AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 5
“Please,join me inside the lamp, Master.” His playful tone had turned into abeg.
An animalistic part of me groaned, urging me to go with him. I was curious to visit the lamp and the world of a genie. Was it cramped? Full of silk pillows? A smoky haven?But the sensible, suspicious side of me wanted more answers, to ensure mine and Ali’s lives weren’t in any more danger than we were alreadyin.
I pulled my hand away and shyly looked away. “What if this is a trick to trap me inside so you three can have yourfreedom?”
Kaza pointed to Dahvi. “She’s smart and feisty. I like her more than any other master we’ve everhad.”
Wow. I wasn’t sure how to take his comment. Was it a compliment? Or sweet talk to butter me up and trick me? Either way, my “suspicion radar” was on fullalert.
Dahvi sighed behind me as if he were giving up. “If a master commands the lamp, she rules our inner flame, and we may not hurt her.” Sincerity rang loud and clear in hisvoice.
In my line of work, I had to be in tune with my instincts. My gut was well accustomed to warning me of trouble. Of the three genies, I trusted him the most because he gave me the impression he would never lie to his master. That I was safe with him and he would die to protectme.
Kaza gestured with his finger. “Show her,Brother.”
Like a striking viper, Dahvi snagged the knife from the kitchenbench.
“Hey, what are you doing with that?” Heart racing, I stood between the genie andAli.
Dahvi lunged at me with the sharptip.
I froze andscreamed.
The knife connected with a bright-blue force. Light exploded outward, thrusting him into the wall. The blade dropped from his grasp and bounced onto the floor. Where he crashed left an imprint of his body in thebricks.
“Whoa!” cried Ali, scrambling to help Dahvi to hisfeet.
I rocked back on my heels as the force fieldevaporated.
Dahvi groaned and rubbed hishead.
“Told you,” Kaza said matter-of-factly from besideme.
How quickly he had moved left me shaken. So much so I kept dropping the knife when I picked it up from the floor. At last, I got a firm grip and returned it to the cupboard. “Don’t ever do that to me again,understand?”
Dahvi gave me a weak smile and rubbed his neck. “Just trying to prove a point. We can’t harmyou.”
While this was somewhat reassuring, it didn’t stop the palpitations stemming from the knowledge that the vizier could still kill me using othermeans.
Kaza hissed and clutched hisleg.
Crap.I had to get him back into the lamp to slow the deterioration of his wound. “Dahvi, please protect Ali while I will escort Kaza.” I kissed my brother’s head. “I’ll be back as soon as Ican.”
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Kaza’s eyestwinkled,
promising me trouble…just not the kind I was used to.The yellow-vested genie vanished in a golden haze, leaving me wondering how the hell I was going to go in afterhim.
“Azar,” said Ali, his lips pressed into a cautious line. “Are you sure aboutthis?”
No, I wasn’t. A part of me didn’t want to go inside the lamp because I was scared of what I’d find. What if I had trouble coming back? After all, I wasn’t a genie. What if I was trapped in it? The rest of me begged to explore the once-in-a-lifetimeexperience.
At that moment, I felt like an excited child had taken control of me. It battled with the wary, older me for dominance. This was so unlike me. I didn’t trust others so easily, but something about these genies left me unable to control myself and excited to visit a whole newworld.
“If they try anything funny,” I whispered to my brother, running a hand across his head. “Take control of the lamp, and get meout.”
Concern burrowed behind his eyes, but henodded.
