Kieran shrugged one elegant shoulder. "It is the traditional garb of my people."
Mandy leaned forward in her recliner, fascinated by this glimpse into Djinn culture. Her back twinged at the movement, but she ignored it, too intrigued to care. "I mean, if you don't mind me asking, is there a reason you prefer the traditional style? Or is it like me with my organization systems? You know, how I alphabetize everything and keep all my spices in matching containers because it makes me feel more in control when everything else is chaos?"
Kieran held up one elegant hand, his eyes fixing her with that penetrating stare that made her feel like he could see straight through to her soul.
"You were going to tell me about your wish," he reminded her, his deep voice carrying a hint of amusement. "You mentioned you were going to ask if it was something that I could grant. And then..." he paused, those ancient eyes narrowing slightly. "You rather skillfully attempted to distract me."
A laugh bubbled up from Mandy's chest, genuine amusement lighting her features. "It's a gift," she said. "Though sometimes it feels more like a curse, to be honest." She grinned, warming to the topic. "But I actually like it - being able to lead conversations away from uncomfortable topics. It comes in handy more often than you'd think."
Kieran's elegant brows drew together, confusion replacing his usual austere expression. "You make no sense," he said, hisdeep voice carrying a note of puzzlement that made him sound almost human.
"It's the ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder," she explained. "It means my brain works differently than most people's."
Mandy shifted in her chair as she searched for the right words. "My thoughts jump around, moving from one subject to another really quickly. Like when we were talking about wishes a few days ago, and that made me think of my spreadsheet, which reminded me of organizing things, which led to languages, which made me think of The Lord of the Rings..." She paused for breath. "And then suddenly we're planning a movie marathon, and you're horrified about fantasy fiction, and Jacinth's popping in and out..."
The pendant pulsed warmly as she met Kieran's silvery-blue eyes. "It all makes perfect sense to me - I can follow the connections, see how each thought leads to the next. But other people..." She chuckled softly. "Well, they often have trouble keeping up with the jumps. It probably seems random and scattered to them. Sometimes it's like having multiple browser tabs open in my brain, all playing different songs at the same time. And they're all interesting songs, so I want to listen to all of them at once."
Kieran's piercing gaze fixed on her with an intensity that made her skin prickle. He remained silent for a long moment, those ancient eyes studying her with an expression she couldn't quite read.
"I see," he finally said, his deep voice carrying a note of understanding that surprised her. "Now, why don't you tell me what it is that you think you cannot have?"
Oops. She'd done it again. Mandy blushed, her cheeks coloring, but she gathered her thoughts, and took a deep breath.
"There are so many possibilities, and all of them faithfully in my spreadsheet. But, any life I would look forward to, every wish I might have, would involve being free of this pain," she said simply.
The words hung in the air between them, heavy with meaning.
"The pain..." She paused, struggling to articulate the constant companion that had shaped her life for so long. "It doesn't only affect me physically. It never, ever lets up, so it... it eats at me. It undermines my determination to stay cheerful and optimistic. It affects my moods, wearing me down at times." Her voice cracked slightly. "There's quite literally no part of my life that being in constant pain doesn't touch in some way. Trying to cope with it has become the single most important element of my life for the last thirty years. Everything else revolves around managing the pain, working around it, trying to function despite it."
Mandy met Kieran's steady gaze, letting her carefully maintained facade crack just enough to reveal the depth of her longing. "There's almost nothing I wouldn't give to not always be hurting."
Kieran's austere features softened almost imperceptibly. "This is a wish I can easily grant," his deep voice rumbled through her living room.
Mandy stared at Kieran, her heart pounding against her ribs as his words sank in. She opened her mouth, but no sound emerged. Mozart jumped into her lap and began to purr, the sound vibrating through her lap as she struggled to find her voice.
"You..." She swallowed hard, her throat tight with sudden emotion. "You can fix my back?"
Those silvery-blue eyes fixed on her with that strange intensity. "Yes."
"And... and my knees?" The words came out in a breathless rush. Hope, dangerous and wild, fluttered in her chest.
"Yes. And anything else."
"Well, actually, aside from my back and knees, I'm incredibly healthy." A small smile tugged at her lips. "Which is kind of amazing, considering my age and weight. No high blood pressure, no cholesterol problems. My heart's in great shape." Pride crept into her voice as she added, "I even sailed through all my COVID vaccinations and boosters without a single side effect. I didn't even get a sore arm where I got the shot."
"And I rarely get sick - maybe a cold every couple of years, if that. My immune system is rock solid." She chuckled softly. "My doctor actually commented on it during my last physical. Even my bone density is perfectly fine, which surprised her, and me too… again, given my age and sedentary lifestyle."
The smile faded from her face as she shifted in her chair, trying to find a more comfortable position. "But the back and knees… well, I've told you about that already." She couldn't stop the frustration that crept into her voice. "I haven't been able to sleep all night for years, because I can't find a position that doesn't hurt."
A wry grimace tugged at her lips. "It's like they hate me, my back and knees, and they like to join forces against me. "I'm not complaining," she added hastily. "Really, I'm not. It's just... that's how it is. A fact of my life."
Kieran's silvery-blue eyes gleamed with certainty. "This would be easy enough for any Djinn to grant, even those without a talent for healing."
Mandy's mouth opened, but he held up one elegant hand.
"Yes, we do have healers. All Djinn have special skills in various areas." His deep voice carried the patient tone of someone used to explaining complex concepts. "Life-threatening illness, such as cancer, or dementia - those would be considerably more difficult."
"Not that such things couldn't be healed, but it would be difficult magic." He straightened in his chair, his imposing presence filling her small living room. "But manipulating the bones and joints magically..."
