"But here's the thing," Jacinth said, her dark eyes twinkling. "He's bound by the Wish vessel magic now. Once a vessel is given - even if itwasborrowed without permission first - the Djinn must honor the bond until all three wishes are granted."
Mozart abandoned the forbidden kitchen counter to jump onto Jacinth's lap, nudging her hand hopefully. The Djinn obliged him, her fingers finding that perfect spot behind his ears that always made him purr like a motorboat.
"So he has no choice?" Mandy asked, guilt creeping into her chest at the thought of forcing anyone - even an immortal magical being - into something against their will.
"No, he doesn't have a choice," Jacinth said, her tone completely unapologetic as she continued petting Mozart. "But it's for his own good. You saw how he was when he first appeared - all thunder and lightning and 'how dare you summon me' attitude."
Mandy nodded, remembering Kieran's initial fury. The disembodied voice, followed by the way he'd materialized in her living room, his presence filling the space with crackling energy, those silvery-blue eyes blazing with otherworldly power.
But then something had shifted. She'd watched his anger fade to annoyance, then resignation, and finally acceptance as Jacinth explained what she'd done. Okay, well, not explained exactly. In fact, she'd sort of dodged the whole issue. But, by the end of their conversation, Kieran had even laughed - that rich, unexpected sound that had transformed his entire being.
"He did seem to mellow out considerably," Mandy admitted
"Exactly!" Jacinth beamed, clearly pleased with herself. "Once he understood what was happening, he accepted it. That's just how Kieran is - he might bluster and storm about change at first, but give him time to process it logically, and he'll come around. Especially when he knows there's nothing he can do about it anyway."
The casual way Jacinth dismissed manipulating an ancient, powerful being should have bothered Mandy more than it did. But there was something about the Djinn woman's absolute certainty, her unwavering conviction that she was doing the right thing, that made it hard to argue with her logic.
Chapter
Six
Mandy watchedJacinth drift toward the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves dominating the far wall. Questions about magic and Djinn tumbled through her mind, each more surreal than the last.
"Oh my!" Jacinth's eyes widened. "These shelves must hold hundreds of books!" Her fingers trailed along the spines.
"Closer to a thousand," Mandy said proudly. "Though these days I mostly read on my Kindle - easier to hold and adjust the text size and lighting."
Jacinth pulled out a well-worn paperback, its spine cracked from multiple readings. "The Hobbit," she read, turning the book over in her hands. "This one's been loved quite thoroughly."
"My first introduction to fantasy," Mandy said, warmth spreading through her chest. "Though talking to actual magical beings feels just as fantastic as reading about hobbits for the first time."
"You have an entire section dedicated to fantasy," Jacinth observed, moving along the shelves.
"Oh!" Jacinth's delighted exclamation drew Mandy's attention. "You have the entire Dragonriders of Pern series! I absolutely adore these books."
Mandy straightened, her back pain momentarily forgotten. "You've read Anne McCaffrey?" She caught herself, realizing how silly that sounded.
"Oh yes!" Jacinth pulled outDragonflightreverently. "The way she created such a complete world, with the dragons and their riders..." She sighed happily.
"Do you have a favorite?" Mandy asked.
"The White Dragon," Jacinth replied without hesitation. "You?"
"The Harper Hall books," Mandy said, settling back. Her cheeks warmed. "I had such a crush on Masterharper Robinton."
Jacinth's eyes lit up. "Robinton was wonderful - using music and diplomacy instead of force." She returnedDragonflightto its place.
They beamed at each other, sharing the moment. Mandy couldn't remember when she'd last had someone to discuss her beloved fantasy novels with.
Jacinth moved to the romance section, her eyes widening. "Historical, contemporary, romantic suspense..." She pulled out a book featuring a bare-chested man with glowing eyes. "And quite the paranormal romance collection! You're quite the romantic."
"I like happy endings," Mandy said, grinning. She was past caring what people thought of romance novels.
"Oh, I wasn't criticizing." Jacinth's eyes sparkled. "Though you seem particularly fond of paranormal romance."
Mandy chuckled. "I never thought I'd be discussing this with an actual magical being."
"Who do you think inspired these stories?" Jacinth winked. "Some of the greatest love stories I've witnessed have been between magical beings and humans."
