Fate's Pawn: Wishes Three

Chapter Two: Our Pursuer

Once I was more properly dressed we left and I admired my new clothing. It covered far greater areas of my skin than my previous wear and the boots I had picked out protected me from the hot sand beneath my feet. “Where are we going, Dagon?” The words still didn’t come easy to my lips, but I would try for his sake.

“I wouldn’t imagine you’d notice, but we’ve had someone tailing us since we left the auction house. So first, we’re going to lose them in the market, after that we’ll decide what our safest actions shall be. Worry not, Acacia, I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise.”

Dagon’s dark blue eyes burned with an intensity that I didn’t know how to answer. Instead I just nodded at him and taking my hand in his he led me through and around stall after stall. I couldn’t imagine how I would have managed the trek in my earlier attire. Even as I was panting for breath he pulled us into a dark alleyway. “Are we-”

He silenced me with a finger pressed against my lips, and then pulling out a long blue silk he had acquired from our run he tied it around him like a cape before leaning in and pressing his forehead against mine. “Stay still,” he whispered against my lips. I tried to turn away but he held my head steady. His breath painted my lips and mine parted in response. So this was the kind of master he would be, I had met my fair share of this type already.

He put his arm above my head and leaned in until his lips were touching my ear now and I shivered. “Sto-” Again my words were taken from me by the soft caress of his thumb.

“A moment more,” he whispered as his eyes darted to the side. He relaxed and took a step away from me as he bowed. “I’m sorry, but a bit of a ruse was required. Our pursuer was far more determined than I believed they would be. Your admirer at the auction house truly did not appreciate being outbid by the likes of me.”

“Why would they come after me when they lost the bid? That doesn’t make sense.”

“The people that tried to outbid me are serious about catching you, Acacia. They’ll do whatever it takes to have you in their power. I’m just a pawn in their way.”

“If they’re so dangerous, why did you outbid them?”

He smirked. “I’ve already told you, I’m here to save you.”

I glanced away as my eyebrows drew in. I had thought he was a certain type of master but even that inclination was vanishing. “Save me from what? I’m a genie.”

“You’re more special than you realize. Everyone has the wrong idea about you, who you are and what you can truly do. I’m determined to prove them all wrong.” He held out his hand and smiled at me once more. “I think he went to go hunt in another area. We’re safe for now. Come, I’ll show you where I live.”

I looked at his hand for a long moment before I nodded and slipped mine into his. “Lead the way.”

He smiled at me in response and once more I was led through a maze of stalls and sellers hawking their wares. The smells were overwhelming me to the point I had to stop and catch my breath. “Give me a moment,” I whispered as I planted my hands on my knees and heaved.

“You’re not used to having to walk around, are you?” He questioned with a tilt of his head. “From how you were dressed, to how a little exertion is wearing you out. You’re not used to any of this are you?”

I shook my head as I sucked in oxygen. “No, but I’ve been imprisoned for a very long time. My lamp has been blocked from me for the entire time and without it I’m stuck in a physical body like this one.”

“Can you die in that body?” he asked as he frowned.

“No, I’m still immortal, just really uncomfortable.” I stood back up to my full height and stretched my arms up to the sky. “I think I’m okay now, sorry for making you wait.”

He pulled my lamp and the protective cube it was in out of his pocket. “I should be able to open this at home, but I would prefer if you kept the form you are in now with me. I like being able to talk to you, Acacia. I don’t think our conversations will have as much effect if you’re stuck in a lamp while we’re having them.”

I puffed my cheeks out as I frowned at hi. “If you want to order me to stay out, you can easily do that, Dagon. You’re my master, bound by the rules of the genie I have to do whatever you want, no matter how I feel about the situation.”

His eyes widened and he shook his head. “I’m sorry, that was selfish of me. I’ll open this when we get back and I want you to do whatever makes you comfortable, even if that means hiding away from me. I’ll never make you do anything that you don’t want to do, Acacia.”

I shifted as the anger drained out of me leaving a strange warmth in its wake. Masters didn’t use my name and hearing it oh so often was so strange to me that it was hard to focus on anything. Instead only two words were left for me to say. “Thank you.”

He smiled back at me. “We’re still a bit away, so the trek might be too much for you. We can stop at someplace for the night if you wish. I don’t want you in pain because you’re not used to walking around in a physical body.”

I stared at him for a long moment as I searched his face. This had to be a cruel dream. There was no way that a master was telling me that he was willing to wait longer for his wishes just for my comfort. That made no sense at all. It was time to test him, I had to know if he was trying to lead me into a trap or if he was being sincere. “Dagon, I would like to stop for the night. I’m not sure how much longer I can go on at this rate.”

“Very well.” Once more he smiled at me. His fists didn’t clench in anger, his muscles didn’t tense in annoyance. He didn’t even scowl at me over this. Instead he just nodded like it was the most sensible thing he had ever heard. “Can you walk to the nearest hotel, or would it be best if I carried you?”

For a moment I imagined what it would be like pressed against a human chest in that way and heat started to build in my cheeks. “No, I can manage for awhile longer. I just didn’t want to collapse on you before we got to your place.”

“We should hurry, I’m sure our pursuer will try to look for you again. We’re not too far from a hotel, a block at most.”

I nodded and hurried my pace as he continued to lead me. Everywhere that our skin touched was like touching the white hot scales of a dragon. The warmth threatened to consume me. My ankle slipped out from beneath me and I crashed to the ground. I was only there but a moment before Dagon gathered me up against him. The tang of a sweaty male hit my senses and my eyes widened. “I can walk,” I whispered. I couldn’t trust myself to speak louder at this point.

“I wouldn’t want you to be injured. You might have sprained your ankle. Your body can’t take much more. We’ll likely have to share a room, I’ve spent the majority of my funds already. I’m sorry for that.”

Up to this point my sleeping arrangements had been shoddy at best. There had been many a night where I had been left with a filthy pallet of straw. It didn’t matter if I rested or not to them, I was but a mere possession to be sold to the highest bidder and said bidder could determine what was best for me. Even the thought of sleeping on a floor truly sounded like heaven to me. “I can sleep on the floor, it will be a nice change.”

“You’re sleeping on the bed,” Dagon corrected as he paused in his trek and stared into my eyes. “I won’t hear anything else. You deserve comfort, Acacia. I truly can not tell you just how special you are.”

I couldn’t bear his scrutiny and turned my gaze away. Why was this human so intense? There wasn’t a hunger in his eyes, but something about him was unlike any other human I had experienced. I would have to be careful of this one. Why would a human insist on being so nice to me?

“We’re here.” The rumble of Dagon’s voice interrupted my thoughts and he set me down on the ground as I gazed up at the building that loomed in front of us. Considering his statement about not having too much funds, this place looked out of his range. Especially since the only people I saw exiting the place wore extravagant clothes and rich perfumes clung to their bodies.

“Here?”

“Yes, here.” Dagon smiled at me and held out his arm. I glanced at how those that entered or exited the place appeared to be couples so I linked my arm into his and we entered the building. Dagon led me to a huge fountain in the middle of the room and smiled. “You can sit here while I talk to the manager. I know you can’t go too far away from me, and you’ll be within eye-sight so I’m not worried about our hunter catching us just yet.”

I watched as he retreated a few feet away from me and talked to what I assumed was the owner. Masters didn’t tend to leave me to my own devices. I turned away from him and studied the water that bubbled out of the fountain. I trailed my fingers through the water that sprayed and shivered at the icy cold that immersed their tips. A flash of orange caught my attention and I watched a a tiny fish swim up to me. I pulled away and stared at it. How could something like that live in such a cold fountain? It didn’t make sense.

“We have a room now.” Dagon noticed my attention and chuckled. “Here.” He took my hand and pushed it closer to the fish. I started to object but my hand was pushed beneath the surface of the warm water. “Where the fish is, is warm.” He chuckled as the animal swam up to me and tried to nibble on my fingers. I giggled at the ticklish sensation.

“You were able to get a room here?” I tore my eyes off the fish and back to my master.

“I was fortunate enough that the owner took pity on me. We can rest for the night here without any worries. If anyone else comes searching for us, we will be informed of it, a modest dinner will be delivered to our door, and we can leave at first light in the morning to get back to my place. We can truly rest.”

“I don’t really eat human food.” The words were a mumble as I stared at him. This was not a cheap hovel of a place to stay and yet he had enough money for such accommodations? Either he was lying about his funds or there was something else going on with this master of mine. I normally didn’t care what my masters did or wanted, but this time I was going to solve this enigma of a master and his mysterious ways.