The Binding Stone (The Djinn Series) (3 page)

In
fact, I followed Taj through the veil the first time, mimicking his behavior. I
was unprepared for the reality, despite his stories. I find myself overwhelmed
by the stimulation this world provides. Such decadence. Such intensity compared
to the world from which I come, where most human senses do not exist.

On
the other side, we do not have a physical form. Our essence exists in the
nothing of space, intermingling with each other, communicating through thought
alone. It surprises me that here, where everything is so vivid, so vibrant,
that we are unable to share our thoughts in the same way. Instead, Taj tells us,
physical contact elicits other reactions, ones “surprising but undeniably
pleasant.” Ones I have been dying to try out on my shepherd boy, Achan.

It
did not take me long to find Achan once I made the transition. The moment I saw
him, all interest in Taj’s pursuits ceased. Something about this boy – the way
his body moved beneath his robes, the way he stood so straight and sure, the
way his hair as dark as human night fell around his face – stole the breath
from my chest. Truly, I could observe him to the end of time.

Since
that moment, I’ve taken the form of a human girl. Much like the girl who
captured then destroyed his heart. Only better.

 The
way he speaks to his sheep is fascinating. He thinks they do not listen. Do not
hear. But I do. I know him. And if I were human, I would love him.

Today
is the day. I could wait forever, hidden. But I have seen the way the others
watch him near the well. The way the girls’ breaths speed up, their eyes drink
him in. He is bound to notice these others eventually. Bound to seek the many
pleasures available to him.

I
feel no guilt as I step out from behind the rock. Others have masqueraded in
human form; Taj and Rhada do it all the time. These humans cannot tell. Cannot
truly see. And I understand the draw. The impossible pleasure this new body is
capable of experiencing. The colors, the feel of the soft silk against my skin,
the sound of the sheep or the birds in the sky, the taste of the desert sand.
Most of all, Achan’s scent on the breeze.

“Welcome,”
he addresses me with ease, though I know he cannot understand from where I
come.

“Greetings,”
I say, enjoying the sound of my own voice. I want nothing more than to touch
him, but I have watched long enough to know that is not how they behave.

“Are
you lost?”

“In
a manner of speaking. I am a traveler. My name is Leela.” I heard the name in
one of Taj’s tales. I liked it. It felt right.

“I
am Achan, and I am at your service.”

And
it is at this moment that I vow he will be mine.

Test Flight

“
o
one else need ever know of my existence,” I say, wrapping my arms around Jered
from behind. Again, he stiffens beneath my touch. Interesting. Perhaps he would
prefer Gabe...

“I
may not tell my mom everything,” he says. “But I can’t keep something this big
from her.” I resist the urge to choke him. I would only end up hurting myself
if I tried.

“Jered,”
I say, moving around to look him in the eye. I am taking a chance by stepping
out of line. But, if he is as naïve as I suspect, it is a chance worth taking.
“I am sure you are wise beyond your years, but I have had centuries of
experience with humans. You have already put yourself at risk with the boy–”

“I have a name, you know,” Gabe says.

“Your
name is of no consequence.” I focus on my new master. “Power is a temptation
stronger than you can imagine.” I do not add what I am afraid of. I will not
say any more unless I am asked. But if Jered has magic, he inherited it from
another Magician.

Jered
lifts his hand as though he wishes to take my own, but hesitates with it
hanging in the air. His hands are large and lithe, and I wish he would not have
stopped. I would enjoy seeing what they feel like.

“I
understand your concern, Leela. I’m sure you know a lot more than me, but you
don’t know my mom or my friends.”

I
bite down on my lip to prevent myself from going too far. Memories of my last
master are still fresh in my mind.

“Jered,
you have a GENIE. Stop talking about your mom, and do something cool.” We both
look to Gabe. The glint in his eye is hard to miss. I would recognize that
anywhere.

“What
are you thinking?” Jered asks, suspicion clouding his words.

“Let’s
take her for a test flight.” Gabe rubs his palms together so vigorously I fear
they will start a fire.

“What
is your desire, Jered?” I ask. The feeling of his name on my tongue is foreign.
It tastes like freedom, and I do not want it to. It is an illusion, which cuts
too deep.

“Well...um...”

“Wish
for a car. A Maserati,” Gabe interjects.

“My
mom–”

Gabe
grabs Jered by the shoulders and shakes him. I do not hesitate. My finger
flicks forward, and Gabe is thrown across the room. He
hits the wall and sinks to the floor in a heap.

“Gabe!”
Jered runs to him. He helps Gabe up, and I cannot hold back the laugh I feel
when I see the smoke curling in wisps from his shaggy dark hair.

“Leela,
do not hurt Gabe! Don’t hurt anyone. Ever. Okay?”

Uh-oh.
“Jered, you may want to rescind that last command,” I say.

“No.
If you are going to be my Djinni then you need to follow my rules, right?”

“Very
well,” I say, prostrating myself on the floor so he cannot see my face. Anger
pours through my body, and I fight the tears that have not threatened me for
hundreds of years. He has no idea what he just did, but one little mistake...

“Leela,
don’t bow, okay? It feels weird. Just, I mean, I want you to be yourself around
me. Gabe, are you okay?”

“That
was fucking awesome! I’m with her. What if you need her to, I don’t know, take
out some car-jacker or something some day?”

I
do not know what a car-jacker is, but for the first time Gabe makes sense. I
wait for Jered’s response.

“If
that happens, I can still tell Leela to transport them to jail or something.
Right, Leela?”

“Whatever
you say.”

“See?
There’s always another choice,” he says with a smile that would bring the queen
of Persia to her knees. He is so unaware of his own powers. Magic and
otherwise. “Now, for that test flight.”

“Now
you’re talkin’,” Gabe says. He actually licks his lips.

“This
is hard. I have to think it through. I mean this is real magic, and this whole
planet needs a lot of work.” Jered paces, Gabe’s eyes sliding side to side as
he watches. “The problems in this country alone: kids going hungry, no
healthcare for people who need it, animals going extinct. And what about other
countries like North Korea? And the whole Middle East situation?”

“Come
on,” Gabe says. His leg twitches like he wants to try choking Jered again. I
narrow my eyes.

“Okay,
here goes,” Jered says, clearing his throat in preparation. “World peace?”

“Jered,
I did mention that there are limitations to my power, did I not?” I ask.

“Oh,”
he sits on the bed, and his face falls. I am impressed, though. His first wish,
and it was for everyone else. Usually they start out meaning to get there, but
the more they wish for themselves, the more self-centered they become. I’ve
ruined many souls. They deserve no less for enslaving me. “What do you suggest,
Leela?”

“Surely
you have a whole list of things you want,” I say, not trying to hide my
disbelief. I tick them off on my fingers. “Usually they start with money,
clothes, home, pleasures of the body...”

“Oh
yeah, that’s what I’m talkin’ about,” Gabe says, rising and moving toward me.
The boy practically drools. I curl my lip in distaste. Jered throws out a hand
to stop him and stares him down. It is impressive, and I feel a strange flutter
in my stomach.

“Your
friend seems to wish to fly. Perhaps that would suit you?” I ask, attempting to
focus.

“Fly?”
they both ask in unison.

“If
you desire it, Jered,” I say, stepping close enough to let my body brush his.

“Won’t
people kind of notice that? You said I should keep a low profile.” His
voice lowers, and the sound reverberates through my body.

“Not
if we are invisible.” I wait for the command, and he nods his head. I flip my palms
upward, and we rise toward the ceiling, slowly at first, then faster. I smile
at the sound of Gabe’s scream as we pass through the roof and into the sky.

New Skin

oth
boys whoop and holler as we tumble through the air. I spin into the wind,
relishing the tingling sensation as it washes over me. When I open my eyes, I
see Jered watching me. His stare is so intense, I almost believe he has
forgotten where we are. I reach for his hand and pull him toward the nearest
gabled rooftop, where we land with a gentle thump. Above us, Gabe chases birds.

“He’ll
be busy for a while,” Jered says.

“No
doubt.” I wrap my arms around myself, throw my head back, and inhale deeply.

“You
must be cold,” he says, glancing at my outfit.

“Actually,
I’m never cold. But if you like, I can change. I picked this because it
appeared to be your preference.”

“What?
No! I mean, yes, you look amazing, but no.” He stops and clears his throat.
“You saw the posters on my walls. Those have been there since I was like thirteen.”

“How
old are you?” Normally, I would fear asking anything of my master. But somehow,
with Jered, it feels different. Perhaps it is the way he examines his hands,
but glances up at me as though hoping I’ll say something else.

“I
just turned seventeen.” I hear the undercurrent in his voice. The uncertainty.

“The
first human I ever met was sixteen. He was perhaps one of the most powerful
Magicians I have ever encountered and no less of a man because he was young.” I
do not elaborate.