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Betrayed thoughts tumbled inside my mind in a thick confusion. Did he not have faith in me to get the sands? I remembered something he’d said to Kaza about stealing all the glory. Was Zand competitive and wanting the triumph? Who cared so long as Kaza’s life wassaved?
Then there was the issue of Zand leaving me for the collector. Was I not the one who released him from the lamp? Did that not make me his master? What exactly were the rules of the lamp? I hadn’t excused him from his service to me. Yet he was making all the decisions foreveryone.
Gods. Then there was the selfish part of me, the one that hated to admit, that I was hurt that I had not had the opportunity to explore my feelings for Zand. Maybe I’d fooled myself into thinking that he had an attraction to me too. The tug I and the genies had felt when I released them from the lamp might have meant something completely different to Zand. Perhaps it was gratitude for being freed after so long. Or recognition of the master that would finally free them from slavery. I struggled to process all the thoughts bombardingme.
The crunch of leaves and twigs signaled someoneapproached.
I wiped away my tears and smoothed myhair.
Please let it Dahvi looking for me.His presence always had a way of calming me. Damn, what I would have given for Kaza to cheer me up with one of his sillyjokes.
“Master?” My stomach dropped at Zand’s deepvoice.
“Leave me alone,” I shouted athim.
Flames blazing on his palms illuminated the regret pinching his forehead and the tightness in hisposture.
“Please, understand, Master.” He put a hand up against the tree I leaned on, filling me with his smokyscent.
I kicked at a log by my foot, refusing to look at him. “That you’re leaving me for Red and her goddess curves. Sure, Iunderstand.”
Geez. Why was I acting like this? I hadn’t bonded with Zand. Yes, I had a crush on him, but that was it. Maybe my chest ached for my brother, for his devastation at losing his newfriend.
“No. Never.” Zand’s voice held a rawedge.
I glared up at him, taking in all his perfect chiseled jaw. “Thenwhat?”
His shoulders sagged under an invisible weight. “Once I became a genie, I was forbidden to ever see my familyagain.”
The torment in Zand’s words was like a knife cutting me to pieces. I was bursting to go to him. Take him into my arms. Strip away all his pain. Even though he’d just hurt me. But I was not forgiving him that easily. No matter what my bodywanted.
The space where my heart used to sit felt empty and hollow. I could never imagine a life without Ali. I’d be truly lost. I could only imagine a fraction of what Zand must have gone through. What I might experience if Ali died from the black lung. Now, I was beginning to understand Zand muchbetter.
The genie touched his finger where the ring used to sit. “This was a gift from my mother. The only thing left I had to remind me of her. Of home. But I gave it to the collector for my brother, for Ali, for you. I’d never leaveyou.”
My belly stung with the pinch of having misunderstood Zand. No! Not his only treasure. Now in the clutches of that wicked witch,Red!
He got down on his knees in front of me, and I felt a tug in mychest.
“Kaza and Dahvi are the only family I have left,” he said his eyes glistening. “I would do anything to save mybrothers.”
Oh, gods.Zand had sacrificed his freedom for Kaza’s life. I pressed a hand to my forehead. What a mess I’d created, only thinking of myself. Zand and I had more in common that I had initially thought. Both of us would do anything to protect our family. Even if that meant giving us the most precious things in the world. This changed things, and made our bond ten timesstronger.
I clasped his hand between both of mine. “I’m sorry. I don’t want you to lose your brother as much as I don’t want to losemine.”
Zand’s hands found the back of my neck, lifting my head so our eyesmet.
My breaths labored as he kissed away the tears that rested on mycheeks.
“The Collector gave me the sands.” He held up a long, thin jar of colored sands. “We should return to administer them toKaza.”
Yes. More than anything I wanted to see Kaza again. For him to make me laugh and smile, and wash away mypain.
“Right now, I just want to be here with you.” To kiss away his sorrow and make the most of the month I had left with him before he left my service to work for the collector. I curled his plaited beard around my finger. “At least for a little whilelonger.”
Zand rested the vial at the foot of the tree. Then he seized me in his grasp like a python, never letting me go. Rough and hungry kisses met my lips, and I reciprocated, wanting more. He ran his hands up over my hips and underneath my kaftan, squeezing my breast. Warmth pooled between my legs, and I let out a little moan. Encouraged, he found my otherboob.
Passion surged in his eyes, calling me to him. I wanted him as much as I had wanted Kaza and Dahvi. Don’t ask me how it was possible, but I did. Despite the fact that I didn’t know him as well as the other twogenies.
