pivoted to meet his gaze.
“Thank you. Through all of this you’ve been there for me. You’ve always been a good friend.”
The elf’s cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink. “It’s my pleasure to help you.”
Her aquamarine eyes shone in the candlelight illuminating the room. “I can see you care a great deal for her.”
He didn’t know how to respond, but Niri didn’t give him a chance, pivoting on her heel and disappearing into the kitchen. It was a statement he couldn’t deny, although he hadn’t allowed himself to think about how much he cared. He knew Lona was wrestling with her loss and her feelings towards the baby she’d never know. There was no mistaking the look of guilt and hopelessness in her eyes. Lona was spiralling because of circumstances beyond her control.
He knew the head space she was in all too well.
Before she’d drifted off to sleep, he’d recognised the coping mechanism slipping into place…emotional shutdown.
“Here’s your tea,” Niri said, interrupting his thoughts.
“Thanks.” He lifted the china cup to his lips and paused. “Nothing extra in here, right?”
Niri laughed and the girlish giggle made him grin.
“Nothing extra like…?”
“Say, a magic potion or something?”
Elves were known to use their magic without one’s knowledge if they thought it would help the person involved. The last thing he needed was elfin magic affecting his actions.
Niri’s blue-green eyes sparkled with merriment. “I wouldn’t do that to you, Rafi. That’s just a regular chamomile and honey brew. Now take a sip.”
He did as instructed as Niri watched. The strong brew was perfectly sweetened.
“Good, yes?”
“Ye—”
They both turned towards the sound of heavy knocking on Niri’s front door.
“Niri, it’s Vander and Thane.”
Niri went to the door, wrenching it open with a delighted chuckle as the two men stepped inside.
The three Djinns bowed their heads to one another in the customary brotherly greeting.
“I’m glad I made a full pot of tea. Can I get you two a cup?”
“I’ll take one,” Thane said, flashing a bright smile as he settled his huge body into one of Niri’s small chairs.
Niri tilted her head and turned in Vander’s direction.
“None for me.” Vander’s dark eyes connected with Rafi’s. “I’m glad you were there to help Lona.”
I know how you feel about her and we’re cool.
Rafi nodded, blinking in surprise as Vander’s voice faded from his mind. He’d forgotten to block his thoughts as the two genies had walked in, distracted by their arrival. He’d wondered how Vander would react to Lona being in his life right now, since the two of them had been in love a long time ago.
I want Lona to be as happy as I am, married to her soul mate with a child on the way.
Rafi lifted his hand as he put up a mental block to prevent Vander from learning about Lona’s miscarriage. “Get outta my head, man.”
Thane shook his head. “I thought you two had your own little conversation going on over there.”
Vander ignored his friend. “What are you blocking from me, Rafi?”
“It’s rude to get in my head without asking.” Rafi took another sip of his tea.
“That’s what my wife always says.”
“Yeah, how is Karis?”
“She wanted to come, but I convinced her to wait until Lona was stronger.”
“You got any cookies to go with this tea?” Thane asked as Niri handed him his cup.
He looked over at Rafi and Vander as Niri went into the kitchen again.
“What? I’m starving. We’ve been on the go ever since we brought back Rue’s raggedy ass from dimensions unknown.”
“Wait a minute…Rue’s here? ”
“Yeah, that’s why we’re here. The High Council had us bring him back to stand trial.”
Vander rubbed his bald head and Rafi’s eyes fell to his bare arm.
No genie bracelet. One of the perks of being a free Djinn.
No metal reminders of what you were around your wrist.
“Damn!” Rafi fought to keep his voice down. “Bringing him back here was a
“Thank you. Through all of this you’ve been there for me. You’ve always been a good friend.”
The elf’s cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink. “It’s my pleasure to help you.”
Her aquamarine eyes shone in the candlelight illuminating the room. “I can see you care a great deal for her.”
He didn’t know how to respond, but Niri didn’t give him a chance, pivoting on her heel and disappearing into the kitchen. It was a statement he couldn’t deny, although he hadn’t allowed himself to think about how much he cared. He knew Lona was wrestling with her loss and her feelings towards the baby she’d never know. There was no mistaking the look of guilt and hopelessness in her eyes. Lona was spiralling because of circumstances beyond her control.
He knew the head space she was in all too well.
Before she’d drifted off to sleep, he’d recognised the coping mechanism slipping into place…emotional shutdown.
“Here’s your tea,” Niri said, interrupting his thoughts.
“Thanks.” He lifted the china cup to his lips and paused. “Nothing extra in here, right?”
Niri laughed and the girlish giggle made him grin.
“Nothing extra like…?”
“Say, a magic potion or something?”
Elves were known to use their magic without one’s knowledge if they thought it would help the person involved. The last thing he needed was elfin magic affecting his actions.
Niri’s blue-green eyes sparkled with merriment. “I wouldn’t do that to you, Rafi. That’s just a regular chamomile and honey brew. Now take a sip.”
He did as instructed as Niri watched. The strong brew was perfectly sweetened.
“Good, yes?”
“Ye—”
They both turned towards the sound of heavy knocking on Niri’s front door.
“Niri, it’s Vander and Thane.”
Niri went to the door, wrenching it open with a delighted chuckle as the two men stepped inside.
The three Djinns bowed their heads to one another in the customary brotherly greeting.
“I’m glad I made a full pot of tea. Can I get you two a cup?”
“I’ll take one,” Thane said, flashing a bright smile as he settled his huge body into one of Niri’s small chairs.
Niri tilted her head and turned in Vander’s direction.
“None for me.” Vander’s dark eyes connected with Rafi’s. “I’m glad you were there to help Lona.”
I know how you feel about her and we’re cool.
Rafi nodded, blinking in surprise as Vander’s voice faded from his mind. He’d forgotten to block his thoughts as the two genies had walked in, distracted by their arrival. He’d wondered how Vander would react to Lona being in his life right now, since the two of them had been in love a long time ago.
I want Lona to be as happy as I am, married to her soul mate with a child on the way.
Rafi lifted his hand as he put up a mental block to prevent Vander from learning about Lona’s miscarriage. “Get outta my head, man.”
Thane shook his head. “I thought you two had your own little conversation going on over there.”
Vander ignored his friend. “What are you blocking from me, Rafi?”
“It’s rude to get in my head without asking.” Rafi took another sip of his tea.
“That’s what my wife always says.”
“Yeah, how is Karis?”
“She wanted to come, but I convinced her to wait until Lona was stronger.”
“You got any cookies to go with this tea?” Thane asked as Niri handed him his cup.
He looked over at Rafi and Vander as Niri went into the kitchen again.
“What? I’m starving. We’ve been on the go ever since we brought back Rue’s raggedy ass from dimensions unknown.”
“Wait a minute…Rue’s here? ”
“Yeah, that’s why we’re here. The High Council had us bring him back to stand trial.”
Vander rubbed his bald head and Rafi’s eyes fell to his bare arm.
No genie bracelet. One of the perks of being a free Djinn.
No metal reminders of what you were around your wrist.
“Damn!” Rafi fought to keep his voice down. “Bringing him back here was a
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