Fortunately, she only laughed, touching her shell necklace. “We have spells for everything.”
On the road ahead, a farmer’s cart approached, distracting me from the strange girl and reminding me of my mission. “Keep your cloak closed,” I hissed. “If he sees what you’re wearing—or rather, not wearing—he’ll have questions. I don’t have time for that.”
“We don’t?”
“I don’t,” I repeated, emphasizing the singular. She was not coming with me. “If you want someone to see you in your birthday dress, be my guest, but I’m in a hurry.”
“I don’t own a birthday dress,” she replied, keeping up with me even when I picked up my pace, stumbling less and less. “Where can I get one of those? And why are you in a hurry?”
I resisted rolling my eyes. After this was over, it would be wise to be on good terms with the Mere. I needed to tread carefully. “I have to get home. My father’s in trouble.”
“Where’s home?” she asked, obediently pulling her cloak together as the farmer drove by in his cart.
Did he notice her bare feet? Whether he did or not, he didn’t stop. I let out a breath, pointing to where the Hodafez castle nestled on one of the mountains in the distance. “That’s it right there.”
“That’s far. How long will that take us?”
I half laughed, but her face was solemn. “I do apologize,” I said, summoning up a politeness I didn’t feel. “But I’m afraid I have to make this journey alone.”
“Why?”
My mouth opened and closed. How to tell her I planned to sneak into my own home? “I just have to.”
“But you promised me a dress.”
“I didn’t—you can’t—” I threw up my hands. “I’m not going through the front gate, okay? I need to keep my presence a secret. Having company would make that ten times harder.” There. Straightforward without being rude.
“I love secrets.” She grinned at me. “Don’t worry. I’m very good at keeping them.” The Mere didn’t seem to understand subtleties. “How long until we reach the castle?”
I blew out a breath. Glancing up at the mountains again, and the long road that stretched out across the distance, I murmured. “It will take all morning just to reach the town. Maybe longer.” I stopped in the road to face her. “Listen. If we reach the castle without incident, and if I manage to find my way inside, and if we actually reach my rooms without anyone discovering us, I will give you a dress if you swear not to tell a single soul.”
“I suppose I can spare a morning,” she said, as if she was doing me a favor. “Very well, I agree.”
Chapter 39
Kadin
I’D SAT HOLDING THE crown for hours. Just staring at the diamonds encrusted all across the delicate circlet. The men had given up trying to reach me. Naveed had brought me the noon meal, but I hadn’t touched it. Somewhere around mid-afternoon, Illium had said his goodbyes. “Was here for the treasure, not the Jinni,” he’d said, standing in the open door of my room, fiddling with his bags that held his potions and his take from the last heist. “Gonna go back to working alone. Prefer it that way.”
I’d only nodded. I wasn’t surprised. If anything, I was baffled the others stayed. We’d accomplished what we set out to do. Four years of hard work culminating in one night of justice. So why didn’t it feel like enough? Why did it feel so empty? And why was I worrying about a girl who embodied everything I’d spent so many years detesting?
They checked on me throughout the day, confused as to why we weren’t planning the next big heist. Except Naveed. He understood.
Oh, and Gideon, who didn’t understand at all.
He’d been furious.
When Bosh had wandered through the door earlier and found me staring at the crown, and the missing lamp, he’d called the others in.
“Arie stole the lamp!” he’d hissed as they filed into the room. “Why would she do that, boss?”
I hadn’t had an answer for him.
The others stared at the crown and empty pack. “Why’d she have a crown?” Daichi asked.
“Don’t ask me,” Ryo answered with a shrug.
Naveed tapped my shoulder and signed, Why?
“Good question,” I replied. I tried to be logical, but it hurt. Arie had betrayed us without a second thought? Maybe I’d been right about her all along. Gifted people used people.
“She stole it,” Bosh repeated the lie I’d told him a few days ago. “But I told her we don’t steal from each other—she wouldn’t take... she’ll bring the lamp back, right?” His voice squeaked with emotion. “I don’t understand how she could just take it!”
“Excuse me?” Gideon’s soft voice came from the corner.
Oh, Jinni save me.
I raised my head to find him standing by the table. His knuckles were white as he gripped his cane, his movements graceful, yet dangerous, like a panther. “Where did she go? Why would she take it?”
“I don’t know,” I said flatly. “I don’t know why you want it. I don’t even know what it does.”
“She said nothing else?”
The way Gideon asked made me feel inferior, as if I should have noticed. “No. And I can’t read minds like you,” I snapped, losing it. My men gasped. It occurred to me that I’d kept secrets too.
A heaviness filled the room, as Gideon’s face darkened and those clear blue eyes clouded. “You’ve lost track of my payment. I would watch your tone if I were you.”
Bosh shrunk back against the wall. Daichi and Naveed glanced between us, while Ryo pushed off the door frame, looking ready to run if necessary. But I was no longer afraid of Gideon. He had his code to follow, after all.
“Take the crown, then,” I’d snapped, holding the offensive piece out to him.
Instead of answering, he’d vanished.
And now here I sat, still on my bed, hours later. I’d pieced together where Arie was headed. I just didn’t understand how she thought she could reach Hodafez—at least three day’s ride from here—by sunset? Even now, the sun made its way across the sky toward the horizon.
Naveed brought dinner. The others trickled in with their meals as well, not saying a word, keeping me company.
I picked up my bowl to eat without tasting it. “We’ll stay here another night,” I began, but cut off as Gideon materialized in front of us.
“There’s no sign of her within miles of here,” he said in a terse voice. “I must get that lamp. You know her better than I, where would she go?”
I shrugged. “I know where she wants to go, but there’s no way she could get there. Not for days at least.”
“Don’t worry about travel,” Gideon said, unblinking. “Tell me where she went.”
I spoke on impulse. “If I tell you, you have to swear you’ll take us with you.” I checked my mental walls, wishing there was a way to flex and make them even stronger.
“Why would we go after her?” Ryo asked, frowning.
“Because no one steals from us.” I set down my bowl, no longer hungry.
And? Naveed signed.
He knew me too well. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “And I think she’s upset. She might need our help.”
Daichi tsked. “Ah yes. You mean when Gideon took the prince’s tongue. That had me unnerved as well.”
“It’s a bit bigger than that.” I shook my head, glancing at Gideon. The color had returned to his pale skin, more obvious in the shadows, an ever-present reminder that he was something other. Something beyond my understanding. Listening to my every thought. He hadn’t responded to my request. “What does the lamp do, anyway?”
Gideon didn’t speak for a long moment, crossing the room to stand by the window. “It imitates the Gift that many in Jinn possess,” he said softly, staring out at the setting sun. “It takes you wherever you want to go in a heartbeat.”
“Ah.” I raised my brows at that. The missing pieces of Arie’s plan fell into place and I knew exactly where she was. I stood. “In t
hat case we’d better get going. We have a wedding to stop.”
Chapter 4O
Arie
WE HIKED THE DIRT road that twisted up the side of the rocky mountain toward Hodafez. The Mere girl admired the castle where it loomed ahead of us, a glaring white in the sun.
But when we slipped through the city gate, I guided her away from it, down narrow dirt streets that led parallel to the castle, keeping my distance. There was no telling where Amir may have posted guards, or how many. A few villagers noticed us pass, but most were too busy heading to Summer’s Eve celebrations, or at home sleeping through the heat of the day.
We rounded the outskirts of the city, sticking close to the wall as long as possible. I held up a hand when we reached a dead end. On our right, the wall had curved with the line of the cliffs and the sea beyond and now blocked our path, with dwellings built up against it. Retracing our steps, we finally began to move deeper into the city, toward the castle.
“This is so thrilling,” the Mere girl said. I’d forgotten her name already. I’d told her only my first name and that my father was inside the castle, nothing more.
“If thrilling to you means risking our lives, then sure,” I replied, keeping my attention on the castle wall ahead and the guards posted there. They were my father’s soldiers, marching along the wall as usual from one post to the next. It was possible they were still loyal to me. Far more likely they were touched by Amir’s Gift. Better not take any chances.
The main castle entrance yawned open and inviting below them, but it was too visible, with a guardhouse beside it. A smaller gate for the stables was also open, and much closer to us; this was the gate I hoped to use. I halted in the shadows, pulling the girl back.
“Listen, Zarena Marena... whatever your name is...”
“Call me Rena.” She laughed.
“Mmhmm, whatever you say,” I agreed, still watching the guards. “When I say go, we’re going to run for the stables, got it?” Eyes trained on the guards as they walked, I waited for them to reach the far end of their track. This would be their blind spot, but it would only last a few seconds. “Now!”
I ran across the courtyard, ducking into the back of the stables. As my eyes adjusted, I peered around to make sure I was alone. Nearby, I heard the clank of metal on metal and a couple horses nickered, but I didn’t have time to greet them. I turned to find the Mere girl—Rena—staggering across the space with arms flying wildly as if she’d never run in her life. I supposed she hadn’t.
She lurched inside and I held a finger to my lips, listening. When no one called out, I waved for her to follow me through the quiet stables. A hum of thoughts came from the far side of the room, not audible enough to make out, but enough to avoid running into their owner.
We crept to the far end of the stables, where the stalls had been converted to store grains, saddles, bridles, and other equipment. Entering quietly, I shut the stable door behind me, peering over the top of it to make sure no one had seen us before I crept to the back wall. I lifted my hand to a brick, but paused to meet Rena’s gaze. “You must never speak of this to anyone, do you understand?”
She made a fist and hit her chest. “On my honor or you can feed me to the sharks.”
I blinked and opened my mouth, but had no words. Instead, I faced the wall and pressed on the brick. It was smoother than the rest and if you looked closely, the mixture surrounding this brick was lighter in color—a soft clay instead of mortar, with a spring behind it. As I let go it sprung back into place while the wall began to shift and open beside it.
“Wow,” Rena gasped, green eyes wide. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Neither has anyone else here,” I muttered as I stepped into the dark tunnel, waving for her to follow. “And I’d like to keep it that way, if you don’t mind.”
I pressed another piece of the door and it slowly swung itself back into place until it latched shut, locking us inside the pitch-black tunnel.
I felt along the wall for the lantern that hung there, wishing I’d thought to pick it up while I could see.
“What is that?”
“Nothing,” I mumbled, pulling the lantern down by feel and then running my fingers over the shelf where it’d sat to find a match.
“What’re you doing?” she asked.
“You’ll see.”
I struck the match and she gasped. “There’s some strange magic attacking your fingers!”
“It’s just fire.” If this were any other time, I would’ve laughed, but I couldn’t summon the feeling now. I lit the lamp and blew the match out, tossing it to the ground.
“What is fire for?”
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose with my fingers. Was it really a relief to not hear her thoughts if she spoke every single one of them?
“Fire is good for a lot of things. Keeping warm, being able to see at night.” I explained, moving into the tunnels at a slow pace, making sure I didn’t stumble on the uneven floor.
“But it’s so much easier to see without it,” she whined.
That piqued my curiosity. “You can see in the dark?”
“Of course, can’t you?”
I glanced over at the strange girl, shaking my head as I finally let out a small laugh. “Um... No.”
She followed me through the winding tunnels, as I led us through one corridor after another, climbing a set of stairs before reaching a long, rectangular dead end. On the other side was the mirror to my bedroom.
It seemed like years since I’d wandered these tunnels with Havah.
There wasn’t a peep hole, for privacy’s sake, so I set my ear to the crack along the wall. Was there anyone inside?
I stood there for a full five minutes to make sure, holding my finger to my lips when Rena tried to speak. That, at least, she seemed to understand.
Finally, I pressed the latch that opened the secret door. The mirror swung out into the room on silent hinges. No one was inside.
We entered my chambers, and I swung the mirror back against the wall, locking it before I crept to the closet, the bath, and the outer room, checking each one to make sure we were alone before I spoke. “It’s safe. Let’s get you dressed.”
Inside the closet, I pulled the first gown I could reach off the hook—a simple dark green with a modest neckline. The girl was smaller than me, both in height as well as in the hips and bust, so I doubted it would fit her perfectly, but it would do. Anything was better than what she currently wore.
When I held it out to her, she shook her head. “That’s a drab color. What about this one!” She plucked a bright blue dress from where it hung on the other side. “This looks like the ocean when you swim near the surface. And the jewels are like when the sun shines down and makes it sparkle.”
I shrugged. “I guess it kind of is.”
She tossed the cloak I’d given her to the floor and began to struggle with the dress.
“Here, let me.” I carefully untied the strings at the back and helped her step into it before lacing it up.
“Oh, stop it this instant,” she squealed as I tugged the laces. “I can’t breathe!”
“Women aren’t supposed to be able to breathe,” I said with a small smile, but I tied them more loosely.
“Humans are so strange.” She held up her long sleeve to admire the way the extra fabric draped, nearly touching the floor when she lowered her wrist.
“I suppose we are.” I stepped back to admire my work. “Nonetheless, you’re much more likely to blend in now that you’re not running around...” I trailed off. “You know... as you were.”
“In my birthday dress,” she said with a grin.
“Ah. So you got that after all.” I half-smiled before turning toward my bedroom. “Listen, I need you to stay here... there’s something I need to do.”
“What is it?” she asked.
I’d grown so used to her questions that I barely heard her. By my bedside I found my regular oil lamp, where it usually was,
and peered inside. It was full. I pulled the Jinni lamp from my pocket and set it on the table as well. Transferring the oil, I avoided touching the Jinni lamp, in case even a drop might transport me elsewhere. I filled the Jinni’s lamp halfway, stopping when I spilled a bit on the floor.
“Can I help?” Rena piped up when I didn’t answer.
“No. I’m sorry. I have to go alone.” I stopped when I saw her face. The way her shoulders slumped. “You can... help yourself to my jewelry box,” I offered, gesturing toward the table. Whatever it took for her to look away.
“I suppose I can wait for you here.” She trailed a finger along the bed frame and moved toward the jewelry box.
I took advantage of her distraction, stretching out my hand to grip the base of the lamp as I firmly imagined the place I wanted.
The room flashed around me, shifting into my father’s chambers. He wasn’t there. Where else would he be? My mind pictured another place. I hoped I was wrong, even as I gripped the lamp and imagined a space I’d only seen a few times before. A deep darkness surrounded me, only penetrated by the tiny light of my candle. Swiveling around, I worried that I’d chosen wrong, when my foot bumped something behind me.
“Baba!” I cried, barely remembering to keep my voice down. Kneeling beside him, I brought the lamp close to see his injuries, but couldn’t make out the details through the blur of tears. “What happened? How did you get in here?”
He groaned and mumbled something I couldn’t make out. His eyes opened. “Arie, you’re alive!” His excitement made him cough, wheezing as he tried to catch his breath. “I was so worried!”
“I’m so sorry, Baba.” I took his hand, feeling the guilt press down on me like the entire mountain sat on my chest.
His eyes fluttered shut as if he couldn’t keep them open.
“I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought Amir would leave you alone. This is all my fault.” I pressed my hand to his forehead. He was burning up. “You have a fever,” I told him, even though wasn’t responding. “Don’t worry. I’m going to get you out of here.”
The Stolen Kingdom: An Aladdin Retelling (The Stolen Kingdom Series Book 1) Page 19
