“We aren’t proud of how we feel, Princess. We are good people. Really, we are. And we feel for the boy, but he also knew how dangerous those cliffs were.”
Jasmine couldn’t believe what she was hearing. During her brief time in Ababwa, these villagers had been kind and giving to her and Ali. And yet they were willing to let their fear overtake their compassion? They would let Jamaal die?
“I know it’s dangerous,” Jasmine said. “But think of Sultan Zayn the tenth. What kingdom have his wise words not reached?” she asked them. “Remember what he said about matters such as this? Did he not say that while the world is filled with kind and good people, the only way we can see a kind and good world is if we look beyond ourselves and intercede to help others when we can? If we don’t help Jamaal, he will die. And no one deserves a death like this.”
“She’s right,” said Zaria, taking a step forward. She looked over at the crowd. “He’s no different from Maha’s little boy, or any of our children in this kingdom…or us. We were all small and helpless once, too, weren’t we? He made a mistake going out there, he did. But with no parents to shade his path, it is we who must help him. If it were our own children out there, we would go in an instant.”
“I’m sorry I was callous,” one of the men said. “It’s been a tough few weeks in the kingdom. Our energies are a bit spent.”
“I understand,” said Jasmine. “Let us be judged tonight not on the words we said but on the actions we took. Will you help me?”
“Yes,” said the bread maker.
“Yes,” said Zaria.
“Yes!” shouted everyone, and Jasmine looked and realized the crowd had grown significantly. Every man, woman, and child from Ababwa stood straight at attention.
“Thank you.” She breathed a sigh of relief. “Now let’s save Jamaal.”
“YOUR PRINCESS is taking her sweet time,” mused Abbas. “Unlike you, I am a man of my word, and I will make good on my promise.”
Aladdin had no way to know what time it was or how much of it had passed, especially when each second felt like it lasted a lifetime.
And despite that, Aladdin was no closer to figuring out what he could do to save the boy and get out of Ababwa. Jamaal’s tears had stopped by now, salty and dried against his cheeks, as though he’d begun to accept his fate.
“Look, do you want the secret to the carpet’s magical ways or don’t you?” Aladdin tried yet again. “I will give them to you this time. You have my word.”
“Your word, eh? We both know what your word is worth.”
“It’s me you’re angry with,” Aladdin said, changing tactics. “Let me take the boy’s place. If she doesn’t come back in time, punish me. There’s no reason to kill him. He hasn’t done anything to you.”
“I wonder what part of him I’ll start with,” Abbas mused. He acted as though Aladdin hadn’t even said a word. Aladdin watched him wave his knife in the air. It glinted against the moonlight. “It’s been a while since I’ve had any real fun. Perhaps we could start with the toes? The fingers? Maybe I’ll have him decide. What say you, my friend?” He looked down at the boy and laughed.
Aladdin’s fists tightened. His jaw clenched. He wanted nothing more than to storm over and shove this villain to the ground.
Abbas laughed at Aladdin.
“Want to strike me, don’t you? I have to admit this wouldn’t be nearly as much fun if you weren’t here. Your reactions are priceless, truly.” He glanced over his shoulder and then turned back to Aladdin. “You know there’s always the possibility that she is not coming back. Maybe she ran off to save herself in that ship she’d promised me. Can’t really blame her, can you? You and this waste of breath I’ve got under my arm aren’t really worth fighting for, if we’re being completely honest.” He looked up at the moon and squinted. “I’d say we have another five minutes, give or take. It’s a shame this has to end, though. After having only silverfish and the roaches for company all these years I was rather enjoying our chat, and I was most certainly looking forward to getting off this blasted place tonight. But no matter, whether it’s tonight or tomorrow night or next month, I will get out sooner or later.”
The boy started to struggle again, trying to kick against the man’s torso. Abbas smacked him against the head. The boy winced and then fell silent. Soon Jamaal would have welts on his head where the man had struck him.
But the boy is not truly alive, Aladdin reminded himself yet again. Any bruise that he might sustain didn’t actually count, did it? Even if Abbas were to follow through with his threat and kill Jamaal, it technically wouldn’t be murder, because the boy had never existed to begin with. It didn’t count.
Except it did. Because it all felt so real. And because all Aladdin could see when he looked at the little boy was himself, once upon a time. He also knew that even if the boy was not a real person, Aladdin was, and what he did or didn’t do would matter to him and stay with him for the rest of his life.
Aladdin knew that there was one thing he could do. One thing that would undoubtedly save this boy’s life and end all of this once and for all—a wish. He’d used one to become a prince, and he’d promised his final wish to free Genie. But there was still one more he could use. And though logically it felt preposterous to spend a wish on an imaginary boy, his choice to save him or not was a very real one. Aladdin wondered if he could reach into his satchel for the lamp without Abbas noticing.
“The first person I will kill when I get back home is the king, of course.” Abbas looked off at the horizon thoughtfully. “Second try will have to be a charm. Next I’ll go for the guards, the ones who locked me away. But they must suffer. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I could set them loose in a meadow and hunt them. Now that could be fun.” Abbas laughed. He continued with the list of revenge. It was time, Aladdin realized. It was time to put an end to all of this.
He moved his hands slowly toward the satchel to reach for the lamp buried within. He opened his mouth to whisper Genie’s name. But before he could, he paused. There was a faint sound in the distance. Aladdin glanced at Abbas, but he was too busy rambling about his grand plans to notice. But Aladdin did. There, like a long and winding snake, was a line of people—the bread maker, the sweet vendor, the woman with the goats. Some carried torches while others carried lanterns. Practically the entire town was there. And leading them, at the front of the crowd—her face now visible to him in the distance—was Jasmine.
JASMINE MET ALI’S gaze as soon as she turned the bend. She watched his nervous expression shift from shock and disbelief to relief. She’d been nervous Abbas would see them coming down the pathway, but she needn’t have been concerned; Abbas was so busy going on and on about something, his back turned to the walkway, he didn’t notice Jasmine or the others as they drew closer. Soon she was mere steps away. She stared at his back. She could shove him—throw him off guard. But the man still held the knife close to the boy’s jugular. It wasn’t worth the risk.
“I’m back,” she finally said.
Abbas stopped talking. He turned around with a smile. But his expression soured within seconds once he took in the crowd of people behind her.
“Should’ve figured,” he grumbled.
“Perhaps,” Jasmine said. “Everyone from Ababwa is here. Hurt the boy and there is no happy ending for you. But it doesn’t have to come to that. The boy is all we care about. Let him go and no one needs to get hurt. Not even you.”
“So generous of you.” Abbas sneered. “But I’m afraid your little stunt is going to cost you. I told you I was going to kill this boy if you didn’t bring me proof of the ship and the gold. So now this boy is going to die while you watch. I must say”—he shook his head—“royalty is really not what they say it is anymore. If you can’t trust a royal with their word, who can you trust?”
“Don’t!” Jasmine took a step forward; the crowd moved restlessly behind her. Abbas raised his knife.
“Please!” Jamaal shouted. “Have mercy.”
“Mercy?” He looked down at the boy. “You do know none of this is my fault, don’t you? All I wanted was that blasted magic carpet and a way out of here, but these people, your supposed protectors and friends, couldn’t care less.” He glared at both Ali and Jasmine. “Now they claim to want to save your life. It baffles me, quite frankly why they pretend as if they care. Because you’re a nobody, kid. Sorry to say. Though I’m sure you knew that already. These townspeople here? They only came because a princess ordered them to. No one there cares a lick about you.”
The boy’s lower lip trembled.
“Don’t listen to him,” Jasmine told the boy. “If they didn’t care, they wouldn’t have come.” She turned to Abbas. “People can change their perspectives. They can change their ways. Even you could change if you truly wanted to. Despite all that has happened and all that you have done, it’s still not too late for you. You can still do the right thing, and you can start by letting this boy go.”
“As if I’d listen to you. I make decisions and stick with them. I’m no weak fool.”
