Chapter 39
Rami
As Nahlah nestled against my chest, a thought crossed my mind: she was utter perfection. Kissing her temple, I tightened my arms around her, savoring the peace of this moment that I wished could last forever.
When we’d shattered the dreamscape—finding ourselves unexpectedly close—I never would’ve expected the direction this night would go. It had been centuries since anyone outside the royal family and Vee knew of my true identity, and I”d braced myself for her rejection. I certainly hadn’t expected her to ask if I could fly, nor to seal her curiosity with such an impulsive, captivating kiss.
But when I kissed her back—a longing fulfilled since the moment she presented herself as the Sahrandian princess—I lost myself entirely. She was intoxicating and refreshing, embodying everything I’d unconsciously yearned for within the stifling confines of my existence. Our connection transcended mere lust; every touch, every breath, feeling as if our spirits were aligning, transforming our bond into something powerful and irreversible. We were no longer just enemies turned allies on a perilous journey; we’d become partners and lovers, forging an unbreakable bond that promised to withstand whatever lay ahead.
“It’s your turn,” I murmured, resting my cheek atop her head.
After the initial rush of our intimacy had waned, I’d conjured a large fur blanket to ward off the chill, accompanied by cold water, tangerine juice sweetened with honey, a plate of olives, a basket of fresh khubz, and a platter of fresh fruit. Though not entirely surprising considering she now knew of my true identity, the fact that I could openly use my genio powers in front of her was exciting and thrilling.
As we dined, Nahlah steered the conversation toward the dreamscape, emphasizing the importance of understanding each other’s experiences to strengthen our trust.She’d volunteered to go first, and my heart ached as she recounted the ordeals she faced before I arrived, each death she described only intensifying her distress. Her complete breakdown came when she recalled Captain Sinbad’s demise, overwhelmed by the trauma.
Sharing my own experiences was equally painful and hearing them did little to ease her burden. Luckily, we didn’t have to face these horrors alone, seeking comfort in each other’s arms, consoling one another with loving touches and whispered reassurances. To distract her, I asked her questions about her childhood in the Mirage, and in turn, she asked about my life in the star realm. Our conversation deepened into a series of questions and answers, each revelation drawing us closer together.
“Hmm,” her serious expression signaled a weighty question was coming. “Who exactly are you enslaved to?”
“My main master is the reigning sultan or sultana. But by extension, I also serve the royal family.”
“Hmm,” she murmured again, her brows knitting together. “So you’re just meant to spend the rest of your life serving a sovereign?”
I nodded. “Upon the death of one ruler, the next has the option to set me free or bind me to them.”
She scoffed in disgust. “It isn’t hard to guess that none have offered freedom.”
“No,” I admitted. “But I have hope for Haytham.”
She glanced up at me; her gaze searching. “Sultan Farris was your first master?”
“Yes,” I confirmed, the memories bitter on my tongue. “He was also the cruelest.”
She scowled. “How has the royal family broken one of the biggest rules of the Aetherian Council—punishable by death, I might add—for centuries, and yet they’ve faced no consequences!?”
“It wasn’t forbidden when I was first taken. Yet when the Council emerged with their new rules, my master at the time—Sultan Hani—decided I would pose as an elemental fae guard. That way, they could still use me as they saw fit without repercussions.”
“You are not an item to be used! You should be free to make your own choices!” she exclaimed angrily. “Blast all the Hunters to the void. Amu Sinbad spent many years hunting them before he retired to raise me.”
“How did you come to be in Captain Sinbad’s care?”
“Amu and my Baba were old friends. He swore an oath to them to care for me if something happened to them, and after bandits killed them, I was delivered to Amu Sinbad by someone they’d hired to protect me. “
“It sounds like they were expecting something to happen if they hired someone.”
“Maybe,” she shrugged. “It wouldn’t be surprising if one or both of them were Seekers, too, and were being pursued because of it. I think of them every day, but I love my family fiercely and have never wanted for anything, nor had a lack of love under Amu Sinbad and Ummi’s care.”
Gripping her chin, I kissed her nose and then her lips. “I’m so glad you have them.”
She smiled, snuggling deeper into my arms. “Hmmm,” she tapped her fingers against my thigh for a moment before lifting a finger into the air. “Oh! Why does the Sultan want the Heart of Eternity so badly? Other than to harness its unlimited powers, of course. It seemed very personal for him.”
At the forbidden topic, I braced myself for the pain of my bands searing a warning into my skin. But when nothing happened, I laughed in surprise.
“What?” Nahlah asked, watching me curiously.
I laughed again, raking a hand through my hair disbelievingly. “Ever since I was captured, my masters have always been present in my mind through the genio bond,” I explained. “It allows them to communicate with me, and to give orders or make wishes at all hours of the day or night.”
“That sounds terrible!”
“It is,” I nodded. “Usually, my bands inflict physical pain if I even think of mentioning something a sultan has forbidden me from talking about.”
“But it isn’t happening?”
“No,” I shook my head. ”Ever since the Zephyr Wraith let us through the Heart’s door, all is quiet.”
“How odd,” she mused, tracing a path from the cuff at my wrist to the one around my biceps and back again. “You’re bound to the Sultan through your lamp, right?”
“Mhmm,” I nodded, my gaze tracking her movements as she continued to trail her fingers over my arm.”It”s made up of the only substances strong enough to incapacitate a genio fae”s powers. Otherwise, they wouldn”t be able to capture us.”
“Why do you need the bands then?”
“These,” I replied, tapping the cold metal clamped around my wrist, “serve two purposes. One, it marks me as an enslaved genio.It deters anyone who knows what I am from attempting to capture me for themselves.”
“Despicable,” she scowled. ”And the other?”
”It keeps my powers contained,” I said, smiling shyly. ”They quickly discovered that I was more powerful than the average genio, and to keep me under control, they had to add extra precautions.”
”I knew you were much more powerful than you let on!” she laughed, her eyes sparkling with delight. Bringing her fingers to the braided silver band encircling my upper arm she asked, “And this one?”
“It’s a failsafe.”
“A failsafe?” Her brows knitted together in confusion.
I reached up, smoothing the crease between her brows with a gentle touch. “Genio fae enjoy finding loopholes in the wishes they grant—sometimes out of boredom, for amusement, or simply for their own benefit. This band ensures I adhere strictly to the Sultan and his family’s wishes, forcing me to act solely in their best interests. Anything construed as harmful or defiant would cause severe repercussions for me.”
“Oh,” she breathed out, frowning. Leaning forward, she kissed my wrists and then my upper arm, each one soothing the wounds the bands represented. Her lips traced a slow path from my shoulder to my collarbone, and as she dragged her tongue up my neck, my entire body shivered. One, two, three kisses across my jaw later, and her lips finally claimed mine, our hunger for each other palpable and desperate, as if in this kiss, we wanted to consume the other’s worries and fears.
After a few breathless moments, she pulled back, panting. “Wait, what do you mean by consequences?”
“Never mind that now,” I said quickly, eager to brush aside the dark thoughts and lose myself in her.
“Okay, but,” she managed between fervent kisses, “you didn’t explain why the Sultan wants the Heart so badly.”
I chuckled, a sound of exasperation and affection. “I don’t want to think about him right now. Especially when all of my blood is currently rushing away from my brain.”
Laughing, her cheeks flushed a beautiful red color. With her long, wavy black hair cascading over her bare shoulders, golden eyes darkened with need, and her lips swollen, she was utterly breathtaking, making me ache for her all over again.
“His obsession began in childhood,” I began, nipping her bottom lip before reluctantly pulling away. “The court storytellers filled his head with tales of the Heart’s ability to grant its wielder phenomenal cosmic powers. He believes it’s his destiny to possess it and use it to usurp the Aetherian Council and rule the universe.”
”Like Sultan Farris?”
”Yes,” I nodded. ”Over the years, he”s studied and emulated many of his actions. In fact, Sultan Ghazi even has Farris” elemental snake staff in his chambers.”
“For the love of the realms,” Nahlah exhaled sharply. “Rami, he cannot get the Heart. I don’t fully understand its powers yet, but it’ll spell ruin for us all.”
“I know,” I said, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. The gravity of our conversation cast a heavy shadow, pulling us harshly back to reality. Desperate to maintain the lightness between us for a little longer, I shifted topics. “What food do you miss the most?”
Her face lit up. “I’ve been craving kefta mkaouara and fresh khubz!”
“I’ll make it for you right now,” I promised with a smile.
She clapped her hands, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “I had to eat fruit and vegetables for every meal when you could’ve given me delicious food!?”
I scooped her up, playfully threw her back, and flicked my wrist, causing us to float into the air. “Oh!” she gasped in surprise, wrapping her legs around my waist as we spun slowly, floating upward.
“Mmm, I thought you liked fruit and vegetables,” I teased, skimming my nose down her throat and inhaling her intoxicating scent.
“I do like them,” she laughed,“but I’d rather have a hot meal!”
Gripping her hips, I effortlessly reversed our positions in the weightless embrace of the air. Landing atop me, she shrieked in delight, her legs straddling my waist as we floated higher.
“I can certainly arrange a hot meal,” I murmured, my voice huskier than intended.
“Oh?”she grinned, securing the blanket shyly across her chest.
“In fact, I can give you whatever you want, hayati,” I added, raising an eyebrow suggestively.
“Can you?”she asked breathlessly.
“Mhmm.” Grasping her wrists, I lowered her arms, watching intently as the blanket pooled around her waist, revealing the swell of her breasts and her lean stomach. Reclining back, I took in the heady sight of her body bared to me, folding my arms behind my head in a leisurely, deliberate move that highlighted the ripple of my muscles.
Her breath caught as she tracked the movements, whispering sultrily, “I want you, Rami.”
“You have me,” I growled, tightening my grip on her waist and rolling my hips upward, ensuring she felt every inch of my body’s response to her.It didn’t matter that I’d just had her. I craved her again and knew it would never be one I could satisfy.
“Oh!” Gasping sharply, her movements became more urgent as she ground down against me, throwing her head back with a groan.“But I want foodtoo!”
“Which do you want more?” I teased, skimming my hand up her stomach to cup her breast.
“Rami,” she exhaled sharply, leaning forward to kiss me. “Food first, you later,” she commanded.
I barked out a laugh, her playful command and the light in her eyes igniting an even deeper affection for her in my heart. “As you wish, hayati.”