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“We should fly low and find a tree to tie these guards to,” Iannounced.
The genie whispered to the carpet, and we sailed down, my stomach lurching from the sudden dip. We rushed over a river that transformed into waterfalls. Mist splattered my face, and I smoothed it over my hot neck. We entered the woods, dodging staggering-sized trees, but Dahvi held me tightly as I leaned into the movements. Fallen leaves and logs, clusters of shrubs, and patches of mushrooms and herbs filled the land. This place was heaven compared to the hot, harsh land ofUtaara.
Ahead, I found the perfect place to drop the sultan’s guards. “What about over there by that giant oak?” I pointed forDahvi.
The genie commanded the carpet to hover just above the ground. Then he rolled the palace guards off with his foot. They thumped onto the ground in a pile. Once they woke, they could make the trek back toUtaara.
I didn’t need to tie them and leave them there to die. Knowing the vizier, he would probably kill them when they returned with news that they had let the genie and meescape.
Dahvi leapt back onto his carpet. “Where to now,Master?”
“Follow the river, and it will lead straight to Scarlet’s home in Terra,” I said, sitting beside him this time, not wanting to lose myself in his saltwater scent and heavenly arms andchest.
“How did you meet your friend if she lives in another realm?” he asked, taking my hand and massaging myfingers.
Gods.Why wouldn’t he stop touching me? It was making it hard for me to think. Just being near him frazzled my nerves. But having him caressing me, too?Damn!
“Years ago,” I explained with a moan of pleasure, “the avestan prescribed swallow’s nettle for my brother, but the avestan did not have any and told me he would pay me to retrieve some from the woods ofTerra.”
“Sounds like your medicine man never has herbs,” joked thegenie.
I laughed at how true itwas.
“That’s where I met Scarlet,” I said, admiring the water cascading over the rocks in the stream. “She was collecting other herbs for her tea mixtures. We got to talking. She took me back to her shop and showed me what to brew for Ali. We’ve been friends eversince.”
“That reminds me of my friend Uruku.” A hint of sorrow replaced Dahvi’s former cheer. “He loved herbs and spices. Used to make up the best stews. Ahhh. But that was a lifetimeago.”
He’d lost the people he loved, too. So had all the genies. A rawness settled into my bones. The unfairness of it all simmered insideme.
“Oh, crap,” I said, swiveling on my knees. “We just went past Scarlet’s shop. It’s backthere.”
Dahvi called the carpet to arc back, and we ground to a halt right outside the door of my friend’s shop. He jumped off first, offering me a hand then lifting me off the hoveringcarpet.
What a gentleman. My heart lifted at being treated like such aprincess.
Cold pricked my arms, and I shivered, rubbingthem.
Trees creaked as they sway. Frogs croaked their nighty chorus. It was a perfectsymphony.
Paint peeled from the windows of Scarlet’s shop, which she called,Get Your Herb On. The windows were smudged as if they hadn’t been cleaned in a decade. Vines crept up to the walls of the little building. Red letters on the sign dangling over her doorway were faded and needed another coat ofpaint.
Dahvi offered me a flower from one of the vines. I wasn’t sure how to feel about the gesture. He was giving me mixed signals. Earlier, he’d made it pretty clear we were just friends. Giving someone flowers was a romantic gesture. Perhaps the djinn gave flowers to their friendship, also.Gods!My head pounded with confusion. I didn’t want to think about itanymore.
“Thanks,” I said, taking the flower and sticking the stem over myear.
The lights were off inside Scarlet’s shop, so I peered through the front glass door. A faint glow came from the back of the building, telling me she was working late as usual. The illumination revealed rows of shelves, packed with jars of varyingsizes.
“Right,” I said to Dahvi. “It’s time to get your brother out so my friend can see to hiswounds.”
I glanced around the woods, making certain no one else was around. If the priestess’s guardians saw us, they would arrest us for usingmagic.
Damn it. How stupid of us to fly across Terra on a magic carpet and not watch out for the priestess or her guardians. I wanted to kick myself for being off guard. Blame it on the distracting conversation with the genie. What if we had been spotted and the priestess or her men were on their way to apprehend us now? I couldn’t have anything else getting in the way of myplans.
