She tucked it away, into her sleeve. “I’ll take the other half of my payment now.”

“That could be water, for all I know!”

“And? If it is water, steal your gold back.” She gestured to the human weapons lining the room. “That is why they’re here, isn’t it? To make sure this exchange goes as planned?”

The merchant pressed his lips together and snapped his fingers. One of the men set a pouch in Rasul’s hands, which he offered to Loulie. She scanned the coins inside and, just to make sure she wasn’t being scammed, flipped the two-faced coin. It came down on the human side. Truth.

She offered him the vial. “Your requested magic: the Elixir of Revival.”

The merchant snatched it from her, and Loulie smiled beneath her scarf as he fumbled with the stopper. He was so excited, his hands were shaking.

If only he realized how easy this magic was to find.

Her eyes slid to Qadir. Though his expression was stony as always, she imagined a smug smile on his lips. She recalled the words he’d spoken the day she shared Rasul’s request with him: One jinn’s blood is a human man’s medicine.

There was a reason humans called it the Elixir of Revival.

That reason became apparent as the One-Eyed Merchant blinked the silvery contents of the vial into his eye. Loulie watched as sparkling tears streamed down his cheek, making his skin glow. But while this effect was temporary, something more permanent was happening to the merchant’s blind eye.

Darkness bloomed in the center of his iris like an inkblot spreading on a scroll. With every blink it spread, growing wider and wider until the blackness lightened to a dark brown.

Medicine indeed.

Soon it was not just the so-called elixir that fell from his eyes, but real tears. Even the mercenaries were unable to mask their shock as Rasul fixed both of his eyes on them.

“Praise be to the gods,” he whispered.

Loulie grinned. “Worth the price?”

“Such a miracle is priceless.” Rasul rubbed at his tearstained face, carefully avoiding the newly revived eye. “A thousand blessings upon you, Loulie al-Nazari.”

Loulie dipped her head. “And a thousand upon you. May I offer a piece of advice?” Rasul paused to look at her. “I suggest you come up with a new title. One-Eyed is a little melodramatic.”

The merchant burst out laughing. Loulie found, much to her surprise, that she was laughing with him. Once Rasul had finished heaping praises upon her and insisted on treating her to a stupendous feast later that evening, she left.

She and Qadir shared a look as they walked back down the corridor. The jinn lifted his hand to showcase the healing scab from a self-inflicted wound he’d made mere days ago.

She mouthed the words Shukran, oh holy, priceless miracle.

Qadir shrugged. He looked like he was trying not to smile.