Part 6
997 Words
SIX
Late the next morning, Philemon emerged from his bedchamber, aching in all the right places. Now he could face the enchantress without being distracted.
"Your Highness, Lady Zuleika wishes you to meet her in the lower treasury," a servant said.
Philemon stared. "Before I have broken my fast? The woman is mad. Tell her I shall be with her when I am ready."
The servant bowed and hurried away.
Philemon took his time over breakfast, knowing he needed to calm his irritation before he faced the enchantress. At least until she had restored their water supply. When he felt he was pleasantly full and he'd regained most of his good mood, he set off for the deepest level of the city.
"Ah, perfect timing," he heard the enchantress say. She beckoned without looking at him. "Philemon, come here and order your djinn to remain in his lamp until his master summons him."
Philemon wasn't sure which was the greater insult – her familiarity, or the fact that she deigned to give him orders.
She made an impatient sound in her throat. "It's the last step of the spell. Once you've said the words, the djinn will not be able to trouble you again. Even if he was ordered by your enemy to destroy the city, as his new master, your orders will take precedence. Hold the lamp in your hands and issue your orders."
Grudgingly, Philemon stepped forward and lifted the lamp in both hands. He cleared his throat. "Slave of the lamp, you are ordered to remain within the confines of your lamp until I summon you." He set the lamp down on a chest by the back wall.
She wrinkled her nose. "Not as precise as I'd like, but it will do. Now, Kaveh told me this is your personal fortune, and not the city's wealth?"
Philemon nodded. "Indeed. The city treasury is on a different level. These rooms hold the gifts personally given to the many generations of princes who have ruled this place."
"So, when you offered half of your personal fortune for an enchantress who can fix your problem here, you meant half of that?"
It hurt to agree – losing so much gold was a blow to any man – but Philemon forced himself to nod. "Half of my fortune for saving the city, yes."
"Good, because I've enchanted all of it. Your half and mine. Anyone who enters this chamber will be filled with such irresistible desire for the gold they see that does not belong to them, that they will not notice the lamp, nor wish to take it from you. Therefore the djinn will remain under your command and inside the lamp, unable to do any further harm to your city." She glanced around. "Perhaps I should ward the door, too, so that no one can open it. Or just you."
Philemon shook his head. "The gold here belongs to the crown – to me, now, but to my successors, should I succeed in siring a son. And princes do not open their own doors. We have servants to do it for us. Here." He rubbed his ring and the door guardian appeared. "If you must enchant the door, make it so that only this djinn can open it. He is the slave to my ring of office, which passes to my son in his turn."
She shrugged, bit her lip, and waved her hand. A faint hint of lavender dust flew through the air and sparkled on the door for a moment before it faded. "There. The djinn will trouble you no more!" She turned her amethyst eyes on him. "Now, I would like to take a small part of my fee with me, but leave the rest here, for this is as safe a place as any." A bag appeared in her hand, sturdy enough to hold a great deal of gold.
So fast? Philemon smiled. "Now you have returned our water to the city, you have more than earned your fee, Lady Zuleika."
Her eyes grew wide. "Water? Do I look like a water witch? You hired me to deal with a powerful djinn, not fill your water tanks. Which I have now done, so as soon as you pay me for my services, our business will be concluded."
"Unless you restore the water supply to our wells, I will give you nothing!" Philemon shouted. He grabbed the enchantress's arm and dragged her into the corridor. Then he pointed at the door guardian. "Seal the door to the treasury, and do not open it unless your master commands you to do so!"
The round stone door rolled into place behind them.
"Now fix our water, witch!" Philemon said.
Lady Zuleika snatched her arm from his grip and returned his glare. "One you have paid me for the services already rendered, then perhaps I will consider taking a second commission. Until then...I will not help you, and nor will any witch, once they've heard what I have to say."
"I will not pay you a single copper coin until you fix our water supply!"
"And I will do nothing for you until you pay me for what I have already done!"
The door guardian broke the tense silence. "Master, it is unwise – "
"Silence!" Philemon roared. "Remove this woman from the city, and see that she does not return. Then find me a witch who will do as I ask!"
"Then you sentence your city to a slow death by thirst, because of your treachery. No witch will help you now!" Lady Zuleika said.
"What are you waiting for? Seize her, slave!" Philemon snapped.
The door guardian's expression was one of wide-eyed panic, but he could not say a word. He wrapped one arm around the enchantress, pressing his hand to her mouth so that she could not draw the blood she needed to cast a spell. Without magic, her strength was no match for the djinn's as he carried the struggling girl up to the gate.
"Good riddance!" Philemon called after them.
- Writer
