Page 56 of Luck Be a Genie

We were standing in the huge atrium. Light was pouring in from the windows and the skylights above, covering everything in a golden glow.

Nick had been busy while I was getting ready. King Asharien and Arthur were standing to the side, both in tuxes, and the room had been entirely transformed for the wedding.

The whole atrium looked like a garden. There was a white and pink rose arch behind the wizard, and flowers lined cobblestone walkways and meandering streams. Somehow, though it was now coming up on eight in the morning, the sun was directly overhead, streaming down onto my shoulders and filling me with warmth and happiness. It was like finding summer and spring right in the middle of winter.

The ceremony was very short, and then Nick and I were putting the rings he’d blinked up on each other. “If you don’t like yours, I can blink up anything you want.” His hands were shaking as he slid the ring home on my finger.

“It’s perfect.” It didn’t matter to me what he’d chosen, only that he’d chosen it.

And then we were kissing to the witnesses’ polite clapping, and it didn’t matter that our families and friends weren’t there with us. If we wanted to, we could do another ceremony later.

This one was just for us.

After the ceremony, I hurried to shower then get dressed in lounge pants and a tee shirt for the procedure. I tried to dry my hair as much as possible because I hated damp hair when I laid down, then brushed my teeth and did my skincare routine.

It might seem silly to someone else, but I was holding onto normalcy in the eye of the storm. I was terrified, and doing the familiar grounded me in a strange way that was hard to define.

When I came out of the bathroom, Nick was standing there waiting for me. He’d blinked out of his tux and into comfortable joggers and a tee shirt, and he looked way too sexy in them.

I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned my head on his chest. “Did you ask me to marry you because you’re afraid I’m not going to make it?”

We hadn’t talked about it at all, but it was something I felt needed to be addressed before King Asharien came.

He was still shaking, so I squeezed him tighter, trying to tell him without words how much I loved him.

“No. I asked you because I love you so deeply that it scares me sometimes.” He pulled back a little to look at me. “I also hoped that some of my strength would become yours. When genies marry, it intermingles our essences. It’s not like what King Asharien is going to do. It’s softer than that. But you’ll be able to feel me, and I’ll be able to feel you. I’m hoping you’ll be able to take on some of my immortality.

“Also... I wanted you to know that you’re not alone. I don’t know if you can feel me yet, but I can feel you. I’m hoping whatever you go through, you’ll feel like I’m there with you. That you won’t be as scared. Also, selfishly, I wanted you to really feel what you’re fighting for. I know that’s not fair. I’m sorry.”

He seemed almost ashamed of his selfishness, but I really and truly understood. I would have probably done the same thing if the situation were reversed.

I kissed him again, and we stayed locked in each other’s arms until King Asharien knocked gently on my door.

“I love you,” I reminded him.

“I know,” he said solemnly, making me laugh. Then, “I love you too. I don’t care what you come out as, just come out alive.”

I nodded sharply, then moved toward the bed while he went to answer the door.

Nick

I answered the door and let King Asharien in. He was dressed comfortably like me and Lucky. He also carried a weight with him that was visible in his steps and in the brief nod he gave me as he came in.

Since I was on the opposite side of the room of Lucky, I blinked a couch for me and put it closer to her, facing the bed so I could see her face, but far enough away that my presence wouldn’t interfere in the essence transfer.

“Lucky, I’m bringing Declan here, if that’s okay.”

She nodded, and the king gave his permission when I hesitated, so I immediately blinked my brother to me.

Declan was sweaty, probably because I’d transported him in mid-workout, so I blinked him clean and blinked fresh clothes onto him, then told him what was happening.

He paled, looking behind me at Lucky and King Asharien speaking in low tones across the room, then nodded. “Of course. I’m here for you guys.”

Then he looked at my face, and my fractures must have been showing, because he towed me over to the couch and forcefully pushed me down onto the cushions.

“Sit before you fall over. You look terrible. I’ve never seen a black man so pale before,” he said, keeping his voice low.

My gaze was locked on my wife, but I appreciated my brother’s immediately supportive response.