Oops! I Caught a Genie!

Chapter 38

My head ached, my eyes burned behind closed lids. I had never had a pain in my head this severe. I cracked one eyelid open and shut it immediately, the light was unbearable. I groaned in pain, I was unable to move my limbs. A hand covered my eyelids, I could feel a slightly calloused palm blocking the light from my eyes.

"Nora, are you alright?" I could tell that the voice was trying to be quiet but even the whisper felt like a siren going off in my ears. I groaned again in an attempt to respond.

"Why was she sucked through with us?" A different voice mused.

"I have no idea," the first voice said.

"Where are we?" The second voice, I guessed it was Mangoo, asked.

"It looks like the Tyuil Plaza, it is it isn't that far from my property."

"Isn't that far? You live in the boonies."

"Not that far out, besides, I have a land vehicle near the edge to get past the woods."

"Fine, pick up your girl and lets go."

"I can't, that portal was really harsh and crude. Look at the number it did on Nora, I don't think I can carry her."

"Scooch over you wimp."

The hand covering my eyes was removed and quickly replaced with some sort of cloth, it smelled like my house so it probably was something of mine. Strong hands slid under my back and under my knees and hoisted me into the air. The journey was surprisingly smooth considering I was being carried. The bobbing motion eventually lulled me to sleep.

~~~~

"Is she awake?"

"You idiot you've gone and woken her up." I heard Fritz grouch.

"No... I don't think he woke me..." I said, my voice was quiet and hoarse. How long had I been out? My head still ached, but the photosensitivity was mostly gone. I could see Fritz and Mangoo standing over me, worried expressions on their faces. I could tell I was on something soft, since I couldn't see a back I assumed it was not a couch.

"Where am I?" I asked softly.

"My house." Fritz said.

"You have a house?" I said, managing a slightly wry expression.

Fritz frowned and poked my face teasingly.

"If you're feeling well enough to flirt, we could use explanation of why you came through the portal with us." Mangoo said.

"I don't know, wasn't it supposed to only be for djinn?"

"Yes. Its also permanent. We closed the ways between the worlds."
My heart felt like it was in my throat. Permanently closed meant I was stuck here. My family and friends would all assume that I was dead. The people I would miss the most were my mother and Liana. My mother had now lost both her husband and her only daughter... Now I was stuck here, surrounded by beings that loathed my very DNA, the only thing that could possibly be considered good about this situation was that I had Fritz and Mangoo with me and they would hopefully protect me. Moisture built behind my eyes. Fritz put a hand on my arm to try and comfort me. I let out a snort of laughter.

"Nora?" Fritz said.

"Its just... A couple of weeks ago, if you had told me i'd find a genie in a watch and get trapped in another world I would have asked you what drugs you were on. It just doesn't seem real yet. I'm still in shock I think."

"Understandable," Mangoo said, "it doesn't matter much why she's here, the fact is that she is stuck here and the council probably wants to kill her."

"Mangoo go check on the council, get an update. They may be reeling from the collapse of the pathways." Fritz commanded. I could tell Mangoo was not used to receiving commands by the way his head pulled back and the furrowing of his brow, but he turned on his heels and marched out the door. He didn't go submissively though, he raised a particular finger and grumbled about having to walk all the way to the city on his way out.

"Why doesn't he just teleport?" I asked Fritz once Mangoo was out the door.

"While you were out we decided that we wouldn't risk using the pathways until we were sure that they were stable."

"Thats... Smart..."

"Are you implying something?"

I stuck my tongue out playfully and grinned up at him. The atmosphere in the room lifted slightly, giving way to a more joking and playful mood. I poked him in the arm.

"What was that back in Mangoo's house?" I said. Fritz turned around and started organizing discarded pillows that were around the bed I was on.

"Friiitz," I whined. He turned slowly, but you could barely tell where his hair ended and his face began.

"Thought I would never see you again..." He mumbled, "Sorry."

"I'm not complaining," I said quietly, "I was just wondering."

He surprised me by smacking himself in the forehead with his palm, I could hear the thud clearly and it sounded painful.

"What the heck‽" I squeaked.

"You had djinn DNA on you, you might have gotten pulled through because of me! Its all my fault..." He was frowning, he looked like he was tearing himself apart with a toothpick.

"No! don't beat yourself up over this. Its only a possibility and it is unlikely at that! If just a little bit of DNA was enough to pull me through a portal why wasn't I pulled through the one with the binders? You can't blame yourself and besides, i'd have missed you terribly even if we've only known eachother for a few weeks I can't imagine going back to my studies like nothing happened."

"I feel terrible, i've basically thrown your life off course. I don't understand why you're so calm."

"Calm down yourself, i'm fine."

"You're sure?"
"Come here, I still can't move much." I commanded. Fritz moved closer and I yanked on his arm, pulling him next to me. I was just about to kiss him when an awkward and mildly surprised noise came from the doorway.

Have a nice day/weekend!