Page 23

Chapter Twenty-One

I ’d never felt like I was bound to anything before. All my life I’d lived freely, other than a brief stay in a prison cell, but right now...I finally realized how chained down I’d been.

The fog that had consumed my mind since the day I was born had started to clear. It was like waking up from a dream, or feeling a pair of shackles fall from my wrists after years of being restrained. I never knew I was a prisoner to my gift, but today I finally felt true freedom.

My back felt stronger, my legs felt sturdy, and as I started to stretch my revitalized limbs, Jet steadied me on the pile of scattered gems and broken glass. A shard of the fractured window caught my eye, and I realized my reflection didn’t look the same.

My eyes...they were no longer shockingly blue; instead they had turned to a soft and subtle grey, similar to the colors of Kipu’s feathers .

“I wish I had a mirror,” I said quietly, staring at the glass to see if it would somehow shift into a more silvery reflection.

“I wish it was morning.” I looked out at the setting sun, my cleared vision soaking in the beautiful scene that remained the same.

“It’s gone...” I said in astonishment, looking down at my hands. “The power is gone. I’m free.”

The wishing diamond is no more.

“You...you can’t do this, Jeteran.” Adir stumbled over to the fallen guard, his legs shaking with his pent-up rage.

He reached for the guard’s sword, prying it from his limp hand and pointing it at us.

“You think taking the diamond from me will stop me from taking the throne?” He took a half step forward, pressuring us to move toward the open window.

“This isn’t over...I don’t need to make a wish to kill you.

I will have this kingdom, even if I have to rip it from your cold, dead hands. ”

“Adirion!” A firm voice blasted through the open door, shocking even Kipu into jumping. The prince dropped the sword, his face turning white as a tall, richly dressed man stepped through the door with a collection of guards at his heels.

I’d seen the man only once before, on the night of the welcoming ball when he entered with his son.

“F-Father!” Adirion nearly choked on his own words. “What are you doing up here? ”

“Following up with the chaos that unfolded in the courtyard today,” he said in a deep, room-quaking voice.

He glanced around at the mess of broken glass, littered diamonds, and the fallen guard, disgust staining his features.

“What is the meaning of this? Did I hear you correctly when you threatened to kill your uncle?”

Adir opened his mouth and moved his hands like he was crafting a story, but no real words came out. Jet sucked in a breath, and I looked over to see a small smile tug at his lips.

“I wondered when that wish would come true...” he whispered, giving me an adoring look.

Wish? What wish?

“I merely wish for the sultan to recognize what a poor ruler he would be.”

My memories flashed back to the night of the dance. I had thought he was aiming for my ring when he made that wish, but he was making the wish on me.

Did that mean the other wishes that had been made were still in effect?

I looked over at Adir, who was a good five feet from me now.

I no longer felt the pull to be near him, and I wondered if he could touch me now if he pleased.

It was as if all the wishes had vanished with the diamond’s power, but the one that had been waiting to be fulfilled couldn’t disappear until it had come true .

“Jeteran.” The sultan turned to his younger brother. “Do you care to explain any of this?”

“With pleasure, my sultan.” Jet pressed a hand to his chest and dipped his head. “But if it’s all right, I should like to attend to Lady Kya first. I’m afraid Adir has done her great harm, and I wish to see to her well-being first.”

The sultan snapped his gaze toward his son. “You dared harm one of your guests?” he boomed.

“N-no!” the prince finally spat out. “She’s no guest of mine! She’s a common thief that snuck into the palace!”

I nibbled my lip as the sultan gave me an inquiring look, his long beard hiding most of his face so I couldn’t read his thoughts.

“She’s been my guest from the start, Your Majesty,” Jet said, stepping in front of me. “I promise to explain it all to you once the young lady is tended too.”

Adir muttered something under his breath, but a harsh look from his father quickly silenced him.

“Very well,” the sultan said. “Guards, please escort the prince to his suite until this matter has been discussed.”

“What? You can’t lock me away!” Adir swatted at the guards, but there were too many for him to hold them off.

“Release me!” They dragged him away, and another pair of guards woke up the fallen one that Adir had left behind.

They helped the man to his feet, and he immediately started complaining about the prince’s wild orders as his companions helped him out the door.

Once the room was cleared, only Jet, Kipu, and I remained in the wrecked room. It felt like I could finally take a breath, the fresh air almost too sweet for my new lungs.

“Are you hurt, Kya?” Jet turned to me, brushing a stray hair from my eyes as the breeze tried to flutter it across my face.

“You look different. I’m so sorry for making that wish without your permission.

I know it wasn’t my place to strip you of your power, but I couldn’t think of another way to protect you. ”

His hand lingered on my cheek, the soft touch melting me as I leaned into his palm.

“That’s all you ever wanted, wasn’t it?” I asked. “To protect me.”

He nodded, his soulful gaze devouring me until I almost felt weak in the knees again.

“Always,” he whispered, brushing his thumb across my cheek. “From the moment you first gave the mute guard the name Jean I knew I could never get enough of that smile. You may not remember this, but when we first met, you made a wish to me...”

I furrowed my brows, thinking back to the day we had first met. “I did? What was it?”

He chuckled, his eyes dancing with the memory as he inched closer. “You said, ‘Geez Jean, you sure are a talkative one, aren’t you? I wish you wouldn’t tell me so many juicy secrets.’”

I pressed a hand to my lips as I remembered the off-handed comment, never realizing what it would have meant until now.

“I wished for you to keep secrets from me,” I gasped.

“Only the juicy ones.” He laughed, tracing his hand down my arm to slowly secure my hand.

His touch was soft and warm, just like his laugh.

“I was still able to tell you when all the fancy princesses were wandering through town, or when the jewel shipments were going to be left unguarded, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t tell you who I really was.

At least, not until the magic decided it wasn’t important enough to keep quiet.

I think being around both Jean and Jet at the palace long enough made it obvious enough that it saw it as less of a secret.

” He pulled me closer. “I also couldn’t tell you about your power.

I had hoped testing you in the vault would reveal it to you, but that was a foolish idea on my part, and I’m sorry for that. ”

He'd been trying to tell me all along... What other secrets had I forced him to keep? I felt his arm slip around my waist, his eyes drifting toward my lips and mine to his. I wondered if just maybe, I was learning another one of those secrets now.

“And worst of all...” His husky voice was loaded with longing, pulling me into every note of his tone.

“I couldn’t tell you the secret that burned more than any other.

The secret that was so painful to keep that if I couldn’t say it, I may as well have not spoken at all.

I couldn’t tell you how incredibly strong I thought you were the first day I found you or how beautiful you always looked when you smiled at me.

I couldn’t tell you how badly I wanted to hold your hand, or pull you close when you weren’t feeling well.

It feels like I’ve waited ten thousand years to tell you how badly I’ve fallen for you, Kya. ”

It was then that I realized that I didn’t need magic to fly. My heart soared across the room, bursting through the window like it was riding on a flying carpet through the sky. I ran my fingers through Jet’s hair, pulling him close so my lips could press against his.

He kissed me like it was the only thing he had ever wished for.