Chapter 30
“That’s it,” I told Zafir, nerves jangling. We were at the very edge of the forest, still hidden among the trees as I pointed to the enormous manor house.
“Impressive,” Zafir said, peering out. “You weren’t joking when you said he was wealthy.”
“Having unlimited wishes would bring that about,” I told him. “Just think, you can have one just like that if you want. All we have to do is sneak in and grab the lamp.”
“How do we know if Rahil and Nadia are in there?”
“I have no idea, but I assume they are. Other than marrying me and going to get Nadia, I don’t remember him ever leaving the house. He must be terrified of someone stealing the lamp.”
“Recite the wish to me again,” Zafir told me. “It has to be word perfect.”
“I wish that my sister, Nadia of Brisden, from this moment until her natural death, cannot be physically harmed, coerced, threatened, compelled, or forced into marriage by Rahil nor by any agent acting on his behalf, knowingly or unknowingly and that any attempt to approach, claim, or physically harm her in such ways will fail without injury to her body or mind.” The wish left me breathless by the end.
“Good,” Zafir said with a nod. “That’ll protect her against a forced marriage or any harm. Can you think of any other loopholes that could exist in that?”
We’d been over possible scenarios during the flight to Brisden, but each time I felt like I closed one loophole, I worried another opened in its stead.
No wonder Zafir had spent years perfecting the wording of his wishes.
I’d proposed to simply wish that Rahil was dead, but Zafir had stomped on that idea, telling me that there were far too many ways the genie could exploit that wish.
Protecting Nadia came first. Revenge would have to come later.
“Could the genie force me back into marriage with Rahil instead of Nadia as a sort of trade?”
“I have your annulment paperwork if it tries,” Zafir said, patting his jacket pocket. “Repeat the wish several more times, just in case. It needs to be automatic when you say it.”
I continued to do so, whispering the words to myself repeatedly as we crept closer, hiding behind the trees and shrubs to camouflage our approach.
“I can’t believe he doesn’t have guards or servants. Was it really just you and him in there?”
“I never saw anyone else.”
“Couldn’t you run away?”
“Maybe, but I worried that if I left, he would leave Nadia in prison forever. You have your potions?”
Zafir nodded. The only thing he’d kept were a few choice vials for if we ran into Rahil before finding the lamp. I could only hope it was enough.
“It won’t be long before—” I broke off. From inside the manor, there was a high, shrill scream.
Nadia.
She appeared in one of the windows, trying to leap from the sill, but Rahil appeared behind her, pulling her back and away from the window. The screams continued, growing fainter with each passing second.
Immediately forgetting our plan to be stealthy and sneaky, I broke into a dead sprint, running for the house. All I could think about was that my sister was in danger.
“Alia!” Zafir tore after me. “Alia, wait!”
I couldn’t wait. Nadia might be about to get murdered. There was no time to wait. It was three against one if we got there soon, and this time, I knew what the lamp was and had a wish in mind. I was prepared.
Following the screams, I burst through the front door, sprinted up the stairs, and saw the forbidden door open at the very end of the hallway. In the lamp’s room, Rahil had his arm wrapped around Nadia’s neck, slowly squeezing the life out of her while whispering something in her ear.
Rahil saw me and Zafir cross the threshold and drew his dagger, the same one he’d stabbed me with, and angled it against my sister’s ribs. “Don’t come any closer or she dies,” he spat.
The lamp glittered innocently on a new marble stand between us.
“Alia,” Nadia squeaked. There were red marks along Rahil’s bicep where she had clawed her fingernails down his arm.
“Let her go,” I called to Rahil.
Rahil’s smile was pure evil. “I was so hoping you’d return,” he breathed. “I thought taking your sister would be sufficient motivation.”
“You were right. Now release her.”
“You want to save her?” Rahil dug the tip of his blade into Nadia’s side and she let out a small cry of pain. “I’d be glad to make a trade. You for her.”
“Don’t,” Zafir warned me. He made as if he was going to grab my arm, but I tore away from him.
The lamp was right there. I would have it soon. I just had to keep Rahil distracted.
“Put the knife down,” I told Rahil calmly, slowly stepping toward him. “I’m willing to make the trade.”
“Don’t,” Zafir hissed again, but I ignored him. Only a few more paces, and I’d be able to touch the lamp.
“Come on, then,” Rahil urged, slowly lowering the dagger’s tip. “Just a little closer.”
I swallowed, inching closer all the time. If I tried to say the well-worded wish I’d rehearsed, Rahil would kill Nadia before I finished. Forgive me, Zafir. I would have to make another hasty wish.
I snatched up the lamp the moment I was close enough. “I wish Nadia couldn’t be hurt!” I screamed, clutching it so tightly in my hands that it was painful.
Immediately, Nadia vanished in a cloud of blueish-purple smoke and a new gemstone formed, lying in the exact spot where she’d stood.
My eyes darted wildly around. Had Nadia gone to Pyren just as I had done? Where was she?
Before I could so much as make a guess, peals of laughter began, low at first, but became higher, reverberating around the room. Rahil was doubled over, laughing fit to burst. What had gone wrong with my wish?
The lamp twinkled innocently in my hands. What had the genie done to Nadia? I needed another ally. I spoke to the lamp, willing the specter inside to emerge. “Genie, reveal yourself! Come forth!”
Rahil’s smile broadened and he spread his arms wide, the final traces of blue fading from his beard, leaving it perfectly black. “I’m right here.”