"What do you think?" she asked the magical cat. "Should I call him now? Wait? And, wait for what?"
Dinen chuffed at her question, the sound somewhere between a laugh and a snort. He stretched languidly, then yawned with deliberate slowness. His impressive display of gleaming white fangs made Mandy step back instinctively, even though she knew he meant her no harm.
"Oh, thanks so much for that helpful advice," she said, rolling her eyes at the magical cat's theatrical response. "Really, your insight is invaluable."
Blue flames rippled along Dinen's spotted coat as he closed his massive jaws with an audible click. A shimmer of magic filled the air, and suddenly Kieran stood in her living room, his silver-white hair catching the morning sunlight. His lips curved in that subtle smile that made her heart skip.
"I see Dinen has been offering his unique brand of wisdom," he said, his deep voice carrying a note of amusement she hadn't heard before.
Heat crept into Mandy's cheeks as she gestured at Dinen's lounging form. "Oh yes, I was deeply impressed by his sage counsel. The huge yawn really drove his point home."
Her gaze fell on the ornate table still sitting in her living room, its elaborate carvings catching the morning light. The same table Kieran had conjured during their first meeting - had it really been only a few weeks? It felt like years had passed since her world turned upside down.
Kieran moved to the table with fluid grace, his blue robes whispering against the floor. A familiar teapot materialized, along with delicate glasses and a bowl of sugar. Steam curled from the spout, carrying that exotic blend of spices she'd grown to love.
"Please, sit." His deep voice carried a note of seriousness that made her stomach flutter. "We need to discuss several important matters."
Mandy sank into one of the cushioned chairs, smoothing her duster with nervous fingers. "Absolutely. I have about a million questions. But…" she gestured at Kieran. "You first."
His elegant hands moved with practiced grace as he poured the tea, but she noticed a slight hesitation - almost imperceptible - when their fingers brushed during the exchange of cups. That brief touch sent a current of awareness through her, and she caught the smallest catch in his breathing. The air seemed to thicken with unspoken words, heavy with the weight of whatever caused his usual perfect control to waver.
Kieran's silver-blue eyes met hers across the ornate table, their ancient depths holding something she hadn't seen before - a vulnerability that made her heart skip. His expression wasmore serious than she'd ever seen, the stern lines of his face softened by what might have been uncertainty.
"I must acknowledge something," he said, his deep voice carrying a weight of responsibility, though she noticed how his fingers remained close to hers on the table, as if drawn there despite his formal tone. "I made the choice to transform you without your consent."
Mandy remained silent as he continued, her heart beating an uneven rhythm against her ribs. The raw honesty in his voice, so different from his usual measured tones, held her motionless. She'd never seen him like this - the stern Djinn prince laying bare his actions, his direct gaze, usually so guarded and distant, holding hers.
"You were too ill to comprehend or respond. The COVID had ravaged your lungs beyond repair." His elegant hands tightened briefly on his teacup. "I knew you were slipping away, and I... I could not let that happen. So I made the decision for you."
He straightened in his chair, his shoulders squared as if preparing for judgment. "I take full responsibility for that choice. However," his voice softened slightly, "I was absolutely certain that, had you been able to understand and choose, you would have agreed. Your love of magic, your sense of wonder, your desire to help others - all of these told me you would embrace becoming Djinn."
The truth of his words resonated deep within her, stirring both her heart and her newfound magic. Without hesitation, she reached across the table, covering his hand with hers. The contact sent a spark through her, feeling like a warm hum dancing beneath her skin in response to his touch.
"You're right," she said simply. "I would have chosen this. A thousand times over, I would have said yes."
Relief flickered across his stern features, softening the set of his shoulders. His fingers curled around hers, warm andreassuring, but there was something else in his expression now - an intensity that made her pulse quicken in response.
Kieran's silver-blue eyes held hers with renewed intensity. "I have no wish to take more choices from you, nor deny you the human life you've built. However, you must understand the importance of learning to control your magic properly."
Mandy nodded in fervent agreement. "That's actually one of the things I wanted to ask you about," she said. "I mean, I managed to heat my tea earlier when you were teaching me, but there's a lot more to being Djinn than just making the perfect cup of Earl Grey. And I really don't want to accidentally set something on fire or make things disappear when I sneeze." She caught herself starting to ramble and stopped, watching his face for his response.
"I would prefer if you were to spend time in Qaf." He seemed to choose his words carefully, his expression serious. "The magic there will help you learn faster, and more safely, than attempting to master your powers in the human realm."
Mandy nodded, understanding. "Like immersion study in Cairo," she said seriously.
Kieran's rich laugh startled her. The sound transformed his stern features, lighting up his silver-blue eyes with genuine mirth. He rarely laughed - not real laughter, just those subtle smiles or a slight curve of his lips. The unexpected warmth of it wrapped around her like summer sunshine.
"Yes," he agreed, still chuckling. "That is actually a perfect analogy. The magic of Qaf will surround you, just as being in a foreign country while learning its language surrounds a student in an immersion study."
She found herself smiling in response, oddly pleased at having broken through his usual reserve. A yearning awoke within her, a need to know the real Kieran beneath the formal facade of the ancient Djinn prince.
Kieran's expression grew serious once more, though warmth lingered in his silver-blue eyes as they held hers. He seemed to weigh each word carefully before speaking. "It is my hope that you would want to stay with me in my tower while you learn."
Mandy's heart thundered against her ribs as his words sank in. Living in Kieran's tower, being near him every day... The memory of his kisses flashed through her mind, from their fierce first embrace to that gentle brush of lips before he'd vanished. Heat bloomed across her cheeks as she tried to focus on the practical aspects of magical training. Why did he want her there? The warmth of his fingers still wrapped around hers sent tingles up her arm.
"Of course, you have the option to stay in the village," he continued, his deep voice careful, seemingly unaware of the direction of her thoughts. "And in time, if you wish, you may choose a home of your own there. Although, it is my hope that, in time, you would become my Chosen." Something in the way he spoke that single word gave her pause, weighted with meaning she didn't yet understand, but her magic responded to it like a whispered promise.
"Chosen?" The word felt significant on her tongue. "What does that mean?"
