Blakely

I stared at the phone, willing it to ring. The damn thing just sat there on my end table. This was the one time in my life I wanted my stupid phone to ring and the person on the other side to tell me I had the job.

This was the entire reason I moved to the Midwest in the first place, for this job at this tech company. One of only a few that even operated outside California. Maybe jumping the gun and getting a whole ass apartment wasn’t a smart idea, but I was anything if not optimistic.

I tapped my fingers on the edge of the couch and shook my head. This was insane. Just waiting around for something to happen wasn’t going to do anything for me and I could be doing things that mattered. Like getting new furniture for my empty sad apartment.

I snatched the phone off the table and grabbed my bag from the floor by the door. I was going shopping and hoping I’d forget about the stress of waiting for that stupid call.

I jumped in my old beat up car and headed for the the nearest thrift store. It wasn’t far and it had delivery, perfect.

The place reminded me of the old strip malls I went to when I was a kid with my mom. She loved these places and always preferred the aged items over the brand new things that broke in a week. The way the old building still had the seventies red metal roof solidified the picture. This would have been her kind of place. Maybe what I was looking for was here and it would take my mind off the phone still sitting silent in my bag.

As soon as I opened the door, stale air hit me in the face. It wasn’t as jarring as I thought it would be considering I was just on the coast a week before. The isles were small, but the place was pretty empty so I wasn’t running into a bunch of people as I browsed each one. Some displays were made to be stepped into so it felt like a little store and others were just too full of stuff.

I wondered along looking at the furniture and the different items until my eye caught something. I glanced in the direction of this old looking lamp. It didn’t look like anything I’d seen before, but something drew me there. Something I couldn’t explain. I picked through a few lamps sitting on the counter until my hand ran across the one that seemed to be calling me.

I stopped and picked up the old gold oil lamp. It buzzed with some kind of energy in my hand as I turned it over to get a better look.

“Did you find something you like?” The voice took me out of my thoughts and I turned to the clerk. She was a young woman with dark hair and kind light eyes.

“Yeah, I think so,” I said, looking back to the old lamp.

“So, this and the furniture, then?” She smiled as she reached for the lamp, but my hand wouldn’t let go of it. It was almost like I couldn’t just give it to her. It was mine to keep. Weird.

“Yes, but I’ll just take this with me now.” I smiled and pulled out my credit card. “You guys can deliver the table and chairs in a day or two, right?”

“Oh yeah, we can do that.” She took my card and ran it in her machine. I didn’t have a ton of money, but I had enough for some used furniture and a weird old lamp. She handed it back with a smile and the receipt. “All set. Have a nice day.”

I just returned her smile and took my card and put it back in my purse. For whatever reason, the only thing I was interested in doing was getting home and getting this lamp cleaned. It was dirty and worn and I had no idea how old it really was.

I put the lamp gently in the passenger seat and headed home. It wasn’t a long drive but all I could think about was the weird energy coming from the lamp. It was as though it was plugged into an outlet, but the thing didn’t require electricity at all, only oil to be lit or at least that was what it looked like.

I made my way into my apartment and sat on my little couch with the lamp in my hands. Now that I could look at it better, I saw the strange markings on the side. I ran my thumb over it and it glowed a soft blue.

I laughed slightly at the absurd thought an old oil lamp could glow, but there it was plan as day. I ran my hand over the side of it to clean it a little better and my thumb caught a sharp edge. Dropping the lamp, I pulled my hand back in surprise. It was just a small prick but damn it hurt.

The room vibrated and the sound in my ears deadened like someone played loud music right in my ears. I pulled my hands over my ears as dark blue smoke filled the room, coming straight from the lamp I’d just dropped.

I couldn’t see anything or hear anything. “What’s happening?” I said it without thinking and not expecting an answer.

Until two dark eyes looked into mine and a face from a man leaned into mine as he stood over me.

“You freed me, finally and now you will be the slave.”

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Chapter Two

I stuttered and stared at him. He raised a tan eyebrow.

“Nothing to say, witch?”

“What?” I shook my head. “I’m not a witch. I just…”

He laughed but didn’t move. “Don’t lie. Only a witch can free me from my prison,” he cocked his head. “And only a Mallry one at that.”

“I think you have the wrong idea. I’m definitely not a witch.” I didn’t know what to say. I mean I knew we had a weird history, but witchcraft? Now that was completely crazy.

“You lying little witch. You think you can escape what you’re family did to us?” He shook his head and grabbed my arm. “I’ve been waiting for centuries in that little prison you put me in for one of you to slip up and break the seal. Finally, I can have my revenge.”

“Curse, revenge. I don’t know what you want, but I’m not the right person,” I said and pulled at his hold on me. He didn’t let go and looked rather amused I was attempting to fight him. His dark eyes held contempt and maybe even a little rage. It made me nervous, but intrigued at the same time. At least until I felt some kind of energy rip through me. and center around my wrist. I glanced at my arm and watched as a blue energy swirled around it forming a bracelet. It was carved with intricate symbols I didn’t know the meaning of. A magick tether formed to him and he let go, but gave the tether a yank. I lost my footing and stumbled forward.

“Now, you won’t go getting lost until I gain enough power to get back home,” he said with a smile.

I wasn’t sure if that smile was a good thing or a bad thing.

“What year is it?” he asked looking around the room.

I rubbed my wrist. There wasn’t a lot of pain, but that same magick buzz wrapped around my wrist.

“Shouldn’t you know that if you have some kind of magick or something?” I mumbled, still rubbing my wrist, but every time my fingers hit that bracelet, I got a light shock. Almost like a warning not to even attempt to take it off.

He spun on me and shook his head. “You act like you have no idea what kind of power that prison had.”

“I don’t, honestly.” I watched him for a moment as he ran his hand through his dark hair in frustration. “What are you?”

His gaze snapped to me and he shook his head. “You honestly don’t know?”

I shrugged. “I mean you were stuck in a lamp so best guess a Genie, but that’s crazy sounding.”

“Uck, you humans and your biases. I’m not a Genie. I’m one of the Jinn of the hidden world.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“No,” he said simply.

I stood and took a couple of steps before the pull of the bracelet stopped me. “Take this thing off of me.”

He laughed. “You are not going anywhere, witch.”

“I told you I’m not a witch.”

“Blood doesn’t lie. You may have freed me, but debt must be paid,” He almost growled.

“I’m not paying a debt that isn’t mine,” I snapped.

The invisible cord snapped me to him. “I have full control over you. When I want you, you’ll be here. When I want answers to my questions, you’ll provide them.” He let a finger run over my forearm near the bracelet. “You are mine until I’m powerful enough to take us both back to my world. Then you’ll face your family’s consequences.”

I couldn’t find my words to say anything back to him and scowled. He smiled in response. Was I amusing him?

The tension on the invisible tether went slack and I took a step back. Feeling more like myself already, I crossed my arms. “What is it you want from me?”

“I already told you.”

“What, revenge?”

He cocked his head and watched me for a moment. “That’s a trivial thing. What I want is something deeper. You will understand eventually, witch.”

I shook my head. “I don’t know why you keep calling me a witch. I have never done any of that weird magick stuff in my life.”

He walked to my bookshelf and picked up a photo of my mom. “This is your mother, yes?”

I nodded.

“She never told you about your family?” He seemed a little more convinced that this was all a mistake and I was far from the person he thought I was.

“She was my family. Everyone else is dead,” I answered without thinking. My mother did tell me a little but she kept most of my family linage out of our conversations. I never thought to ask why.

“No wonder you think you don’t have magick. She disconnected you from it,” he said. “She cut her own magick off as well.”

“I don’t understand,” I said, honestly. I didn’t know why this Jinn knew more about my family than I did. Shouldn’t my mother had told me if there were more things going on in my history. Especially, if it was going to come back and haunt me later.

He sighed. “Your history is complicated, like mine.”

I waited for him to continue, but he just looked at me. “Go on.”

“Let’s just say your family and mine had an agreement that wasn’t honored,” he said.

“Very cryptic,” I said in frustration.

“It won’t matter. Once it’s broken, it made us enemies.”

“I don’t even know you and already we’re enemies?”

He suppressed a smile and I raised my eyebrows.

“You remind me of someone I used to know.” He sighed. “She was a pain too.”

I made a face and sat on the couch. “So, I’m just supposed to wait for you to whisk me off to some place I don’t know about to face some consequence for something I wasn’t a part of and be okay with that?”

“Yes,” he answered without hesitation.

“Wow, you’re kind of an asshole,” I mumbled.

He turned his head just a little to let me know he heard me, but didn’t say anything back. I had to find a way out of this and get him back in the lamp. What did I know about Jinn? Nothing. I didn’t even remember the stupid Disney movie my mom insisted I watch when I was a kid. What I did remember was when you let a Genie, I mean Jinn, out of a lamp, it was supposed to do what you say. So why was it the other way around with this one?

“How come I’m your prisoner now? Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around?” I said hoping I was right and he was just tricking me somehow.

He chuckled. “Who do you think spread that rumor?” He turned and smiled wide at me. “No one would free us from prisons if they knew what really happened.”

Okay, that’s not good.

I sighed in frustration. There wasn’t much I could do to get out of this unless I convinced him to let me out of it.

I glanced through the window wishing my mom was here to help me figure out how to get the hell out of here.

“You said I was some kind of witch? Why can’t I use magick, then?” I hoped this was the gotcha I wanted it to be.

He shook his head and walked around the room. “You’ve been isolated too long. The magick is long gone.”

“Then why should I have to deal with all this. I mean it’s not like I can lock you up again, right?”

Something flashed in his eyes. Was that fear?

“You don’t have access to it. It doesn’t mean it’s gone,” he said to me like I was some annoying bug asking too many questions.

“I don’t get it,” I admitted.

He sighed. “You, Blakely Mallry, are a descendant of one of the most powerful witches to live on your plane. You’re family is bound to mine and any magick you might hold is mine.” He stepped towards me and leaned over me with his hands on either side of the back of the couch I was sitting on. “You are mine.”

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Chapter Three

“You should probably rest while you can,” he said, taking a step back. “I’ll allow you to stay in your room until it’s time to leave.”

“Allow?” I said with bite.

He watched me, but didn’t say anything.

“I didn’t ask. What’s your name?” Maybe if I made it a little more personal, he’d find a reason not to sacrifice me to his people or whatever he had in store for me.

“I didn’t give it to you,” he said simply and waved his hand. I was standing in my room without even moving. That’s creepy.

Great, so no personal connections for him. I couldn’t help but wonder why he was refusing his name. It’s just a name, It’s not like I was asking for location share or anything. Although with this thing on my wrist he probably had that on me all the time. How in the hell was I going to rest knowing everything I thought I knew about my life was a lie. My family were witches? So weird.

“You’re not resting,” a voice said in my head.

“Oh my god, that’s so annoying,” I said. “Get out of my head.”

“If you don’t rest on your own, I’ll make you.”

I shook my head and sat on the edge of my bed. “Yeah, because it’s so easy to rest when your whole world has just been tipped on it’s side,” I mumbled.

“That’s why rest is important.”

“Why do you care? I’m just a prisoner.”

No answer. huh.

I felt exhaustion fall over me and fell back into my bed. If this man was going this, I was going to kill him. I thought I heard a faint chuckle as I drifted off to sleep. Maybe I’d wake up and all of this would be just a weird dream from too much coffee and not enough sleep.

Maybe I was just crazy.

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Maymun

She was infuriating and stubborn and reminds me so much of Patrica it makes me want to take her to the shadow world right now and throw her in the nearest cage.

Patricia condemned her entire line to my retribution and I would have it one way or another. But Blakely didn’t have any magick I could feel, anyway. Maybe they hid it away somehow or it never sparked. I couldn’t be sure she wasn’t lying to me. After all the Mallry line was extremely powerful.

I picked up the photo of her mother again and really concentrated. Every line of her face and features, but no magick stirred. Her mother was blocked as well. This would be more complicated than I first thought. Her blood unlocked my prison, but she had no idea how to use the magick that lingered there. I’d have to open that door in her if I wanted to control it.

Oh and I will control it.

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Blakely

I slowly opened my eyes from some of the best sleep I’d had in months. It took me a minute to remember it was induced from that damn Jinn. You know that one that wouldn’t even give me his name.

I pulled my arm up to rub my head and it stopped short with a tug. When I glanced over at it, there was a tether from me to a bed post I didn’t recognize.

“What the hell?” I sat up and looked around the room, but it was not mine. I was someplace else. I pulled at my arm, but it wouldn’t go much further than a foot at best from the headboard. “How did I get here?” I said to no one. But a part of me hoped he could still hear me in my head like he did in my apartment.

No answer.

“Are you kidding me? The one time I need answers and you’re just going to ignore me?” I sat up and took in more of the room. It was a beautiful room draped in gold and red fabrics. The floor even looked like it was covered in gold. The bed was wood with a red blanket that was the softest thing I’d ever touched with gold accents. Everything looked expensive and way out of anything I could ever budget.

Before I could sneak a look at the rest of the room, the Jinn opened the door and walked in. He wasn’t wearing the same run down and old looking clothing he was when we first met. Now he was wearing a purple and gold outfit that reminded me more of old Arabian television shows I’d watched on a whim the first year I went to college, but this one radiated with some kind of magick that almost filled the room.

“Good, you’re awake,” he said with a bit of bite in his voice.

“Where am I?” I asked, watching him as he just stood there in front of the door with his eyes boring into me.

“My home,” he answered simply. “I told you as soon as my power was restored we’d be coming here.”

“That’s why you insisted on putting me to sleep,” I snapped.

“So much aggression for a human,” he said with a slight smile.

I raised an eyebrow but wasn’t sure what to say to that. On one hand I could go full bitch on him and probably get myself killed, but I still kind of wanted to live to see the next day.

His eyes, dark and intense, softened slightly as he watched me, the edges of his stern demeanor slipping for just a moment. He took a step closer.

“You have to understand,” he began, his voice low, “This is the way it has to be.”

I swallowed hard, not sure how to respond to the sudden shift in his tone. It wasn’t warm, exactly, but it lacked the coldness of before.

The Jinn moved closer, so close I could feel the warmth radiating from him, mingling with the strange energy that seemed to pulse around him. My breath caught as he reached out, his fingers brushing a strand of hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear with a gentleness that surprised me.

“You’re safe here,” he said, his voice almost a whisper, as if the words were difficult for him to say. “For now.”

I blinked at him, my mind still trying to wrap around everything going on. One minute I was just sitting at my apartment living my life and the next, here a magick tether holding me to a bed with a man that wasn’t quite a man.

“But…” My voice faltered as his fingers lingered near my face, almost like he was struggling with whether to pull away or not.

“But you’ll have to face the council soon,” he finished for me, his tone turning more serious. “They’ll decide what happens next.”

“Right, and that won’t end well,” I muttered.

His hand dropped away from my face, the moment of tenderness vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.

“They’ll judge you,” he said simply, “based on what your family has done…and on what you are.”

“You mean a witch” I said.

He nodded, his expression unreadable. “Yes. But until then, you’re safe. I won’t let anything happen to you before the council has its say.”

His words weren’t very reassuring, but there was something behind it, something that made me quiver just a little.

He turned to leave, but paused at the door, his back to me. “Get some rest, Blakely. You’ll need your strength.”

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Maymun

I closed the door behind me, the echo of the latch settling in my ears as I stood in the hallway. The walls around me were draped in the same rich fabrics as the room, but here, the opulence only served to suffocate the thoughts swirling in my mind. Blakely. She was more than just infuriating, she was a complication I hadn’t anticipated. The way she made me feel even though she was my enemy. Like I needed to keep her safe even at my own expense.

But the fact was, there was an oath broken and someone had to pay the price.

Still, those defiant eyes, the way she looked at me with nothing but strength, something I hadn’t seen in centuries from a woman. It almost made me want to turn back, to protect her from the inevitable. But I couldn’t. The council would have their judgment, and Blakely would pay the price, no matter what it is.

As I approached the grand chamber doors, the guards stepped aside, bowing their heads, even when they glanced at each other with unease. I was imprisoned, not gone, but the distinction didn’t matter to them.

The doors creaked open to the council room. It was as I remembered, dark, foreboding, air thick with magick. The council members were already assembled, their eyes glinting in the dim light as they turned to face me. But it was Nassir’s gaze that held mine. I shifted my eyes to each of the members expecting to know who they were, but with the time I spent locked in the lamp, They all changed and were filled with unfamiliar faces.

My younger brother sat at the head of the council table, dressed in the ceremonial garb of a ruler,a garb that should have been mine. His eyes, a shade of gold mixed with brown stared at me with a mix of challenge and something that bordered on contempt. I forced a smile in response.

“Maymun,” Nassir greeted me, his voice steady, though I caught the slight edge beneath it. “You’ve returned to us at last.”

I inclined my head, not bothering to hide the bitterness in my tone. “I have. And I’ve brought the line of the one responsible for my absence.”

A murmur rippled through the council, a mix of curiosity and anticipation. Nassir’s expression didn’t change, but I could see the calculation in his eyes.

“You’ve brought her here?” Nassir asked, his voice neutral, though I could sense the underlying tension.

“She’s in the fortress, awaiting judgment,” I replied, my gaze locked on his. “The bloodline of the Mallry family, as promised.”

Nassir leaned back in his chair, considering my words. “And you think the council will be satisfied with this… offering?”

His choice of words wasn’t lost on me. “She’s the last of her line. The only one who can pay the debt.”

Nassir’s eyes narrowed. “The council will decide that,” he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous tone. “It’s been a long time, brother, since Patricia’s betrayal. The wound she left on you, on all of us, runs deep.”

“You mean the power she would have offered the clan,” I pressed. I realized doing this in front of the council could mean death, but the disrespect in his tone was pissing me off. “I didn’t leave by choice, Nassir. I was trapped, betrayed by the very woman I was meant to marry, meant to seal that power with.”

He stood, “We all knew, Maymun. But without the blood of a Mallry witch, there was nothing we could do. Decades passed, and our people needed a leader. I stepped in.”

I couldn’t show weakness. Not here. Not now. “The council will decide Blakely’s fate,” I repeated, my voice firm. “But remember, brother, that this is my right as much as yours.”

Nassir held my gaze for a moment longer before turning to the council. “Summon the others,” he ordered, “We will judge the witch’s fate at dawn.”

I watched as the council members moved to obey, their loyalty clearly aligned with Nassir. But it didn’t matter. I brought Blakely here, and whatever the outcome, it would be on my terms.

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Blakely

The room was too quiet. I pulled at the tether connecting me to the bedpost, but it held fast, the blue energy swirling lazily around my wrist. I stared at the bracelet, its intricate symbols glowing faintly, as if taunting me.

What the hell am I supposed to do now?

I couldn’t just sit here and wait for whatever fate this Jinn had in store for me.

With a deep breath, I leaned back against the headboard and lifted my wrist to get a better look at the bracelet. The symbols were unlike anything I’d ever seen, shifting and changing as I tried to focus on them. It didn’t feel like just a piece of jewelry; it felt alive, humming with some kind of energy that I couldn’t quite understand.

“Come on, Blakely,” I muttered to myself. “Think. If there’s magic in there, you’ve got to find a way to use it.”

Closing my eyes, I pulled at any spark I felt. Anything that might be a form of the magick that Jinn was so sure I had. Then I felt something catch. Something so faint, I barely knew it was there. I held onto it and concentrated as it moved through me.

I concentrated harder, feeling the warmth intensify, almost like a current of electricity. Just a little more, I thought, just a little more.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and before I could react, he was there, his hand around my neck, pressing me against the headboard, his eyes hot with anger and the magick faded as fast as I’d found it.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he hissed.

I opened my mouth to answer, but all that came out was a stammer. “I—I was just—”

“Lying to me,” he cut me off, his grip tightening slightly. “You said you didn’t have magick, but here you are, trying to use it.”

“I’m not lying,” I shot back. “I don’t know what I’m doing. I’ve never done anything like this before.”

His eyes narrowed, gaze piercing as if he could see straight through me, searching for any hint of a lie.

For a moment, I thought he was going to snap, that he might actually hurt me. But then, something shifted in his expression. The anger didn’t completely fade, but it softened, replaced by something more complex, something I couldn’t quite read.

“You don’t know?” he asked, his voice still sharp but with a hint of something else. “You’ve never felt this power before?”

I shook my head, trying to catch my breath. “Never. I don’t even know what I’m doing right now. I was just trying to… to see if I could get free.”

He didn’t reply right away, his eyes locked on mine as if he was trying to figure out whether or not to believe me. He finally let go of my neck and I rubbed it out of instinct.

“Well, you’re not getting free,” he said finally, but his tone lacked the venom it had before. “You won’t be able to do any kind of magick without me knowing.” His lips curved into a smile. “In fact I think I’ll stay right here just to make sure.”

With a wave of his hand, the tether connecting me to the bedpost vanished, only to reappear attached to him. The bracelet on my wrist glowed brighter, the symbols shifting as the magick took hold.

“What are you doing?” I demanded, panic rising.

“We’re staying connected now until the judgment in the morning,” he said, his voice low and firm. “Whether you like it or not.”

“But—”

“No more arguments, Blakely,” he cut me off, his tone leaving no room for debate. “I’m not taking any chances with you.”

I swallowed hard. Somehow this might even be worse. Now, I’d have to look at him and where was he going to sleep? Was he going to sleep?

He moved closer again, his eyes dark and unreadable. “This isn’t a game, Blakely,” he said, his voice dropping . “You have no idea what’s going to happen next.”

“Maybe not,” I whispered, my heart pounding so loud I was sure he could hear it. “But I’m not just going to sit here and wait for something to happen to me.”

He stared at me for a moment longer, and for a second, I thought he might kiss me. He was so close. Somehow he’d managed to be almost leering over me without me noticing. I could see him, like really see him. The way his half exposed chest moved with each breath and the way his hair, even pulled back still fell forward when he was over me like this.

He pulled back, the tether between us humming with energy.

“You’re safe for now,” he said, his tone guarded yet almost… gentle.

That was what he didn’t see.

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Chapter Eight

The walk to the council chamber felt like it took forever, but also like a blur. My heart pounded in my chest, a steady drumbeat of fear that I was doing my best to ignore. I wouldn’t let him or anyone else see how terrified I was. If I had to face whatever happened next.

The Jinn walked beside me, silent and stoic as ever. I wondered if he cared about what happened to me. I mean he seemed to care enough to treat me well, but did he care if I died today?

As we approached the massive doors of the council chamber, my breath caught in my throat. This was it. Whatever was going to happen, it was happening now. The doors swung open, and we stepped inside.

The chamber was imposing, with high ceilings draped in shadows and a long table where the council members sat, their faces half-hidden in the dim light. At the head of the table sat a dark haired man that looked a lot like the Jinn that brought me here, his gaze sharp as he watched us approach. I forced myself to keep my steps steady, refusing to let them see how scared I really was.

“Maymun,” Nassir greeted his brother, though his eyes flicked to me with a cold curiosity. “And the witch.”

Finally, a name. I bristled at the way he said it, like I was some kind of pest. Maymun gave a nod, and we stopped in front of what I assumed was the council.

“I have brought the last of the Mallry line, as was required, Nassir,” Maymun said, his voice steady.

The council members glanced at each other, their whispers a low murmur of disapproval. My stomach twisted. I couldn’t catch all of what they were saying, but the words “death” and “punishment” were clear enough.

Nassir held up a hand, silencing the room. “The original oath was broken, and the punishment for such a crime is clear.”

I swallowed hard. They were going to kill me. I knew it was a possibility, but hearing it spoken out loud made me loss my thoughts. All I could think about was how it was going to end here. My barely started life was just going to end.

“But,” Nassir continued, leaning back in his chair, “there is another option.”

The room went silent. Even Maymun stiffened beside me, his eyes narrowing as he watched him.

“We could restore the oath,” Nassir suggested, his gaze flicking to Maymun before settling back on me. “By marrying her into the family. The original contract would be fulfilled, and the Bond of the Coven to us.”

I felt the blood drain from my face. Marry him? Was he serious?

Maymun’s reaction was immediate and visceral. “No,” he said sharply, stepping forward. “That wasn’t part of the agreement.”

Nassir’s eyes gleamed with something that looked like amusement. “You would prefer to see her dead, then, brother?”

Wait, brother?

Maymun’s jaw clenched, and I could see the struggle playing behind his eyes. He didn’t want this, but he also didn’t want me dead.

“The council will decide,” Nassir said, addressing the other members. “Death or marriage.”

The council members murmured among themselves, their expressions ranging from grim to contemplative. Finally, one of the elder members spoke up. “There is wisdom in completing the oath. It would strengthen the bond if there is a war.”

Another member nodded in agreement. “The marriage would satisfy the terms of the original contract.”

A third member, however, was less convinced. “But can we trust her? She is still a witch, after all.”

Before the debate could continue, Nassir turned his attention back to Maymun. “You seem to have strong feelings on this, brother. Tell us,would you take the throne, or the witch?” He gave him a sly smile. “You can’t have both since you were gone for so long. We need strength and you clearly are lacking.”

The room fell silent, the tension thick as everyone waited for Maymun’s response. He didn’t look at me, didn’t even flinch.

Finally, he spoke, his voice controlled. “The witch, then.”

My heart stopped. Why would he choose me? He barely knew me.

Nassir’s smile was slow and calculating. “Then it’s settled. You will marry her, and the oath will be fulfilled.”

I couldn’t hold back any longer. “What? No,” I exclaimed, stepping forward, though the tether between us kept me from going far. “You can’t just decide that for me.”

Nassir’s gaze flicked to me, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “You don’t have much of a choice, witch.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but Maymun’s hand on my arm stopped me. He didn’t say anything, just gave me a look that said it all. This was the only way. Delete

On the way back to the room, I seethed in silence. There was no way I wanted to marry this man. I didn’t know anything about him. I had a life.

“You can’t expect me to just go along with this,” I snapped, turning to face him. “I don’t want to be married to someone I don’t even know.”

He stayed silent and my anger threatened to take over.

“Why?” I blurted out, glaring at him. “Why do you even care if I live or die? Why would you choose to marry me instead of taking the throne? I don’t understand any of this.”

His expression tightened, but he didn’t answer right away. The silence stretched, like a wire pulled taut and ready to snap. Finally, he turned toward me, his jaw clenched, his eyes dark with something I couldn’t quite place.

“You wouldn’t understand,” he said, his voice low and simmering with frustration.

I threw my hands up. “Then explain it to me. Why are you doing this? Why would you give up everything for someone like me?”

He took a step closer, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of something raw behind his carefully controlled exterior. “Do you think this is what I wanted?” he snapped, his eyes flashing. “You’re insufferable. You challenge everything, fight me at every turn, and you have no idea how much you make me—”

He stopped abruptly, his words hanging in the air, but I wasn’t letting it go. “Make you what?” I demanded. “Tell me!”

His fists clenched at his sides, his body tense as if he were holding himself back. “You make me want things I shouldn’t,” he growled, his voice barely controlled. “I chose this to keep you alive, to keep it political, but you—” He stepped closer, his presence towering over me. “You’ve pushed me to the edge.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but I didn’t know how to handle it. “So that’s it?” I said, my voice shaking slightly. “You’re doing this for… what? To save me? Because you think you have to?”

He let out a bitter laugh, and for the first time, the calm mask he always wore cracked. “You really don’t see it, do you?” He shook his head, stepping even closer until he was right in front of me, his eyes burning into mine. “This isn’t just about saving you. It’s about you. You, Blakely.”

The way he said my name with something more behind it. Something hungry and barely in control.

“You’re driving me insane,” he muttered, his voice rough and low. “You don’t understand how much I want you.”

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my head straight, but the way he looked at me, the way he was leaning in, made it impossible to think clearly. “Then why don’t you just let me go?” I shot back, though my voice was weaker than I wanted it to be. “If I’m so insufferable, why keep me here?”

His eyes narrowed, a dangerous smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Because I can’t let you go,” he said softly. “I don’t want to.”

Before I could respond, he moved, his hand cupping the side of my face, his thumb brushing lightly against my skin. The touch sent a jolt of energy through me, and my breath hitched. “Maymun…”

His name barely left my lips before he closed the distance between us, his mouth crashing into mine in a kiss that was as fierce as it was unexpected. Heat flooded through me, my mind going blank as I instinctively responded, kissing him back despite every rational thought screaming at me to stop.

But I didn’t stop. I couldn’t.

“You have no idea how dangerous this is,” he whispered, his voice rough and unsteady.

I swallowed, my heart still racing. “Then why…?”

“Because I can’t stop,” he murmured, his lips brushing against mine again, softer this time, as if he were trying to hold back but couldn’t. “And I don’t want to.”

“Then don’t,” I said without thinking.

Redacted

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Chapter Nine

I woke up slowly, forgetting where I was for a moment. The softness of the bed beneath me, the warmth of the blanket draped over my body, and the steady rise and fall of breath next to me. For a moment, I didn’t move.

I could feel him there, next to me, the solid weight of his presence undeniable even before I fully registered where I was. My eyes fluttered open, and I turned my head slightly, just enough to see Maymun lying beside me, his face relaxed in sleep.

My heart twisted with emotions. I shifted slightly, careful not to wake him, and stared at the gold bracelet on my wrist. The intricate symbols glinted faintly in the dim light filtering through the curtains, a constant reminder of the tether that bound us together.

I didn’t know. Everything had happened so fast. One moment, we were arguing, and the next… I couldn’t deny the connection between us, the pull that seemed to draw us together even when we fought it. But was this right?

My fingers brushed over the bracelet, feeling the subtle hum of magic that seemed to pulse within it. The tether was still there, still binding me to him in ways I didn’t fully understand. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was always meant to happen, if I was always meant to be here, beside him.

But how?

I sighed softly, careful not to disturb the stillness of the room. Was this the life I wanted? Was this what I was willing to accept? The thought of being bound to him, of living in this world of magic and danger, was daunting, but it was also strangely… right. As if, on some level, I knew this was where I was supposed to be, even if I didn’t fully understand it.

Maybe that was it. Maybe this was my life now, and I had to stop fighting it. I had to find a way to embrace it, to make peace with the fact that nothing would ever be the same.

“You’re awake,” he said softly, his voice still rough from sleep.

“Yeah,” I replied. “I couldn’t sleep.”

He nodded, as if he understood exactly why. “Last night…” he started, but then hesitated.

“You mean when you practically ripped my clothes off,” I teased.

He sighed, his gaze softening slightly as he reached out, his fingers brushing a stray lock of hair from my face. “I can’t say I planned for this to happen,” he admitted, his voice low. “But I don’t regret it.”

“Why?” I asked, my voice small. “Why did you choose this? Why me?”

He was silent for a moment, his expression thoughtful, almost guarded. “There’s something you need to know about your ancestor, Patricia.”

“What about her?”

“She was supposed to marry me,” he said, his gaze steady on mine. “We had an oath, a binding contract that would have united our families and our magic. But instead of fulfilling her promise, she betrayed me.”

“I mean I put some of that together on my own. The fact they wanted us to get married just seemed too out of place,” I said. I hadn’t thought about it much, but there wasn’t any other reason besides inflicting pain Nessir would want that.

He looked away, his jaw tightening as if the memory still pained him. “She locked me in that lamp, trapping me for over a century. But that wasn’t the worst of it. She cut off the magick to the rest of her line, hoping that if she severed the connection, her descendants wouldn’t be bound to the Jinn like she was supposed to be.”

“So… that’s why I couldn’t feel the magick before?”

He nodded, his gaze returning to mine. “Yes. it was buried deep, inaccessible to you until we were bound together. Something in my magick woke yours. That’s why you’re starting to feel it now.”

I tried to process what he was telling me. “So, all of this… it’s because of her? Because she didn’t want to be bound to you?”

“Partially,” he said, his voice softening. “But it’s also because of the oath. The magick recognizes the bond, even if it was broken by her actions. That’s why it’s resurfacing now.”

I looked down at the bracelet on my wrist, the gold glinting in the dim light. “And now… we’re bound together?”

“Yes,” he said, his voice firm but gentle. “But that doesn’t mean you’re trapped, Blakely. You’re safe with me. I promise you that.”

“But what does that mean for us?” I asked. “What does this bond mean?”

He paused, considering his words carefully. “It means we’re connected.”

“Okay,” I said softly, meeting his gaze. “I’ll try to understand this. I’ll try to… accept it.”

A small smile touched his lips, and he nodded. “That’s all I can ask.”

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Chapter Ten

I stood in front of the ornate mirror, staring at the reflection that didn’t quite feel like mine. The dress I wore was a deep, rich red, embroidered with gold that shimmered in the light. It was beautiful, regal even.

Two attendants, women I didn’t know, moved around me, their hands deftly adjusting the dress and securing the intricate braids in my hair. They were efficient and silent, their faces expressionless as they worked. I tried to relax, to calm the fluttering in my stomach, but it was impossible. Today was the day. The day I would marry a man I barely knew, but who was now inextricably linked to me in ways I still didn’t fully understand.

Despite everything, Maymun was good to me. He reassured me, told me everything was going as it should be. But that didn’t stop the anxiety gnawing at me, the fear I was walking into something I couldn’t control.

The silence between the attendants and me stretched on, becoming almost oppressive, so I broke it with the first question that came to mind. “What’s it like living here?” I asked, my voice sounding too loud in the quiet room.

One of the attendants, a petite woman with dark, serious eyes, glanced at me in the mirror and offered a small smile. “It’s… good,” she said carefully. “Life here is peaceful, and most of us are happy.”

“Most of you?” I pressed, sensing there was more she wasn’t saying.

The other attendant, a tall woman with sharp features, exchanged a glance with her companion before answering. “We have a good life,” she said, her tone measured. “As long as we follow the rules, everything runs smoothly.”

“Rules?” I echoed, feeling a knot of unease tighten in my chest. “What happens if you don’t follow the rules?”

They both hesitated, and I could feel the tension. Finally, the taller one spoke, her voice low. “Nassir… he doesn’t tolerate disobedience. Those who break the rules are dealt with harshly.”

I swallowed, the unease growing. “But you’re happy?” I asked, needing to understand. If this was going to be my home, I needed to know I’d be safe. Or at least happy. “Even though you’re afraid of him?”

The petite woman nodded slowly. “Fear keeps things in order. It’s how Nassir maintains control. But we’ve learned to live with it. As long as we comply, there’s no reason to worry.”

I frowned, the words not sitting right with me. “What about Maymun?” I asked, glancing at them both. “Why doesn’t he take the throne back? Isn’t it rightfully his?”

They exchanged another look, this one more cautious. “He can’t,” the taller one said quietly. “Not unless something happens to Nassir.”

“Something happens?” I repeated.

The petite woman leaned in slightly, her voice a whisper. “Nassir is the ruler now, and he’s not going to give up his power easily. The only way Maymun could take the throne is if Nassir were to… disappear.”

That said it all. Maymun gave up the one chance he had at getting the throne back for me. He didn’t even hesitate. Now the only way he’d ever see it is if Nassir died and that was unlikely to happen. The Jinn seemed to live extraordinarily long lives.

The attendants returned to their work, the conversation dying as quickly as it started. But the thoughts they stirred in me wouldn’t settle. How could I be stepping into this world, this life, without truly understanding the dangers surrounding me?

When they finished, the attendants stepped back, giving me a moment to take in the final look. I barely recognized the woman in the mirror. She looked strong, confident, everything I didn’t feel inside.

“You look beautiful,” the petite woman said softly, her earlier seriousness replaced by a gentle smile.

“Thank you,” I murmured, still trying to process everything I’d just learned.

As they left the room, leaving me alone to gather my thoughts before the ceremony, I stared at my reflection, trying to find the courage I’d need to get through this day. Maymun promised to protect me, to help me navigate this strange new world. But the more I learned, the more I realized how precarious my situation really was.

I touched the bracelet on my wrist, feeling the hum of magic that connected me to him. This was my life now, and I had to find a way to live it, to be okay with it. But how could I, knowing that so much was at stake? This wasn’t just about me. This was about an entire group of people who’s lives were controlled by them.

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Chapter Eleven

Walking down the hallway towards my new life was weird. The corridor was dimly lit, the soft glow of lanterns casting long shadows on the walls. My heart pounded in my chest, a steady rhythm that echoed with every step.

As I approached the grand doors of the ballroom, I paused, taking a deep breath to steady myself. The attendants told me this was where it would all happen, but it didn’t mean I had any idea where here was.

The doors opened slowly, and my breath caught as I stepped inside. The ballroom was magnificent, draped in rich fabrics of red and gold, with ornate chandeliers casting a warm, glowing light over everything. The space was filled with people, all dressed in finery that matched the grandeur of the room. But my eyes were drawn immediately to Maymun, standing near the altar at the far end of the room.

He turned as I entered, his gaze locking onto mine. For a moment, the noise of the room faded away, and it was just the two of us, standing on opposite ends of a path we were about to walk together. He walked towards me, and I felt instantly more at ease.

When he reached me, he didn’t speak right away. Instead, he took my hands in his, his grip firm but gentle, like he was holding something fragile. “Blakely,” he said softly, “Are you sure about this?”

I blinked, “I… I didn’t think I had a choice.” Confusion laced my words.

His gaze softened, and he shook his head slightly. “There’s always a choice. If you want something else, something different, I’ll find a way to give it to you. Even if it means I won’t live to be there with you.”

“No,” I whispered, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. “I’m okay with this. I’m okay with… us.”

A small, hesitant smile tugged at his lips, but there was something behind it, something that made my chest tighten. “I’m in love with you, Maymun,” I said, the words coming out more easily than expected. “I didn’t think it would happen, but it did.”

His smile grew, but I could still see that shadow behind his happiness, a flicker of something I didn’t understand. “What is it?” I asked. “Why do you look like that?”

He hesitated, his thumb brushing gently over the back of my hand. “There’s something you need to know,” he said slowly. “Once we’re married, your power… it will belong to me.”

I stared at him, not fully comprehending. “What do you mean?”

“Our bond will be complete,” he explained, his voice gentle. “I’ll be able to control your magick, just as much as you can. It’ll be shared between us. Are you ready to let someone else have access to that?”

It wasn’t like I had much control over it anyway, but maybe letting someone else have some measure of control of it would be better. But that also meant I had to trust him completely. That was something I still wasn’t sure about.

“I don’t understand it well,” I admitted, my voice steady but soft. “ I trust you, Maymun.” It took so much for me to say that, but it was one of the truest statements I’d made in my life. I did trust him in a way I didn’t understand. Maybe it was the bond. Maybe it was the way he made me feel, but I trusted him.

For a moment, he just stared at me, his expression unreadable. Then he pulled me into a gentle embrace, his arms wrapping around me as if he were afraid to let go. “Thank you,” he whispered against my hair, his voice thick with emotion.

He pulled back slightly, just enough to look into my eyes. “Are you ready?” he asked.

I nodded, giving him a small smile. “I’m ready.”

We were just a few steps away from the altar when I noticed Nassir, standing near it. I hoped he wasn’t the one doing the ceremony. That would just make it all kinds of weird.

As Maymun and I reached the altar, Nassir stepped forward, placing the lamp,the very thing that started all of this, on the altar with a deliberate motion. Confusion flickered across Maymun’s face, and he tightened his grip on my hand, his body going rigid beside me.

“What the hell are you doing, Nassir?” Maymun demanded.

Nassir didn’t immediately respond to his brother. Instead, he turned to face the gathered Jinn. “People of our clan,” he began, his tone calm, almost too calm, “I realize now I made a grave mistake in allowing this marriage to proceed as planned.”

A murmur rippled through the crowd, confusion and unease spreading like wildfire. My heart pounded in my chest as I glanced up at Maymun, who looked just as bewildered as I felt.

“What mistake?” Maymun snapped, his voice rising as he stepped forward, pulling me slightly behind him. “What are you talking about?”

Nassir’s lips curled into a cold, amused smile. “The mistake,” he said, turning back to us, “was allowing you, Maymun, to marry her. That privilege belongs to me, as the ruler of this clan. I will marry her and seal the bond.”

Wait, what?

“That’s not how this is going to go,” Maymun growled, his voice dangerous, his eyes narrowing with barely restrained fury.

But Nassir only seemed amused by his brother’s defiance. “You don’t get to choose, Maymun,” he said, his voice dripping with condescension. “This is my clan, and I’m in charge here.”

Before I could react, Nassir’s hand shot out, grabbing my arm. The sudden contact sent a shock of fear through me, and I instinctively tried to pull away, but he was too strong. With a wave of his hand, I felt the familiar tug of the tether shift, the magick binding me now linked to him instead of Maymun.

I was caught off guard by the sudden change. But something inside me, something raw and powerful, flared to life. Without thinking, I pushed back, my magick lashing out like a reflex.

Nassir staggered back, his grip on me loosening. The crowd gasped, the energy in the room crackling. My energy. My power. It was finally free. Finally there at my finger tips.

Nassir pulled at the tether and I staggered into his arms, but Maymun was right there trying to pull me from Nassir’s grip.

“This is my command and every member of this clan will listen,” he snapped. “Maymun is a trader to all of us. He will marry this witch and use her power against us.”

“And what will you do?” Maymun said, pulling me away from Nassir and pulling me behind him. “That power is not for any of us. It’s Blakely that has control of it and she’s the one who can decide how to use it.” He shook his head. “I won’t allow you to use her as some kind of power bank so you can cause more cruelty to our people.”

Nassir pushed Maymun back with a bolt of energy I’d never seen, but felt. It was familiar. It was mine and if he had access to that, then so did I.

I reached for it inside myself and felt it flare to life. Nassir must have felt it too, because before I could do anything, I was slammed against the altar.

My hand brushed the lamp. The same one that held Maymun for so long and I knew what I had to do. If my magick could imprison him, it could imprison Nassir.

I ran my thumb over the edge and felt that same prick as before when I release Maymun. When I changed my life completely and found something I wasn’t looking for. Mow it would save it.

The magick in the lamp flared to life and I aimed it at Nassir. The blue smoke wrapped around him, pulling him towards the lamp. He glanced at me before pulling on the tether.

“If I go, you go,” he said.

I completely forgot I was still connected to him and felt it pull at me, tugging me towards the lamp. Towards a prison with this Jinn who’d make sure I was tortured for every minute of it. Panic bubbled up. How could I be so stupid.

Maymun grabbed my hand and pulled me back before snapping his fingers and the tether released from Nassir, the bracelet falling to the floor.

I watched as the blue smoke pulled Nassir into the lamp and the lamp fell over.

It was over. He was locked away until a Mallry witch let him out and that was not going to happen. Like ever.

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Chapter Twelve

“No one will find the lamp here,” Maymun said.

“Even if they did, they’d have to have my blood to unlock it, right?” It was the way I’d understood everything, but there was still a part of me that knew the anger Nassir would have if he ever got free.

Maymun nodded. “You’re free now.”

I looked at him confused. “Free? Didn’t the council say I needed to marry into your line?” I raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly.

“I’m the King now. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,” he said.

I nodded again. “Well King, what is your command?”

“Command, huh?” He looked at me with that same hunger in his eyes. “If you’re looking for a command, then you’ll get it.”

Scene Redacted

To comply with ad restrictions, this spicy scene was removed. You can read it on my Patreon in the Spellcaster Tier.

Or you can buy it as a single ebook here

Or buy on Amazon at full price

Want to read ad free? You can do that inside the coven. Click here to join.