Chapter Thirty-Four
When I come to, I’m staring at the sky. Except it doesn’t look like the sky. It has a darkness to it, one I can’t explain. As I sit up to survey my surroundings, I take in the trees, flowers and tall grass.
The meadow from my dream. Am I still dreaming? Glancing back at the sky, I notice black clouds moving around. I’ve never seen anything like it, only in my nightmares. I must still be sleeping, yet why do I feel very much awake?
This meadow isn’t entirely like my dreams. It’s darker, almost as if it’s encased in evil.
Flexing my fingers, I don’t feel any pain. My body is in one piece, and there is no evidence of burn marks.
Someone stirs beside me. Sebastian. His eyes flutter before opening and he examines where he is. He stares down at himself, and that’s when I realize his skin isn’t gold anymore, but peach-colored. His jaw nearly drops to the ground. He leaps to his feet, stepping to the right, then to the left as he combs his fingers through his hair. “This can’t be,” he mutters, pacing around some more. “This can’t be.”
I walk up behind him and wrap my arms around his waist. “I think this might be a dream, but I don’t know. Everything is so confusing.”
He whirls around. Shock, complete and utter shock, fills his eyes. “Lily, what are you doing here?”
“What?”
A hard swallow makes its way down his throat. He examines his surroundings again. “I must be dreaming. But genies don’t dream.” He paces again, then looks down at himself. “Am I even a genie?”
I catch up to him and grab him by the arm. “Sebastian?”
He faces me. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
“What do you mean? Where—”
“Humans can’t come to Ortarus. They can’t survive here.”
I feel like I’ve been hit over the head with a block of stone. Everything around me starts to sway. Ortarus. Sebastian just said we’re in Ortarus. All this time, I must have been dreaming of his home world. But why?
Sinking down to the ground, I pull my legs to my chest and rest my chin on my knees. Ortarus. I’m in the dreadful place known as Ortarus.
Sebastian drops down next to me. He tucks me close, but doesn’t utter a word. His head must be swarming like mine is.
“I dreamed of this place,” I tell him. “But it wasn’t as dark. It was light and sunny and full of life.” Except when the black clouds stormed down on me.
Sebastian’s chin rubs against my forehead as he nods. “Ortarus used to be a beautiful place before King Sorenten rose to power. The entire place grew dark due to his wickedness and thirst for power.” He pauses. “I don’t remember it, since I was very little when he took the throne, but I’ve heard many people talk about how good life used to be.”
The grass is very tall, and it’s hard to see much, only the trees and flowers. I don’t know if anyone is around.
“Sebastian, why are we here?”
He shakes his head like he has no idea.
“The shadows,” I say. “They engulfed me. I remember calling your name and felt your hand grab mine. And the next minute we’re here.” I turn to him. “Did you mean to bring us here?”
His eyes are very wide as he says, “I’ve never been able to travel to my home world.”
He’s right. All those years he was a genie, he wished to go back to help his little sister, but he was never able to. Why can he now?
“Is this a dream?” I ask.
“No.”
I look around some more, unable to see much. “Where are we?”
“In one of the largest forests in Ortarus. It’s easy to hide from the palace guards, since the grass is so tall.”
I gape at him. “Palace guards?”
He nods. “King Sorenten has many guards protecting him and the people of Ortarus. They’re like the police, but they’re brutal, torturing and killing whenever they see fit.” He swallows. “A few of my fellow servant boys have been executed by the guards. For no reason at all. The guards were bored and were looking for some fun.”
I hug him close. “I’m sorry.”
“I could have easily been chosen.”
I bury my face in his chest. He folds his arms around me. “I don’t want you here,” he whispers. “I don’t know how it happened, but we need to get back to Earth.”
“How?”
He rubs the back of his neck. “I don’t know.” He closes his eyes and waves his hands around, using his magic to try to get us home. It doesn’t work. “Lily, can you try to wish?”
“I wish to go back to Earth.”
We stare at each other. He doesn’t move, doesn’t swing his arms around.
“So much for that,” I mutter. “You’re not gold, which means you’re not a genie anymore.”
He nods, then eyes the sky. “It’s getting dark. We should hide here and then…figure something out in the morning.”
The thought of being in these woods so late at night sends shivers down my spine. The wind whooshes against the grass, causes a sound that nearly deafens me. It’s as though someone is crying out in pain.
Sebastian holds me close.
“What is that?” I ask.
He’s quiet for a second or two. “Cries of those who were murdered. They don’t get buried. The guards use their magic to disintegrate the bodies.”
“That’s terrible.”
He sweeps his arm over his eyes. He must be thinking about his sister Renaya’s suicide. I’m sure the king ordered her body to be disintegrated as well.
“I need to get you out of here.” His head whips from side to side, as if that will give him the answers he seeks. He strokes my cheek. “If something were to happen to you, I’d never forgive myself.”
I rest my hand on his that’s touching my cheek. “We have to stick together.”
He fingers my bottom lip. “I just can’t wrap my head around the fact that you’re here. You’re the first human to have ever stepped foot on Ortarus. You shouldn’t be able to breathe.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I suppose it’s the same way Ortarians can’t come to Earth unless they’re genies. Humans can’t survive on Ortarus. Yet you can.” His eyebrows knit. “I must have brought us here. But why? How? I don’t understand.”
“We can’t worry about all that stuff now. We need to get through the night and then figure out a way to go home.” If circumstances were different, I wouldn’t mind exploring his world.
Sebastian lies down on the ground and pulls me on top of him. I snuggle up to his chest. He shifts some of the grass to give us more cover. “You sleep,” he tells me. “I don’t need to rest.”
“Are you sure?”
He nods. “Also, I know this world better than you do and can protect you better.”
“If you’re sure.”
He kisses me. “I am. I won’t let any harm come your way.”
I make myself comfortable on his chest and shut my eyes. Sleep doesn’t seem to want to come to me. I’m still shaken up about everything that’s happened. First the dreams, then the shadows, and now traveling to Ortarus.
None of this makes sense.
My thoughts drift to Mom. If I don’t make it back to Earth, how will she deal with losing another daughter? No, I have to get back. I don’t know how, but Sebastian and I need to try.
“Hey, Sebastian?” I whisper.
“Yes?”
“Is there anyone who can help us? Anyone you trust?”
Sighing, he shakes his head.
“What about that elder who helped you return to Earth?”
“I don’t know who to trust anymore. For all I know, he could be telling all my secrets to the king.” He tightens his hold on me. “I’m going to get you back to Earth, Lily. I promise.”
I gaze into his eyes. Though it’s dark out, I can see them clearly. “What about getting yourself back to Earth?”
He shakes his head. “My life isn’t important. Yours is.”
“Seb—”
“I’m just a genie who’s destined to live a lonely, empty life. But you, you have so much to look forward to. Culinary school and following your dream to become a professional chef.”
“Your life is important, too. All my dreams mean nothing if I don’t have you to share them with.” I look deeper into his eyes. “We’re going to leave this world together.”
He reluctantly nods.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Someone shakes my shoulder. “Lily,” Sebastian whispers. I open my eyes and look around, not knowing where I am. Then it hits me. The dark clouds, waking up in Ortarus. It wasn’t a dream. Sebastian and I are really here.
It’s still dark out. I don’t think I was asleep for long. Sebastian places his finger on my lips, eye signaling to the left. I follow his gaze and see two men dressed in a yellow and brown royal uniform and matching helmets. The king’s guards. My heart skips a beat. They’re trudging through the grass and are only a few feet away from us.
“Can you use your magic?” I whisper. “To hide us or make us invisible?”
He moves his hands around, but nothing happens. “I only have my Ortarian magic, not my genie one,” he tells me. “Which isn’t much.”
Something gets clogged in my throat. “What do we do?” I ask, my voice shaking.
He covers me with his body. “I’ll protect you.” He stares into my eyes. “I’m going to reveal myself to them. You run.”
“What? No!”
“They’ll be busy with me and that should give you enough time to flee. You’re fast. Find somewhere where you can stay hidden. A cave or something like that.”
Tears fill my eyes. I’m not going to abandon him. “Sebastian…”
He rests his forehead against mine. “Please do as I say, Lily.”
“I won’t leave you.”
He gives me a quick kiss. “I’ll try to find my way back to you. I promise. I love you, Lily. Forever.”
“What if they kill you?”
He doesn’t say anything as he strokes the back of my head.
“Seb—”
“You’re going to survive,” he whispers. “You’re going to get back to Earth.”
“How?”
“You’re strong. You’re a survivor and I know you’ll find your way back.”
We must be talking a bit too loudly because one of the guards turns toward our direction. He says something to the other, who nods.
Sebastian kisses me passionately before jumping to his feet and waving his arms around. This is my cue to leave.
I scramble to my feet and am about to run the other way, but I stop and turn around as I’m filled with something. Determination. I’m not going to flee, won’t abandon the man I love. If he’s going to die, then I’ll die along with him. I don’t care if he told me to save myself. I’m going to die trying to save the both of us.
The guards shoot magic at Sebastian, freezing him in place. Not taking their eyes off him, they circle him, most probably trying to figure out who he is. They ask him questions, but he doesn’t answer. One of the guards, the bigger one, raises his hand to strike Sebastian.
No! My mind yells. My hands lift and a lightning bolt shoots at the guard, hauling him a few feet away and burning him to a crisp. I stare at my hands.
“Lily!” Sebastian yells. “Run!”
“Who’s there?” The shorter guard’s head whips around, but he can’t see me due to the tall grass. The guard makes sure Sebastian is still frozen in place before he weaves through the grass in search of me. “Where are you?”
I back up a bit, causing the grass to rustle and the guard’s eyes to land on me. His lips curl into a smirk as he raises his hand. Fire shoots out of him. I hold up my hands, sending my lightning at him and causing our beams to slam into one another before shooting up to the sky. The guard is distracted and I use the opportunity to strike him, first with my leg, then with another lightning bolt. He falters back, burned like his partner.
Sebastian’s invisible hold seems to vanish and he drops to the ground. I jump into his arms and kiss him hard and strong. “You’re alive,” I say, kissing him some more. He pulls me closer, molding his lips against mine, like this is our last kiss. Because it almost was.
He draws back and takes my face in his hands. “How did you do that? That…that magic?”
I lift my hands and gape at them. “That was…magic?” I guess I didn’t see it that way. I was just protecting my boyfriend.
He says, “There are many different kinds of magic in Ortarus. Some are stronger than others. Fire is very strong, but lightning is even stronger. It can kill someone in two seconds. I don’t understand how you were able to use it.”
“Maybe it was just a one-time thing. Or maybe I’m feeding off your energy.”
He shakes his head. “Poor Ortarians have minimal magic. I’ve never been able to do something like that.”
I stare at my hands again. Sebastian takes my right one. “We don’t have time to think about this. We need to leave this place and get to safety.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know. We’ll find something.”
With our hands clasped, we head to…wherever, scanning around to make sure there are no guards.
“Lily,” Sebastian says. “Thank you for saving me.”
I smile. “I’d never let anything happen to you. You have no idea how important you are in my life. I love you more than anything.”
He holds me close. “I love you more than anything, too. I promise I will get you back home.”
“No. Promise you’ll get the two of us back home.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I promise I’ll try to get the two of us back home.”
We walk some more. I don’t know for how long, but it feels like hours. My feet are starting to hurt, but I force myself to be strong. The only way Sebastian and I are going to survive this is if we stick together.
We remain quiet because we don’t want to attract the attention of the guards. Since it’s dark and the grass is so tall, it’s hard to see if someone is hiding in the bushes. We need to be as discreet as possible.
Something slams into Sebastian and he crashes to the ground. I’m about to yell for him when I feel something latch onto my arms, fastening them together. I can’t move a muscle. I’m thrown to the ground, too.
I’m about to look up to see who’s attacking us, when a black sack is thrown over my head and a foot rams into my stomach, so strongly that I start to see stars.
“Lily,” Sebastian calls, his voice weak and desperate.
Pain explodes in my head before I feel myself losing consciousness.
***
“A human,” a male voice says. “How intriguing.”
I try to open my eyes, but they feel like they’re glued shut. My body aches all over, as though I was run over by a train. Fingers skim over my face, my hair, and my arms.
“Don’t touch her!” The second voice belongs to Sebastian. He sounds like he’s right beside me. I want to reach out to him, but my hands are tied.
“How did she get here?” The other voice is filled with wonder. “A human on Ortarus?”
“I said don’t—” Sebastian’s words are cut off and he groans loudly. The other man must have hit him.
“Seb…Seb…” I sputter. My mouth is dryer than wood. Actually, it feels like sawdust is trapped inside. I desperately need a drink.
The sounds of a door opening echoes throughout the room. “Hastus, I told you not to harm them!”
Now two pairs of footsteps leave the room, shutting the door behind them.
“Lily?” Sebastian asks. His voice is weak, like he’s wincing from the blow that other guy gave him. “Are you hurt?”
My mouth opens and closes, but I can’t get a word out. Weird magical powers, I say in my head. Give me the strength to open my eyes.
It’s as if a dark veil is lifted from my face. I can see everything, though it’s a little dark
in here. I’m in some sort of dungeon. The kind you’d find under a castle. My stomach churns. We must have been taken by the palace guards.
“Lily.”
I turn to the left and find Sebastian in the cell with me. He’s tied to one side and I’m tied to the other. As I look between the steel bars of the cell door, I don’t see anyone out there.
Footsteps march from one end of the dungeon to the other. That must be a guard.
“Sebastian,” I say, my voice weak. I try to shift in place, but that sends a surge of pain to every part of my body. I yelp.
“Lily.” Sebastian’s voice is laced with pain. “I’m sorry. So sorry.”
“Seb—” I’m cut off by the sound of the door opening, followed by footsteps. A man stands before us, dressed in armor. Everything except for his brown eyes is hidden.
Sebastian gasps. “Alaric?”
“Hello, Sebastian.”
Sebastian looks like he wants to slam his fist against the bars. “I trusted you!”
The man doesn’t say anything as he stares at him. He must be the elder who helped Sebastian get back to Earth. I want to grab him by the front of his shirt and demand to know why he’s doing this. Why send Sebastian to Earth? What’s his agenda?
“What do you want from us?” I ask.
His eyes move to mine and they fill with interest. He steps closer to the opening of the cell. “Lily Richards.”
How the hell does he know my name?
“Tell me, how were you able to travel to Ortarus?”
“Don’t answer any of his questions!” Sebastian says. He turns to the man. “Do whatever you want with me, but leave Lily alone. She doesn’t belong in this word.”
“Oh, but she does. We have something very special planned for Lily.”
My breath gets caught in my throat as a chill runs down my spine. Something special planned?
Alaric presses his face to the bars. “Tell me how you got here.”
“I’m not telling you anything.”
The man holds up his hand and pain sears through me. It feels like he’s burning every brain cell, and I cry out.
“Leave her alone!” Sebastian yells.
Loving the Genie (Genie's Love, Book 2) Page 19
