He crossed his arms. “It’s a good plan.”
I crossed my own arms and shook my head. “It’s aterribleplan.”
“It’s theonlyplan.” He leaned forward, and something in his voice shifted. “Julian likes exotic women and he has plenty of money. He enjoys wooing women and showering them with gifts, so we can simply take advantage of that.”
I shuddered. Julian sounded like Rahil, and I had no interest in repeating a relationship like that. “Can’t we just steal what we need? Everything would be much simpler that way, and I’m better at stealing than I am at seducing.”
“Julian isn’t a man whose pocket can simply be picked. His finances are tied up in investments, assets, and businesses. It’s not like he has sacks of gold hidden under his bed that you can sneak in and snatch away in the dead of night, and I won’t be doing any thieving. I’m not a criminal.”
“You act enough like one that I’d believe it.”
“Ah, but everything I do is legal.”
I let out a bark of laughter. “I can’t imagine arresting an innocent civilian is legal.”
Zafir didn’t smile.
“Not much of a joker, are you?” I said.
“We don’t have time for jokes. We need to get to that lamp as soon as possible, so we need you to charm Julian quickly.”
“Andthenyou’ll help me get revenge on my husband?”
“No, I won’t. And we’ll need to do something about you being married. I can’t in good conscience encourage a married woman to seduce a man other than her husband.”
“Even if I’m planning to kill said husband?”
“You’re still married. Annul your marriage first and then go seduce Julian.”
“So, what am I getting out of this deal?”
It looked as though he were chewing on his tongue for a moment, then he said, “When I go to Brisden to get the lamp, you can come along.”
“You’re only saying that because we’re chained together.”
Zafir cocked an eyebrow. “You’re quite an astute little viper, aren’t you?”
“I have my moments. So, when am I supposed to charm him? If he’s a member of Parliament, I assume he’s very busy.”
“He’s not a political figure. He’s the arrogant, entitled son of an important member of Parliament who spoils him rotten and gives him whatever he wants. So Julian is anything but busy, which is why he has unlimited time and money to waste on women instead of doing something useful with his time.”
“I see you hold him in the highest regards. And youthink that what you do is more useful? Running around the streets and arresting half-dead women?”
Zafir gave a soft snort. “You’re very fortunate I’m difficult to annoy.”
“I thought everything annoyed you. It’s written all over your face.”
His mouth quirked to the side. “You’re mistaken. Nothing annoys me. This is just my face and I can’t change that. Now, unless you know another way to cross half the world and steal a genie’s lamp, we have work to do.”
I sighed, slumping beside him. “Fine. I’ll do it.”
He smirked. “Excellent. Julian always attends the weekly fire dances, so you need to be at the one tonight.” He cast a critical eye over my appearance. “You’ll never win him over looking like a street rat. Follow me.”
It wasn’t like I had much of a choice. I followed the chain’s pressure as Zafir led me through his study and into his adjoining bedroom.
“There’s a dragon in Rookwyn who enchants wardrobes. This is one of his that I had imported,” Zafir told me on the way. “Such enchanted objects are very rare.”
“My husband had an entire house that was dragon enchanted.” I refused to be impressed by anything of Zafir’s after having lived in Rahil’s manor.
