Wish For Me (The Djinn Order #1)

by A. Star

  “He’s the sorcerer? Are you saying he was a Djinn?”

  “He was. The photographs that your kind believe to be him are false. The real Rasputin was young, handsome and incredibly charming.”

  My obsession with royalty had of course led me to do some research on the last Tsar of Russia. I faintly remembered seeing a picture of the man humans thought was Grigori Rasputin. He was old, bearded and all kinds of rough around the edges. And handsome? Not even. “Who’s the guy in the photo then?”

  “A peasant. He was of no importance.” Irving waved his hand through the air to demonstrate the man’s insignificance.

  “So the real Rasputin is alive then? I ask because it’s a well-known deal that Rasputin was executed along with the Romanovs. Are you telling me that they executed the wrong guy?”

  Irving’s expression darkened, but he never answered my question. “I relayed my suspicion to the Sultan and he also believes that Rasputin is the one wielding his power over the Army of Brass and Steel. He is the only sorcerer with the power to do it and he must be stopped. The Sultan has little doubt that he will soon use the Army to rise up against Shrinelyn. It is why he blessed the unification of Edwin to Maya Khan. He believes Rasputin returned years ago and remained in the shadows until now. If this is true, which we do not doubt it is, we are going to need the Khan army on our side.”

  “So is that the real reason why you are pushing Edwin to get married? For the Khan army?”

  “I will not lie to you. It is part of the reason. But I also care for my cousin and want him to find all the happiness that he deserves.”

  “And you think he’ll find that with Maya Khan?”

  He shrugged. “I am no seer, but I do know that love is unconventional and we can find it in the most unlikely of places.”

  I sat back against one of Irving’s silk pillows. I heard what he was implying, but I didn’t want to acknowledge it. Now was not the time for his sweet words. “Why then?” I asked. “Why is Rasputin an enemy of your realm? Why would he want to destroy you when he was once your ally?”

  Irving’s expression darkened further. “He was never our ally. His hatred for Shrinelyn runs deeper than you can imagine, Glory. He loathes me, despises the Sultan, but I surmise he hates no one as much as he does Ada. This has as much to do with her as it does with anything.”

  “Ada? Well, what did she—”

  “The power that Rasputin possesses, the forces he has always been known to conspire with, represent evil at its worst. He is a threat to Shrinelyn, in every way imaginable. But I want him in chains simply because he is a threat to you.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes. Rasputin is a sorcerer who believes that Djinn should rule all the realms of the universe, including yours. He will not stop until he has made a slave out of every human being alive.”

  I absorbed that for a moment, a very long moment, then swung my legs over the side of the bed, pushed myself up and walked over to stare out of the keyhole window into the wonder beyond. I saw Nagi hanging upside down from a fruit tree and wished I could join her in her batty bliss where life was simple and nothing was trying to kill you. And even if something did manage to take you out, you could be rebuilt. Probably as good as new.

  A moment later, Irving’s arms wrapped around my waist from behind. I didn’t push him away because he was doing exactly what I wanted him to do. “What’s wrong, Glory? And do not say nothing. I know something bothers you.”

  “I don’t know,” I said, turning in his arms to face him. “It’s just, the more I find out about you, the deeper in I get, the more small and insignificant I feel. What can I do up against a sorcerer like Rasputin? I’m useless.”

  “Useless? Insignificant? To whom? Certainly not me.” He took my face in his hands. “Do you know how beautiful you are to me? You sparkle, Glory. So much, the stars pale in comparison to you. I smile and laugh more in your presence than I ever have before. You brighten up my life. And as for small?” His hands slid down my body and around to grab my ass. He grinned. “There is nothing small about you.”

  I gasped. “So you do think I’m fat!”

  He smacked a cheek as though to reprimand me for giving the wrong response. “You are perfect to me, Glory, and I would not change a thing about you. So maybe the rest of the universe does see you as insignificant, but I don’t. And I never will. You are the most important thing in my life.”

  “Is that fact?” I asked with a smile.

  Irving kissed me instead of answering the question. I took that as a yes.

  Yes, he thought I was beautiful. Yes, I brightened up his world with my witty ways.

  And in that moment, I knew something else.

  Irving Amir had just told me he loved me.

  “Ooh, purple. My favorite color.”

  Fighting a massive smile, I turned to find Irving floating on his back behind me, his scented cloud dissipating around him. I’d never seen him float before, but I wasn’t surprised that he could.

  “You like sneaking up on me like that, don’t you?”

  “Love it.” He smiled at me as his eyes ran down my half naked body. I’d been in the process of getting dressed and all I had on was my purple thong. Aashirya had washed all of my clothes for me and I refused to go commando as I had the day before. Djinn didn’t wear any underwear, but I was human and I felt a bit weird not having any protection for kitty.

  “Stop doing that floating thing. You look stupid.”

  His smile widened. “No, I don’t.”

  He was right. He didn’t. Not one bit. His duster had fallen open and away from his bare chest, revealing those uber-sexy abs of steel. I was dying to lean over and lick just one of those muscular ripples. But I refrained from making an ass of myself and starting something I couldn’t finish. I knew it would lead to us naked and sweaty, and not a damn thing would get done today. Something told me there was a lot that needed to be done.

  Irving went from floating to standing in half a second. He pressed his body into mine and kissed me. “Did you miss me this morning?”

  I nodded, absorbing the trail of molten lava his hand left behind as it cupped my breast then ran down my hip and around my waist. “Where’d you go? I rolled over to get my morning quickie and you were gone.”

  He frowned. “What is a morning quickie?”

  I just stared at him.

  “Oh!” he exclaimed a moment later. He grinned. “Forgive me, beautiful. I’ll make it up to you later. Many times.”

  I squeezed my thighs together to keep from coming on myself. I was always surprised just how much Irving turned me on. The Djinn lit me on fire with just a look and his touch only added fuel to the flames. And the dirty talk? Damn. I loved it.

  Ashes. That’s what I would be when he was finally done with me. Just a pile of fucking ashes.

  “Ready for an adventure, darling?” Irving’s voice broke through my thoughts.

  I grinned almost immediately and pulled on my leather pants. “Do we get to take your airship?”

  He smiled. “Sorry to disappoint you, but we are taking my raptor.”

  I snapped my fingers and after putting on my bra and shirt, I turned so he could help me with my corset. “Where are we going then?” I hoped he would say that he was taking me to his lab or wherever he kept his inventions, but it was not to be.

  “We are leaving to find the Army of Brass and Steel.”

  My eyes widened. “Just the two of us?”

  “Yes. Once we locate it, we are to report back to the Sultan. At that point, he will send in the Imperial army to destroy the soldiers. There are very few who know that Rasputin has returned and we would like it to remain that way. If we can destroy the Army, we may never have to alert the Djinn kind to the danger they were in.”

  It all sounded way too easy. “What makes me qualified to go on this mission?” I asked as I slipped on my boots. “Shouldn’t you be taking another Djinn with you?”

  “No. Your status as an il
lusionist qualifies you in the Sultan’s eyes.”

  “And what about yours?” I shrugged myself into my new leather duster.

  “What my eyes have seen of you I dared not share with the Sultan.”

  I punched him in the shoulder. “I’m serious!”

  “So am I,” he laughed. “But to be honest, there is no one else I’d rather have at my side on this quest.”

  I had to admit, the idea of what Irving described scared the shit out of me. But it also gave me purpose. If could do my part to stop Rasputin from unleashing his evil on the universe, then I would. “Okay. When do we leave?”

  “Right now. There is not a moment to waste.”

  I turned to look in the mirror and smiled at what I saw. “You told Aashirya about the trip.” I was dressed like Irving. All brown leather fitted for a dangerous adventure.

  “I may have,” he said, kissing my cheek. “And fortunately, your duster has no magic.”

  “How is that fortunate?”

  “Because I do not like the idea of you possessing any more magic. Glamour is troubling enough.”

  I smiled at the stubborn jut of his jaw. “Okay, Djinn-boy. Don’t lose your shit. I don’t need any more magic. But I will take one of those bazookas the guards from yesterday were flaunting around.”

  Irving laughed. “I do not know about a bazooka, but we can visit the armory if you’d like. I’m sure you will find a saber or two that suites you.”

  I pumped a fist in the air, satisfied with that compromise. “Yes! Lead the way, Your Grandness.” Irving gave me a look but he didn’t comment on the use of the Sultan’s title.

  The armory was located on the other side of the palace, not far from the royal vault. Nagi followed us there, but then disappeared into the sunshine when a group of guards entered the palace through a door leading to the armory. The four men dropped to their knees and stayed there until Irving and I passed, then they rose and continued on their way, whispered words being exchanged between them.

  “They speak of your beauty, Glory,” Irving said, watching me watch the guards who were speaking the Djinn kind’s language.

  I blushed. “Yeah right. All these gorgeous Djinn women in Shrinelyn and they’re looking at me? I doubt it.”

  “You should never doubt your appeal, my love. You are radiant and there isn’t a soul alive that would deny it.”

  I wasn’t in denial that I was pretty, but it was still hard for me to believe that I held that kind of allure.

  The palace armory was not as tightly guarded as the royal vault with a door that needed blood to open. It used a simple key, though it wasn’t one that could be duplicated or stolen. There was a small tattoo on the inside of Irving’s wrist that I’d never noticed before. I really needed to work on my skills of perception because I wasn’t sure how I could have missed the key that was inked into his skin.

  A hypnotic chanting animated the key and Irving was able to lift it from his skin and unlock the door to the armory. I was stupefied and wondered if I could wish for a tat like that. The hunters would never get their hands on Irving’s Chronolier without the key if it was inked into my skin instead of hanging around my neck. It didn’t break any of the rules, so it was a valid wish, but I just knew Irving would probably try to find some way to keep me from wishing for it.

  The armory had tons of weapons I didn’t even know existed, but there wasn’t much time to explore them. Irving led me over to the swords and sabers and helped me choose two that I could wield without accidentally stabbing myself. Then we were leaving the palace and hopping onto his raptor, caps and goggles in place to venture to a realm where it was likely Rasputin and his steel army would be waiting for us. What had Irving and the Sultan been thinking when they had concocted this shitty plan? I was a human and the only magic I could brandish was a crappy glamour. What good would that be on this expedition?

  Before we took off, Irving checked his stopwatch and I felt a nagging notion that we were about to go through a portal. And I was right. Returning the way we had come, through the forest with all of the steel creatures, the portal appeared just as it had before. A time warp that made the air ripple. The only indication that this type of travel was even possible.

  The experience of going through the portal was similar to the time before, but when we came out on the other side, it wasn’t warm and beautiful. It was cold and dark and I immediately knew that we had fucked up coming there.

  “Where are we?” I asked as I climbed off of the raptor and removed my goggles. My teeth chattered from the chilling wind blowing.

  “If it becomes too cold for you, glamour yourself. That will offer some relief though it won’t fully protect you from the elements.”

  I nodded and turned in a circle on the mountain ledge we stood on. “Again, where are we?”

  “The Hindu Kush.”

  I’d never heard of such a place. “Where is the Hindu Kush?”

  Irving stood on the edge of ledge and peered over it. “In your realm. What you call the middle east.”

  “What the hell are we doing here?” I joined him on the edge of death. “You think Rasputin is here?”

  He nodded. “He has hidden the Army here.”

  “In my realm? Why?”

  “That is what we need to discover.”

  I nodded and gripped the hilt of one of my sabers. “Then let’s go find the fucker.”

  “I need to ask you something first.”

  I stared at him, sensing an awkward moment ahead. “What’s up?”

  Irving hesitated, like he was cursing himself for opening his mouth. But after a minute, he said what was on his mind. “I was wondering, after your third wish is made and you are no longer my master, if you would stay with me.”

  Oh shit. My heart beat took the fuck off. “You mean in Shrinelyn?”

  “Yes.” By the look in his eye, I could tell that for him it was all so simple. Irving loved me and wanted me to stay with him. But for me, it was not simple at all and true to my nature, I fucking panicked.

  “I can’t.”

  Irving’s smile vanished. “What?”

  “I’m human, Irving, and you’re a Djinn. It won’t work, you know?”

  He frowned. “What won’t work?”

  “Us. You and me. We’re so…different. We were born to two different worlds. I don’t belong in yours and you certainly don’t belong in mine.” I cringed, because that last bit had sounded a lot harsher than I had intended it to.

  His frown deepened. “How could you think that, Glory? After all that we have shared—”

  “It was just sex,” I said. “It didn’t mean anything, right? I mean, it was just two people who barely know each other acting on a physical attraction. Nothing more.”

  Irving’s jaw clenched so tight I thought it would snap. His expression glazed over with anger, but in the backdrop of his beautiful eyes, I saw the hurt. I instantly felt like shit. I couldn’t understand why I stood there and lied to his face. The time we’d spent together had meant so much more than nothing, and here I was, throwing it all away because I was a chicken shit.

  With an abrupt turn, Irving started down the mountainside. I had no choice but to follow.

  We walked for miles in dead silence, and with every step I took, a part of me died. Irving remained a gentleman, helping me over the jagged rocks and lowering me down from steep ledges whenever it was necessary, but as soon as the task was complete, he would let me go. He didn’t want to touch me. He didn’t want me touching him. He walked ahead of me whenever possible and never once looked me in the eyes. Half the time I couldn’t see where I was going because my stupid fucking peepers were filled with tears. I was surprised the coat, hat and gloves glamour that I’d conjured up even held because all I could think about was Irving and that fact that I had made a terrible mistake.

  My tears had some nerve showing their face. I’d brought it all down on myself, and now I wanted to act like my feelings were hurt? What about Irving’s f
eelings? I hadn’t considered them at all. He’d basically told me he was in love with me and wanted to be with me forever, and I’d thrown it all back in his face as though none of that meant anything to me.

  I was so damn stupid. Lies are for cowards. That’s exactly what I was. A damn stupid coward. How in the hell was I ever going to fix this?

  It was at least four hours before Irving stopped to let me have a rest and it was only because I simply couldn’t go on. I had to take a break before I keeled over, though I was sure Irving wouldn’t have minded that.

  “What’s the destination?” I asked on a breath just to hear his voice. I sat down on a jut of rock and tried to calm my racing heart. I let my glamour fade because I just couldn’t hold onto it any longer.

  “The Amu Darya,” he replied in a flat tone. He conjured up a waterskin and handed it to me. I eagerly accepted it and drained it in under sixty seconds. Immediately, I felt my energy return and realized the water must have been charmed somehow. I wanted to sing Irving’s praises. Maybe he didn’t want me to die after all.

  “What’s the Amu Darya?” I asked, standing again. I concentrated and put my glamour back in place because despite the renewal of energy, I was still freezing. I buried my face in my glamoured scarf.

  “The valley at the base of the mountain,” Irving replied. “I believe the Army is there.”

  I appreciated that Irving was talking to me again, but dammit, he wouldn’t look at me and I had been trying to catch his eye since we’d stopped. But he refused to make eye contact and I couldn’t blame anyone but myself.

  “I’m sorry, Irving,” I said, my voice unaffected by the scarf. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just don’t—”

  He cut me off. “You do not owe me an explanation. I am the fool here. I allowed myself to see something in you that was not really there. I swore your heart swelled with the same emotions as mine. I was wrong, but I will not make that mistake again.”

  “Irving—”

  “This way.” He turned to walk off before I could say another word.

  “Take another step and I will skewer you, parasite,” a female voice snarled from behind us. Her voice sounded muffled, like she wore a mask, but the feminine tone could not be denied. I froze in place, all thoughts of pulling my sabers vanquished when I saw the crossbow aimed at Irving’s head. Where had this woman come from and how in the hell had she managed to sneak up on a freaking Djinn?