Page 18 of Married By Wind
“Those aren’t sand devils,” I said. “It sounds like a sandstorm.”
“You’re right,” Vinn said, a hesitant note in his tone. “Ulika, we should talk about what happened.”
My shoulders went stiff. “We don’t have anything to talk about.”
“Yes, we do,” he replied firmly.
“No,” I half whispered. How I wished none of this had happened and I was back by the river, with my family. I wouldn’t hope, wouldn’t dream of one day traveling the world, running away and seeing something besides sand and cacti and white desert flowers. I’d dreamed too big, been too bold, and this was my punishment for stealing a lamp and wanting to change my future.
“Ulika, you should know what the gods told me.”
When I didn’t respond, he continued, “They believe the sand devils arose for two reasons, the first because the lamp was found, and the second because the barrier that kept the sand devils out of the desert was broken.”
“And you did that,” I said, accusing him of the crime he’d confessed to.
“And you trapped me in that cursed lamp,” he retorted, drawing closer.
“I didn’t know what I was doing,” I shot back.
“Neither did I!” he rebutted. “A pile of rocks in the middle of the desert looked like they needed to be knocked down, and then those infernal creatures blasted me away before I could put them back.”
I paused, my anger fading somewhat. “You mean they bested you?”
He grunted. “They surprised me is all. I wasn’t prepared for what they’d unleash on me.”
“And that’s why you weren’t able to defeat them when they attacked my tribe? You were there. You used water and created the sand dunes when you’re not supposed to be using magic.”
“It wasn’t the right time. They have to be returned from whence they came. I just couldn’t let you blame yourself when it was the consequence of both our actions.”
I stared at him, the dreaded truth sinking in. The cursed lamp. The freeing of the sand devils. “It still doesn’t explain the scorpion, nor the sudden sandstorm.”
“No.” Vinn’s fingers curled around mine. “But we’ll figure it out, together.”
“We have no future together,” I said bitterly, to mask the shivers that went up my spine at his touch. It was impossible to be angry with him. “You’re a god, and I’m a mortal. When you defeat the sand devils, this will be over. We’ll go our separate ways—”
“I know,” Vinn interrupted, a raw note in his voice. “I don’t want this to end either.”
My lips parted at the shock of his words, making me slow to react when he leaned in to steal another kiss.
23
Vinn
“Vinn, don’t,” Ulika breathed.
She pressed her hand firmly against my chest before I could steal a kiss, her wide brown eyes studying my face in the low light. I sensed her anxiety and trepidation. She was torn between two worlds, but so was I. Instead of persisting with the kiss, I covered her hand with mine, leaning back slightly to give her space to breathe. To decide what to say next.
“We don’t work,” she said at last, dropping her head. “This moment is but a short space of time, especially in your lifetime. The thought of death has made us cling to emotions of the past, bringing us together when it’s better if we stay apart. The gods were not happy with us. Do you believe for one moment they will allow us to be together? Do they know you presented yourself as a mortal and visited my tribe?”
“No, and they will never find out. They are already unhappy with me, hence our current predicament. But I don’t care what they think, and you’re wrong about clinging to emotions of the past. I left because I didn’t know how to show you who I am, and I can’t be torn, pretending to be mortal when I am who I am. Even now, walking on the flat lands without the wings of my wind to speed our journey is a cruel punishment. But my feelings for you haven’t changed, despite the rising and setting of the sun, even though I left and tried not to watch you or your tribe. Somehow, someway, I was always pulled back to you, as though an invisible rope tied us together. I don’t think it was a coincidence that you found the lamp, climbed my mountain, and trapped me with fire. Something is changing within you, and I don’t know if it’s magic or something else. All I know, Ulika, is that I don’t want to lose you again, and this time, you see me. You know the truth of who I am, where I come from. I know my past, but I want you to be my future, and if I must, I will fight the gods to ensure I stay by your side.”
“Can you? Can you really?” Ulika begged, tears in her voice. “You truly want me? I don’t even know what a life by your side would look like!”
I cradled her cheek in my hand, enjoying the feel of her smooth, soft skin. She leaned into me, her featherlight breath fluttering over my wrist. “A life with me would fulfill all your dreams. We’d travel, as you’ve always wanted. I’d show you the snowy mountains, take you to the fields of golden poppies and down to the more populated kingdoms where magnificent palaces are built of stone. We’ll travel far, but we’ll always return to your tribe as long as you wish it, especially when we have children. We’ll find treasure, silver and gold, and the trade routes will flourish again.”
Ulika gave a gentle cry, and I pulled her against my chest, holding her close as I’d wanted to do for so long. This was where she belonged. It didn’t matter if she aged faster than me, for an end comes to all things. But the time I had with her would be the most important. We were single-minded in focus, and what might be seen as a curse was actually a gift from the gods.
“Vinn, you make it sound so easy, almost too good to be true.”
