Tales of the Djinn: The Double (42 page)

Elyse fell off his waltzing feet. Arcadius stopped dancing to steady her.

“You’re proposing to me?”

“Why does this surprise you? I love you too. I wish to make a commitment.”

“It’s soon,” she said. “We only just turned serious.”

“Perhaps I’m not as . . . slow on the uptake as my double.”

She laughed. “May I think about it?”

“As you wish,” he said coolly.

“I’m not trying to insult you.”

“I’m not taking insult,” he assured her.

Well, she couldn’t argue after he said that, not without pricking his pride more than she already had. He did seem all right, actually. His neck was only a little stiff as he nudged her feet back on his. Once they’d twirled around for another minute, he relaxed more. The air of enjoyment returned to his expression.

“I wonder how Joseph is doing,” she mused aloud. “I hope he and Yasmin are okay.”

“And Murat,” Arcadius added. “We left our vizier overseeing many responsibilities.”

“Murat
is
experienced.”

“True,” Arcadius agreed. “Perhaps today is not a day for worries.”

This was so close to what she’d been thinking earlier that a zing of happiness went through her. In that moment, nothing seemed like it could go wrong.

Something had distracted Arcadius. “Well, well,” he said as they made another stately turn. “From your mouth to the deity’s ear.”

He stopped and let her see what had caught his attention. Her heart jumped with surprised delight. As if her musing had summoned him, Joseph stood at the top of the landing stairs, watching their impromptu merrymaking with amazement. Her friend wore one the beautiful three-piece suits she remembered from before, the ones that made him look like he was Cade’s butler.

Arcadius bent to speak in her ear. “He is outside the soundproofing. He doesn’t know why those kids are flailing around like fools. Perhaps we should address that.”

He took her hand and they walked to Joseph together. As they crossed the barrier of spelled Christmas lights, her ears popped and the club music disappeared.

“Joseph,” she exclaimed, hugging him happily. “I’m so glad to see you again!”

He returned her tight embrace a little confusedly. The way he had to lean down reminded her he was almost as tall as the commanders.

“Sir,” he blurted to Arcadius. “What
are
you wearing?”

“They’re called ‘sweats.’ And this is a T-shirt.”

“I know what they’re—” Joseph pushed back from Elyse. “Never mind. I’m glad you’re all right.”

“We weren’t expecting you so soon.” Arcadius slung his arm around Elyse casually. “We defeated Mario. All of us together, including Elyse’s dad. Leo banished him and Elyse’s cousin to an ifrit island.”

“Elyse’s father . . .” Joseph glanced at her, wide-eyed. “What about the volcano?”

“He didn’t die,” she said. “He charmed the ifrit who lived behind it and escaped. By the way, those crazy dancing kids are the djinn Mario and Samir abducted. They’re all okay.”

“That’s wonderful.” Joseph tugged his waistcoat straighter. “You’ve been busy.”

The way his gaze cut to Arcadius’s encircling arm said he also meant romantically. Arcadius slapped him on the shoulder. The gesture was noticeably more familiar than the old him. “Best keep up, Joseph. Cade and she are engaged.”

Joseph gave his head a little shake as if it were too full. Whether this was due to the news or the proud way Arcadius announced it, she couldn’t tell. Elyse touched her new neckpiece self-consciously. Joseph hadn’t noticed it. Maybe the gift didn’t seem as conspicuous to him. Possibly, for a djinni, this was standard engagement jewelry.

Then again, knowing Arcadius and Cade’s demanding standards, it was probably a tick better. That made her smile. She really did adore the crazy thing.

“Congratulations,” he said, his manner a bit unsure. “I hope you’ll be very happy. Cade is a lucky man.”

Joseph was a self-controlled one. He didn’t ask how the commanders’ former goal to reunite played into the wedding plans.

“Is everything okay at home?” she asked. “The city? Murat?”

“Very well,” Joseph said. “Thank you for your concern.” He turned to address Arcadius. “Our people have held steady. You would be proud of them.”

“Good,” Arcadius said. “We appreciate you helping Murat steer the ship.”

Elyse was pretty sure by
we
he meant him and Cade.

“What about Yasmin?” she inquired. “I’m surprised you didn’t bring her with you.”

“Why would I do that?” Joseph’s startled reaction revealed he wasn’t aware of the harem girl’s crush on him. “Oh, you mean because of her brother. Yasmin will be grateful you rescued him. She was quite helpful, to tell the truth. She had the bright idea of recruiting some view café entrepreneurs to help recharge a portal. They finished their assignment quicker than our royal magic corp. That’s why I’m here sooner than expected. Naturally, Yasmin stayed in the harem. Safe and sound, I should mention.”

“We might need your help,” Arcadius confided.

“Sir?”

“Apparently, you’re a ‘rock star’ to these kids. I’m hoping you can convince them to return to our dimension without a fuss.”

“They don’t want to leave?”

Arcadius turned to watch them over his shoulder. “They’ve been having too much fun since escaping their ordeal. And they risked a lot to come here in the first place. Tempting though it might be to let them stay, I think they’re too young not to get into trouble.”

“I’d be happy to speak to them,” Joseph said. “I assume I can offer them improved conditions?”

“Absolutely.” Arcadius rubbed his chin. “They’ll need someone to talk to, I imagine. They’ve been through a lot, and I don’t just mean their abduction. Perhaps we should ask Iksander’s mother to spearhead an initiative, to address the challenges our youth face. It seems like an issue a female would have a feeling for.”

“Perhaps another woman could head it up,” Elyse suggested delicately. “The sultana is already overseeing your soup kitchens. She can’t be the only female in the Glorious City endowed with intelligence and caring.”

Arcadius regarded her with a smidgen of suspicion.

“I’m being practical,” she said. “Half your population is still statues. It seems to me the solution to your manpower problem is to ask your women to step up.”

“Temporarily,” he said.

“You could see how it works out: if the women like the new responsibilities, and if the results are positive. Those kids think fleeing to New York is the solution. Maybe it’s not. Maybe real happiness requires seeing their own city change.”

Arcadius crossed his arms. Despite his formidable presence, matching wits with him was fun. Because she knew he’d heard her, she smiled without speaking.

“We’re not you,” he huffed. “Our culture is different.”

“Certainly,” she agreed.

Arcadius let out a sigh. If he intended to debate her further, Cade joining them forestalled it.

“Joseph,” he exclaimed, giving his friend a backslapping hug. “I didn’t know you’d arrived. Why are you standing here on the stairs? We should talk in Elyse’s apartment.”

Cade led them in, but to her amusement, both he and Arcadius decided to play host. They offered their supposed underling food and drink . . . and then they prepared it. There was a bit of elbow bumping as the men everyone jumped to obey found their way around her kitchen. The jostling didn’t matter. In the end, their faithful servant had a grilled BLT and a steaming cup of Darjeeling.

This struck her as more of a sign of change than if they’d cooked her a ten-course meal.

“Would you like milk?” Arcadius offered, seeming not to realize he’d done anything out of the ordinary. “I believe Elyse has some.”

Joseph shut his gaping mouth. “Thank you, no. This is perfect.”

He took a bite of sandwich, chewed, then gave up on holding his tongue. “What happened to you two?”

“We decided to work together,” Arcadius said.

“It made sense,” Cade added. “Plus, we’re both in love with Elyse.”

“I don’t mean that. Or maybe I do.” He cocked his head and examined them. “Your energy is different.”

“We didn’t do anything to that,” Arcadius said. “We’ve decided not to recombine. We’ve grown too used to being separate. Also, Elyse likes us as we are.”

Joseph leaned back in his chair. “Actually, I meant your energy is
more.
”

“More?” Cade said.

“Is that possible?” Arcadius asked.

“It must be,” Joseph said. “Your auras are virtually the same size. And they’re both brighter than before.”

“Hm,” Arcadius said. “Perhaps that spell Elyse cut off in the middle reapportioned our shared essence more evenly.”

Joseph shook his head firmly. “That’s not what I’m seeing. You each look as if you have a whole spirit. If I hadn’t seen you doubled with my own eyes, I’d think you were ordinary twins. I doubt I could combine you now no matter what spell I tried.”

“I
knew
it,” Elyse burst out. “I mean, I didn’t know-know it, but I had a feeling.”

“Not that I’m sorry,” Arcadius said, “but how could that happen?”

“Love,” Elyse said, the answer suddenly obvious to her. She colored when the men looked at her but continued explaining. “Not just loving me. You’ve both risked life and limb for others. You put your city and those kids and even each other ahead of yourselves individually. I might not be as good as you at believing, but all those things must have the power to make a spirit grow.”

Cade smiled. “You don’t sound as if you’re having trouble believing now.”

“No,” Arcadius agreed thoughtfully. “You could almost be a djinni.”

Elyse hunched her shoulders in embarrassment.

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Cade said. “Faith makes life sweeter.”

She almost warned him not to expect her to magically turn doubt free, but that didn’t seem important. She couldn’t deny her life was sweet, or that she’d learned to believe a lot of things she hadn’t trusted in before. She felt stronger than ever: in her heart, in her spirit, even in how she saw herself in the mirror. She
was
brave enough to love both her men equally. The reward for all of them was more than worth the risk.

“Yes,” she said.

“Yes?” Cade repeated, his brows rising.

“Yes, I’ll marry both of you. One here and one in your city.”

Cade turned to his double. “You asked her?”

“I asked her,” Arcadius confirmed. He was grinning already but as Cade confronted him, his expression turned mischievous. “I thought one of us ought to do the deed the right way around.”

“She
liked
asking me,” Cade retorted. “She’s a modern human female.”

“I liked
both
ways,” she asserted.

“Good,” Cade said.

“Excellent,” Arcadius chimed.

“Oh, brother,” Joseph finished with an eye roll. “You two are lucky Elyse doesn’t mind having her hands full.”

They made her laugh in the best possible way. As she wrapped her arms around her belly to let her amusement out, she knew precisely what perfect faith felt like.

How could she not with her wonderful commanders to inspire her?

About the Author

EMMA
Holly is the award winning,
USA Today
bestselling author of more than thirty romantic books featuring shifters, demons, faeries and just plain extraordinary ordinary folks. She loves the hot stuff, both to read and to write!

If you’d like to know what else she’s written, please visit her website at:
http://www.emmaholly.com
. She runs monthly contests and sends out newsletters that often include coupons for new books. To receive them, go to her contest page.

Thanks so much for reading this book! If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review.

Other Titles by Emma Holly

The Prince With No Heart

The Assassins’ Lover

Steaming Up Your Love Scenes
(how-to)

The Billionaire Bad Boys Club

~

Djinn Series

Tales of the Djinn: The Guardia
n

Tales of the Djinn: The Double

~

Hidden Series

Hidden Talents

Hidden Depths

Date Night

Move Me

The Faerie’s Honeymoon

Hidden Crimes

Winter’s Tale

Hidden Dragons

Hidden Passions

ELYSE
Solomon hasn’t had it easy. She lost her dad and her husband under suspicious circumstances, and her relatives know more than they’re admitting about both deaths. Then a mysterious stranger with a briefcase full of cash moves into the basement of her New York brownstone. Arcadius is gorgeous, exquisitely polite, and sophisticated, but nothing about him adds up—that is, until Elyse discovers her sexy tenant is a genie desperate to save his people from a deadly curse. With so much heartache behind her, can Elyse find the courage to help the man who might be her true soul mate?

“FANTASTIC! [T]his may be the best thing she has written to date . . . the first in an epic tale of romantic fantasy.”—
In My Humble Opinion
blogspot.com

“One of my absolute favorite authors! . . . Mystery with some awesome romance!!! And an ending that has you begging for more!”
—
Chelle’s Book Report