She picked up another cookie, watching the powdered sugar drift onto the plate. "But then I'd look at this lovely table that definitely wasn't here before yesterday. Or I'd touch the pendant and feel its warmth. And the cats..." She gestured towardMozart, who had recovered his dignity and was now washing his face. "They see you. They react to you."
The cookie crumbled delicately between her fingers as she spoke. "So either I'm having the most elaborate hallucination ever, complete with physical evidence and independent verification from my cats... or magic is real." She popped the cookie fragment into her mouth, letting it melt on her tongue. "And since these cookies are definitely real, I'm going with magic."
She grinned at him. "Even if it's just for the cookies."
Chapter
Nine
Kieran'sunexpected smile warmed those silvery-blue eyes. His imposing presence had softened, and for the first time since he'd appeared in her living room, Mandy felt truly at ease with him.
"Yes," he said, his deep voice gentle. "It's quite real."
Bach chirped, headbutting her hand in his ever present quest for scritches. Absently she complied, noting that Mozart had crept forward and was eyeing the hem of Kieran's robes as the Djinn reached for his tea glass. The cat's fluffy tail twitched in that telltale way that meant mischief was imminent. The orange tabby crouched low, his green eyes fixed on the shimmering fabric that caught the late afternoon light.
"Mozart," she warned, recognizing the pre-pounce wiggle of his hindquarters. "Don't you dare."
Kieran paused, his hand still extended toward the delicate glass. His silvery-blue eyes tracked Mozart's movement with what looked suspiciously like amusement. The stern set of his features softened as he observed the cat's impending attack.
"I should probably warn you," Mandy said, trying to distract Mozart by wiggling her fingers. "He has a thing about flowing fabric. Especially anything sparkly."
Kieran's black eyebrow arched upward as he regarded the creeping cat. "Indeed?" His deep voice carried a note of genuine interest rather than the annoyance she'd expected.
Mozart chose that moment to pounce, batting at the shimmering hem with lightning-quick paws. The fabric rippled like water under his attack, seeming to dance just out of reach no matter how he swiped at it. Just like magic.
Magic.
"A whole life changer," she whispered, more to herself than to Kieran. The words felt inadequate to express the magnitude of what lay before her.
Her thoughts whirled with potential. Her novels. She could wish for recognition. Maybe her stories could catch Oprah's eye, or perhaps she'd find her name rocketing up the bestseller rankings. Maybe some big-shot filmmaker would stumble upon her work and declare it ideal for the silver screen. She could reach countless readers - masses of people diving into her worlds, falling in love with the people she'd created. The thought left her dizzy with longing. What she wouldn’t give for that!
Mandy's eyes lit up as an idea struck her. The perfect wish - one that would benefit not just her, but countless others. Her lips curved into a wicked grin as she considered how to phrase it.
"Say..." She shifted in her chair, causing Bach to readjust his position with an annoyed chirp. "I don't suppose you could make it so that the… er… ding-a-lings of all rapists would fall off? Or at least stop working?"
Kieran's mobile eyebrow shot upward, his stern features registering surprise. "Ding-a-lings?"
Mandy's lips quivered with barely suppressed amusement. "Hey, I'm an old lady, and this is mixed company. I'm minding my language."
Mozart paused in his attack on Kieran's robes to give her what could only be described as a judgmental look.
She couldn't be sure, but she thought she caught a flicker of amusement in Kieran's silvery-blue eyes, despite his pained expression.
Kieran's stern features softened slightly, though his silvery-blue eyes remained serious. "I apologize, but even with Wish magic, that would be beyond my capabilities."
"Well, hell." Mandy slumped back in her chair. She'd known it was probably too much to ask, but still. The idea had merit.
If something as specific as making all rapists impotent was beyond a Djinn's power, then clearly the really big wishes were off the table too. No solving world hunger or achieving world peace with a single wish. If Djinn could make such sweeping changes to the world, wouldn't they have done so already? Surely in three thousand years, someone must have tried to wish for an end to war or disease or poverty.
"So I'm guessing anything involving massive worldwide changes is out?" She couldn't quite keep the disappointment from her voice.
The corner of Kieran's mouth twitched upward slightly. "Indeed. Wish magic, while powerful, has its limitations. The more people or things a wish would affect, the more difficult - or impossible - it becomes to grant."
Mandy nodded as she processed this new information. It made sense, really. Magic or not, nothing was truly unlimited. Even in her novels, she had to establish rules and limitations for any magical systems she created. Otherwise, the story fell apart.
She pondered other possibilities. Wishing for money was a possibility, naturally. Even though it felt kind of crass to her. And anyway, she felt content with her current means and simple way of life. What purpose would substantial wealth serve? Managing a big house wasn't feasible for her. Though having household help - someone to clean and prepare meals - would free up time for her writing.
But she could travel! Except… yeah, no. Extravagant travel plans like a tour of the Carpathian mountains - a place she'd always wanted to see - or a steamboat trip down the Mississippi to New Orleans - they all seemed futile when a short trek to collect her mail left her winded.
