Jacinth looked at her sideways, those dark eyes taking on a distinctly sly expression.
"What about the house?" Jacinth's musical voice carried a note of pure mischief.
"What about what house?" Mandy frowned at her, perplexed.
"You can't tell me there's not a house on the property with the pool." Jacinth's knowing smile widened. "And that you haven't pictured it."
Mandy sank deeper into her recliner, caught out in a way that made her face flame. "Oh, that house." She cleared her throat, suddenly finding Bach's tail-twitching very interesting. "Yeah."
She avoided Jacinth's amused gaze. Of course she'd pictured the house - how could she not? It had grown in her imagination right alongside the pool design, each feature carefully considered and refined over countless sleepless nights.
Jacinth nudged her shoulder. "Come on, tell us about this house. We want to hear all about it."
Kieran gestured gracefully with one hand, encouraging her to continue.
Mandy couldn't help the grin that spread across her face as she settled back in her recliner.
"It's beautiful," she said, her eyes going distant as she pictured it. "A single-story Spanish style house with cream-colored walls and a red tile roof. There's this gorgeous courtyard toward the back that overlooks the pool. The house is U-shaped, with the entrance in the center. The kitchen and dining room would be on one side, and the bedrooms on the other."
A contented sigh escaped her as she continued, "And there would be a library." Her eyes sparkled with excitement. "With one of those rolling ladders like in Beauty and the Beast. And maybe even a turret, with window seats lining the walls of the 2nd floors so I could look out in any direction. There would be sweeping views, overlooking the desert and mountains… "
Mandy broke off mid-sentence, closing her eyes with a heavy sigh. Realizing she'd once more gotten carried away, she blushed furiously.
"I'm sorry. For a minute there I just..." A soft chuckle escaped her as she opened her eyes again. "I do that a lot, actually. My imagination grabs hold of an idea and starts running down impossible rabbit holes."
Mandy tried not to shrink back a little, as Kieran fixed her with a glacial stare, his aristocratic features hardening into stone. Only a slight muscle twitch in his cheek betrayed any emotion as his silvery-blue eyes bored into her.
"It is not impossible." His deep voice carried that otherworldly resonance that made the hair on her arms stand up. "From your vision, I can create this for you. If you wish it."
Before Mandy could respond, he simply... vanished. One moment he was there, the next - nothing but empty air where he had been standing. Her mouth fell open as she stared at the spot, half-expecting him to reappear.
Heat crept up her neck as she turned to Jacinth, who remained perched gracefully on the couch. "Is he angry?"Uncertainty make her voice quaver. She hadn't meant to upset him. "Because he thinks I might wish for that?"
Mandy glanced around her small living room, suddenly uncertain. The air felt charged somehow, as if traces of Kieran's presence still lingered. She lowered her voice to barely above a whisper.
"I don't even know if he can still hear us."
Jacinth's musical laugh filled the room. "No, he's definitely gone." Her dark eyes rest on Mandy's face a long, uncomfortable moment. "And he's not angry, not at all."
"Then why did he just..." Mandy gestured at the empty space where Kieran had been standing moments before.
"Because he wants you to wish for it," Jacinth said simply. "And I think he's afraid you won't."
Mandy frowned, puzzled by this revelation. "Why would he care either way?" The whole idea seemed absurd - an ancient, powerful Djinn prince concerned about her potential wishes?
Jacinth's expression softened, but her words were direct. "Because you're one of those people who's more likely to focus on what youshouldwish for, rather than what you really want." She tilted her head, studying Mandy with those knowing dark eyes. "You'll probably talk yourself out of this dream and choose something more... practical."
Color flooded Mandy's cheeks as the truth of those words hit home. She brought one hand to her heart, the age-old gesture of acknowledging a direct hit. "Touché," she murmured, unable to deny the accuracy of Jacinth's assessment.
Jacinth's dark eyes were intent on Mandy's face. "You know, being a Wish Bearer has never been about fixing all the world's problems." Her musical voice carried a gentle note of understanding. "That's not why we do this, those of us who choose to become Wish Bearers."
Mandy frowned a bit in puzzlement. "What do you mean?"
"Our purpose isn't to solve global issues or create sweeping changes." Jacinth's expression softened, her lips curving in a smile. "It's about bringing joy to individual lives, creating moments of happiness that ripple outward."
The truth of those words settled deep in Mandy's chest. She thought about all the videos she'd watched of children's faces lighting up at their first sight of a live mermaid, their squeals of delight when offered a chance to touch a sparkly tail.
"It would make me so happy," Mandy admitted. "Not just performing, but bringing that kind of magic to others. You should see how children react during my regular story times. Their eyes get so big, and they lean forward, completely caught up in the tale."
