Realm of Wonders (Volume 3) by Alexandra Monir

Author:Alexandra Monir [Monir, Alexandra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Disney Book Group
Published: 2023-10-10T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Aladdin arrived at her door the next morning looking like a man of the streets—the same one who had bumped into a disguised Jasmine in the marketplace last year and promptly changed her life. Instead of the sumptuous white-and-gold tunics and silk trousers and capes he now wore in the palace, Aladdin was back in his sun-faded purple vest and threadbare shirt paired with baggy pants torn haphazardly at the ankles, no doubt from all his running and jumping to escape the guards of the bazaar. Abu cooed happily on his shoulder, much more at home resting his fur on streetwear than silks.

Catching Jasmine and Rajah staring, Aladdin lifted his shoulders sheepishly.

“Nadia said to come looking like the old Aladdin, so I figured I might as well dust off the uniform.” He glanced closer at Jasmine. “You look different too. Less . . . sparkly?”

Jasmine chuckled. Nadia had given her a pale-blue kaftan and chalvar pants that she wore on her own marketplace visits, embroidered simply and with no other embellishments.

“I’m so glad you kept those clothes,” she said fondly.

“Can’t forget where I came from,” he replied with a grin. “Although I would have thought you’d be thrilled to never see these old duds again.”

“You must be joking.” Jasmine reached for his hands. “This is just how you looked when I first started to fall for you.”

Aladdin’s eyes warmed. He bent his head, pressing his lips against hers. She kissed him back, feeling the delicious rush as their lips met. But before she could get too comfortable, she pulled away.

“We have somewhere to be. There’s a reason we’re dressed like this—and it’s not just a sentimental one.”

“We’re going into the city?” he guessed, a dimple appearing in his cheek.

“That’s right.” Jasmine pulled on Nadia’s draped beige cloak. “And we’re going in disguise.”

• • •

Magic Carpet flew them high above the treetops, dipping behind the clouds whenever someone on the ground happened to glance up and squint at the sky. They weren’t used to flying in broad daylight, but it was the only way for Jasmine and Aladdin to leave the palace without the guards or ministers or any other court spies noticing and following.

After an exhilarating few minutes in the air, they spotted the rectangular stone roofs of the marketplace below, with clotheslines hanging between them and smoke rising up from the food stalls. Carpet sped behind the path of trees, pitching downward when Aladdin pointed out a safe place to land.

“Are you sure about this?” Jasmine had to shout to be heard above the wind as the rooftops rushed toward them. “Won’t people see us up here?”

“We’ll be gone before they blink.” Aladdin grinned. “And inside is probably the safest spot you could be in the city. None of our enemies would set foot in a place like the broken tower.”

Jasmine’s breath caught as she realized where they were. Her mind flashed back to their first conversation alone, when he’d brought the girl he thought was a handmaiden up to his makeshift quarters after helping her escape an overzealous pair of guards.

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