"Do you have any idea how greedy that would be?" The words burst from her with unexpected force. "I mean, if I was born into that kind of money and lifestyle, or if I'd become some tech whiz and invented Apple or something, and it all just took off naturally - at least then I'd have earned it somehow." She gestured helplessly with her hands. "But to make a wish for that kind of wealth, just for those reasons? It... I just… Argh! Even thinking about it makes me feel like some scuzzy crime lord or something."
Kieran's lips twitched, and Mandy caught the gleam of suppressed amusement in his eyes.
"I'm serious!" She scowled at him, crossing her arms.
"My apologies," he said, his deep voice rich with barely contained mirth. "I am attempting to envision you as a scuzzy crime lord, and finding myself failing abjectly."
Chapter
Twelve
A sudden tingleof electricity danced across Mandy's skin, making the fine hairs on her arms stand up. She'd started to recognize that sensation as a harbinger of Djinn magic. Sure enough, Jacinth materialized in the middle of her living room, her long black hair flowing as if caught in an invisible breeze.
"Oh good, you're both here!" Jacinth's chocolate-brown eyes sparkled with mischief as she surveyed the scene. "I was hoping to catch you together."
Mozart abandoned Mandy to investigate the newcomer, while Bach merely flicked an ear in acknowledgment before returning to his nap.
"Jacinth." Kieran's deep voice carried a note of resignation. "Why am I not surprised?"
"Because you know me too well?" Jacinth grinned, settling gracefully onto Mandy's couch. The flowing silk caftan she wore shimmered with subtle patterns that seemed to shift and change in the afternoon light.
"Hello Jacinth," Mandy said, unable to suppress a smile at the younger Djinn's infectious enthusiasm. There was something about Jacinth that made everything feel lighter, morepossible. "Would you like some tea?" Her eyes met Kieran's with a hint of mischief. "If you can manage another glass?"
Something flickered in his silver-blue eyes as he met her teasing gaze. A delicate glass teacup materialized on the table, steam rising from its depths. Jacinth's eyes danced with amusement as she reached for it.
Jacinth's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she sipped her tea. "So, have you decided on your first wish yet?"
Mandy shifted uncomfortably in her recliner, feeling a blush crawl up her cheeks.
"She has spent considerable time detailing precisely why wealth would be problematic," Kieran said, his deep voice carrying a distinct note of sourness. "Including an intriguing comparison of herself to a crime lord."
Heat crept up Mandy's neck as Jacinth's musical laughter filled the room. "A crime lord? You?" Jacinth's chocolate-brown eyes danced with merriment. "Oh, this I must hear!"
"I just meant it would feel wrong," Mandy protested, sinking deeper into her recliner. "Using magic to get that kind of wealth..." She trailed off, grimacing at how ridiculous it sounded when said aloud.
"And travel is apparently equally impossible," Kieran added, his silvery-blue eyes fixed on Mandy with an intensity that made her skin prickle. "Despite solutions being readily available through aforementioned wealth."
"I explained about that!" Mandy felt her cheeks grow warmer. "It's not just about having the money. It's about..." She waved her hand vaguely, trying to encompass all the complicated emotions surrounding her limitations. "It's about accepting what is, instead of constantly wanting what can't be."
Jacinth's expression softened with understanding, but before she could speak, Kieran cut in, his deep voice carrying an edge offrustration. "What cannot be? When you have been offered the means to make it possible?"
Mandy frowned a bit as she considered how to explain. "It's not that there aren't things I could wish for," she said slowly. "There are so many possibilities. But each one comes with complications, consequences to consider. Like ripples in a pond - one small change affects everything around it. My brain starts spinning through all the what-ifs and maybes until I'm completely overwhelmed."
Mandy shifted uncomfortably under their combined stares.
"In my defense, it's only been a week," she pointed out, lifting her chin slightly. "And I haven't just been sitting here dithering. I've been brainstorming."
She brightened, remembering. "Actually, I did make a spreadsheet!"
Kieran and Jacinth exchanged glances, their otherworldly features a study in confusion.
"A... what?" Kieran's deep voice carried genuine bewilderment.
"A spreadsheet," Mandy repeated, then faltered as their blank stares continued. "You know, with columns and rows? For organizing information?" She gestured vaguely with her hands, trying to illustrate. "Like, I have different categories for possible wishes, with pros and cons listed for each option, and potential consequences to consider..."
Her voice trailed off as the two ancient, magical beings simply stared at her.
Jacinth's musical laughter suddenly filled the room. She doubled over, clutching her sides, her long black hair falling forward to curtain her face. "You made a... a spreadsheet... for magic wishes?" she gasped between peals of laughter.
