Curse of a Djinn

by Lichelle Slater

  “Gwen! Doren!” Julene wasn’t difficult to spot. She jumped up and down and waved her hands. “We’re over here!”

  I couldn’t help but chuckle.

  Gwen looked over her shoulder at me. “She really is sweet, I promise.”

  “Oh, I can tell. I don’t think I’ve met anyone like her. Then again, I can’t say I’ve ever met a nymph in person either. Back when I was alive, they tended to stay in Greece if I recall.”

  We wove our way through the maze of chairs.

  Gwen pointed. “There they are. That’s Collin.”

  I remembered them talking about Collin earlier that day and spotted him easily. His inner light was almost blinding. I knew Gwen’s hope for us getting along would never happen. He was a creature of light, and I didn’t need to see his wings to know he was an angel.

  The boy had chiseled everything: chin, jaw, hair, muscles that rippled under his too-tight shirt, and a heart-melting smile to any girl unfortunate enough to be greeted by it. I wondered if he was a descendant of Narcissus.

  Gwen cleared her throat when we approached. “This is Doren. Doren, this is Collin, and that’s his girlfriend, Niera.”

  Niera was a different story. She smiled and pulled her hand away from Collin to extend it to me. “Pleased to meet you.”

  Our skin touched, and I saw a flash of darkness and smoke, cold yellow eyes, and I felt the hot tingle in my hand. She had an artifact that radiated light, but I could see and feel through it to her true identity hidden underneath.

  Her eyes narrowed, and I don’t know how she kept her composure. “That was rude,” she said coldly.

  I feigned innocence. “What do you mean?”

  Niera leaned back, folding her arms across her chest.

  Collin’s lips tightened, and he leaned forward protectively. “Did he do something to you?”

  “I’m fine,” she said stiffly.

  He frowned, a look hardly intimidating on his cherubic face. He shifted his blue eyes to me and held out his massive hand. “Collin.” The look in his eyes said, Two can play at this game.

  I smiled as graciously as I could and took his hand. A short burst of energy tingled into my fingertips. Luckily for him, I wasn’t trying to truly injure him and sent my own jolt of magic into his hand. It was barely a pinch in his eyes, but his grip tightened.

  He pulled me close, and our gazes locked. “I don’t think I like you.”

  “I don’t really care,” I replied.

  “What’s going on?” Julene said, fists on her hips. “You two knock it off. You don’t need to drop your pants here.”

  “It’s true. Collin is clearly larger,” Niera said, voice still flat.

  I laughed. “Yet his power is not.”

  Under the pressing gaze of Julene and Gwen, Collin relented and released my hand. I took a seat. This was going to be fun.

  I glanced over at Gwen, only to find her still standing. Her brows were pinched ever so slightly, just enough that worry lined them, and I realized I’d stepped out of line. These were her friends, and I was only an object she owned.

  I cleared my throat and softly apologized.

  Gwen immediately plastered on a smile. “I’ve got to buy some food. What are you guys getting?” She looked at her friends.

  “I can stay at the table while you get food,” I offered.

  “I actually brought something.” Collin held up his backpack for emphasis.

  “I’ll go with you.” Niera stood and put her hand on Collin’s shoulder. “Can I leave you here without you jumping across the table and breaking his neck?” She looked at me, and I am sure I was the only one who saw her eyes flash yellow. The way she stood over Collin, I knew he wouldn’t see it, and Julene was muttering something to Gwen, keeping their attention away as well.

  “I promise I won’t kill him,” I replied before Collin could.

  Niera joined the girls, and they walked away.

  I supposed I could have used a little bit of energy to let Niera know I meant no threat to her either, but I was already getting hungry again for Gwen’s life force. I really needed Gwen to make a wish before I went around wasting energy on little things like comforting a stranger.

  Collin set a large container of salad on the table and a smaller container of fruit beside it. “What’s it with you and Gwen? What does she see in you?” His voice dripped with enough animosity that I wasn’t surprised to turn and see it in his blue eyes.

  I tilted my head to the side. “You really don’t need to feel threatened by me. I thought you were dating Niera.”

  “I am, but I’ve known Gwen for years. We practically grew up together. Therefore, I still worry and care about her being around a freak.”

  I lifted my chin in understanding. “Big brother syndrome. I see.” I entwined my fingers and laced them around my knee, which sat folded over the other. “I assure you, I mean no harm to Guinevere either.”

  Collin’s lip twitched, and his ears were beginning to turn red.

  Whether my magic was stronger than Collin’s or not mattered little. Now was not the time to piss off an angel.

  “Who talks like that?” Collin said.

  “Someone who has been around longer than you.” I twitched a brow.

  It was Collin’s turn to cock his head. “The magic exchange . . . you were probing to see what, exactly? What my intentions are with Gwen so you can keep her to your creepy self? Does she know how old you are?”

  I shrugged. “I typically only probe when I want to know the truth of someone’s origins. With you, I pegged you as a light wielder the instant I stepped through the doors. An angel—that was easy as well. I wasn’t probing for anything. Just wanted to show you I’m stronger than you think you are.”

  He shifted in his chair, and he glanced in the direction the girls had gone. I saw the wheels in his head turning as his jaw flexed. He knew I’d used my magic on Niera and knew I had seen something by her reaction.

  I lowered my feet to the ground, rested my hands on the table, and leaned forward. “You know I sought her true identity. You only need to ask.”

  “And betray her trust?” He turned back to me.

  “Just how powerful is your magic?” I pressed.

  He stabbed a piece of pineapple, but only swirled it in the fruit. “Powerful enough to know she’s been using something to hide the truth. Clearly, you felt that as well.”

  I nodded once and relaxed in my seat. “Like I said, you only need to ask.”

  Collin examined me skeptically. “What creature has the magic to see through an artifact?”

  I grinned. “An old one.”

  He scoffed. “Again with being old. Full of secrets of your own, huh? How did you meet Gwen?” He popped the fruit into his mouth.

  “You could say she’s the one that found me.”

  “You’re not very forthcoming on information,” he pointed out, giving me a distrusting look. “I’m going to have to warn Gwen to stay away from you.”

  I stretched and looked over where Gwen was paying for her food. “You say you’ve known her a long time. How long has she been alone?”

  Collin paused his chewing. “She tell you that?”

  “No, I can see it in her eyes. How long?” I looked at Collin.

  “Why don’t you ask her?”

  We stared at each other in a stalemate.

  I decided to be the first to relent. “I’m a djinn. Guinevere woke me from a rest of over fifty years.”

  His eyes widened, and then his face scrunched. “I suppose that makes sense now. The hair”—he motioned toward me with his fork—“and the way you talk.” He glanced toward where I’d been watching. “Her family died when she was around ten. She’s been on her own since but doesn’t take help from other people if she can help it,” he added quickly.

  I nodded silently, and he returned the same silent “thank you” just as the girls returned to their seats.

/>   “Look at that! You’re both still alive!” Julene said loudly. She plopped down in the seat between Collin and me.

  Gwen sat on my other side, and Niera next to her. Gwen glanced between us for an explanation.

  “We only talked,” I said, giving a reassuring smile. “Collin was telling me he’s on the lacrosse team.”

  Collin’s brows shifted just enough to tell me he’d never mentioned that in our conversation at all, and then his face relaxed when he realized I had to have gotten some background during our magical handshake.

  “And Doren was telling me he has no idea what he’s doing here,” Collin said, eating a grape and smiling at me like a fool.

  I rolled my eyes to Julene. “What do you see in this guy?”

  Julene choked, put her hand over her mouth, and coughed. Her ears turned red.

  Gwen elbowed me in the ribs, hard.

  Apparently, that was a secret. But if Collin was smart even a little bit, surely he saw it?

  “I wish you hadn’t done that,” Gwen said, leaning to me.

  I saw the intensity in her eyes and knew she really was trying to make a wish. Even though I couldn’t change the past, I managed to make it so Collin didn’t hear me over the chaos of the lunchroom.

  Collin still reached out and patted Julene on the back. “Yo, you okay? Why are you choking? Take smaller bites, yeah?”

  Julene gave him a thumbs-up and took a long drink of water.

  Gwen nodded at me, then started cutting into her burrito. “Niera, I don’t know much about you. What’s your major?”

  I sat and listened to them talk to each other. Niera was a dance major, running for homecoming something or other. Julene couldn’t keep her eyes off Collin the entire meal, and Gwen talked about how she couldn’t wait to get her generals out of the way so she could really delve into her major.

  I saw Collin’s body shift in his chair and had the perfect vantage point to see him slide his foot and then leg against Julene’s under the table. Her cheeks flushed pink, and I read between the lines.

  Naughty little angel.

  I leaned toward Gwen. “I could help them if you wished.”

  “No. That’s bad. Things should happen the way they’re supposed to.” She looked at me. “No.”

  I nodded and straightened. “Is this what you all do every day? Go to classes, sit at lunch, and then . . . go to practice or work or . . .”

  “Not every day,” Julene said. “Yes, I have classes every day because I’m doing a double major in nature science and herbalism. I also work on campus between classes, and then when I’m done, I work in a florist shop just off campus.”

  “I only have classes three days a week,” Collin said. “The other two I work or have practice.”

  “I have a crazy schedule,” Niera said. “Dance practice, rehearsals, classes, work, this guy . . . keeps me all busy.”

  I looked at Gwen.

  “I have classes two days a week, and sometimes night classes. I have to work full time.” She didn’t look at anyone as she took another bite, and I realized she was embarrassed by this.

  I found myself looking at Collin, who gave me a “told you so” look.

  “What about you, Doren?” Niera asked.

  I smiled at the irony of her eating a hamburger. “Oh, I don’t go to classes.”

  She blinked. “What are you doing with Gwen then?”

  I knew the lie of me being her brother wouldn’t work with her friends, and I’d already told Collin. I usually never told others because when they found out, they typically tried everything in their power to get to me and take me for themselves. I didn’t see Gwen’s friends doing that, but old habits died hard.

  Gwen licked her lips. “He’s a friend visiting.”

  “No friend I’ve ever met,” Julene said. “And I know all of your friends.”

  “We met somewhere else,” I added.

  “Online?” Julene gasped and put her hands on her face. “You’re someone she met on Pixie, that new dating app for mythicals! Why didn’t you tell me, Gwen?” She turned back to me. “I bet this entire day was really overwhelming for you. So sorry about that.”

  I looked at Gwen for help. What the hell was an app?

  Gwen’s face only glowed bright red, and she scooted her chair back. “I have a class in fifteen minutes I’ve got to get to. I’ll see you guys later.”

  “We really should do something,” Niera suddenly said, stopping her.

  I glanced at Gwen, who hesitated. I suppose I could have warned her about Niera’s true identity, but I also knew Niera was likely desperate for friends.

  “Like what?” Gwen asked.

  “Go to a movie. Or better, come to my place. Tomorrow night. We’ll have pizza and watch a movie or play games, and just hang out.” She smiled. “It would be fun.”

  “I don’t know . . .” Gwen bit her lip. “I might have to work.”

  “Your work schedule should have been posted for the entire week,” Julene pointed out.

  “Yeah, but I like to pick up extra shifts when I can.”

  “Come hang out. We haven’t done something in a few weeks,” Collin added.

  Gwen let out a deep breath. “Okay.”

  Collin smiled and Julene squealed.

  “Bye, guys.” Gwen raised her hand.

  I scratched behind my ear. “You seem to have a good group of friends. Why don’t you do more things with them?”

  “It’s hard managing work, homework, and classes. Adding friends on top of that makes everything even more difficult.”

  I nodded slowly. “I suppose that makes sense.”

  “Do you have friends?” I opened my mouth to answer, but she cut me off by raising her hand. “Never mind. I’m pretty sure I already know the answer to that question. Something about your masters not allowing it.” She raised her brows at me, as if challenging me to correct her.

  “I used to have friends in the djinn realm,” I said. “After a hundred years, you tend to lose things to talk about though.”

  “Oh . . .” She swallowed. “I didn’t mean to make this awkward.”

  I shrugged. “No harm done.”

  Chapter 7

  Gwen

  “You know, you could wish for enough money that you could do school fulltime,” Doren said, startling me from my thoughts.

  The bus ride home wasn’t exactly silent, but he hadn’t really said much all day and certainly hadn’t spoken since lunch. The guy was a silent observer, and I had just been wondering why in the tormented world I would invite him along to classes with me all day when he would have been more comfortable in his own world.

  I cleared my throat and leaned back against the plastic seat. “I’m able to pay.”

  “I’ve been thinking.” He shifted so he was facing me. He rubbed his eyebrow. “You were talking at lunch. You were embarrassed because you could only do classes twice a week. I’m thinking you have a solution to that problem. All you have to do is ask.”

  I looked out the window. “You’ve got a point,” I conceded.

  “So?” he pressed.

  “Do people usually just warm right up to you?”

  He gave me another one of his dashing smiles. He smiled easily, and it was heart-stopping handsome, but there were times—like now—when the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Of course. They usually wish away their entire first day. Which perplexes me when it comes to you. Your wishes are trivial things. Why not ask for something big?”

  “Because I don’t believe there aren’t consequences to my wishes,” I replied.

  “Ah.” He rested his hands in his lap. “I’m only saying, you could wish for a house instead of an apartment. A refrigerator stuffed full of your favorite foods. Cupboards that have an endless supply of food. Warm bed. Magical items.” He shrugged. “A car?”

  I hadn’t failed to notice his sly way of avoiding my questions. I just hadn’t figured out how to
approach him about it.

  “One thing I really could use . . .” I stopped.

  He leaned forward, smiling eagerly. “Yes?”

  “I do need to pay off some bills.”

  “Sooooo you want the money to pay it off?”

  I slowly nodded. After my family died, I had inherited their life insurance, but after paying for three funerals, all the stacked-up bills, and then my own medical bills from the accident, plus schooling . . . I wasn’t as well off as people thought. The rest of the money was in a trust fund until I turned twenty-one.

  “How much money do you want?” Doren pressed.

  I rubbed my palms on my pants. “How about a thousand dollars?”

  Doren frowned. “Where is your sense of adventure?”

  “I don’t need more right now.”

  “What about enough for next month’s rent, and food, and new pants that don’t have holes.” He poked his finger in the tear on the thigh of my pant leg.

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s the style.”

  His brows pinched. “To have ruined clothing?”

  “Holes in clothing is actually a style. Look around.”

  He leaned back and glanced around the bus. “Huh. Look at that. Still, I think your wish is terribly boring. You’ve got to be the most conservative master I’ve ever had.”

  “What did your other masters wish from you?”

  Doren got that look in his eye, the one that told me he would likely not answer. His purple eyes pinched at the corners, a flickering look of distrust and fear? The corners of his lips tightened as well, but he licked it away. “Different things, depending on their mood. They mostly liked to show me off at parties like I was a magi with basic magic.” He huffed and folded his arms. “I suppose it won’t hurt to tell you. They were the mafia.”

  My eyes widened. “What? Like, real mobsters?” I scooted closer to him, more eager than ever to hear something he had to say.

  “Are there fake ones?”