The Binding Stone (The Djinn Series) (8 page)

Exponential

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me. I am speechless. 

“No
can do,” Taj says, and my hopes shatter. He claps once, and Jered winces. “Now
that you said that out loud, Einstein, I had to take away those words. I have
to persuade you otherwise. Get it?”

“What
do you mean you took away ‘those words’?” Jered asks.

“I
just put a spell on you. You won’t be able to free Leela. Not for the next
couple of days anyhow. We should have this all straightened out by then.” Taj’s
grin is as wicked and wonderful as I remember.

“You’re
fr...fr...” Jered stammers, face burning red with the effort. “I really can’t
say it? I should have just done it.”

I
do believe I see tears behind his eyes. Fascinating. I’ve only ever seen eyes
like those cry once before. But the situation was so different. The sudden
realization hits me head on, and I sit heavily on the floor at his feet. “I’m
so sorry, Leela.”

“Sorry?”
I whisper. “For me?”

“You
know,” Taj says, “if I want to see all this melodrama I can just turn on my
Mexican soap operas. Don’t look so glum, kid. You’re seriously making me
dislike this job. I should’ve just done it. Only, after I saw you, Lee, I had
to talk to you first.”

“How
did this happen?” I ask. “Who is this woman?”

“She’s
no innocent like Jerry here; I’ll tell you that much.”

“But
how does she know?” I ask, digging my nails into the carpet.

“The
knowledge was passed down to her along with her Djinni,” Taj says, his green
eyes boring through me. It’s like he’s trying to tell me something.

“You
mean you?” Jered asks, trying to keep up.

“No.
I don’t usually talk about myself in third person, kid. I was a recent
addition.”

“What?”
I stand now, power crackling at my fingertips. “Then she already has–”

“She’s
looking for lucky number three. That would be you, Lee.”

“You
mean she’s collecting Djinn?” Jered asks, looking between the two of us. “What
for? Any normal person would be more than happy with one.”

“She’s
not normal. Haven’t you been listening? Good thing you’re good looking.” Taj
shakes his head and tosses his apple core into the air, where it vanishes.

“Djinn
powers are exponential,” I say. “A human Magician’s power is limited. Mine is
far stronger, but still restricted. I cannot reverse time, for example. Slow it
down if I know what’s coming, yes, but what’s done is done.”

“Put
two of us together, and you have some serious energy,” Taj says, waggling his
eyebrows.

“Three
with no one standing in the way, and we could control the natural order of the
world,” I say.

“We’re
talking natural disasters of biblical proportions. Enslavement of millions.
Etcetera, etcetera.” Taj puts an arm around Jered’s shoulder.

“And
no one’s ever done this before?” Jered asks.

“No,”
I say. “There are very few of us, spread all over the world. Humans were not
supposed to even know of the possibility.” I meet Taj’s eyes and know we are
both remembering the moment it was decided.

“It’s
an epic story, kid,” Taj says. “Someday maybe I’ll tell you, but for now, we
need to put our heads together and come up with a way around the command. I’m
notoriously slippery, but I can only hold her off for so long before she
adjusts her command.”

“But
if you really don’t want to follow a command – I mean, even slaves can rebel,
right?” Jered asks.

“It’s
magic. We have no choice. Remember the parmesan?” I ask.

“Show
him,” Taj says. I grimace but understand the importance of Jered’s clarity on
the subject and nod. “Tell her to hurt herself.”

“No.
I couldn’t. I–”

“Give
her a command you know she would never follow of her own volition,” Taj says.

“I
won’t make her hurt herself!” Jered leaps to his feet. Taj’s eyes flash in
response to his sudden temper, and I know my Master is treading a very fine
line.

I
snap my fingers so that Gabe appears in the room, wearing striped pajamas.
“Tell me to do something nice to Gabe, then,” I say.

Jered
swallows, taking in his best friend’s confused expression.

“What
the...where the...how the?” Gabe stammers.

“Fine
then, Leela, kiss Gabe.” Before Gabe can register his words, I press my mouth
to his. He tastes like toothpaste. I nearly gag. Gabe, on the other hand,
responds enthusiastically, pressing his lips against mine and reaching around
me with his arms. I feel his tongue worm inside my mouth.

“Enough!”
Jered shouts.

I
push Gabe away and wipe my mouth on my arm.

“Whoa,”
says Gabe, stumbling back slightly. When he realizes he has an audience, he
fumbles for Jered’s desk chair, arranging it in front of him, a deep shade of
garnet coloring his face and neck. “What the fuck? Don’t tease me like that.
And who’s the Antonio Banderas wannabe?”

“Is
that your boyfriend?” Taj asks Jered. “Because if he is, I am so disappointed.”
He is back to his calm demeanor, but I know how tenuous this situation really
is.

“I
think I’ve been humiliated enough for one night,” Gabe says.

“The
point is that I cannot disobey a command,” Taj says. “So unless you want to
die, I suggest you help us figure this out.”

The Beginning

“
chan,
where have you been?” I ask. I have given him his privacy today because he has
asked it. I have spent my time preparing a meal I know he will enjoy, forgoing
my magic and using my human hands instead. I worry it will be difficult for
him, coming back full circle to the town we started from.

When
I see his handsome face, I find something new there. Or perhaps it is the way
he walks, with more confidence.

“The
people in this village have made a very important discovery, and I have
convinced them to make me a part of their Council.”

I
nearly drop the basket of dates I am holding. “Achan! That is wonderful.”
Perhaps now he will be at peace, and we can live happy and free.

“What
was their discovery?” I ask.

“They’ve
found a way to make mud into gold. A way to never go hungry. They’ve found a
way to use real magic.”

“Magic?”
I repeat.

“Indeed.”

“What
a lucky discovery that is.” My stomach clenches at the thought. I could have
done that for them. But I am not interested in solving all the world’s
problems. Just Achan’s.

“You
are my lucky charm,” he says, with a blinding smile.

“I
was not even near you today,” I say, feeding him a date.

“You
didn’t have to be with me. You’ve changed me just by being near. Others see
the change too.”

“Like
the Council?”

“Yes.
They believe I am one to wield the new power. But I will need your help,
Leela.”

“Me?”

“Without
you, I am nothing.”

“You
could never be nothing,” I say, delighted. He scoops me into his arms and
covers my face and neck in kisses. “Achan, the food!”

“Let
it burn,” he says, laying me down on the ground and running his hands over my
body. I could not agree more, and I tell him so with my own caress. Yes. I
believe this change is good.

 Now
he will be content.

Small World

cannot believe they think Gabe’s crazy plan will work. Why did I have to bring
him into this, anyway? I should have just let Jered tell me to cut off my arm or
something. It would have been less destructive.

“You
loved it,” Gabe says, sidling up next to me. I wish I’d never heard that
don’t
hurt anyone
command.

“Let’s
get on with this,” I say. Ignoring him is the best I can do. For now.

Jered
gives a solemn nod, ready to issue the command and set the plan in motion.
“Leela, go find another Magician nearby and bring that person here.”

Permission
to leave his side. Normally, I would be ecstatic, but now, I can’t help worrying about Jered alone with Taj and Gabe. Jered’s stubbornness nearly had him
killed once tonight; I can only imagine what clumsiness Gabe might unleash. Taj
is a loose cannon.