AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“If I could, I wouldn’t have a choice. Celeste, I am touched that you would take my place, but I can’t give you Djinn powers, so you cannot be a genie. And I already told you, I can’t free myself.”
She took his hand. “Then I wish I could be imprisoned with you.”
“No, that won’t work. You are a mortal, so being imprisoned in the stone would kill you. Luckily, I am not allowed to grant wishes that mean certain death.”
He tucked his finger under her chin and tipped up her face.
“Celeste, stop trying to save me. I want you to live a happy life.” He longed to tell her to ask for the first wish to be undone, so she could live her life in ignorance of their bond, but he could not. And he was certain she would ignore him if he did.
She turned away and paced, then slammed her palms against the desktop.
“Damn it, there has to be a way. It’s just not fair.”
“I have found that life is rarely fair.”
She turned to him, fire in her eyes. “I’d really like to meet this Atia. I’d give her a piece of my mind.”
“That would be very unwise.”
The light igniting in her eyes sent fear jolting through him.
“Celeste, no. Don’t do it. You don’t know her. If she saw you again, if she knew we were together, there’s no telling what she’d do.”
“Don’t you understand, Zurvan? She’s already done the worst thing she could ever do. She’s kept us apart.”
She drew her shoulders back and drew in a deep breath. If Zurvan could have stopped her, he would have, but it was beyond his power.
“I wish I could meet Atia, the woman who imprisoned Zurvan in the crystal.”
A magical force, more powerful than Zurvan could resist, compelled him to gather magic together into a bundle of intent and fling it out to the universe. Moments passed and nothing happened. Zurvan prayed Atia had chosen not to answer the magical summons. She could ignore it if she chose, even if it was the result of a wish. After all, she set the rules.
His prayers faded as he felt the energy build around him. The papers on Celeste’s desk fluttered, then spiraled upward on the growing torrent of air sweeping through the room.
Atia was coming.
Chapter 9
The near-tornado that swept through her apartment left Celeste a little shaken. Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea after all.
“So this isit? This is what called me?”
At the sound of the female voice, Celeste spun around to see a woman standing in the dining room. Her long, shiny white hair flowed almost to the floor, and her silver eyes, a jolt of cobalt spiking through the pupils, were locked on Celeste.
“Atia, spare her. She didn’t know what she was doing.”
At the sound of Zurvan’s words, Celeste stiffened. “Don’t apologize for me.”
Atia stepped forward and circled Celeste with slow, purposeful steps, inspecting her like one might an interesting creature.
“It seems to know what it wants.”
So theitreferred to her. She would love to smack the arrogant smile off the woman’s face, but Celeste wasn’t a complete idiot. She wouldn’t hit someone who could turn her into a toad. Or worse.
“Why did you come, Atia?”
For the first time, the woman turned her gaze to Zurvan. Celeste almost stumbled at the complete change in the woman’s demeanor. She looked at him as though the earth, the sun, and the stars revolved around him. Her features softened and her eyes filled with yearning.
Clearly, the woman loved him.
