Page 38 of Rubbing One Out

Chapter 14

Dae woke from a particularly fretful sleep and lay unmoving for a while, wondering what had woken him. The night was still, other than the sound of an owl hooting close by. April ushered in warmer weather—apparently unseasonably so, Ben had told him with glee. While a temperature of fifteen degrees Celsius wasn’t anything to write home about in Dae’s opinion, it was better than the cooler climes of a wet, damp March. Ben had insisted on leaving the window open, to let in the fresh air. Dae listened drowsily to the birds outside, willing himself back to sleep. Ben snored softly beside him, his hair framing his face. A tendril seemed to be tickling his nose, which twitched. Dae smiled and tenderly moved the offending hair away.

The clock on the bedside table read one a.m. Unable to get back to sleep, Dae got out of bed, careful not to wake Ben. Time to make some herbal tea.

He slipped his silky robe around his shoulders and as he passed the window, he caught the faint glow of something in the garden. Curious, he looked outside. What he saw sent tingles down his spine and he contemplated going back to bed and forgetting he’d ever seen it. After a minute, he sighed, popped his feet into warm slippers, and went downstairs. He opened the front door and stepped into the darkness, treading across the dew-speckled grass to meet his guest.

A woman sat on the garden bench under the willow tree, her pale blue aura a familiar sight. She whispered to something and raised her slim hands to the tree as if blessing it. For all Dae knew, she was. The woman was an enchanting sight as always. Dressed in deep sapphire blue robes, teamed with gold braiding, her white hair swept up behind an elegant neck in a chignon, she was the epitome of quiet, ageless beauty.

The greeting mantra left his lips instinctively, old habits and manners revealing themselves.

“Lady Mage Elicia. Welcome to this world. May your presence here bring solace to all that you touch, and your voice comfort those in pain. May you be protected by all that is earth, water, sky, and flame.”

Dae stood, waiting to be invited to sit. The Lady Mage raised her face to him, a face creased with soft wrinkles and crow’s feet, and smiled a gentle, loving gesture that took Dae’s breath away and left him with a lump in his throat. It’s been so long since I was near anyone from home.

“Daeliel Jadu Alario of Quimaria, of the race of Elliel, please, sit down. Your company would be most appreciated.”

Dae sat down on the far end of the bench, not wanting to be presumptuous. The Lady Mage laughed and patted the place next to her. “Come, child, sit closer. Have things got that bad you must distance yourself from me?”

Dae shuffled closer and the scent of home invaded his nostrils. Lavender, the spicy scent of cinnamon, and fresh green grass. His eyes prickled with tears and he blinked them back. “Thank you, My Lady. It’s been so long since we last met. I wasn’t sure what the current court protocols were.”

“Oh, child.” The Lady’s eyes grew sympathetic. “There is no protocol on earth that can stop me looking after people I care about.” She reached out and took his hand. “Before we begin what I’m here to say to you, I must tell you this. Your family are well and thriving. They miss you very much and asked me to send you their love.”

Dae’s throat ached. “Thank you, My Lady. That brings me great comfort.”

She nodded. “Your sister Jannalor is with child. She married her sweetheart, and they are good together. Your mother fusses over her, most pleased she is having a grandchild. Your father—” She laughed softly. “He is as always, grumpy but loving, and trying to pretend the idea of becoming a grandfather does not mightily please him.”

Dae swallowed, his heart full. His family sounded as if they had moved on without him, something he was both pleased and saddened by. It seems life does go on after all. “They sound happy. I’m pleased for them.”

The Lady’s face grew serious. “You know why I’m here.”

Dae nodded. “I suspected. It’s about the wishes, isn’t it?”

She sighed sadly. “Yes. My brother, the Lord, and the Lady feel you have had enough time here on Earth and are anxious for you to return to the lamp as soon as possible.”

Dae gave a bitter laugh. “You mean they think I’m having too much fun and need to get back to my prison.”

The Lady Mage shook her head. “On the contrary. They believe you being on Earth is punishment enough. They have no love for this realm, and to them it’s probably more of a penance than being a Djinn in a lamp. However, as rulers, they have a responsibility to follow the rules of the Accord, which is absolute. That states the allotment of wishes is only open for twenty-one days from the Djinn first appearing.”

Dae’s chest constricted. “That’s five days from now. You’re telling me I have only five days left with Ben?” His heart beat faster at the news. “I’ve never heard of this rule. Is it a new one?”

The Lady laughed. “No, it’s been the same for thousands of years. You didn’t read the Accords Handbook, did you?”

Dae frowned. “It’s three hundred pages. I skimmed what I needed to know.” Like whether he was entitled to appeal his sentence. What kind of work he’d be doing while he was incarcerated, and whether he could have sexual partners while he was a Djinn or was it one of those ridiculous abstinence situations. He wouldn’t have fared well with that last one.

The answers, in short, had been no, anything he wanted to do, and yes. After that, he’d not read much more.

The Lady’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “Daeliel Alario, you are a precious gem in a river of pebbles and stones. I am pleased I interfered when your sentence was granted.”

“About that. Why did you mitigate my sentence? Why was I special enough that you even tried?” Dae’s brows furrowed. He shivered. Sitting outside in nothing but a flimsy robe was probably a bad idea. His balls had shrunk and his dick certainly wasn’t enjoying the cold.

Lady Mage gave a secret smile. “I saw something in you, child. A future chance for happiness that needed nurturing.” She scowled and Dae thought it was adorable. “That brother of mine and his wife lose their impartiality when it comes to their son. They were wrong to blame your relationship with Aether solely on you. I know that child. He was selfish and easily swayed, and his fear of disappointing his parents was his overriding worry when they found the two of you together.”

“He threw me to the wolves,” Dae murmured sadly. “I thought he loved me more.”

The Lady scoffed. “By Beza’s Beard, Aether loves no one more than himself. He didn’t deserve a beautiful person like you as a life partner.”

Dae’s aching heart warmed at her words. “Thank you for your faith in me.” He hesitated. “Can you not convince the Lord and Lady to give me more time?”