Chapter 10

"Genie." The entity sitting in the center throne of the seven seated fates addressed me as I appeared before them in their chamber high above the clouds. "You've found the one to break the spell."

"Raj," I whispered. My dear boy did what countless others promised but never carried out.

"Yes. Trust in the man you love. There's more than meets the eye with him. He's stronger than you think and his love for you knows no bounds."

"He's the one."

"He is. Now the question remains, do you wish for your freedom as well? Your magic as you once knew it would no longer be, but given you were created not as a human, you never truly will be free of it. Some magical powers will remain, but you will no longer be held captive by the lamp."

"I do, as long as Raj will be by my side." At my words, the love of my life appeared. "Raj."

"Genie," he gasped, and dove for me. I wrapped my arms around him and held him tight, refusing to let go.

"Ahem." One of the other fates cleared their throats. "May we continue?"

"Yes, please." I was ready for this to be over, to be free of the lamp and the eternal imprisonment associated with it.

"Genie, you have done well serving your masters, though that has now come to an end." With a flick of her wrist, one of the gold cuffs that bound me to a life of servitude moved from my wrist to Raj's.

"No!" I screamed. "I'll give my life before I'll allow him a day of the hell I've lived."

"Calm yourself now!" The bark of the voice coming from one of the male entities as he rose sprang thunder. "You will listen."

I remembered this voice. He was the one who'd condemned me to a life of servitude. Why he disliked me, I had no clue. At the time I was but a babe in every sense of the word, yet his anger over the situation was taken out on me.

"These cuffs no longer serve as a sign of your enslavement, as that will be no more. They now symbolize your tie to one another. For as long as you walk the earth, Raj shall do the same by your side."

"Pardon me?"

"While you are still cursed to walk amongst the humans for all eternity, it will no longer be alone. We cannot make you mortal, but we can grant Raj immortality, if it is truly his wish."

The fate turned to Raj. "Raj, do you wish to spend all eternity by Genie's side as his friend, and lover?"

"Raj." The fate whose anger triggered the thunder spoke. "Was the wish you made to be with Genie forever made of your own free will?"

Raj took my hand in his and gazed lovingly into my eyes as he replied, "It was."

"Then so it shall be done." The cuffs upon our wrists vibrated as a glowing light strung from one cuff to the other and disappeared just as quickly.

"Two souls bound as one, linked for all eternity. Go forth, dear friends, and enjoy all this life has to offer, and bask in the knowledge you will never be alone again nor will another control you."

Raj disappeared before me, and I panicked.

"Genie, calm yourself. He's back on the island awaiting your return. Your magic as you once knew it has changed and the lamp will no longer exist after you've gathered your possessions from it. You'll be transported there momentarily and once you leave it, that's it. You have centuries' worth of things to go through but only three days in which to do so. Choose wisely, my friend, as you have done when choosing your partner."

Before I could utter a word, of gratitude or otherwise, I was transported to the all-too-familiar gold tomb. Only this time, I saw it through a new set of eyes and with a new perspective. My sweet Raj waited for me at home while I ensured our future and gathered the priceless artifacts I'd collected over the years. Then I returned to him.

Artifacts, I had many. Those that belonged in museums, with the blink of an eye, were gifted there, save a few favorites I redirected to the island. Raj was likely going insane with the many items I'd transported there appearing at random. Furnishings we had no need for were properly sent out as donations to various charities and organizations. With all this underway, it likely wreaked havoc wherever these things appeared. Humans were easily confused, though I sent along paperwork with each donation. Well, they'd get over it soon enough when they realized what they now had.

Money was tucked away in banks across the world. Gold and jewels, I sent to the island. Clothing as well, what I would use, that was. Beyond that, there was nothing left, and it was time to return to the love of my life. That one man whom with a single wish proved his love for me and I'd spend all eternity proving myself worthy of it to him.

The lamp was no more.

Gods, that was a wonderful feeling and one more powerful than all the magic in the world.

"Genie!" Raj screamed as I reappeared right in front of him. Good thing I had fast reflexes as I caught him midair. "I missed you so much. I was going crazy with all this stuff showing up."

I kissed him hard, and deep, conveying my love for this perfect man with our lips.

"I'm so sorry. The fates sent me directly to the lamp to clear my things out and what I wanted to keep I sent here. To our home." There were some surprises for my beautiful Raj hidden within. Valuable trinkets I'd enjoy spoiling him with over the centuries to come.

"Home," Raj repeated.

"Yes, my love. I had three days to go through my possessions and decide what to keep. Of the three days, I only needed one. Though it was still far too long to be without you."

Raj's giddy giggles filled the air and warmed my heart. Nothing in this world, not all the gold, jewels, or priceless artifacts could hold a candle to my boy.

"Oh, Daddy." Raj sighed as he melted into me.

"You gave me a gift that is irreplaceable and one I vow to never take for granted."

"I want you to be as happy as I am. It was an easy choice to make. But, um…" He fiddled with my shirt. "Was it just me or were those fates kinda scary?"

I chuckled. "Well, yes, especially the angry fate that brought the thunder. He hasn't liked me since the onset." I honestly believed that after that meeting, we'd no longer hear from the fates as the control the lamp once had over me had ended. "Though, my love, I'm actually quite tired. Looks like along with the loss of some magic, my body now requires sleep."

"I'm glad you said it and not me. I haven't slept either." My sweet boy yawned. "Oh no."

"What's that?" I glanced around the room, seeking whatever gave him pause.

"Does this mean we'll have to learn how to cook?"

If I laughed any harder, I'd pass out from lack of oxygen. "I have no clue. What say we test that theory at breakfast?"

"Deal."

In our little protected bubble, no longer fearing whose hands the lamp might land in, my tired boy and I fell into a deep sleep and didn't wake until late the next morning.

"Morning, Daddy."

How I loved to hear that from my cheery boy.

"Good morning, my sweet boy. Based upon the fact we're in the exact same positions we went to bed in, I'd say we both got some much-needed sleep."

"Finally. Now, to see about breakfast. I'll be honest, I'm not sure I'd eat my own cooking."

That wasn't an option for either of us, though I'd not say it aloud. "Well, I actually can cook, though I've never had to. Once when I was between masters, I took cooking classes at Le Cordon Bleu in France." Outside of there, I hadn't used the skills that were not cheap to obtain. "Would you like to learn?" Couldn't be all that bad, could it? As long as the ingredients could still be magicked, we'd be all right.

"I'm not sure, but I'd make a good helper. Might be fun, cooking together."

Groceries appeared, one test down, a million more to go. Thankfully, my memory wasn't taken as I began the painstaking process of putting the ingredients together for omelets. And before long I cried, "Voila! Breakfast is served."

Raj dug in, tilting his head from side to side as he chewed. "Not too bad. I think we've got this."

"What's this ‘we' part of the equation?"

He grinned at my teasing words. "You cook, I clean. How's that?"

"Hmm, fair trade, though I believe…" I trailed off and with a wave of my hand, the dishes were done. "I still have a gift for that and cooking as well, so you need not worry your handsome head."

"What's left for me then?" Raj pouted.

Adorable. Though I'd never tell him that or it would be used against me. Who was I kidding, there was no way he didn't know. "You, my love, get to be my best friend, and lover. Always and forever."

I'd say everything was back to normal, but it wasn't—it was better. Today was the first day of the rest of our lives, with no shadows overhead. Well, except for that whole pesky, ‘being wanted by the authorities' thing in Raj's homeland. But since we never planned to return, I didn't see it as an issue.

Over the coming months, we spent our days lounging in the sun, making love, and traveling. I quickly learned the only magic I'd lost was associated with the lamp and without a master to serve, none of it was missed. Raj was granted no magical capabilities by the fates, only eternal life and he had zero qualms with that. I had enough to take care of all our potential needs like the true Daddy I was.

But today was the day. One thing I'd never done before would come to be.

"Come, my love," I called up the stairs to him. "Dinner is ready."

Nervous. When had I ever been nervous? I didn't think it was an emotion I'd been created with.

"Where's dinner?" He hopped off the bottom stair and glanced at the empty table.

"I set it up outside. Let's go." Raj cocked his head but took my hand and off we went down the path and to the sand. He'd taken to wearing no shoes while home and absolutely loved the feel of the sand beneath his feet.

"Oh, Daddy, it's beautiful."

I'd revitalized the canopy we normally sat under during the day and adorned it with string lights, and a small table with two chairs. A white tablecloth that matched the two chair covers, a bow tying them in the back, shone brightly under the bulbs. Dinner sat beneath two silver covers and I'd even put an area rug beneath it all.

"Sit, my love." I spread a napkin across his lap and uncovered his food before I sat.

"This is amazing. What are we celebrating?"

Genie, you've got this. My leg got caught in the tablecloth as I stood, and it all came tumbling down with me. Could I have stopped this from happening? Absolutely. Did I? No, because I wasn't paying attention.

"Genie, are you okay?"

"Aside from embarrassed, yes." I stood and righted the mess. "I'm so sorry. Let me begin again."

Before I could sit and make everything tumble a second time, I pulled the ring from my pocket and dropped down on bended knee.

"Raj, you committed to be my forever, now, I want to do the same for you." I held the ring up for him to see. "I had this ring made many years ago and at the time, I had no clue why. All these years I've hung onto it, a piece of my treasure and now I understand why. Raj, this ring was meant to be on your finger. A symbol of our love and commitment. If you wish, we can be properly wed, but know that no matter what you choose, you have my heart. My everlasting love and promise to always be faithful and by your side."

Tears streamed down his cheeks as he bobbed his head. "Genie, I'd be honored to wear your ring. It's beautiful."

I slid it on his finger and, oddly enough, it was a perfect fit. The emeralds, nearly as dark as my eyes, glittered beneath the lights.

Raj peppered my face with kisses and knocked us onto the soft sand. "I love you so much."

"Same, my love. I've waited an eternity for you."

"And now, you have me forever and a day."