Fate's Pawn: Wishes Three

Chapter Nine: My Friend

“I would advise you to step away from her now, if you know what’s good for you, Guile.” Dagon entered the room the door slamming against the wall with a thunderous thud as he did so. I winced as the handle got stuck in the wall.

Guile kept his hold on me as he pulled away from me and looked over at Dagon as a slow smile spread over his lips. How fast the shyness dissolved from him. “I don’t hear her objecting, Dagon. Are you jealous because I got to taste those sweet lips first?”

I wiped at my lips to try to erase the memory of the pressure that had been pushed against them. “I never agreed to that, Guile. I might have to revoke our deal early over this. I know you are still owed two wishes, but just one weakened me, and then you took advantage of my state to do that.”

Guile shrugged as his eyes glittered at me like some rare rocks. “You can say whatever you like, Rosebud, but I know you kissed me back. Now, let’s put that matter behind us. I want to introduce you to my baby brother here.” He slipped away from my glare and grabbed the blinking young man who studied his flawless white wings. “Eros, I want you to meet my genie, Acacia. Rosebud, this is Eros, my baby brother.”

Deep blue almost black eyes locked onto me. He studied me from the top of my head all the down to my shiny footwear. He smiled at me, unlike the other men around me his was an innocent and carefree one. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m Eros. Are you the one that saved me?” He tilted his head as he asked me the question. His blinding white hair kept distracting me, it matched his wings perfectly.

I held out my hand and shook his. “It’s nice to meet you as well, and I only granted your brother a wish.”

“Is that so?” He turned to Guile and smiled up at him. “I’m so happy to hear that you used a wish on me, Brother. Thank you.”

Guile studied his brother with a faint frown. “I suppose that I wasn’t clear enough in my wish after all. You have brought him to us before his fallen state.”

“He was a fallen angel like you?” I wanted to reach out and touch Eros’s wings but a part of me was worried that doing so would sully the angel. Guile had been breath-taking, or so I had thought at first. But the black-winged man was no match for his younger brother in shock value.

“Was I?” Eros tilted his head the other way then leaned to look around me. “Brother, is that true?” He studied his wings and spread them out in a long stretch.

“It’s true, Eros. You were fallen like me, like all of the family really.” He scratched the back of his head. “I don’t know what to do now that you’re just an angel now. You don’t have access to any powers I take it?”

Eros shook his head the messy white hair obscuring his beautiful eyes. “No, I don’t think I do. But maybe it’s hidden somewhere?” He closed his eyes for a moment and his wings shimmered out of view. “Oh,” his eyes opened again and he smiled at me. “I didn’t know I could do that. It feels great though.”

“Are you done with Acacia for now, Guile? She granted your wish, it’s obvious she needs to rest and needs a break away from you.”

“Must she go?” Eros pouted and grabbed at my arm. “Can’t you stay for a bit longer?” He wasn’t much taller than me even if he was the supposed baby brother. The gesture was so child-like it threw me off. “Acacia, stay for a while? I’d like to talk to you.”

Dagon’s eyes narrowed once more. I hadn’t realized this sterner side of him. “Eros, she needs rest. Bringing you to us depleted her by a lot, you wouldn’t want to be responsible if she passes out or anything would you?”

Eros turned his pouty expression Dagon’s way. “I can heal her though.”

“You can?” I frowned at him. “What do you mean by that? I thought you didn’t have access to any of your powers?”

“Well, not the ones that my brother is talking about.” He nodded but grabbed my hands in his and placed them near his heart. “But, I can do this.” A soft white light illuminated from him and once more I saw the shadow of his wings as a warmth seeped into my body. I had been tired after the wish, but all that exhaustion had been wiped away. I had never felt better. He smiled at me his hands still clasped onto mine. “How is that? Do you feel recharged?” He was grinning at me his brother forgotten.

“How did you do that?” I stared at his hands in wonder. I didn’t pull away, not yet. There was no need to just yet he wasn’t trying anything like the others were likely to do. “I feel like I’ve been asleep in my lamp for decades. There’s so much power flowing through me, and no aches no pain, nothing negative at all.”

Eros grinned even more. “That’s great news! That means you can stay with me!” He bounced on the spot and laughing I joined in. How could I resist such a rush of enthusiasm? “You will stay and talk to me some more, won’t you, Acacia?” His dark eyes grew thoughtful as he stared at me.

I pulled my fingers from his entwined ones and did my best to not look at Guile or Dagon. This wasn’t their decision, it was mine. And it was nice to be around someone who didn’t seem to be after my body or my heart. I hadn’t had a friend in such a long time that I couldn’t even remember what the word meant. “Of course, Eros. I want to learn more about you.”

“If you’re feeling better, we should get started on the next wish.” Guile pushed his brother to the side and the younger man started to wobble before I grabbed him to keep him from falling. “Rosebud, let him get some rest. We have work to do. We’re going to try two people at once for the next attempt.”

“No.” Eros shook his head and grabbed me in a hug from behind. “You’re not hogging my friend, Brother. I want to play and chat with her!”

Guile rubbed his forehead. “You are still so bratty, Eros. She’s not your playmate.”

Eros snorted. “I don’t care, I want to spend time with her. Besides you used so much of her energy last time for just me. How do you expect to get more out of her? Why not give me time to waken more of my powers and I can try to feed her some of my energy to help her with your wishes.”

“You just want to hog her to yourself, you little brat.”

Eros hugged me tighter. “And you just want to use up all her powers. Come on, Brother, I’ve been alone for so long. Can’t I just talk to her for a while? I’m not going to bite her or anything.”

Guile smirked. “Well no, I already did that. She tastes like a sweet fruit by the way. I’m not sure if I’d label her a cherry or a berry though.”

Eros pushed me behind him now. “Why would you go and hurt her like that?”

“Neither of you are going to spend more time with her. Acacia is going back with me to get rest in our room.”

“She is not staying in your room alone!” Eros whirled on Dagon with his eyes flashing. “I haven’t had problems with you before granted, but if you try to take my friend away before I get to know her there will be problems! You two need to give her some room to breathe, you’re worse than a pair of rabbits in heat!” He shook his head. “You’re ridiculous, just ridiculous.”

“Don’t I get a say?” I interrupted. All three men turned to study me. Eros’s eyes were hopeful his smile still so sweet. Dagon was glaring at the two brothers which didn’t surprise me, and Guile was staring at me as if he could see through my clothes. He licked his lips as he watched me and frowning I turned away. “Listen, I want to get to know Eros too. He made me feel better and I’d like to spend time with someone that isn’t making my head hurt all the time.” I took a deep breath. “And Dagon, I don’t think I should stay in the same room as you anymore.”

His frown was instant. “Why not, Acacia? I just want to protect you.”

“I know, but you don’t have to worry about that here. I’m safe, you’re safe, we’re all safe. I want you to be able to rest and relax and I don’t think you’re capable of doing that around me.” Guile started to chuckle and I frowned even deeper at him. “And don’t think I’m spending a moment in your company alone again either. I’m tired of you just doing what you want. I’m not your rose or anything like that, my name is Acacia and I am a genie. I’m taking a break for the rest of the day, so think hard on your wishes because you’ve only got two more.” I turned and strode out of the room not caring who followed me.

Eros’s voice echoed behind me. “She sure told you guys!” His laugh bounced around the walls. A moment later an arm linked around mine and I saw his eyes sparkling at me again. “You did great, Acacia! I’ve never seen my brother so flustered before. I wish I could frame that. I love seeing him when someone prods him enough to wake up the grumpy bear inside.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh? You love to terrorize your brother?” I wondered if I had made a mistake trusting this one.

Eros chuckled. “I don’t mean it like that, I promise I don’t. I love Gulliver with all of my heart. We’re family and he’ll always come first, but have you ever had siblings, Acacia?” I shook my head. “Well, I do, and I love seeing those rare flashes of their inner selves. When those masks we put on for each other are knocked away for just a moment and that glimpse of realness. It means my brother is happy, he wouldn’t feel comfortable enough to be so grumpy if he wasn’t, and I’m really happy he is.” He leaned against me for a moment. “And I have you to thank for it, thank you, Acacia. I really mean it.”

I swallowed as he smiled down at me. Was this one going to make a move as well? He continued to stare at me for a moment longer and I shook the thought from my head. I didn’t have to be suspicious of everyone. “I’m glad that I was able to make other people happy.”

Eros nodded. “And so what would you like to be happy, Acacia? You’re a genie so I’m sure it’s always about granting wishes for others, but what do you want out of this? If there were no restrictions on your life, if you could do whatever you wanted and didn’t have to worry about magical rules or binding contracts or anything silly like that. What would you want?”

I tilted my head back and stared up at the ceiling as I thought. It was such a strange question to be asked. “I suppose I’d want to be happy? I don’t know if I’d want to be a normal person, but I guess they have the highest chance at happiness truly. But there’s no point in even thinking about any of this, once a genie always a genie. Even if Dagon was able to wish that away for me, he won’t be able to get rid of my powers or my immortality. It just doesn’t work that way.”

Eros nodded to my words. “Well that’s all true for him, but I’m an angel you know. I’ll work really hard to wake up my powers, I just know I can do more than I first thought I just have to dig deep and when I find the right power inside I’ll help grant your wish. I just know that I can make you mortal as a mortal can be and live a long happy normal life.”

I laughed. “I don’t see how that could ever happen, Eros, but if you can I’d like to see it happen.”

He grinned in response once more. “Anything for my new best friend, Acacia, anything.”