CHAPTER SEVEN—SILENCE AND THRILLS

Darius al Hassarani stared at the lamp in his lap. The metal was cold. There were no stirrings that he could detect.

I do not understand this, he thought. I felt your presence just days ago. And now…

Now there was nothing.

“Speak to me!” he hissed. “I command you!”

Nothing.

With a heavy sigh, he got up from the cushioned bench. He was within one of his many vaults. This one was smaller than most, designed to hold very few items. He put the lamp back on the pedestal and opened the door into the drawing room.

The furnishings and wall designs were sumptuous, with intricately carved arches, bevels and points. The paintings on the walls were not only floral, but embossed into the stones.

Heavy curtains lined the openings. Even in a heavy rain, they kept out any water. On either side of his vault were two of his Scorpion Guards.

Darius had no fears that anyone—even that Shiro character and his Abassir ally—could climb up here. First they would have had to break the vault door, but not before defeating at least ten of his Scorpion Guards.

Men stood at station in each of the three entries and another five patrolled the corridors and terraces outside.

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And why would they even want to take the lamp back? Jessamine was not responding. She was useless.

Or dead.

No, he thought. No, this is not what I suspect, surely.

BuEven without responding, he knew that she was there.

And yet there was nothing now.

He left the vault and went to his personal dining room. The breakfast meal had been set out for him and light from a mirrored tunnel above put a bright spot on the middle of the table.

Today he had fresh milk, sweet pastries from the ovens, and fruit. He ate ravenously. Even somewhat distraught—privately distraught—at Jessamine’s lack of… presence, he still had the lamp in his possession.

She was there. Somewhere. He would continue to search for her.

Knowing something was wrong, he suspected she was far too deep within its recesses to allow him to sense her aura.

Either that, he thought, or she truly is dead…

But how could that be? He had sensed her presence, overwhelmingly so, not days before. What could have happened?

Without answers, he felt impatient and twitchy. But Shiro Takeda was his prisoner now. He was on his was to Kosskal where all of his secrets would be cut from him, piece by piece.

And the secrets of his friend as well.

For the most part, his fortunes had turned out well. But Darius should never have put Jessamine away in that dungeon.

It was to punish her then, but now I see my mistake.

The sultan was not the only man in the world in possession of a jinni. He would put out a quest for anyone containing knowledge on such matters and have them consult with him.

Now that he had finished his meal, it was time to check the daily war reports. His generals and advisors would be waiting for him.

It was a new day.

An exciting day.

Darius was looking forward to the progress he had been making in his war efforts. War itself was not amusing. But the consequences that would rain down upon himself and his empire should he fail…

Each day began with new thrills—something an adventurer’s life could never contend with in the slightest.