"Sometimes," he said, his deep voice carrying a note of weariness, "I feel incredibly old."
Mandy couldn't help herself. The words tumbled out before she could stop them. "Well, to be fair, you did say you've been around for several millennia. That does kind of make you incredibly old."
Kieran's head snapped up, his hand dropping away from his face. Those silvery-blue eyes fixed on her with an arctic chill that made her wonder if she should join Mozart under the couch.
"Thank you," he said, his deep voice dripping with frost. "That was very helpful."
Mandy gave him a saucy wink. "You're welcome." She paused. "Though I have to say, your attitude towards fantasy fiction seems a little... inconsistent."
"How so?" Kieran's deep voice carried a dangerous edge.
Was it wrong that she was starting to really enjoy when he went all frost lord on her?
"Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you a Djinn who appeared in my living room offering to grant three wishes?" Her lips twitched as she fought back a smile. "That's like, literally, the definition of fantasy fiction right there."
The frost in Kieran's expression melted into something else entirely - an arrested look that transformed his austere features. He stared at her for a long moment, those ancient eyes widening slightly as her words sank in.
"I..." He paused, and Mandy watched with fascination as the mighty Djinn prince actually struggled for words. Finally, his shoulders relaxed infinitesimally. "You make an excellent point."
A shimmer of magic announced Jacinth's return yet again. This time, however, her usual playful demeanor was gone, her expression somber.
The younger Djinn's posture was erect, her movements deliberate as she turned to face Kieran. Gone was the teasing friend who'd joked about movie marathons moments ago. In her place stood a being of ancient power, addressing an elder with the gravity such status demanded. Her dark eyes met Kieran's silvery-blue ones in a silent exchange that crackled withunspoken meaning. She inclined her head slightly, a gesture that somehow managed to convey both respect and determination.
"May I,Amri?" Jacinth's musical voice carried none of its usual lightness.
Mandy searched her memories, the Arabic from so long ago.Amr… that was 'prince.' So,Amriwas 'my Prince.'
Kieran studied her for a long moment, his austere features unreadable. Finally, he gave a single, regal nod.
"I have been thinking," the younger Djinn said, turning to Mandy. "About the wishes. The spreadsheet. You're making this far more complicated than it needs to be, and overlooking the real issue."
"The real issue being?" Mandy asked, a little confused. "What real issue?"
Jacinth's dark eyes held Mandy's with an intensity that made her want to squirm in her chair. "The real issue is - what life would you want, if you were free of the pain? Not what you think you should want, or what seems practical, or what others might expect. What would you want to do with your life, moving forward? What would your life look like if you could have it?"
The question hit Mandy like a physical blow. She'd spent so many years carefully not thinking about exactly that - what she truly wanted. It had been easier, safer, to focus on what was possible within her limitations. To adapt and adjust and make the best of things. But now, faced with Jacinth's direct question, she found herself struggling to even imagine it. The possibility felt too big, too overwhelming. Her throat tightened as she tried to form words.
"I..." Mandy's voice cracked. She cleared her throat and tried again. "I don't know. I've spent so long trying not to want things that weren't possible. Training myself to be content with what remained in reach."
As if sensing her distress, Bach jumped into her lap, his warm weight grounding her as her mind spun with possibilities she'd locked away years ago. Mozart appeared on the arm of her chair, reaching out to pat her cheek with one gentle paw.
"It's been years since I let myself really think about what I'd want if I could have anything. The idea of actually having choices again... it's terrifying."
Kieran asks, his voice unwontedly gentle. "Mandy, what is the first thing you think of?"
"I..." Mandy paused, trying to organize her thoughts. "I want to write, of course. That's always been..."
"No." Jacinth's interruption was gentle but firm. "You already write, you don't need wishes for that. That's not what I'm asking. I'm asking what you want todowith your life. What you want out of it. What would make you happy, fulfilled."
Mandy felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes as the full weight of Jacinth's questions sank in. She'd spent so many years carefully arranging her life around what she couldn't do that she'd almost forgotten how to dream about what she could do.
"Once you figure that out," Jacinth continued, her voice softening, "the rest will be simple. The wishes will become clear because they'll be steps toward what you truly want, not just band-aids for what you think you need."
Jacinth patted Mandy's hand, then after a glance at Kieran, vanished again in her signature shimmer of magic. Mandy blinked, still processing the younger Djinn's profound questions that had cut straight to her core.
"She continues to amaze me," Kieran said, his deep voice thoughtful. "One moment she acts like a giggly teenager excited about movie marathons, the next she demonstrates wisdom that rivals our most ancient scholars."
Mozart chose that moment to jump down from the recliner, apparently investigating the lingering traces of Djinn magicwhere Jacinth had stood. He sniffed the air carefully, his whiskers twitching, before letting out a confused chirp.
