Part 20 (1/2)
”How far away is that?”
”Twenty kilometers.” that would be twelve and a half miles. ”Is there one closer?”
”No.”
”Take me to it,” I said.
”May I ask the young lady a question?”
”Yes?”
”You're American, yes?”
”Yeah.”
”Is it custom in your country to talk to people who are not there?” I had not gone out of my way to disguise my conversations with Lova because I had a.s.sumed that the driver wouldn't notice what I was doing. I would have to be more careful.
”I'm a famous actress,” I said. ” I'm rehearsing lines for a movie.” that got the guy excited, and he talked my head off all the way to the hotel. When we were parked outside, I turned to Lova.
”Is Darbar in the area?” I whispered. She closed her eyes for a moment, then nodded toward the hotel.
”He's in that building,” she said. I spoke softly. ”Good. Stay out of sight in that shoe store over there. How far can you be from me and still hear my call?”
”Far.”
Okay, i'd have to trust her. ”Wait for my call. I won't be long.” I paid the driver-i owed him a small fortune-and entered the hotel. This Hilton was larger and older than the one at the beach, more con ser va tive. I asked at the desk where lunch was being served and was pointed toward two different restaurants.
”Which one has the best steak?” I asked. I was directed to the restaurant on the second floor, overlooking the pool and the harbor. It was almost deserted; apparently the other restaurant had the great lunch menu. A man with a white turban wanted to seat me but I told him I was looking for a friend. Before Amesh saw me, I saw him on the balcony eating his lunch.
He had two hands! He was using both of them to eat! it should not have been a shock. I had heard him wish for the hand. But to actually see it attached to his arm-it was a miracle!
Yet there was something wrong with his right hand. The skin color was ghastly. It was not dark like his normal beautiful skin, but a sick yellow. And the longer I watched, the more I saw him struggle to use the hand.
He was using it to hold the fork, to keep the meat in place, when he should have been using it to cut the meat with his knife. Amesh had told me that he was naturally right-handed.
Yet here he was using his left hand to do the more difficult task. It broke my heart to see why. His new hand was hurting him. He tried to hide it, but every time the fork slipped from his control, he winced.
I ran over and sat beside Amesh. He took one look at me and tried to escape. He had on new clothes. Expensive tailored clothes. Gray slacks, a white silk s.h.i.+rt, and a gaudy silver jacket. I grabbed him by his sleeve as he went to leave.
”We have to talk,” I said.
He shook free. ”I don't have to talk to you!”
His words stung. For two weeks I had done nothing but worry about him, and now he did not want to speak to me. The only thing that kept me from bursting into tears was the pain on his face. He did not look like the Amesh I knew. He kept twitching.
”Where's Darbar?” if the djinn was nearby, I did not sense him.
He shook at the mention of the djinn. ”Don't say his name!”
”Why not?”
”Because I hate him, and it might make him come.”
”Fine. Talk to me, and I won't mention him again.”
He sat back down. ”Is that why you're here? to threaten me?”
”I'm here because I'm sick worrying about you. Did you happen to notice that it didn't matter how long we were on the island? When you returned, it was the next day.”
”Of course I noticed.”
”Well, I've been gone two weeks.”
He was stunned. ”You're kidding.”
”it's been a very long two weeks, Amesh.”
”I'm sorry.”
”That's it? You leave me stranded on a spooky island and all you can say is you're sorry?”
He looked ashamed. ”the djinn ordered me to leave you. It was like it got inside my mind, and I lost all control.
But then I thought of you and I fought it. I sent the carpet back for you. But I had no idea it would take so long to rescue you.”
”It came the next night.” the carpet had never told me Amesh had sent it back for me. I wondered why. The information meant a lot to me.
”But you just said . . .” he began.
”I stayed on the island on purpose to try to help you,” I interrupted. ”to learn how to undo the deals you've made with your djinn.”
He shook his head. ”It's not my djinn. I want nothing to do with it.”
”But you can't get rid of it, can you? Do you know why? it's because of the Laws of the Djinn that I told you about before you decided you knew every thing.” I paused. ”How many wishes have you made so far?”
”Two.”
”Liar.”
He went to snap at me but then stopped. ”What do three wishes have to do with Darbar taking control?” he asked.
”it's the third law of the djinn. Make three wishes and the djinn owns you. It's like you become its thrall.”
His eyes blinked rapidly. ”What does thrall thrall mean?” I described to him the series of pictures in the djinn temple. When I got to the part about the man being led into a fiery region with his neck in a noose, Amesh turned white. mean?” I described to him the series of pictures in the djinn temple. When I got to the part about the man being led into a fiery region with his neck in a noose, Amesh turned white.
”I swear on Allah's name, I've only made two wishes!”
”Then why are you twitching like a drug addict in need of a fix? And why do you jump when I say his name?”
He pointed to his right hand. ”It's because of this! Look at it. Do you know what it is?”