Chapter 42
Nahlah
“This is it,” I confirmed, tapping the tome”s page as Huriyah began his descent. “It hasn’t changed since we left the dreamscape’s end.”
“Good,” Rami murmured, his eyes scanning the horizon vigilantly.
As we landed in front of a monumental structure, I tilted my head back, utterly awe-struck. The red sandstone building loomed before us, at least ten times taller and wider than the Sultan’s palace. Its massive doors—intricately carved directly into the wall—was adorned with vibrant zellige tile motifs depicting the beautiful expanse of the universe in stunning detail.
Rami dismounted first, then turned, extending his arms. Although I’d mastered mounting and dismounting Huriyah’s massive frame, the temptation to fall into his arms was too alluring to resist. Swinging my leg over the side of the saddle, I paused, a playful thought striking me.
“Wait! Didn’t I say that only I was riding Huriyah, since you can fly?”
He chuckled, a suggestive smirk playing on his lips. “Well, yes, but that was before you had your way with me. Twice.”
My cheeks warmed, and I bit my lip to stifle a laugh, trying to maintain a stern facade. “Alright, let’s see it,” I motioned towardhim.
“Hmm,” he mused, his eyebrow arching playfully. “We already were in the air when you were straddling me, remember?”
Unable to hold back a smile, I clarified, “I meant I want to see you in your genio form.” His grin lingered, but there was a slight tightening around his eyes—an involuntary reaction to the request. Not wanting to push him, I quickly added, “You don’t have to. I’m just teasing.”
“That’s not it.” He shook his head. “It’s... it’s been a long time since I’ve shown my true form to anyone but the royal family and Vee—” Huriyah interrupted with a snort, tossing his head indignantly. Rami laughed, adding, “And Huriyah too, of course. As it stands, Sultan Ghazi”s prejudice against the fae rarely allows me to be in my genio form. I suppose I’m just nervous.”
My heart softened. “Never be nervous about showing me your true self!” Smiling, I touched his face. “That said, I understand if you’re not ready.”
He clasped his hand over mine, exhaling deeply. “I’m ready,” he murmured, snapping his fingers. Instantly, plumes of purple smoke and twinkling wisps of silver sparkles burst from beneath his boots, intertwining and spiraling around his legs lazily. They climbed higher and higher, encircling his waist before billowing upward, completely obscuring him. After a lingering moment, the smoke cleared, and I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth.
The lower half of his body had transformed into a stunning genio tail. Composed of multi-hued purple smoke—the colors shifting continuously like swirling clouds—tiny sparkles flickered within, mimicking the stars. His jellaba was gone, replaced by a sleek black cape edged in silver, accentuating the powerful width of his shoulders and the defined muscles of his arms. A wide black belt clasped around his waist just above the swirling mist of his tail, while his hair—usually styled perfectly—gently floated, as if untethered by gravity.
As his kohl-lined eyes—glowing subtly with an otherworldly purple luminescence—met mine, my breath caught in my chest. He appeared every bit the powerful genio fae that he was—a warrior from the tales of old, a majestic being of immense power and beauty. Yet the mischievous curve of his lips—as though he could hear my thoughts—and the slight clench of his jaw, a sign of his uncertainty, reassured me that he was unmistakably my Rami.
”You”re beautiful!” I blurted out, my cheeks flushing as Rami chuckled, Huriyah chuffing in amusement.
“Shukran, you’re quite beautiful yourself, hayati!” he grinned, extending his arms. “Come here.”
I slid into his embrace, wrapping my legs around him as he maneuvered us closer to the structure. Watching him fly left me utterly awestruck as he glided through the air with ease and grace. When I met his gaze, he was already watching me, his expression hesitant, as if preparing for my rejection.
“Come here,” I echoed his words, not wanting him to fear ever being himself with me. I slid my hand into his hair, bringing my mouth to his in a passionate kiss.
Once we’d pulled apart, he smiled, tilting his head back. “Should we see what we’re up against?”
“Let’s go!” I exclaimed, excited by the prospect of being able to return home soon.
Rami shot forward; the landscape blurring into streaks of red and purple as we soared toward the building. “There isn’t a handle,” I observed as he glided to a stop in front of it.
He shook his head. “No, there isn’t. Because that would make things easy.”
Frustration knotted in my chest even as I played absently with the curls at the nape of his neck. “How do we get inside? I want to be done with this, go back home, see my family, and figure out how to free you!”
He shot me an amused glance, rubbing soothing circles over my back before his expression sobered. ”I don’t know,” he said thoughtfully, a moment before launching us into the air.
Clinging to him, I shrieked in surprise as the wind whipped past us, my body jerking forward and then back as he came to an abrupt halt a second later. “Ow!” I complained, clutching my chest.
“Sorry,” he murmured, his eyes twinkling mischievously. “Want me to boussa it better?”
The heat from his gaze warmed my cheeks, but I nodded, maintaining my bravado. “Yes, you hurt me, you should boussa it better!”
”Your wish is my command,” he said, dipping his head and kissing my skin softly. I shivered at the contact, suddenly aware of my new kaftan’s low neckline—sneaky genio fae!
“Better?” His eyes met mine, holding my gaze.
“Yes,” I laughed. “Shukran!”
“Anytime,” he grinned, before pointing to the upper right-hand corner of the massive door. “What does that look like to you?”
I leaned forward, squinting at the hundreds of tiles blending seamlessly into an image. Rolling clouds coalesced into a beautiful throne, the being sitting atop rendered in stunning clarity, even down to her restless blue hair. “It”s the Zephyr Wraith!”
He nodded and quickly zipped us over to the upper left-hand corner. “And this?” The tiles here showed dunes with winds whipping above them.
“Obviously, it”sthe Whispering Dunes.”
“Agreed,” he replied before diving to the lower left corner. As we came to a stop, we studied the third corner, tilting our heads in unison. “It looks like the Oasis of Truth, he declared, tracing a path with his finger. ”And then it leads to the dreamscape.”
”Rami!” I pointed to a spot lower, laughing in embarrassment. ”Look!” The tiny tiles were painstakingly arranged in a motif that showed us wrapped together in the throes of passion.
”Quite the creative touch,” Rami chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he whisked us to the last corner. We hovered in silence, no need for guessing. It once again depicted us—Rami in his genio form, his tail a cascade of purple hues, me in his arms, and Huriyah, with his massive wings unfurled.
“What does it mean?”
“Look at your neck.”
Scanning the tiles, my eyes instantly settled on the amethyst pendant I was wearing. I gasped, instantly recognizing it from my vision and the former Seekers’ memories. “It’s the Heart of Eternity.”
“I thought so,” he nodded. “The other corners showed the trials we’ve endured to get here. If this is the Crucible of Destinies, maybe it’s depicting our impending success.”
I hummed thoughtfully. “But how do we get inside when there is no handle?”
Rami tilted his head, his gaze thoughtful. “What was the one common theme throughout all our trials?”
“They tried to kill us?” I suggested only half-jokingly.
Rami laughed, leaning down to kiss my cheek. “While that’s true, think deeper. Could it be trust?”
“Ooh,” I nodded, realizing that he was right. I had to trust him to guide me through the Shadowed Sands. We both had to let go of control, trusting that the dunes would lead us safely through the elemental storm, and he had to rely on my storytelling skills to appease the Zephyr. Then, in the dreamscape, trusting each other became our ultimate challenge.
“If this is the Heart’s location, as we suspect, then I’m pretty sure you’ll be the one who has to surrender to gain access.” He pointed out. ”What are your instincts telling you?”
Closing my eyes, I rested my hand against the rough sandstone, methodically silencing the surrounding distractions—the warmthof Rami’s arms around me, the softness of his curls under my fingers, Huriyah’s contented munching, the wind stirring through the loose strands of my hair, and even my heart’s frantic thrumming.
Inhaling deeply, I just... listened. Underneath my palm, the stone warmed, pulsing like a living heartbeat as a voice—rough yet soothing—emanated from all around us.
Brave seeker of the Heart, your journey’s been long,
Through trials where only the valiant belong.
A path fraught with shadows and steeped in fears,
You’ve conquered them all, now the end nears.
To cross this last threshold, one task remains:
Only a Heartseeker’s sacrifice gains,
Entrance to where the treasures rest,
To prove your worth and complete your quest,
Surrender a drop to the stone,
And only for you will the Heart’s path be shown.
As the voice echoed, resonating deep within me, a clear understanding formed. Opening my eyes, I met Rami’s gaze. “It demands a drop of my blood as a sacrifice,” I explained, “to prove that I am indeed the Heartseeker.”
”Of course it does,” he exhaled sharply, summoning a slim blade, and offering it to me.
Smiling, I brushed the hair back from his forehead. “I don’t want to do it right now.”
“Why?” he asked, his frown deepening.
”Because it will only grant me passage,” I explained. He tensed up immediately, his eyes filled with refusal. Before he could protest, I pressed two fingers to his lips. ”We have to trust, Rami.”
With a resigned sigh, he kissed my fingers, the slight tightening of his jaw giving away his reluctance. “What should we do if you’re not going in right away?”
I grinned, my spirits lifting. “I believe you promised me kefta mkaouara, and then... you.”
He gently set me down next to Huriyah, now snoring amidst a heap of apple cores, before flicking his wrist, our camp instantly springing into place around us. Moments later, he descended, the trail of purple smoke and glitter reversing its path from his waist downward. The last wisps dissipated as his boots touched the ground, and though he was wearing his black sirwaal again, his chest remained gloriously bare, the sight stealing my breath away.
“Are you sure you want food first?” he asked, his voice a suggestive purr. His gaze was smoldering with desire, want, and something I hadn’t allowed myself to recognize before—love. The promise of food was tempting, yet the sight of his beautifulbody,and that wicked smirk of his that promised pleasuresuntold,made it impossible to resist.
“It’s not fair using your body as a weapon,” I groaned, launching myself into his arms.
He caught me by the waist and stumbled backward, barely conjuring another feather bed in time to cushion our fall. “Huriyah,” he called out between kisses, “take to the sky, please.”
Thestarllionstartled awake, tossing his head defiantly in an obvious ”no.”
“If you do,” Rami bargained quickly, “I’ll conjure you a whole bushel of blush pears.”
Grumbling, Huriyah stood, unfurling his massive wings forcefully, ensuring he whacked Rami in the head before he took off.
”Aww, habibi,” I soothed, unable to stop from giggling. “Will he be okay up there?”
“He’ll be fine. The only thing Huriyah loves more than honeyed apples and blush pears—which he isn’t allowed to have often since they make him hyper—are the stars.”
“Like you,” I said fondly.
“Like me,” he agreed, smiling, before his eyes darkened with need. Snapping his fingers, our clothes vanished, eliciting a shriek of laughter from me as he pressed me down into the bed.