Page 15 of Bound by Wishes (Enchanted Deceptions #1)

A painful buzzing in my chest wouldn’t go away after Ranen had almost kissed me. And I’d almost let him. Had I completely lost my mind? I couldn’t believe that I’d let him get so close, let alone allowed him to lower his lips to mine.

The fear of men, of their closeness, had become an ever-present shadow. The feeling of hands that had been painful and rough, the suffocating grip, the sense of helplessness—I could still feel it all as though it had happened yesterday. But with Ranen, all of that seemed to disappear.

When Ranen leaned in, the closeness of his face to mine, the warmth of his breath, and the masculine scent of him made me want to lean in instead of run away. My heart raced not with terror, but with excitement. Every instinct screamed at me to run, to push him away, to protect myself from the potential hurt. Yet a part of me had faltered, allowing him to come close. That hesitation was what scared me the most. Even if he wasn’t a monster like Mathew, there was still no future for us. He was a king, or he would be after I helped him find the book, and then he wouldn’t need me anymore. I had to remember that.

“What do you think, Highness?” Arwa interrupted my jumbled thoughts, and I focused on my reflection in the mirror.

Arwa had left my hair down, and it cascaded down my back in dark waves. My makeup was subtle yet striking, with kohl-lined eyes that emphasized my dark eyes and a hint of gold shimmer on my eyelids. My lips were painted a deep ruby red, completing my transformation.

The dark purple bodice I wore featured delicate beadwork in gold, forming an elaborate pattern that looked like a starry night. The sleeves were long and billowing, made of sheer gossamer fabric that caught the light, creating a subtle glow around my arms. The skirt streamed down my legs, flowing down to the floor in layers of silky chiffon. Each layer was embellished with fine gold threads, creating swirling patterns that matched the bodice, and the hem of the skirt was bordered with delicate beads of gold. It was stunning as usual, making me believe in a fairy tale that wasn’t real. I was no princess, and there was no happy ending for me in this tale. Especially not with Ranen.

Arwa rushed to the door, and I reluctantly followed. I was exhausted, and all I wanted to do was curl up in my plush bed. She led me down a long hallway into a massive room overflowing with giggles and gossip from the other marriage candidates. The moment they saw me, all chatter ceased. Arwa guided me to a low table surrounded by silken pillows on the floor that served as seats.

I glanced to my left and right, observing the other women. They were seated gracefully on their knees, backs straight and hands resting delicately in their laps. Mimicking them, I lowered myself onto my knees, trying to ignore the fatigue that weighed heavily on me.

I disregarded the silent stares and curious eyes of the other candidates, focusing instead on the elegant dining hall. The room was huge, its arched ceilings covered with intricate geometric patterns. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, their crystal prisms casting a soft, shimmering light that danced across the room.

The walls were lined with detailed carved wooden panels, each depicting scenes of desert landscapes, majestic palaces, and ancient myths. Between these panels, there were tall, narrow windows draped with silk curtains that offered glimpses of the moonlit courtyard beyond. It was stunning, just like every room in the palace, except the poor servants’ quarters. Just thinking about the horrible conditions they were forced to live in while the rest of the palace looked like this was enough to make me lose my appetite.

The soft, melodious strum of the qanun filled the room, attempting to ease some of the tension building inside of me. Its strings were being plucked delicately to produce a hauntingly beautiful sound. Dancers emerged as entertainment, their movements graceful and fluid, perfectly in sync with the rhythm of the qanun.

My gaze traveled around the room, noticing that the seat at the head of the long, low table was vacant, while all other seats were occupied by elegantly dressed women. Did that mean only the marriage candidates were dining with the king tonight ?

My anxiety started to bubble over the surface, and I glanced around for Ranen, more than a little concerned that I was seeking him for comfort.

“Where are you?” I quietly whispered to Ranen.

“I am always with you, sayyida.” Something about his deep voice rumbling in my mind brought me a small measure of comfort. “Remember your training in the oasis. All eyes will be upon you tonight,” he warned.

My thoughts drifted back to him trying to teach me table manners, and more so to when he grabbed my wrist and I the carving knife. My cheeks flushed all over again as I thought about the heated exchange.

“Who are the other candidates?” I quietly asked Ranen, distracting myself from the unwanted memories that made my heart flutter. “I’m sure as one of them, I should know who they are, but obviously I don’t. It would be nice to put a name with the scowling faces.”

“The one with the auburn hair is Princess Elenor. She’s from the lush forest kingdom of Aldori. Her kingdom is rich with wares and fresh water,” Ranen answered, and I turned to her. She was lovely and her expression was a touch kinder than the other two.

“Princess Lyanna is the one across from you. She hails from the mountainous kingdom of Drakoria. Her kingdom is on the poorer end of the other candidates, but they have fierce warriors that would make good allies in times of war.”

“That’s a very diplomatic way of putting it.” I scoffed at him, daring to lift my gaze to the fierce-looking creature before me. Her black hair was tied back in an intricate braid, and she looked very much like a warrior herself. When her gaze collided with mine, she bared her teeth at me .

“What about her?” I asked, motioning to the dainty princess with golden hair.

“That’s Princess Seraphina from the sun-drenched kingdom of Lumarian. Her kingdom is by far the richest and would be the most profitable if chosen.”

“I guess I have my work cut out for me,” I said, feeling quite inferior compared to the stunning beauties surrounding me.

The room fell to a dead hush as the double doors opened and Razoul walked in, looking as regal as ever in a dark-blue silk suit. All heads bowed as he approached the table, and I followed their example. Razoul’s pillow had to be fluffed by the servants before he could sit his royal pompous behind upon it. The whole display was sickening. Once he was seated, we were allowed to lift our heads.

Razoul clapped twice, and the room was instantly flooded with servants rushing in with platters of food. The scent of the food wafted toward me, enticing my appetite to return, but the servants stopped a few feet away from us. Why didn’t they place the food on the table?

A massive tray, so grand that it required four servants to carry it, was brought into the dining hall. My heart faltered in my chest as they placed it on the table. At its center laid a massive roasted serpent, its body coiled in a way that showcased its impressive size. Tendrils of steam rose from it, enticing nausea to rise inside of me. The snake’s skin was a rich golden brown, glistening with what looked like a honey glaze that highlighted the intricate pattern of its scales. The aroma was not completely unpleasant, but something about the thought of eating a snake made my lip curl in disgust .

Judging by the faces of the other marriage candidates, I was not the only one horrified by the food presented to us.

“Please tell me we’re not expected to eat this,” I hissed to Ranen.

“Snakes are a delicacy in our nation. They say it tastes like chicken,” Ranen answered back in a tone filled with mirth.

“They say…meaning you haven't actually tried it yourself?” I sneered.

“I’m the king. I don’t have to eat anything I don’t want to,” he answered in a haughty tone. “And I have never had the desire to eat snake.”

“That’s because you are one,” I hissed through clenched teeth. Appalled that I would have to dine on a serpent.

There was a pause in his response. “He’s testing your reaction to something different. Suck it up and eat your snake like a good girl.”

Anger intertwined with my disgust, creating a tight ball of fury in my chest. “I really hate you.”

“So, you've said, and yet you almost allowed me to kiss you.” His response was like a gut punch, knocking the air from my lungs. The audacity of his words left me reeling. I felt a surge of heat rise to my cheeks. How could he so blatantly point out my moment of weakness? My chest tightened with embarrassment and anger, and for a moment, I couldn't find the words to respond.

Luckily, I didn’t have to. One of the servants bent toward the steaming snake with a large knife in hand, ensnaring my attention. This was it, he was going to carve into this serpent's flesh and serve it to us. Yuck. The servant plunged the blade into the hide, and the crispy skin crunched like fried chicken. Unfortunately, it didn’t have the same appeal. The man ran the blade along the entire length of the snake from its head to the tip of its tail.

My body locked up in shock as tiny baby snakes, barely the length of a finger, slithered out from the belly of the larger serpent. Their slender bodies twisted and writhed as they emerged from the womb and scattered across the table.

“Hold it together,” Ranen growled in my mind.

My gaze darted around as the other contestants shrieked and one rushed from the table. Princess Seraphina fainted dead away, her face landing on the silver plate in front of her.

“What is this?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper. “Snakes lay eggs, they don't give birth to live babies.”

“They’re stuffed in there after the female snake is roasted,” Ranen answered.

I clenched my fists beneath the table, forcing my voice to remain calm. “You knew that was getting ready to happen and you didn’t warn me?” I said through gritted teeth, my eyes never leaving the snakes now slithering across the table.

“Where’s the fun in that? Besides, Razoul is watching your reaction. It had to be genuine,” he said with a hint of amusement.

My gaze drifted to Razoul, who seemed bored with the spectacle he’d just created. Princess Lyanna drew my attention away from Razoul, her gaze locking with mine. I watched in horror as she picked up a baby snake and slurped it down like it was a spaghetti noodle. My stomach rolled at the sight, and I shot up from my pillow.

“If you are quite done with this display, can we move on to our real dinner?” I snapped, turning my attention to Razoul.

His eyes simmered with anger, and he huffed in irritation at my outburst.

“Are you not pleased with the meal I have provided, Princess Soraya?” Razoul taunted.

Soraya? Right, that was me. “No, I am not, and judging by the fact that you have yet to scoop up one of these little wiggly serpents, I would say that you have no intention of eating it either,” I hissed, barely containing my anger.

My challenge didn’t go unnoticed as the others in the room collectively gasped. The attitude that Ranen had warned me of returned with a fierce vengeance.

“Sit down,” Ranen berated me.

“I will not. This is stupid, and I am tired,” I argued, walking out of the room without being excused by that arrogant king. A person could only take so much, and I had reached my limit.

I marched into my room, and shooed Arwa away, who quickly left. I started slinging pieces of my extravagant costume off my body. The chiffon floated to the floor like dainty feathers from a bird.

I stopped my hissy fit when Ranen appeared before me, my hands stalling on the tight corset of the bodice tied at my back.

“Turn around,” he instructed in a frustrated tone. I did so reluctantly, scolding myself for foolishly sending Arwa away before helping me get out of these overly tight clothes. Now I had to rely on him to loosen the stays.

He tugged roughly at the ties, obviously upset by my outburst at dinner. “Your display probably just got you thrown from the palace,” he spat.

“I don’t care,” I whined. “I’ve had enough. Once I get out of these frilly clothes, I’ll scour this palace from top to bottom until I find that book.”

“You won’t have the chance if your head is mounted on a spike.” Ranen growled, but his touch became gentler as I felt the top of the corset loosen.

His fingers danced across my flesh, causing goosebumps to erupt across my skin. “I know this is a lot for you, and you’ve done well until now,” he said, his tone softening.

“Is that a compliment?” I teased, trying to muffle the fact that his warm fingers felt nice upon my skin.

“Hardly,” he scoffed.

Once the last tie loosened, I quickly stepped away from him and toward the changing screen, only to have his black smoke surround me and silky pajamas replace the cumbersome gown.

I turned back to him, placing my hands on my hips. “Why didn’t you do that in the first place instead of taking the time to untie my corset?” I asked in exasperation.

“I’m afraid you wouldn’t like the answer to that question, sayyida, and neither would I,” he grumbled.

Something warm and pleasant fluttered in my stomach like a symphony of butterflies, and I quickly crawled into bed before I was tempted to ask him if it was because he wanted to touch me as badly as I wanted to be touched. That realization alone was enough to prompt me to find that cursed book as quickly as possible and to get away from this man who’d jumbled up my mind and my feelings.

Just as soon as my head hit the soft pillow, a knock sounded at the door. I groaned as Ranen whisked himself away.

“Enter,” I huffed.

Razoul shocked me for the second time tonight when he entered my room with a tray laden with food. I watched him with careful eyes as he approached my bed and placed the tray on my bedside table. A hearty meal of fresh bread and rich soup, swimming with spices and vegetables, awaited me on the tray.

“What? No snakes?” I winced as the sarcastic words tumbled from my lips. My father always said my smart mouth would get me in trouble one day, and it looked like today was that day.

“You’re very bold for a princess,” Razoul stated, crossing his arms over his chest. An apology was on my lips, but then I figured that Ranen would tell me that a princess would never apologize for her actions, so I kept quiet. “It’s refreshing.” I’m sure my mouth hung open. He liked my attitude. That was a first. “I came tonight to tell you that you’re one of my top picks of the marriage candidates.”

“Thank you,” I sputtered, unsure of what to say. I knew this was a good thing, but it felt like a boulder was sitting on my chest.

Razoul leaned closer, and a sheen of sweat formed on my brow at his nearness, the familiar panic taking over my body. The only thing that kept me from slipping into a full-blown panic was Namir in the corner of the room, watching Razoul with his cunning cat eyes, and the certainty that Ranen was somewhere nearby.

“I also came to tell you that you’ll be joining me on a horse ride tomorrow through my country,” Razoul informed me in a not so pleasant tone that made my blood run hot with anger.

I wasn’t the type of girl who was used to being told what to do, but I plastered on a fake smile. “Of course, Your Majesty.”

“Very good,” he said, bowing slightly at the waist. “Goodnight, princess.”

Razoul leaned down and brushed his slimy lips across my forehead, and a chill ran down my spine. He turned and walked from the room.

Once the door closed, Ranen appeared with a black silk handkerchief extended to me. “Wipe his drool from your face,” he growled.

Our fingers brushed as I reached for the cloth, sending an electric shock tingling down my arm. I tried to convince myself it was just static from the silk, but the sensation lingered.

“Do you know how to ride?” Ranen asked, glancing down at me.

I wiped the silky cloth across my forehead. “Yes.”

“Do you know how to ride like a princess?” Ranen clarified.

I sighed, leaning back into my pillow. “No, but I’m sure you're going to teach me.”