Page 7 of Wayward Witch
Azar followed, still completely naked. I couldn't help but glance at him every few steps, mortified that he was so nonchalant about his lack of clothing. Strangely, though, nobody else on the street seemed to notice him at all. It was as if he were invisible to everyone but me.
"Like what you see?" He asked, grinning wickedly. "You keep looking like you can't get enough of me."
I groaned, feeling my cheeks heat up. Was this really happening? A naked Djinn walking beside me like it was perfectly normal?
"Anytime you want to gaze upon me, you are welcome." Azar replied, his voice low and sultry. "Until then, lead the way, my dear Selene."
He was mostly quiet as we walked, occasionally urging me to make a wish or throwing flirtatious remarks my way. I tried my best to ignore him, focusing on the worn sidewalk beneath my feet and the sound of Luna's soft purring or occasional chirrups. But despite my best efforts, I couldn't deny the odd thrill his attention gave me. Had anyone looked at me the way Azar did?
"Selene," Azar said suddenly, breaking the silence. "If you're so worried about making a wish, why not wish for something smalland inconsequential? Surely that would be safer than wishing for something grand."
"Who knows?" I admitted reluctantly.
"Fair enough," he sighed, looking almost disappointed. "But remember, you can't avoid it forever. You have three wishes to make, whether you like it or not."
"Thanks for the reminder," I muttered, feeling a knot of dread twist in my stomach. As we approached the library, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd ever find a way out of this mess… or if I was doomed to be bound to never tell the truth and a naked, flirtatious Djinn for the rest of my days.
My heart raced as we entered the library, the familiar scent of old books and polished wood filling my nostrils. I silently prayed that Azar's apparent invisibility to others would continue to hold. The last thing I needed was for my coworkers to see me with a naked Djinn.
"Ohhhh," Azar whispered in my ear, his breath warm against my skin. "I've always had a thing for naughty librarians."
"Well, hell," At least that statement hadn't made a fool out of me. I made my way through the aisles of books, feeling both relieved and uneasy by the fact that no one seemed to notice Azar.
Halfway into the library, my luck ran out. Lyptico, my boss who I was currently on thin ice with, spotted me and came rushing over, his eyes fixed on Azar with a mixture of confusion and anger.
"Selene!" he whisper-called as he reached for my wrist. But before his fingers could make contact, Azar stepped between us,a dark cloud of smoke swirling around him like an ominous storm.
"Touch her, and you'll regret it," Azar snarled, his usually playful voice now deep and menacing.
Lyptico froze, his hands raised defensively. He glanced at me, concern etched on his face. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly.
"Never been better," I blurted out, immediately cursing my response. I waved my hands in frustration, trying to convey that I wasn't in any real danger.
"Cast a red colorful burst spell if you're in distress," Lyptico instructed, his eyes never leaving Azar. "Or a blue one if you're safe."
As I hesitated, torn between frustration at everything that went wrong in my life and the strange sense of safety Azar provided, our gazes met. There was something in Azar's eyes… an intensity, a fierce protectiveness that made me feel more alive than I'd ever felt before.
I cast the blue colorful burst spell. A shower of azure sparks filled the air, gradually vanishing into the air, leaving a faint glimmer of blue in their wake. Lyptico's shoulders dropped slightly as he exhaled a breath he had been holding, but his eyes remained narrowed at Azar.
"Remember this," Azar said, his voice menacing and cold. "If you so much as move toward Selene again, I will make you regret your very existence. She is under my protection."
"I would never threaten her," Lyptico replied, nodding solemnly. There was a certain tone in his voice that made me pause, something I couldn't quite place but left me feeling uneasy.
"See to it that you don't have any intentions toward her," Azar snarled, his eyes flashing with a dangerous intensity.
"Whatever you think is happening here, it isn't the case," Lyptico insisted, raising his hands in surrender. "I simply wanted to ensure she was safe."
Azar stared him down for a moment longer before finally relaxing, his posture returning to its usual seductive nonchalance. I stood there, baffled by the sudden shift in mood, wondering what had come over Azar and whether his sudden display of aggression would be a problem in the future.
"Are you alright?" Azar asked softly, turning to me with genuine concern shimmering in his eyes.
"Of course not," I lied, when in reality I felt a strange sense of comfort from his protectiveness. It was an odd sensation, one I wasn't accustomed to.
Lyptico watched us like a hawk as we moved through the shelves. If that wasn't disconcerting enough, Azar was still naked. This entire day was weird as fuck, and I couldn't wait for it to be over.
My heart raced as Azar and I stepped into a restricted area of the library. His silent, powerful presence beside me left me feeling calmer than I should have. As we moved deeper into the restricted area of the library, my eyes darted across the faded spines. Would any of these books hold the answers to my questions?
I sifted through shelves, my fingers tracing over faded titles, my senses sharp and hyper-aware of Azar's close proximity. I'd never expected the potion the old witch had given me to cause this kind of change to my life. Then again, I didn't suspect most people expected a naked Djinn to pop into their life.