
“Are you a genie?” Kaza made everyone wait in suspense for a few moments before delivering the end. “Because whenever I look at you, everyone else disappears!”
We all laughed.
“I’m not saying that.” Ali shook his head and chewed some cheese, jam, and bread.
Kaza dunked a cucumber slice in some dip. “Trust me. She’ll love it.”
I wasn’t so sure of that. If Ali’s love interest was half as smart as I was, she’d see through any corny lines. Besides, that wasn’t really Ali’s style.
Kaza patted Ali’s chest with the back of his hand. “Do you have a map? I'm getting lost in your eyes.”
Zand got a chuckle from that one.
Kaza kept pestering Ali throu
ghout the remainder of breakfast.
This sort of banter was pretty much how every meal went. And that’s how I liked it.
Once Zand and Dahvi were finished, they were out the door. Zand, to collect wood for the fireplace he kept ablaze all day long. Dahvi, to do his morning yoga. That was cool with me. I’d gotten into the habit of watching them. Something I’d never tire of.
So far I was pretty content with the way my life had turned around. I had my own home by the ocean, a larger-than-life family, and enough money to never worry about anything again.
The genies still possessed a little magic, but far from the great expanses they used to harness. It was enough to whip up a meal here and there, give me a rose, and take the magic carpet for a spin. But doing so made them tired and in need of a rest.
I spent part of my days preparing plans to build my orphanage and school. At mealtimes I would join Dahvi in the kitchen. My nights were consumed with pleasure and passion with my men. I’d never been happier. Every day I couldn’t keep the smile from my face. I was so grateful to the gods. For once in my life my future looked incredibly bright. I was very excited for what else lay in store for my family and me.
But for now I had a big secret I was about to unveil to Ali. I couldn’t wait to show him. I tiptoed down the corridor to the little cage in my room.
“Hello there,” I said, opening the cage door to give the little furry thing with the big expressive eyes inside it a scratch on its chin.
It squeaked at me and nibbled on my finger.
I laughed, picking it up. “Oh no. I’m not a banana.” The little squeaker cuddled my neck, and I stroked its soft back. “My brother’s going to love you.”
I carried the monkey out into the living room where my brother was reading one of his books and Kaza was smoking a hookah pipe.
“Ali,” I said. “I’ve got someone I want you to meet.”
“It’s not a girl is it?” He sunk into his sofa, and hid behind his book.
Kaza snatched it away. “Damn right it’s a girl.”
“No, Azar. Please don’t embarrass me and introduce me to another girl.” When Ali glanced up at me his face blanched and his lips wobbled. “Is that for me?”
My throat choked up, and I nodded. News of Karim’s death had crushed my brother. He’d grieved for over a rotation of the moon. I’d given him time to process his monkey’s death. Then I’d ordered another squeaker from a merchant in town. It only arrived by messenger this morning.
“Her name’s Karima,” joked Kaza, slapping Ali with the back of his hand.
Ali laughed. “That’s a stupid name.”
I handed Ali the monkey.
He clutched it to his chest as if it were his own baby. “Hello. You’re very cute. And you don’t smell as bad as Karim.”
Tears streamed down his cheeks.
Damn it. He made me cry too.
“And you’re a girl too,” said Ali. “What shall I call you?”
“Kazana,” suggested Kaza.
“No way,” Ali replied.
Zand entered with a stack of logs in his arms.
“Zandi,” Kaza said.
“No.”
“Careful,” Zand said, throwing a log onto the fire.
“Dahvina,” tried Kaza.
“Gods.” Ali slapped a hand over his forehead.
Kaza crossed his arms. “What about Ali Baba?”
Ali’s frown softened. He thought about it for a few moments. “It’s a boy’s name. But I like it.”
That was settled then.
Ali jumped and gave me a quick hug. “Thank you, Azar.”
I rubbed his back. “You’re welcome.”
Things were finally coming together. Everything was perfect. I’d gotten my happy ending, and I couldn’t ask for it any other way.
Thanks for reading Charmed.
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Are you curious to read the next Haven Realm instalment about Bee and her adventures into the White Peak Mountains where the deadly bear shifters live?
Discover more in CURSED.
Beauty and the Four Beasts. A Deadly Curse. A Fallen Kingdom.
With magic banned in the human realm, Bee, a powerful witch, has had to offer her services in secret. When a request to break a curse comes from the dangerous mountains and royal bear shifters, Bee is hesitant, but winter is coming and funds are tight.
At the castle, Bee finds things are not quite what she was led to believe. The curse Bee is meant to break has reached its zenith, siphoning off the Prince's life while preventing him from controlling his shifting abilities. He is volatile, angry, and far stronger than she had imagined. His brothers, who commissioned her, present her with a challenge - fix it, or lose everything.
Soon the curse is spreading throughout the castle, taking brother and servant alike. It's a race against the clock, buffeted by dark magic, intrigue, and a strange attraction that has her looking at the four brothers in a new light.
Click To Read Bee’s Tale in Cursed
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HAVEN REALM SERIES
Hunted
Charmed
Cursed
Continue the Haven Realm series.
www.amazon.com/Mila-Young/e/B077QT5J5M
Hunted
Little Red Riding Hood. Three Big Bad Wolves. A Poisonous Scheme.
Scarlet, a healer, lives nestled in the forest surrounded by humans on one side and wolves on the other. But when a rogue wolf attacks her, she's rescued by another pack and taken deep into their den to perform her healing magic on an injured Alpha.
The wolves in the forest are under threat from a mysterious affliction, and Scarlet is the only hope they have left. Faced with a mixed pack of threatened shifters, Scarlet must use her wits and magic to survive and unravel the strange affliction now affecting the wolves... All while trying to navigate an overpowering attraction to not just one, but three of the Alphas.
Witches, wolves, magic and love intertwine in an exciting mystery that finds its own, unique, 'Happily Ever After.'
Click To Read Hunted
HAVEN REALM SERIES
Hunted
Charmed
Cursed
Continue the Haven Realm series.
www.amazon.com/Mila-Young/e/B077QT5J5M
* * *
Hunted Excerpt
Chapter 1
“Scarlet, get a look at him.” Bee nudged me in the ribs.
I gritted my teeth, my hands juggling the jar of chamomile I’d just pulled off the shelf. “For the love of wolfsbane.”
Honestly, Bee had the boniest elbow in all the seven realms of Haven. No matter how often I protested, she insisted on jabbing me right in the side every time she had something to say. Her idea of grabbing my attention wasn’t tapping my shoulder but inflicting pain. I twisted around and my gaze flew through the arched windows of my store, Get Your Herb On.
A huge guy marched out of the woods, arms swinging in an over-exaggerated motion. His chest stuck out, and with his chin high, I had him figured out in two seconds flat. I’d seen so many of his kind leaving the priestess’s palace. Guardians, full of cockiness and attitude, taking what they wanted without paying for goods.
Yet he wasn’t wearing a uniform, but the strangest clothes. A gray tunic falling to mid-thigh; no pants or boots. Goddess, his legs were the size of tree trunks.
“Who wants to bet his muscles aren’t real?” I said. I’d heard of people using magic to enhance their physique. It was the latest trend in other territories.
Bee glanced at me with disbelief pinching her expression. With her braided red hair and ivory skin, most called her beautiful and always referenced her green eyes. But the real Bee was also tough. I’d once
seen her scare off a bear with a glare, and there was a reason most in town kept their distance from her. Sure, it might have a little something to do with Bee insisting most of the folk were uneducated swine breeders—her words, not mine—but hey, she was a best friend who often popped into my store, and I loved her company. Even if she didn’t know when to keep her mouth shut.
“How can they not be real?” Her gaze turned from the man and back my way. “He’s not wearing pants. What could he possibly be padding—” Then her eyes widened, and her lips curled upward into a wicked grin. “You filthy girl, Scarlet. Never knew you had it in you.” She whacked me in the arm, her strength intimidating, considering she stood five-foot-two and reached my nose.
“What are you talking about?” I slouched, a hip pressed against the counter, and pushed several sample bowls of tea leaves up against the ceramic cups that I had painted with different stages of the moon cycle. I called them my night collection series and regular customers tended to buy a new one whenever they purchased their regular healing herbs. If I had more time, I’d paint all the time.
“You’re referring to his junk, aren’t you? And well…” Bee glanced outside. “With the wind blowing against his clothes, there’s definitely a healthy package in his arsenal.” Bee wiggled her eyebrows and broke out laughing.
Fire scorched my cheeks. You’d think I’d be used to Bee’s dirty mouth; after all, this was normal for her. “I wasn’t talking about his… his privates.”
Bee gripped her hips, cinching in the long, blue tunica dress she wore. The outfit had a V-neckline and tiny buttons ran down the front. I admired her flowing sleeves, and I needed to re-examine my wardrobe. My black pants and sea-green blouse beneath the leather vest with a belt made me look more like a thief. But when I chose my clothing, I prioritized comfort. Most days, I lifted boxes at work and a skirt would get in the way.