Bound by Wishes and Ruin: An Aladdin Fairy Tale Romance by B. Luna Covello

Author:B. Luna Covello [Covello, B. Luna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2024-06-18T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 26

Rami

“Wait!” Nahlah’s desperate plea halted our departure, bringing the swirling domain back into focus.

“Nahlah!” I hissed.

She pushed past me, advancing toward the Zephyr. “What about a tale!”

“Nahlah!” She was entirely driven by her reckless impulses! I stepped in front of her, attempting to shield her from the consequences her boldness might bring. “What are you doing!?”

“The tome said she would accept a dream, a memory, or a tale entwined!” Her eagerness radiated as she spun back around. “Would a story suffice?”

The ghost of a smile touched the Zephyr’s lips, curiosity flickering in her ageless eyes as she nodded. “It’s an option. Though I have yet to hear one that is adequate payment.”

“Then, in exchange for safe passage through the doorway, may I offer you one?”

“And if it isn’t sufficient?” Her question sent a chill through me, but Nahlah’s next words set my fear ablaze.

“I will give you both a memory and a dream.”

The gravity of her proposition hit me like a physical blow, and in a moment of desperation, I spun her around, pressing her against Huriyah’s side. “Are you out of your mind?!”

“I suggest you weigh your next words very carefully,” she warned, her cheeks flushing red. “May I remind you that when you asked for my cooperation, you assured me that if I had more expertise in something, you would heed my advice?” Her reminder felt like a trap, ensnaring me with my own words. "This is where I excel, Rami. Storytelling." She crossed her arms determinedly across her chest.

The urge to whisk her away and protect her was overwhelming. But resisting would only deepen the divide between us. Not to mention, her role as the Heartseeker lent her instincts a weight I couldn’t ignore. With a heavy heart, I nodded stiffly before addressing the Zephyr. “If you deem her tale acceptable, you will grant the three of us free passage with no stipulations. If not, then you will take your payment from me.”

“I can—” I raised my hand, cutting off Nahlah’s protests.

"These are the terms for my cooperation," I responded firmly. Nahlah watched me for a moment, an unreadable expression on her face before she nodded, her jaw clenching.

"I accept your terms." The Zephyr, visibly entertained by our discussion, motioned to Nahlah with a grin. "You may proceed."

I watched anxiously as she scanned the landscape intently before studying the Wraith. “May I ask a question?” she inquired after a minute.

“Only because you pique my interest, Heartseeker,” the Zephyr said, raising a finger into the air. “But only one.”

“Of the thousands of lands you guard, have you set foot in any of them?”

Silence fell, the Zephyr’s stilled contemplation contrasting with the restless movement of her hair. After a moment, she answered, “No.”

Nahlah smiled, her voice taking on a soft cadence as she began, “For you, I offer The Painter’s Freedom.”

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