Lamps and Lies Page 7

  But I still don't really understand why I fit in here.

  "When is that girl you don't like coming to pick up the lamp?" the genie asks, clearly trying to change the subject.

  I grimace. "No idea. And even if she told me a time, I wouldn't believe her. I think she likes making people uncomfortable."

  He chuckles. "And does she know it's empty?"

  "I doubt it."

  "How do you know it is?" he asks, raising an eyebrow. "I doubt you tried it."

  "I didn't," I admit. "But when I picked it up, it felt different from how your ring did. I assumed there wasn't a genie."

  "Weren't you tempted to rub it and see?"

  I shrug. "What do I need three more wishes for? Even if I had, it would only be to ask the genie inside if he knew how to free you."

  "Oh."

  "But I was thinking about it, and then I realised I never actually asked you if you wanted to be free." I straighten out, feeling a little stronger now my mind is distracted from thoughts of Enver and what I've lost.

  "Hmm." The genie leans back against the wall. "I haven't thought about it in centuries," he admits.

  "Why not?"

  "Because I grew up and realised this was my lot in life. I'm a genie, and I can't escape it. There are too many fail-safes stopping us from being freed, and there's very little that can be done about it. I tried to find a way a few times when I was younger, but as you can see, they weren't successful."

  "I'm sorry."

  He waves my apology away. "It's fine. Like I said, I'm used to it. This is my life."

  "You're saying that too much," I counter. "So if you could be free, then you'd want to be?"

  He smiles sadly. "Who wouldn't want to be?" He sighs. "I know you want to free me, Aly, but you need to forget about it. Nothing you can do will achieve it. You should use your third wish for something you want."

  "And then all of this will disappear." Though I'm not sure that matters any longer. Perhaps heading back to the streets is exactly what I need to do. There, I can focus on what I have to do to survive and not on my breaking heart.

  "True. But riches don't make people happy."

  A soft snort escapes me. "You're not wrong. But you still haven't answered my question. Would you be free if you could be?"

  "Yes, I would," he says instantly. "I want to explore the world, and do all of the things anyone else can."

  "Then I'll find a way to make it happen," I promise.

  "No, Aly. You should stop trying and focus on yourself. You've already done so much for me."

  "I haven't done anything," I protest. "All I've done is make silly wishes."

  "And talked to me as if I'm a person of my own," he counters. "You've let me live a life. I know it isn't what you would consider one, but to me, the time with you has been a gift."

  I hate to see him as resigned as this. Especially when I don't feel like I've done anything for him at all. I should have tried harder to find a way to free him. It's selfish of me to have kept him working as a genie with no respite all this time. "But..."

  "No buts. I picked well with you."

  "You picked well?" My eyebrows knit together as I run through what he's just said and try to make sense of it.

  "Ah, you caught that."

  "It's fairly easy to when we're having a conversation," I mutter.

  The genie chuckles. "True. Yes. I chose you. In the market when you found the ring."

  I blink a few times, unable to reconcile the memory I have of the woman, and the genie in front of me.

  "What?"

  He raises an eyebrow and then transforms in front of me, turning into the same middle-aged woman I saw in the market.

  I gasp, not completely believing what I'm seeing, but also knowing for sure. There's no way I'd ever forget her face. She changed my life in so many ways.

  "That was you?"

  He nods.

  "Why?"

  "I needed a master, and why shouldn't I pick one myself."

  "I didn't realise you could do that." It seems so contrary to everything the genie says he is.

  "Until I tried, neither did I," he admits. "But I tried, and it worked. But only after I tested you."

  "With the money," I say. "If I'd stolen it, you wouldn't have accepted me as your master."

  "Exactly."

  "Thank you for giving me a chance," I whisper.

  "Thank you for letting me be someone," the genie responds. "And for wanting to free me."

  "Even though I can't?"

  He shrugs. "Sometimes, it's the thought which counts the most."

  Chapter Thirteen

  I barely have a moment's notice before Fatin walks into my room, her dress swishing from side to side as she walks. I hate how she copies the style of the other Princesses here. Even though she's kept the bright colours and the intricate needlework of the Eastern kingdoms in her dresses, it's clear that she's trying to leave them behind to a certain extent. I tried walking that way when I arrived at Grimm, but quickly decided it wasn't for me. Maybe I just don't wear the right kind of dress for it.

  I push the thoughts to the side. Who am I to criticise when I'm pretending to be someone I'm not?

  "Haven't you heard of knocking?" I snap at her from my position propped up at the top of my bed.

  "I don't think you're in any position to lecture me about decorum. I'm not pretending to be someone I'm not."

  "Isn't that what decorum is all about?" I mutter under my breath. It's all about the face they all show the world.

  She narrows her eyes at me. "Do you have the lamp?" she demands.

  I wave lazily towards my desk where the blasted thing is sitting.

  "You're going to be disappointed though, there's no genie in there." I may as well tell her. If I don't, then she's only going to find out herself and blame me for it. I'm not interested in being her scapegoat.

  "You tried to use it?" She's seething.

  Not that I care. I haven't done anything to harm her plan for world domination.

  "Of course not. But there's nothing magical about it." I don't elaborate. I've already said too much. If she figures out I do have access to a genie, even if it's not the one she first intended to use.

  She ignores me, not that it surprises me, and picks up the lamp. She rubs it in the precise way I'd activate the ring. She's done her homework.

  "What did you do to it?" she demands.

  "I found it like that."

  "Eurgh." She throws the lamp to the side. "You can put that back where you got it from."

  I don't bother protesting. With the prophecy in place, it's better that I take it back. Maybe I should just walk in and explain everything to the Headmistress. Things can't get much worse for me anyway. I'm being controlled by a spoiled noble, I can't free the genie, and I've lost Enver.

  "I guess it's on to plan three, then," she announces casually.

  "Plan three?" This doesn't sound good. "If you don't mind me saying, being a Princess isn't worth scheming for." And I should know.

  "I do mind," she shot me down. "And it would do you good to remember who you're talking to. I'm not someone who thinks you're all sunshine and roses."

  "Then what do I have to lose? You already think the worst of me." Life on the streets has already shown me the worst that life can offer, I doubt there's anything anyone else can do to me that's worse than that.

  "For very good reason," she says in the most threatening voice she can manage.

  I sigh. She's trying to rile me up, and the worst thing is that it's working. Though she's wrong about one thing. I'm not scared of her any more, I'm annoyed.

  "What's the plan?" I ask, assuming I have some part in it that I don't want to play.

  "There's a Princess leaving Grimm tomorrow to go marry her betrothed. We're going to trap her and I'll take her place."

  "Won't someone recognise that it isn't her?" I ask. It seems like a huge loophole in the stupid plan she's concocted. I don't think any of the Prince
sses here even remotely look like Fatin.

  "Brides from her country wear a veil from their arrival, until after they're married. I'll do that, and then it'll be too late." Fatin crosses her arms, a satisfied grin on her face.

  A sick feeling twists in my gut. I should say no, but I want to expose my secret in my own way, not because she tells everyone who I am.

  "She's sharing your etiquette lesson tomorrow. Follow her until she reaches the east river. Give the signal when she's about to cross and a disaster will befall her..."

  "You're not going to kill her, are you?" I cut in. I need to figure out a way to stop Fatin's plan so I can do something to stop it, but for now I'm drawing a blank.

  "Of course not. If anyone found out, they'd have my head and that's not a fate I'm willing to risk."

  I stay silent about the potential consequences of her pretending to be a Princess. There's an irony that she wants to do the very thing she's blackmailing me about it.

  "Fine. What's the signal?"

  She throws a red silk handkerchief in my direction. "Wave it."

  I wince, but lean forward and pick up the small scrap of fabric. It doesn't seem like much, especially not something that'll condemn a Princess.

  "You haven't told me her name," I point out.

  "Princess Helena. Dark red hair, big green eyes."

  "I know who she is," I whisper. "Why are you doing this?" I have to ask, even if I suppose it doesn't matter. She's going to try whether she has my help or not. I'd be a fool to believe that she won't just blackmail someone else to use in my stead.

  I'm more and more certain that I need to stop her. I'm sure Helena has never done anything to deserve whatever it is that Fatin is planning. Something about her name scratches at the back of my mind, as if I know something that my mind can't remember. I'm sure it will come to me, hopefully before it's too late.

  "Then you know what to do. I look forward to revealing your signal." She walks out without saying goodbye. Not that I care, I'm glad to see the back of her.

  But what is it that's bothering me about Helena? I've seen her name somewhere recently, and I don't know where it is.

  I push it aside for the moment. It'll come to me. And even if it doesn't, I need to make sure Helena gets past the river and travels the rest of the way to her destination.

  Chapter Fourteen

  "When at a ball, you must keep yourself a certain distance from your partner. Never touch any part of your bodies other than your hands and a light touch at the waist," the stuff Madam Reneau instructs from the front of class.

  I roll my eyes. Not only is this very basic stuff, but it's also incredibly boring. I have no idea why we don't learn dancing rules by actually doing the dancing, that makes more sense to me. But sometimes, I think the teachers at Grimm are just trying to keep us all out of trouble.

  Besides, it isn't like any of us pay attention to her suggestions anyway. The memory of how I danced with Enver slips in unbidden, causing a pang of sadness and guilt to wash through me.

  My attention strays as she begins to talk about how to fill up a dance card without insulting anyone. I suppose it is a good skill to have, but for the most part, it seems fairly straight forward. If someone has more power than you, don't say no. The same went if the person is an excellent dancer, has powerful friends, or good trade links. All in all, unless there's a very good reason, you shouldn't say no to anyone. But you can if you're betrothed, or if you're seriously courting someone. If I can grasp the concept this easily, then I'm surprised they have to teach it to the students here.

  My eyes lock on the back of Helena's head. I swallow my nerves. I don't understand why she's in class if she's leaving today. Then again, I suppose it keeps her busy and not worrying about the man she's probably never met but is going to marry anyway. Such is the way of real Princesses. In some ways, I'm glad I'm not a real one. There seem to be a lot more responsibilities and not so much fun involved.

  And then it hits me why her name is familiar. She's one of the students whose name had the word prophecy scribbled next to it. I think it had something to do with becoming an animal handler after being tricked. My eyes widen as the other implications of that sink in. Fatin is part of what makes her prophecy come true.

  I need to do something. I mean, I already needed to do something, but now I need to act quickly, though I'm not completely sure how I can do that without Fatin catching wind of it. If she managed to find out I was keeping a secret, then it seems like she has people informing for her. Probably servants, but if she's rich, it could be some of the other students too. If I act at the wrong moment, she'll work out that she's been crossed and do something even worse to both me and Helena.

  I fiddle with my ring. What can I do to fix this? There has to be something I can do to get both me and Helena away from Fatin's plans.

  Wait.

  The wish.

  I have one left. If I can use that at just the right time, then I can save Helena and catch Fatin at the same time. I want to come clean to the Headmistress anyway, but if I do that now, Fatin will know and because she technically hasn't done anything, she'll get away with it. Stopping that is far more important than the truth about me coming out.

  The bell rings and everyone rushes to their feet. Helena is slower than most, and when she turns, I see the worry on her face. It's her prophecy, she's worried it'll come true. I wish I could reassure her, but I can't take a step wrong now. Fatin will be watching, or have someone else doing it for her. That's what I'd do in her situation.

  Helena finally leaves the room and I slip out behind her, being careful to keep my pace steady. I'm wearing the plainest dress in my wardrobe and have a horse saddled waiting for me. Even if I'm planning on stopping her, I have to appear to Fatin as if I'm going along with her plan. I'd rather be wearing leggings, but that'd raise suspicions about what I'm up to. I can't get caught before Fatin has made her move or this is all going to be for nothing.

  Luckily for me, Helena heads straight down to the stables. If anyone asks, I can just say I'm visiting, there's no reason for anyone to think I'm being sneaky. At least, I don't think so. Maybe Enver would catch it, but he's been avoiding me just as much as I've been avoiding him. Even the thought of what's broken between us lances through my heart. I hate that this has torn us apart, even though I know it's my own fault.

  I push thoughts of him aside once I reach the stable. Unable to linger without looking suspicious, I mount my horse and take her out of the stables. The carriage transporting Helena appears to be waiting already, so I trot the mare around the yard, pretending to do some exercises to warm her up. Anyone with any knowledge of horses can probably see through my thin excuse, especially as I'm an inexperienced rider with only a few lessons under my belt. Thankfully, with some pointers from the genie, and my observation skills when it comes to watching other students, I don't think I'm doing too badly. There is a chance I'm going to end up falling from my mount at some point though, it's probably one of the riskier parts of my plan.

  Helena leaves the stables and exchanges words with the groom of her carriage. I don't try and listen to what they're saying. it's taking all of my concentration to stay atop my horse. Fatin may have severely underestimated my usefulness to her plot by not taking into account that some of my skills are sorely lacking.

  But it doesn't matter. I'll find out the route they're taking once they set off. A carriage should be reasonably easy to follow. I hope. Not having done this before, I can't say that with any certainty. Hopefully, I won't doom us both with my inexperience.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The carriage leaves the grounds along with a handful of Huntsmen in their bright cloaks. I'm not sure how Fatin is expecting me to evade them when everyone has heard of their prowess at tracking and hunting, but I suppose she'd say that isn't her problem.

  And she's not wrong. Fatin isn't here right now, which makes it very much not her problem. I'm assuming she's at the river already, but I didn't think to a
sk her. It's likely better that way. The less I know about her actual plan, the fewer ways I can be implicated if this goes completely and utterly sideways.

  Which doesn't solve my problem with the Huntsmen. Or with any of the other Grimm guards. When I go through the gates, I'm going to have to look like I'm part of Helena's escort, or they'll send others after me to protect me in the town.

  With nothing else for it, I kick at the horse's flanks and start off after the carriage. It takes me a few moments to get used to the horse's gait, but once I have, it isn't as bad as I feared.

  If I wasn't planning on using my wish once we get to the river, I may have used it in order to cloak myself now. But that's a waste of the genie's powers.

  Guilt threads through me as I realise what using up my last wish will mean. The genie will be trapped and I won't be able to free him. I don't care that it'll mean I lose the riches his powers give me. I'm not sure how it works, but if there are physical things gained from the genie's power, they disappear when the genie's loyalty does. I imagine a lot of people never end up using the third wish for that reason. Or maybe they put that there so people don't think about freeing genies from their prisons.

  But none of that matters to me. After today, my fake role as a Princess at Grimm Academy is going to be over. After spending so long wondering what it would be like, I'm surprised by how unaffected I feel by the idea of it ending. Perhaps it's because I've lost everything I really care about in the process.

  Luckily, my potential problem of not being hidden is solved fairly easily. The trees provide shade from the afternoon sun, as well as plenty of shadows for me to hide in. The carriage doesn't travel quietly either, so it's easy to keep pace with it and not draw attention to myself.