Page 20 of Bound by Wishes (Enchanted Deceptions #1)

M ozenwrath slithered past Caleena’s bedroom door for the second time since our return, trying to appear inconspicuous as his piercing gaze swept across the room. He was no doubt trying to piece together what had happened to him earlier. The urge to shatter him into a million pieces of black sand was all-consuming, but I had to restrain myself—for now. When he stalked by a third time, his eyes full of suspicion, my patience snapped. Magic crackled at my fingertips, a searing heat that surged with my anger, and I flung my hand toward the door, slamming it in his face with a satisfying thud.

Caleena startled, sitting up from the settee on the balcony. “What was that?”

“Just shutting out a varmint,” I growled, stepping out onto the balcony to join her.

Caleena’s sharp gaze swept around before returning and resting on me. “Thank you,” she said, pressing her perfectly pouty lips together, the subtle motion drawing my attention.

I couldn't help but stare, mesmerized by their rosy hue and the vivid memory of how they felt against my own. The warmth of her kiss, the way her lips moved with mine, lingered in my mind, making it impossible to look away. When she noticed my stare, her cheeks flushed crimson before she quickly looked away.

I sat down on the settee beside her, savoring how flustered she became at my nearness. Neither of us spoke; we didn't have to. The silence between us was comfortable, and I was becoming increasingly amazed at how at peace I felt when she was around. The simple act of being near her brought a sense of calm and contentment that I had never experienced before.

As king, there was no calm in my life. It was a never-ending parade of demands and decisions. Isolation came with my responsibilities, but loneliness ran deeper as a djinn. Letting anyone close was a risk I couldn't afford. My existence demanded secrecy, and I had to guard who and what I was at all costs.

I breathed in deeply, admiring the sunset. Shades of fiery orange, deep red, and soft pink blended seamlessly, casting a warm, golden radiance over the rolling dunes. I glanced sidelong at Caleena, her skin glowing like liquid gold under the sun's caress. I felt a pang of jealousy toward the sun, for it got to touch her in a way that I did not. I looked away before I was tempted to reach out and touch her. My control seemed to snap whenever I was around her, and it was not a sensation I was used to. Her presence disrupted the carefully maintained composure I prided myself on .

Silhouettes of distant palm trees and camels dotted the horizon, standing out against the darkening backdrop. With the sun sinking, the air cooled, and a gentle breeze stirred Caleena’s dark hair. The mesmerizing sight was enough to make me lose all control. I gently reached out and tucked the stray strands of her hair behind her ear.

Caleena’s breath hitched, and the gentle drumming of her heart picked up speed. Her eyes shifted to me, and I felt like I was drowning in those deep honey pools. So many emotions flickered across her face—fear, longing, uncertainty. I slowly lowered my hand, feeling like a desert hare caught in a snare.

Caleena’s gaze followed my hand, and she took me off guard by suddenly grabbing it. Her fingertips lightly traced the smooth skin of my scars, a tender touch that sent a shiver through me. “Where did you get these scars?” she asked softly, her eyes filled with curiosity and concern. “I wouldn’t think a djinn could be hurt.”

I pulled my hand away from her grasp. “My mother,” I answered her, allowing too much anger and hurt to slip into my tone. “A djinn can be hurt by another djinn that is more powerful.”

“Your mother did this?” Caleena gasped in disbelief. Her sympathy was all I needed to snap me out of the momentary trance she had me under. I quickly stood, putting distance between us as I leaned against the stone wall. “What happened to her? I haven’t seen her or heard anyone mention her.”

“She’s gone,” I growled. “She’s been gone for a long time.” I refused to look at Caleena, focusing instead on the horizon as the stars slowly made their appearance in the waning sky.

“I’m sorry.” Caleena’s voice was so tender, it drew my attention back to her.

“I’m not,” I grumbled, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. Caleena’s eyes widened, and I could see the flicker of shock and perhaps even fear in her gaze, as if she were struggling with the idea of me being relieved about my mother’s absence. I inhaled deeply, torn between the urge to reveal the painful truth of my past or to maintain the shield I had built around it. “I told you everyone had their own demons they were trying to escape, and she was one of mine.” Caleena stayed quiet, the silence urging me to continue. “These scars are nothing. They’re only skin deep compared to the damage she caused on the inside.” Caleena stood, slowly approaching me like I was a wild stallion about to bolt. “She was a tyrant, a poison that slowly leaked into every corner of my life.”

Caleena placed her hand on my arm, the tender touch doing unspeakable things to me. “Did she do this to Razoul as well?” she asked.

“No,” I answered sharply. Anger I had buried years ago leaked to the surface, flooding me with a surge of raw, seething emotion. It overwhelmed me, breaking through the barriers I had painstakingly built to contain it. “He wasn’t important. As the heir, I was her pawn.”

“What about your father? He allowed this?” she asked, her grip on my arm tightening.

I stood straighter, venturing to the balcony. “My father died when I was young, forcing me to become the youngest leader in our family’s history.” I inhaled deeply, hoping the sweet citrus fragrance of the garden below would help calm me. “Because I was so young, my mother seized the opportunity to rule through me. When I came of age, she refused to relinquish that power, clinging to it with an iron grip.” My magic surged within, and the marble banister I gripped cracked beneath my palms. Tiny shards of marble splintered and crumbled, falling away to reveal jagged edges and the raw, unpolished stone beneath.

Caleena’s hand traveled down my arm until her fingers intertwined with mine. Her delicate touch made me lessen the death grip I had on the banister.

“Are we going to look for the book tonight?” she asked softly, changing the subject, her gaze drifting to the dark sky.

When I glanced at her, I swore I saw stars twinkling in her eyes. Her presence soothed the beast raging within me, her touch a balm to my fury. As I looked deeper into her eyes, I felt the storm inside me begin to calm. Admitting the truth about my past had been a weight lifted from my shoulders, and I found myself breathing easier.

I slid my hand from beneath hers, still not comfortable with my raw emotions. “No, Razoul is not in court tonight, so it’s too dangerous venturing into his chambers,” I explained. “Besides, I want to know what Razoul dug up at that site.”

A smile brushed across Caleena’s lips just as wicked as it was sweet. “Good, because I’m dying to find out what’s in that crate.”

I motioned her forward. "After you, sayyida."

Caleena hesitated at the doorway, warily glancing toward the door. "What about the guard? "

"Don't worry your pretty little head about him, sayyida," I replied.

Her eyes widened with concern, and she peeked cautiously around the door frame. "You didn’t hurt him, did you?"

I walked past her. "Not this time," I said with a sly smile.

“I’ve never been this way before. Do you know where you’re going?” Caleena hissed behind me.

“You keep forgetting that this is my palace. I know exactly where I’m going,” I grumbled.

I glanced back at Caleena, whose gaze darted back and forth nervously. The hallway was cloaked in darkness, only occasionally illuminated by flickering torches mounted on the walls. The flames cast ghostly dancing shadows that seemed to reach out like grasping hands stretching from the walls. The air was cool and carried the faint scent of old stone and distant incense. The torchlight caressed Caleena’s face, highlighting the tension etched across it.

“You can hold my hand if you’d like, sayyida,” I coaxed, unable to hide the playfulness in my voice.

“When pigs fly,” she hissed, her eyes flashing with defiance.

I stopped in my tracks, glancing over my shoulder at her. “You know I can make that happen, right, sayyida?”

She stepped around me, purposely brushing her shoulder against mine as she passed. “No need to go to such extremes,” she said with a smirk. “If you wanted to hold my hand, all you had to do was ask.” Her eyes twinkled with playful mischief, causing something in my gut to tighten.

She continued deeper, the hallway narrowing until we reached a locked gated archway. Iron bars stood tall, blocking her from going any further. “What now?” she asked. “Are you sure it's in here?”

I placed my hand on the tarnished bars, the metal turning to sand as it crumbled beneath my magic. Soon all that was left of the door was a black pile of sand. “No,” I answered smoothly. “But this is where I would put something I didn’t want anyone to find.”

“How do you know about this place?” she asked, glancing skeptically into the never-ending darkness.

“My brother and I played down here when we were younger.” I took a torch from the wall and continued down the old rock stairway that descended into the dungeon. The narrow steps were uneven and worn, and the air grew cooler and mustier with each step. “It was no fun to play where we were supposed to,” I continued, allowing childhood memories of my brother to surface only for a second before I crammed them back down with all of my hatred.

Caleena gasped, and I heard the sickening sound of her foot slipping on the damp stone. Magic seeped from my pores, and I moved with unnatural speed as I dropped the torch and caught her, pulling her securely against my chest.

Her body pressed against mine, her breath quick and shallow as I steadied her. My heart raced as I carefully guided her back to a safer footing, the adrenaline and magic still coursing through me from her near-death tumble. Even with her now on solid ground, I refused to relinquish my hold. My fingertips dug into her sides as I drew her closer.

She was so fragile and tender. One wrong move, and she could have been lost to me forever. Just imagining it filled me with a sickening dread that twisted my insides. I was supposed to be unshakable, hardened by centuries of power and control, yet the thought of losing her left me vulnerable in a way that terrified me.

We were enveloped in utter darkness, the torch's light swallowed by the depths of the abyss. The only way I could be sure she was right in front of me was by the warmth of her body pressed against mine and the gentle whisper of her breath against my chest.

I reached up, combing my fingers through her soft hair. “Are you all right?”

“Yes,” she answered breathlessly, still clinging to me.

Her body trembled against mine, and I wasn’t sure if it was from her near accident or my closeness. The delicate tremors sent a shiver through me, making the darkness around us feel even more intimate and charged with unspoken tension.

My blood was starting to heat at her proximity, and I knew I needed to put some distance between us before I fell prey to another one of my whims. The temptation was great, but I couldn't afford to lose control again. Gently, I released her and attempted to step back, but she clung to me like I was her lifeline.

"Sayyida, you can let go now," I groaned, wincing as her grip tightened around me.

“I’m not budging until I can see,” she argued. Her slender arms around my waist tightened, and her nails dug into my back. The sharp sensation sent a jolt through me, a blend of pain and desire that made it even harder to pull away.

My magic crackled through the air, igniting all the torches that lined the descent into the dungeon. Flames burst to life one by one, forming a warm, flickering light that chased away the darkness. The sudden illumination revealed the rough, damp stone walls and the treacherous steps beneath our feet.

Caleena’s tight hold on me loosened, and she stepped back, creating space between us. Cool air rushed in, filling the void where our bodies had been pressed together. “Why didn’t you do that to start with?” she asked, throwing her hands on her hips.

“I was trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.” I said, ignoring her griping as I continued down to the dungeon, but I kept my pace slow just in case she slipped again.

Once at the bottom, my gaze swept around. I hadn't been down here in years, but it was just like I remembered as a child. The cells were small, barely big enough for a grown man to walk two paces without running into the rusty iron bars. Each cell had a single crude bed of molded straw and a bucket for the most basic of needs. The floors were uneven, and small pools of water collected in the crevices, creating a breeding ground for insects and vermin.

Caleena eased closer to me, her gaze bouncing from wall to wall before focusing on the deeper recesses of the dungeon, where the most dangerous prisoners were often kept. The cells were almost pitch black, but I could make out the outline of chains hanging from the walls, their iron links rusty. Other torture devices, equally menacing, hung in the shadows, their cruel forms partially hidden but unmistakable in their purpose. What would Caleena think of me if she found out that I had put this dungeon to good use during my reign as king?

“I don’t see the crate,” Caleena whispered beside me.

I grabbed her hand, and she resisted only for a second before allowing me to pull her forward. “Razoul wouldn’t leave it in plain sight.”

We continued deeper into the dungeon. Caleena’s grip on my hand tightened, and I smiled despite the grim surroundings. The narrow halls finally opened up to the central circular room in the dungeon. Torches created a golden halo around the space. In the center of the room was a rickety wooden table, its surface scarred and weathered by years of use.

A collection of instruments lay on the table, their twisted forms gleaming in the torchlight—hooks, knives, and iron tongs, each one a reminder of the cruelty that had taken place here.

Caleena pulled her hand from mine and wrapped her arms around her middle. “Now what?” she asked, her voice trembling.

I walked over to one of the torches without answering her and pulled it down. The latch clicked, and a hidden door that only Razoul, my father, and I knew existed swung open. The sound of the mechanism echoed through the chamber, and a gust of stale air rushed out.

Caleena's eyes widened as the hidden passage revealed itself. She surprised me yet again by glancing into the room with a smile on her face that made her eyes sparkle with mischief. "I love secret passageways," she whispered, her eyes gleaming with excitement as her fingers traced the door frame.

I chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Maybe someday, I will show you the rest," I said, stepping through the door.

The passage beyond was narrow and dark, the walls lined with ancient carvings and cobwebs that glistened in the dim torchlight. I held it high, illuminating our path as we went deeper underground.

I stopped once I no longer heard the soft echo of Caleena’s footsteps. Turning back, I saw her standing a few steps behind, her hands splayed along the wall as she delicately traced the symbols carved into the stone. My heart lurched in my chest. I had worked so hard turning her into a princess, I’d nearly forgotten that she was an archaeologist. If I wasn’t careful, she might decipher something best left hidden about my family and our past.

“Fascinating, isn’t it?” I said, trying to keep my tone light and casual. “These carvings are some of the oldest in the dungeon.”

Caleena’s eyes flicked to mine, a hint of suspicion in their depths. “What does this symbol mean?” she asked, her fingers continuing to trace the intricate lines.

I held the torchlight higher to see which one she was asking about. “You're the archaeologist. Why are you asking me?”

“It’s your history, isn’t it?” she asked, slowly lowering her hands back to her sides. “I’ve never seen that symbol before.”

I forced a smile, stepping closer to her. “Yes, it is, but I wasn’t a very good pupil when it came to our history lessons,” I explained. It wasn’t a lie. I couldn’t lie to her even if I wanted to. It just wasn’t the whole truth.

She hesitated for a moment, her gaze lingering on the carvings before a smile curved her lips. “Why am I not surprised?”

“Let’s keep moving. I have no intention of being down here all night,” I grumbled, walking off without her, hoping that was the end to her probing questions about the symbols on the walls.

As we continued down the passage, unease prickled beneath my skin. Caleena’s keen mind and curiosity were both assets and a hindrance. One misstep, one question too many, and she’d unearth truths better left forgotten. I had to stay one step ahead of her, keeping the shadows of my family’s past and our connection to the Nightshade buried. She couldn’t learn the role we played, the darkness we courted, or the price it demanded.

Thankfully, we continued on in silence. The only sounds were the soft hiss of hidden currents of air and the occasional drip of water echoing through the narrow corridor. Caleena’s gaze remained glued to the walls, studying each symbol as we passed. I carefully unleashed my magic, sending it into the darkness before us, using it to wipe away anything ahead of us that I didn’t want her to see.

Finally, we reached another door, this one more detailed than the hidden entrance. It was adorned with intricate metalwork and empty spaces where symbols used to be before I removed them. I paused, taking a deep breath before reaching out to open it.

With a creak, the door swung open, revealing an inner chamber. This room was bathed in a soft ethereal light, the source of which was always unclear to me. Shelves lined the walls, filled with ancient tomes and artifacts, their dust-covered surfaces hinting at how long they’d been down here. And in the center of the room was the crate that we sought.

Caleena stepped forward, placing a hand on the wooden crate. “You were right.” She beamed .

I shrugged, stepping beside her. “That shouldn’t be a surprise to you.”

She rolled her eyes but refused to engage me in verbal battle, her focus entirely on the crate before us. “Do you see a pry bar or something we can open it with?” she asked, glancing around.

“What do you need a pry bar for when you have me, sayyida?” I scoffed. Black smoke curled from my fingertips as I reached out and touched the crate. Boards and nails turned to fine black sand, falling to the ground, revealing what was inside the crate.

Caleena's mouth fell open, forming the loveliest little “o.” As the smoke dissolved, the contents of the crate were unveiled.

“It’s a sarcophagus,” Caleena said in awe as she reached out to touch the stone.

I stopped her hand midair, pulling it protectively to my chest, my gaze fixated on the monstrosity before me. “I can’t believe he found it,” I growled in disbelief.

“Found what?” Caleena asked, attempting to pull her hand from my grasp. But I had a viselike grip on her, and her words seemed to float past me, unable to penetrate my shock. “Ranen?” My name on her lips finally tugged my attention back to her, and I released her hand, realizing how tightly I was holding her.

She stepped around the coffin, her gaze never leaving my face as she put distance between us. “What is this?” she demanded.

I refused to look her in the eyes. “A sarcophagus, as you plainly pointed out,” I snarled, anger seeping into my tone.

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it,” she snapped. Her gaze traveled over the ancient script etched deep in the stone. “‘Disturb not this seal, for within lies the Nightshade. A harbinger of nightmares that prowls the realm of dreams, feeding on the darkest fears of those who dare to confront it. Its touch turns hope to shadow and life to death. Doomed to eternal imprisonment for spreading never-ending nightmares and unending suffering. Heed this warning and seal it forever.’”

Icy dread gripped my heart as I listened to Caleena read the inscription aloud. The Nightshade. Doomed for centuries by King Thalorian himself, and sealed with an ancient language that no one but him could read. My gaze shifted to Caleena. Each syllable fell from her lips with an ease that chilled me.

I appeared before her in a puff of smoke, gripping both of her arms. “You can read this?” I demanded.

Caleena pulled against my tight hold, but I was unyielding. “Of course I can read it. I can decipher many languages,” she hissed.

I turned her toward the coffin, my hand sweeping over the ancient inscription carved into its surface. “No one can decipher this language,” I said, through clenched teeth. “No one except—”

A voice emerged from the shadows, smooth and unsettling, cutting off my words. “A direct descendant of King Thalorian,” it finished my sentence. The words seemed to echo, carrying with them a chill that settled in the air.