Rajah's Curse

Chapter 17: The Rescue

I stared out at the water. My ears twitched. It might have been nothing, but it sounded like the splash had been near the cliffs.

I jumped into the water and began paddling towards the sound. When I got close, I took a deep breath and dunked my head into the water.

The ocean was clear and my tiger eyes were sharp in the darkness. I caught sight of movement at the ocean's bottom. My stomach lurched. It couldn't be. I resurfaced and took another deep breath. Then I dived down.

When I saw the white clothes, I feared it was the sultan of all people but as I got closer, I discovered it was none other than Prince Ali. He was covered in chains. It looked like someone was trying to drown him.

Our eyes met.

He squeezed his eyes shut as if to say: not you.

In other circumstances, I would have growled at him. In other circumstances, I would have left the suspicious prince to die. My life would be so much easier if I just let him die. Then Jasmine would be mine again. I wouldn't have to worry about losing her to this man I hated and couldn't trust. But...

Jasmine. This was her betrothed.

Her new betrothed, I thought grimly.

She supposedly loved him. Losing her friend, Aladdin, had devasted the princess. What would happen if she lost this man too?

I can't remember the last time another person has made me this happy.

Damn it.

I couldn't let her prince drown. I wouldn't let her lose another person. So, I open my mouth a fraction and grabbed the chained-up prince. Then I began to swim up.

He was heavy, so heavy that it felt like we weren't moving. I kicked fiercely and slowly, very slowly, I made headway. It was the second hardest swim of my life.

When we broke the surface, I thanked Durga for her protection yet again. I dragged the prince to the alcove and with some serious maneuvering, I managed to let go of the prince, get my head under him, and lift him onto the raised stone shore.

After that, I wanted to call my job finished and collapse on the ground beside him, but I wasn't done. I climbed onto the shore. Then I sniffed the prince and listened. He wasn't breathing. I nudged him.

I did not just rescue this piece of garbage for him to die on me.

I gave him a firm shove to the chest. It was perhaps harder than Kadam would have liked, but it had the right effect. The prince sputtered out some water and opened his eyes. This time when he looked at me, I could see that they held something close to wonder.

"You," he grunted, "but I thought..."

I ignored him. I didn't save him for his thanks. I did it for Jasmine.

Speaking of which, now that I knew he wasn't dead. I needed to go get her. The prince would need help.

I started towards the stairs.

"Where?" he rasped.

I kept going. I'd be back.

He went on talking, but I did not pay him much attention. The last words I heard him say were, "My lamp."