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Zand and Ilaughed.
Dahvi came up behind us, carryingKaza.
“Thanks for the sands, Brother.” Kaza gave Zand ahug.
What? Dahvi had given Kaza the sands of Katar already? I glanced down at the yellow genie’s leg and it had healed. Amazing. I clasped my hands together. I waited patiently for my turn to hug my fun lovinggenie.
Zand smirked and patted Kaza’s shoulder. “Enjoy the fart,Brother?”
Kaza punched Zand’s arm. “You’re in for a world ofpain.”
Zand rubbed Kaza’s hair. “I welcomeit.”
I couldn’t help it. A snort came out. After all my trouble of late, I looked forward to some good laughs. Just not the camel poo in my pillow kind. Gods. What was Kaza going to do to my shack in his quest for vengeance againstZand?
“Isn’t our desert queen sexy, Brother?” Kaza askedZand.
The red genie grunted hisapproval.
This time, I pinched Kaza on the behind. “Desert queen’s better thanMaster.”
He chuckled and slapped myass.
“Guys, you’re making me ill,” joked Ali in between littlecoughs.
Zand whacked him on the shoulder, bringing on a severe splutter. What should have been over and done with a few coughs turned into a longer-than-usual episode. The last time this happened, my brother couldn’t breathe. The genie tapped Ali’s back to calm him down, but that just made things worse, and he gasped forair.
My heart hammered against my ribcage. “Ali, I’ll get you somewater.”
I hurried away to the sounds of his croaks. When I returned with a pitcher from the vizier’s side table, Ali’s eyes bulged, and he gasped for air. Zand’s thumps on Ali’s chest stopped his hacks, and he wheezed forbreath.
My brother didn’t have a week. All the excitement and danger was making himsicker.
I lifted the pitcher to his lips, and he took asip.
“Azar,” he said, clutching my so tight I lost circulation to my hands. “It’s getting worse. I…I need the medicine.Now.”
My insides crumbled, and words tangled on my tongue. I didn’t know what to do. My genie’s hearts revealed they were dark with sorrow for not having enough power to create gold coins to help Ali. I glanced at each of them, seekingguidance.
Dahvi lifted the flame-shaped decoration from around his necklace. "We could sell this to raise thefunds."
"No, Brother." Zand touched Dahvi's chest. "It's all you have left of yourfamily."
I agreed. The genie was not sacrificing the last reminder of his heritage. We'd find another way. I always did. If it required me to steal something else, then I'd doit.
Dahvi pulled away. "Why do you always get to be thehero?"
Zand ducked his head as if his brother's wordsstung.
Fighting amongst ourselves was not going to solve anything. I advanced across the room, looking for something that had belonged to the vizier—something we might sell. Anything that wasn't smashed from our battle. I found a lamp stand with thick, heavy gold legs, and an inlaid gold-legged recliner, but both were too heavy to carry down to thepawnshop.
"We need something light to trade," I announced. “Jewels workbest.”
Kaza lifted his head to look at me. "The vizier has two golden skulls I saw him use in aritual."
The idea of the vizier worshipping some dark god made me quiver. After what the dark flame had done to me, I didn't want to touch anything used for darkmagic.
"No," I said. "Nothingmagical."
