We hold each other and for one wonderful moment we are one again. Then Mr. Tahan storms into the room with his bodyguards. “Manan and I completely disapprove of the High Council’s decision, but we have been overruled. The doctor made a very persuasive case.” He waves the tall guard to stand by the door. “Therefore, here are the rules for the next forty-eight hours. You will never be alone. One of my guards will be with you at all times. You will not be allowed to sleep in the same bed. No exceptions.”
Jin wraps his bruised arm around me. “I am here to relieve my wife’s distress according to the doctor’s orders. I am certain being guarded the entire time, and not being allowed to comfort each other is not what he had in mind. One could hardly call that reassuring for my wife.”
I love how protective Jin is, but I can stand up for myself. “If you insist on these stupid rules I will go before the High Council myself.”
Mr. Tahan’s nostrils flare. “Are you threatening me?”
I march over and get right in Mr. Tahan’s face. “Yes.” His bodyguards move quickly to surround me.
Jin gives my arm a tug. “Dearest, I think you have made your point.”
We are at a standoff. I need to remind Mr. Tahan who has the power. I lean forward and hold onto my belly. “I’m getting a cramp. If anything happens to this baby it will be on you.”
Not used to losing, Mr. Tahan remains defiant. “Enjoy your time together while it lasts. It will not happen again on my watch.”
He turns on his heels and marches across the room, stopping next to the bodyguards positioned on either side of the door. “These men have the hearing of an elephant. No planning or scheming will get past them.” He points at Jin. “I learned my lesson in England; you are not a man of your word.”
The door slams shut and I have never been so happy to see a man leave. I hug Jin gently, being careful not to crush his battered body. “You look exhausted. Why don’t you climb into bed and get some rest.”
He puts my hand in his. “I do not wish to miss one moment I have with you.”
I wipe a dirt smudge off his high cheekbones. “Okay. How about a bath?”
“That would be wonderful.”
I tap on the far wall instead of using the bell. Nalini’s bedroom is right next-door. In less than a minute she is standing next to me. “My husband would like a bath. Can you see to it?”
She bows slightly at the sight of Jin. “Of course, Mistress. Your wish is my command.”
Jin gives me a smile. “I see I have been replaced.”
“There is only one genie in my life.” I kiss him gently on his swollen lips. “You.”
We sit on the blue velvet sofa and watch Sati lead a legion of girls with pitchers on their heads go back and forth filling the bathtub with hot water. I can’t help notice the guards are enjoying the show. Once Sati leaves the room Nalini hands me some fresh towels. “All is ready, Mistress.”
I lead Jin down the hall to the bathroom and help him out of his tattered trousers and torn shirt. His chest is dotted with burns and cuts but I try to see past them and enjoy the amazing body I love. “Get in. I’ll give you the royal treatment.”
He smiles. “I’ve been waiting weeks for you to utter those words.”
Lightly scrubbing the dirt and grime off his skin, I bite my lip at the sight of the burns on his chest and the lash marks on his back. But the burn on his hand makes my heart truly sink. “Who would put their initials on your hand? It looks fresh.”
“Roderick. He was working with the council all along.” I carefully dab at the initials RTM—Roderick The Magnificent. Because of Jin’s sacrifice, he felt every moment of his former Master’s torture. He gave up his pain free life as a genie when he broke the rules for me. I kiss him on the forehead. “I’m so sorry that evil bastard did this to you. Now you have a permanent reminder of his evil.”
“I will have the last revenge. Roderick knows too much. The council will not let him leave the palace alive.”
“Good. He deserves their wrath.” Pouring a dab of soap over his head, I gently shampoo Jin’s hair. “I’m just glad you’re back with me again. I dreamed of this day.”
Jin’s hand stretches out and touches my belly through the tunic. “I as well. How is my child?”
The moment I’ve been dreading has arrived. I rinse the soap out of his hair and then grab a towel and dry his curls. “About that.”
He bolts upright. “Is there something wrong with the baby?”
“Of course not.” Just in case the bodyguards do have ultra-sonic hearing, I whisper in his ear. “Flittermouse, I made the whole thing up so they would take me with you.”
His eyes widen then his shoulders slump and he whispers back, “I would be lying if I did not express my deep disappointment. I felt glad you would not be alone when I—”
My eyes well up as I cradle his face in my hands. “You are not going to die. I won’t let that happen.”
He kisses a stray tear off my cheek. “I have no doubt, dearest. You are quite resourceful and such a good storyteller. You had me convinced you were pregnant.”
I flash on all the tall tales Jin told my father. “I learned from the best.”
Jin carefully steps out of the tub. “Thank you for the royal treatment. I feel like a new genie.”
I laugh as I hand him a robe. “I’m glad.” Running my hand lightly down his chest, I try to avoid the burn marks that are still healing. I whisper in his ear. “I want nothing more than to ravish you right now. But first I think we better come up with a plan on how we’re going to get the heck out of here”
Jin flips down the lid of the cabinet toilet. “Come talk with me. I have missed you so much.”
“What an enticing invitation.” I sit on his lap. “Are you trying to seduce me?”
He whispers, “As you said, there is time for that later. I agree we need to develop a plan. I have no desire to return to the tower.”
“I bet. Too bad I don’t have any wishes left. Maybe we could smuggle a message out? One of my maids, Sati, and her brother are revolutionaries.”
“No. They are only allowing Nalini into the room. Perhaps they suspect Sati.”
“Nalini can’t help us, she’s loyal to the High Council. What are we going to do? The clock is ticking. We have to find a way to escape. The doctor only bought us forty-eight hours.”
Jin gently lifts me off his lap and begins pacing the tile floor. It seems we have the same way of solving problems. The worn path on the bedroom rug shows how many hours I’ve spent trying to figure out a way for us to escape. Yet, all the planning and scheming seems to be for nothing. Jin stops pacing on his tenth turn. His face is filled with hope again.
“Do you have that velvet evening bag you carried in Paris?”
“I doubt it. They only let me keep the one valise.”
“Can you retrieve it?”
Walking down the hall with Jin right behind me, I head straight for the carved chest next to the bedside table. Everything I own is tucked inside. Releasing the clasp, I pull open the lid. I have no idea what I packed for our trip to America; it feels like it was five years ago. Digging around inside the valise, my hand hits the metal rim of a purse. “O.M.G., I actually packed it.”
Jin puts his finger to my lips to remind me only to whisper. I point to the purse. “Guess I thought we would have a chance to go out to fancy dinners once we were safe in America.”
He holds out his hand. “I am grateful you did. If my genie intuition serves me correctly.” Jin runs his hand along the metal frame pulling as he goes.
“You’re destroying the purse.”
“Tis for a good cause.”
His hand hits something. A smile spreads across his face. “All is not lost.”
I blink twice at the shiny object he holds in his hand—his monocle.
The Dog House
Jin
Esme is thrilled at my discovery at first. Then I watch as her smile fades and her expression turns to a
nger. “You knew we had the monocle the whole time?”
“Dearest, please keep your voice down.”
She whispers back, “I want to strangle you right now.”
“I am certain you do. But you must believe I would never conceal such a thing from you. My genie intuition is unreliable. Sometimes it can lay dormant for years. The last time I had a premonition was in 1885.”
“Well, I guess it showed up just in time.”
“Yes, indeed.”
”Perfect.” Esme holds out her hand. “I want to see my father, now!”
My hand wraps tightly around the monocle. “Dearest, it would not be wise. You will be drawn back into your modern world when your current life is in jeopardy.”
She glares at me. “What if I promise to only take a quick look?”
I place the monocle back in the purse and slowly wrap my arms around her. ’Tis not easy to disappoint the one you love—but I must. Esme fights against me, yet I continue to hold her tight. Throbbing pain radiates up my arms, but I do not release her. Instead, I kiss her on the forehead. “You know I love you.”
“I do.” She lightly punches me in the bicep. “But it doesn’t mean I can’t hate it when you’re right.”
“Indeed.” I motion toward the purse. “I am going to retrieve the monocle. Do you promise you will not, as you would say, do something ‘crazy stupid’?”
She cracks a smile. “Promise.”
“Splendid. Now let us consider our possible escape routes.”
She follows me to the bathroom where I perch myself like a bird on the windowsill. I place the monocle under my brow and use it like a telescope to see through the ruby stained glass.
Esme tugs on my robe. “Don’t you think you better put on something more escape-worthy in case the rebels show up soon? Do you want to give everyone a show?”
I laugh. “Of course, you are right. My body is for your eyes alone.”
Esme leads me to a beautiful wardrobe with carved elephants on the front. “All I have are these.” She points to a series of multi-colored silk tunics and trousers like the ones she’s wearing. “Nalini brought them for me when I told her I preferred to wear pants.” She pulls out a long gold tunic with a Nehru collar, and a matching pair of jodhpur type trousers. “These were way too big for me, so they might fit you.”
I strip down and Esme puts her fingers to her lips and gives me a quick whistle. This causes the guard to burst through the door. “Is something amiss?” He averts his eyes when he realizes I am completely naked.
Esme quickly darts in front of me. “How dare you burst into my bedroom! I haven’t seen my husband for weeks.” She gives me a wink. “We were about to ravish each other.”
The guard averts his eyes and backs toward the door. “I heard the whistle and thought you were signaling someone.”
Esme lightly strokes my chest. “Can’t a wife show appreciation for her husband?”
The guard darts out the door. I take his exit as an opportunity to don the pants and tunic. Watching Esme have a moment of fun makes my heart glad. She risked everything to follow me. If the council finds out she lied about her condition, she will surely be put to death. The longer she stays a prisoner the more likely her fabrication will be found out. All I can do is hope the revolutionaries are men of their word.
Esme looks me up and down as I straighten the hem of my tunic. “It’s a bit tight but you look handsome.”
I take her hand in mine. “I am so glad that you approve.” I kiss her on the lips wishing nothing more than to spend the whole evening seducing her like the romantic lead in TV soap operas. Esme sinks into my arms but I tenderly release her.
She strokes my cheek. “As much as I want to be with you, now isn’t the time—is it?”
“No, my love, unfortunately it is not.” I proceed to the nightstand and retrieve the monocle from the evening bag. “It is time to be ‘crazy smart’ and beat the High Council once and for all.”
She smiles. “Seems I’m wearing off on you.”
“Indeed, you are.” I place the monocle against my nose and wedge it under my brow. “Let us discover what Mr. Tahan and the High Council have planned.”
Concentrating on the grand hall, the High Council’s meeting place, I zoom in on four white bearded men wearing turbans and matching white tunics and pants. They hover over the dais like clouds. Sitting cross-legged, they listen to Mr. Tahan’s report with their eyes closed. They are memorizing every word he says.
The hall is as resplendent as the last time I set eyes upon it. Twenty feet high gold columns hold up scalloped arches trimmed in green, winging out on either side of the dais. Multi-tiered crystal chandeliers hang from the thirty-foot ceilings like diamond crowns.
I remember how tiny and insignificant I felt when I was summoned in front of the High Council for the first time. They looked down their noses at me from their gilded dais, their power permeating the room. Mr. Tahan had given me no clue if I had passed my review, or whether I had been deemed worthy of my first master assignment.
Decades had passed since that day with the High Council. I have served so many masters, good and bad. Yet they all led me to my final mistress—the love of my life. Even if my story ends soon, I will not regret a minute of the journey.
Esme nudges me as I stand in a trance reliving my past. “What do you see? Is the council talking about us?”
“Actually, at first they were talking about the revolutionaries and how to defeat them. Now they have shifted the subject to the child. They want to use our baby for experiments.”
Esme instinctively covers her belly. “The baby’s not real but I want to protect it.”
“Thank the gods the child I longed for does not exist. His or her fate would have been a life of horrors.”
She drops her hand to her side. “I just don't understand how the council works. What do they use you genies for? Where do they get all their money to pay for such a grand palace?”
“They have the genies syphon off money from their masters.”
“That’s horrible. They make you guys crooks.”
“Indeed. I never did such a thing, as most of my master’s fates did not involve great wealth.”
She gives me a faint smile. “You mean like Grandma and me.”
“Yes. Only Roderick achieved great wealth. He was such an evil man I must admit that I did steal from him.”
“So that’s why you knew where his safe was.”
“I am not proud of debasing myself in such a manner, but I owed the High Council quite a lot of money and had no love lost for Roderick.”
Esme’s eyes move to my hand. “He deserved it after what he did to you and me. I will never forget the horrible things he said—and did.” She gazes at her arms. “It still gives me chills.”
“Dearest, I am so sorry you had to suffer by his hands. I will do everything in my power to make certain such a fate never happens again.”
“I only wish you’d been spared too.”
I cover my hand. “’Tis nothing.”
She doesn’t believe me but she changes the subject. “So what do the council members want?”
“I can sum up the High Council’s intentions in two words: World domination.”
“I’m rooting for the rebels to win. Those idiots don’t deserve…”
“Hold that thought.” In the Grand Hall Mr. Tahan waves his arms like a child, whining like one, too. “I demand the right to extinguish the parents.”
The eldest of the council members holds up his hand. “Enough. You may do with them as you wish. They mean nothing to us.”
The oldest council member speaks up. “That would be ill-advised. We do not wish to turn Mr. Sansby into a martyr.”
Mr. Tahan’s shoulders slump. “Understood. I will extinguish Mr. Sansby’s life quietly. May I not make an example of the human girl? Would not a public execution in the courtyard be a powerful message to the genies to refrain from fraternizing with their human masters?�
�
I let out a gasp and the monocle pops off my face. Esme races to my side, forgetting to whisper. “What are they saying? What’s wrong?”
I cannot tell her the truth. Esme will want to burst through the door and risk her life to destroy the High Council members. It would be for naught. I whisper, “They plan to squelch the rebellion at daybreak.”
“No way!” she exclaims, before lowering her voice. “We have to come up with a plan B in case they take out the rebels before they can rescue us.”
She is right, of course. “What do you suggest?”
Pacing back and forth on the bedroom rug Esme does several turns before she whispers, “Okay, I think we need to spy on the guys by the door to see if there is any time only one of them is on guard. Between the two of us maybe we can take the guy out and make a run for it.”
My wife is beautiful to be sure, but what I truly love about her is that she is as smart as a whip. “Brilliant. I have every faith we will be rescued, but if not, we must be at the ready.”
She dons the monocle, crouches by the door, and takes notes with a quill and paper. While she concentrates on documenting the guards’ movements, rewinding the monocle view as needed, I scan the courtyard looking for any signs of movement. As the sun fades, the rebel genies will have to move quickly if they have any hope of rescuing us. Examining the exemplary craftsmanship of the wrought iron window bars, I hope the rebels are as resourceful as my wife.
Esme walks toward me rubbing her knees through her pants. My heart lurches until I remember that she’s not truly pregnant. She hands me a time schedule and whispers, “I counted out the minutes in my head. Every hour and a half, one of the guards takes a break for fifteen minutes. That would give us just enough time to make it down the stairs and out the east wing. I know exactly where the side door is. I scoped out the entire eastern side of the palace during my courtyard walks.”
“Yes, I must remember that you are always scheming.”
She kisses me on the cheek. “We modern American girls are pretty crafty.”
As I am about to take my magnificent wife in my arms and give her the kiss she deserves, a loud bang echoes down the hall from the bathroom. The guard hollers from behind the door. “What is going on? Do I need to call Mr. Tahan?”
Jin In Time Boxed Set 1-3: A Young Adult Time Travel Romance (The Time is Forever Series) Page 28
