Golden Box Book Publishing One Picture: Thousands of Words | Page 45

Elvern royal! If enough time passed, they would never suspect foul
play; not being a real genie, I would not be bound as one, and-”
“You were never a Genie?” My prisoner blinked, understanding
slowly clearing the clouds from his eyes. Was that anger I finally
spied as he knelt before me like a slave?
“Of course not!” I made my voice hard and made myself laugh as
though bemused by his ailing intelligence, “And neither are you!
Still, your life is tied to the lamp just the same – and you, my love…
you will help me take back the territories your father stole from the
Humans; you will help bring your nation to its knees; and you will do
it with a smile if I order you to!”
“The lamp is verily a Grim Trap?” Up till then I don’t think
Ang’Liamnar had really believed my callous intentions; up till then I
think he’d still held out belief that I hadn’t intentionally gone out of
my way to rain misery down on his existence, but now he saw me for
what I really was; for what I really wanted.
My soul shrivelled when I witnessed his dark eyes narrow with the
pain of betrayal, then anger. Before long it would turn to hate. I
knew it.
My heart sundered into a thousand cold pieces. Suddenly he
looked just like his brother after all. He tried to move, I could feel
the ripple across the Weaves of magic that tied him to the lamp. I
couldn’t bear it.
“Rise.” I demanded and he flowed upright, the move elegant and
fluid but I spied danger in his abused aura.
Tilting my head to look him in the eye, ignoring the tears that
formed in my own, I said, “Your soldiers; your Hunters, are
following us. I want you to stop them. Now.”