Beatrix and Kiko aimed their glows at his head. But the prince’s eyes were on his sister.
“Reena, it’s her. The genie’s true love. It was Uma all along,” said Kaveen breathlessly. “If I give her to Father, I’ll be Sultan. I’ll have the Woods’ respect once more. Take your friends. They’re none of my concern. But this one I keep.”
Reena narrowed her eyes. “She was your princess, Kaveen. Give her to a genie? Bind her to the lamp for eternity?”
“That would be like me killing Agatha to win my test,” Tedros berated him. “That would be like me handing my princess to a Snake.”
Agatha felt a rush of relief. Whatever doubts Kaveen had cast in her prince about her, Tedros had broken the spell.
“But it’s what the Storian wants! The real happy ending to our story!” Kaveen appealed to his sister. “Me, Sultan. My princess punished. You, free with your friends.”
Reena hesitated, considering the offer. “Uma is our friend. Hmm, let’s say I do give her to you. There would have to be a steep price. Something me and my friends need . . .” She looked at her brother. “Tell me how Father finds his way to the Cave of Wishes.”
Agatha startled. “Reena, we can’t leave Uma—”
Kaveen pressed his glow harder to Uma’s throat, his eyes on his sister. “I keep her. Promise me.”
“You’ll have to trust me,” said Reena.
“I never trust a princess,” said Kaveen. “Not even my own blood.”
“Says the one who broke the trust between us,” Reena clipped. Beatrix and Kiko fired whips of glow past Kaveen’s ears. Kaveen turned his glow on his sister, about to attack—
“Careful. You’re quite outnumbered, brother,” said Reena.
Kaveen’s nostrils flared. “A magical compass on Dad’s sash. It has the map to the cave,” he snarled. “Now go. Leave Uma with me. Our bargain is complete.”
“Thank you,” said Reena, walking out. “You were right, you know. To never trust a princess.” She glanced back at him. “At least one who doesn’t trust you.”
Kaveen’s eyes widened—
The hawk launched off her shoulder, stabbing Kaveen in the ribs, severing his grip on Uma and sending him writhing to the ground.
“Come on,” Reena said, ushering Agatha out of the cell.
Uma gave Sophie a look as she followed. “What was that about animals not being our friends?”
Sophie pursed her lips.
“Once a teacher, always a teacher,” said Agatha, dragging her best friend along.
18
SOPHIE
Love. Purpose. Food.
Sophie had always found Reena vaporous and dull, a fog of fruity perfume hovering around Beatrix at all times. But just like Beatrix had proved herself to be more than a pretty face, so now had her sidekick. The Storian might not be able to tell the tale of every soul; but even those it didn’t choose could find their way into its light.
The Shazabah princess led them out the prison door, Agatha badgering her: “We have to find Merlin!”
“Leave him to me,” Reena answered.
Agatha frowned. “But we need to—”
“What we need is to get to Aladdin’s Cave,” Reena countered. “Do what I say and you and the wizard survive. Try to control things like you always do and we all die. Got it?”
Agatha was speechless.
“I’m loving New Reena,” said Sophie.
“Me too,” said Tedros.
Agatha shot them both a look.
Reena, meanwhile, was locking the door to the prison, sealing her brother and guards inside, along with her palace hawk, who would keep an eye on both. Beatrix and Kiko had already sprinted ahead. Quickly, Sophie, Agatha, and the rest followed Reena through a dark corridor. “The wishes in the lamp are our best hope to keep Agatha alive and make Tedros king. We just have to make the right wishes,” the princess explained.
“Just use the wishes to kill the Snake!” Tedros argued. “Wish one, wish two, and wish three!”
“That isn’t the answer,” said Agatha thoughtfully, as if it had been on her mind since Tedros had declared his intention to kill the Snake back at school. “I know you want to keep me alive. But killing Japeth means you’ll never be king. Not to the people, at least.”
“She’s right,” Sophie agreed. “Use magic to kill your opponent and the Woods will have even more reason to believe Japeth was the Lion and you the Snake.”
“There has to be a better answer,” said Agatha. “And we have to use the wishes to find it.”
“But how else can wishes make me king?” said Tedros. “Second test is to kill you. That’s not going to happen. Whole Woods knows it. How can a genie change that—”
“Listen up,” said Reena, halting in a dark corridor, which led into a palace wing. “Agatha, take Tedros, Hort, and Uma to Pasha Dunes. Mostly sovereign clans there; they won’t bother you. Find a pub called the Mirage. The rest of our team will be waiting.”
“What team?” asked Agatha, but now they could hear bootsteps in the distance, marching in unison.
Reena spun to Sophie. “You come with me.” She shined her fingerglow at two sets of red-and-gold robes, pooled on the floor: Kiko’s and Beatrix’s. Reena thrust one at Sophie. “Put this on.” She grabbed Sophie by the wrist, dragging her into the light—
“Wait!” Agatha whispered, yanking Reena back. “How are the rest of us supposed to get out of the palace?”
“Same way you got in,” Reena said.
Agatha followed her eyes across the way, where behind glass doors, a family of camels waited in an alley. Two baby ones carried Beatrix and Kiko, who wore pearly chainmail and veils, while a familiar camel smiled right at Agatha, grunting a repeated phrase.
“It’s back,” Hort grumped.
“Tell me it’s not saying what I think it’s saying,” said Tedros.
“‘Trust is the way,’” Uma sighed.
The sounds of marching were getting closer now. Sophie could see shadows approaching their hiding place—
“Wait for my signal!” Reena ordered Agatha, before grabbing Sophie.
“No! I can’t leave Aggie behind!” Sophie said, but Reena had already pulled her in view of a dozen well-armed guards coming towards them, along with . . .
“Daddy!” Reena chimed.
The Sultan swept towards his daughter, dressed in a formidable gold cape, a matching tunic sashed with feathers, a shiny red turban, and pointy gold shoes. His face had a peculiar carrot-colored tan, along with plucked eyebrows and a curly moustache.
“Where are your guards, my child? With rebels on the loose, I don’t want you traveling anywhere alone. Even inside the palace.”
“They’re keeping an eye on brother before I go down and try again. I’m close to him telling me the genie’s true love,” Reena assured. “Not that I need guards. I’m safe with Shefali. My lady maid. She’s trained in defense.”
Sophie glanced around, searching for this Shefali woman, before she saw Reena glaring right at her.