Page 22

Chapter Twenty

A dir’s twisted smile burned into my memory as I felt my energy bleed out of me.

“No!” Jet nailed the guard with the hilt of his sword, knocking him down long enough to punch him in the jaw. The guard crumpled to the ground unconscious, but Jet was too late.

It took all of my strength to stand, but as much as I wanted to crumble, I felt an intense pull to stay close to Adir.

A wicked laugh spilled from the prince’s lips, poisoning the air with his sick joy.

He kept a firm grip on my wrist, using me as a shield so Jet couldn’t sever his head from his shoulders.

“There’s no need to make you my queen as long as I can keep you close,” Adir said, his thumb rubbing my wrist like I was a trophy he was polishing.

“At last, the diamond is mine. Every wish I’ve ever wanted can finally come true, so long as I keep my little genie bottled up safe and sound.

” He gripped me by the chin, whispering his ambitions to me until I could find the strength to pull away.

“Let her go, Adir.” Jet tossed his sword down on the floor, his chest heaving. “You can have the kingdom. You can have my inheritance. I’ll give you anything you want, I swear it. Just let her go.” His voice rasped, his fists clenching at his sides like he was gripping his last shred of hope.

Jet...

This was what he’d been trying to prevent since the moment he found me, and now he was offering his entire world just to see it undone.

I wished I could do something, but I’d waited until I was too weak to think straight. There had to be something I could do...

“Anything I want?” Adir tapped a finger to his chin. “Oh, Uncle...there’s only one thing in the world that I’ve ever wanted more than the diamond, and now I can finally wish for it.” He dug his nails into my skin. “I wish for you to throw yourself out that window.”

“N-no!” My legs finally gave out, toppling me to the floor while Adir still held my wrist up like a child dragging a doll. My head rolled around on my shoulders, and I was fighting to stay awake so I could see the horrors in front of me .

Jet’s pupils went so wide that his eyes were nearly black. He went as stiff as a tin soldier, his legs taking slow, even steps toward the shattered window.

No... Not that. Stop, Jet! Stop!

I opened my mouth but no words came out, only a few broken sobs as the orange sky silhouetted my Jeanie.

“ Jean! Jean! ” Kipu flew to Jet’s shoulder, digging his claws into his shirt and tugging at him in a pitiful attempt to stop him. “ Jean! ”

It didn’t even phase Jet. The wish had completely overtaken him with the desire to fall from the palace’s tallest tower. Tears streamed down my eyes as Adir cackled like it was the greatest show he’d ever seen.

He was a monster. A monster with an unstoppable power that I had foolishly led him to. I could feel my thoughts clouding, the last of my strength fading as my memories with Jet flashed before my eyes. Memories of his kindness, his protection, and then...his wishes.

“I only wish to lend you my strength.”

He made a wish to help me back then...that was the only time a wish hadn’t sapped my strength from me. An idea jumped through my head, and I scraped together every ounce of energy I had left to whisper one final wish .

“I wish I could borrow all of Jet’s strength.” The last words were barely even a breath, but I could still feel the warm buzz of magic stir to life inside me.

My eyes fluttered shut, but the instant they closed, a blast of energy fired through my muscles. I sucked in a gasp of air, my lungs feeling fresh and renewed as my eyes popped back open. I ripped my arm away from Adir, startling him as I pulled myself back to my feet.

“What?” Adir knit his brows together. “Why are you not weakened?”

The loud thud of a body slamming on the floor turned both of our heads, and I nearly felt my soul leave my body as I laid eyes on Jet’s motionless form.

He had collapsed only inches from the shattered window, his arm dangling out in the open air with a shard of glass piercing the side of his wrist. Without the strength to stand, he couldn’t walk out of the window.

Thank the heavens.

“What is going on here!?” the prince shouted, reaching for my wrist again. I pulled it back before he could touch me, my quick reflexes stunning him. “You witch! You made a wish, didn’t you?” He reached for me again, but this time Kipu came to my rescue.

“Kya! Love Kya!” He landed on Adir’s head, pecking at his perfect hair and tearing out as many clumps as he could .

“Get off me!” Adir swatted at the bird, but Kipu didn’t back down. “I wish this bird would drop dead!”

His wish floated uselessly through the air, completely powerless now that he wasn’t gripping me.

“You forgot to touch me, Your Highness. Here, let me help.” I waved Kipu away. He left the prince’s head, and the moment I caught Adir’s furious eyes, I punched him square in between them. He stumbled back, crashing into his table full of diamonds and sending them flying around him. “Wish denied.”

I shook my hand, impressed by the power that Jet’s strength had given me.

I looked back at him. He was starting to stir, but still far from awake.

I hadn’t specified how long I wanted to borrow his strength, and now I could feel it starting to fade.

I took one last swing at the prince while I still could.

“And one more thing.” I stood over him, still feeling compelled to remain within arms’ reach. “I wish for you never to touch me again as long as I live.”

Panic flashed through Adir’s eyes, and the power of the new wish seemed to override the last one I’d made. All my strength vanished, sending me to the floor with a sharp gasp. I felt no pain, but it was still far from pleasant.

“No...” Adir reached toward me, but he paused before making contact, his pupils shooting to the size of pinpricks. “No!” He reached again, still stopping before touching me. He reached for the ivory blade, his expression unhinged as he aimed the tip of the knife toward my heart.

What is he doing...?

“Fine,” he seethed, running a hand through his freshly plucked scalp. “If I can’t touch you as long as you live, then we’ll see if I can make wishes on your corpse!”

He pulled back the blade to throw it at my chest, but before he could let it fly, Jet leapt at him, seizing the blade and wrestling him to the ground.

“You’re supposed to be throwing yourself out a window!” Adir screamed at him, fighting to gain control of the weapon.

“Apparently, tossing my arm over the edge was enough,” Jet growled, twisting the blade from his nephew’s hands.

Adir muttered a curse, then scrambled back from Jet, weaponless. Jet rushed to my side, gathering me in his arms. My body felt limp, but his protective grip gave me the strength I needed to stay awake.

“You can try to protect her...” Adir said sharply. “But I know she exists now. Hide her where you want. I’ve spent my whole life looking for the diamond, and I won’t give up now. The moment you turn your back, I’ll kill her. I will get my wishing diamond! ”

I didn’t want to be afraid of his words, but there was no denying the bloodlust in his eyes. My wish hadn’t protected me from him, it had only changed his mission. Should I have wished for him to be dead instead? Would that have finally kept the kingdom safe?

No matter what I wish, it never truly comes true...

“I swore I’d protect the diamond,” Jet said, his tone even despite his rising heartrate. “I thought that meant keeping her power secret, but now I know that it just means protecting the greatest treasure I’ve ever known.”

He looked down at me, and a fluttering filled my chest as he pressed his forehead against mine, his eyes closed and his warm skin sending ripples through my aching head.

“I wish Kya was no longer the diamond.”