Fortune Favors the Cursed
the-reticent-seer
diverselit
diverselit
1.3K5
An orphan girl with questionable morals. A scarred prince with two lives. One relic to change their world.
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Badriya As-Sahra is sick of piling up camel dung and ...Chapter 21
"Are you certain about that?" Kareem cocked his head. "He's quite your matc—"
"Just do it!" Badriya yelled. "I want him to forget that he even met me in the first place! Make me a stranger to him!"
She wasn't going to stand there while Ayaz knew that the Jewel was in her possession. He might swear to his life that he'd keep it a secret, but he could still risk herself by simply knowing.
She failed to take him out the first time, but one way or the other, he had to go.
Ayaz stared at her, stunned and confused. "What nonsense are you talking about? There's no way he could make me forget about you."
"That's where you are mistaken, my friend." Grinning, Kareem nudged at Badriya. "You may want to cover your face for this."
Badriya frowned. "Why?"
"Do you want the wish to happen or not?"
Badriya didn't object further and obliged, taking the scarf from her head and sliding it to her face. The thing was thick but translucent enough to see Ayaz through it. And right then and there, she saw Kareem's magic in the works.
Kareem reached an arm toward Ayaz, and a strand of light shot out of his hand. Badriya gasped. The rope-like object pierced into Ayaz's head before he could react. As the djinni closed his palm into a fist, little orbs of light escaped from Ayaz's forehead and through the light, eventually making their way toward Kareem. After a few seconds had passed, Kareem released his hand and the rope of light pulled itself from Ayaz.
Ayaz wheezed and collapsed on his knees. Badriya instinctively moved but Kareem blocked her from taking a step further. To her surprise, Ayaz rose and turned away as if nothing happened. As if they weren't even there.
"What. . . just happened?" Badriya asked. "Why is he walking away? Where is he walking away?"
Kareem waved his hand dismissively. "To his rooms. He's in a dazed state, so he won't remember anything before the wish. He'd forget that you just showed him the Jewel and that I granted your wish."
"Why did you make me cover my face, then?"
He shrugged. "Just a precaution."
For what? To make sure he didn't see my face or to make me not witness what you've done?
"So it worked?" Badriya asked reluctantly. "He won't remember me? At all?"
"At all," Kareem confirmed. "If he sees you the next day, it will be his first time meeting you. So don't ruin the wish by acting like you saw him before."
Badriya continued to watch Ayaz's retreating figure. Although he looked like he was walking normally, he noticed how he swayed a little with every few steps before he disappeared into a corner. Like he was drunk.
"Don't worry, he'll be fine," Kareem added. "After he gets to his room, he'll just go to sleep and wake up normally. He won't bump into walls on the way there."
Badriya scoffed. "As if I care. I'm really hoping he bashes his head onto a wall."
Kareem turned to face her. "If you don't mind me asking, sayyida, why erase his memory? Were you actually afraid that he'd rat you out?"
Badriya didn't answer but instead looked down at her hands. A few more spots appeared on her skin, adding to her collection of golden marks.
"No, I don't think that's it," Kareem continued. "You know he's of noble character—a rare gem these days, don't you agree?—but you were afraid that something else would happen. . ." His eyes widened as if he realized something. "He was in love with you. And you were afraid your heart would eventually feel the same."