I am the one to hold it
"Damn skull, always leeching off everyone," Yelisa muttered under her breath, her irritation palpable.
Jafar, shaking off the uneasy feeling from their earlier encounter, spoke with determination, "We're going to my house tonight to steal the book. After that, we'll come back here and plan our next phase."
Yelisa nodded, her resolve matching his. Without wasting any more time, Jafar left the chamber and headed straight for his own magic chamber, preparing for the task ahead.
---
**0.00in**
Jafar stood outside his chamber, his breath fogging in the cool night air as he waited for Yelisa. Soon enough, she appeared, her usual confident smirk in place.
"Ready?" Yelisa asked, adjusting her cloak as she approached him.
"More than ready," Jafar replied, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Let's get this over with."
They both mounted Gulzum, Yelisa's demon companion. As soon as they were settled, Gulzum took off, his powerful wings slicing through the night sky. The journey from the market square to Jafar's house would have taken a royal carriage at least thirty minutes, but with Gulzum's incredible speed, it took only ten breaths to reach their destination.
---
Gulzum landed silently in the courtyard of Jafar's home, his claws barely making a sound on the cobblestones. The shadows of the house loomed over them, the old structure appearing even more ominous under the pale moonlight.
"Follow me," Jafar whispered, leading Yelisa through the back entrance. They moved with practiced stealth, avoiding creaking floorboards and sticking to the shadows as they made their way to the old well where the book was hidden.
When they reached the well, Jafar hesitated for a moment, staring at the heavy stone cover that concealed the entrance to the hidden vault.
Without a word, Gulzum stepped forward, effortlessly lifting the massive cover with a single hand. The stone slab was so heavy that it would have taken a team of strong men to move it, yet Gulzum handled it like it was a mere pebble.
"Impressive," Jafar muttered, awe creeping into his voice despite himself.
Gulzum glanced at him with a sly grin. "Demons have their uses, boy. Maybe one day you'll have half the strength to lift a rock like this."
Jafar bristled at the demon's taunt but held his tongue. He knew better than to argue with a creature like Gulzum. Instead, he turned to Yelisa, who had already begun to work on the vault's lock using her kinesis magic.
The air around Yelisa's fingers shimmered as she manipulated the magical locks with ease. Within moments, the vault clicked open, revealing the ancient tome they had come for.
Jafar reached for the book, but Yelisa quickly grabbed it first, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "I'll hold onto this," she declared, a note of possessiveness in her voice.
Jafar, however, wasn't so easily deterred. "You might be good with magic, Yelisa, but when it comes to plans and strategy, that's my domain. You know this is too important to mess up, and frankly, I trust myself more with it."
They locked eyes, tension hanging thick in the air as they both silently weighed their options.
Finally, Yelisa relented with a sigh. "Fine, but don't think for a second that I'm letting you out of my sight with that thing."
With a satisfied smirk, Jafar took the book from her hands. "Wouldn't dream of it."
As he held the ancient tome, the weight of their mission seemed to settle on his shoulders. They had what they needed, but this was only the beginning. The true challenge lay ahead.
With the book in hand, they made their way back to Gulzum, ready to return to their hideout and face whatever came next.
---
The night was far from over, and Jafar knew they were treading on dangerous ground. But with the book now in his possession, he felt a rush of exhilaration. They were one step closer to unlocking the secrets of the *Records of True Magic*—and nothing was going to stop them.