"Take this after dinner this evening," he instructed, his deep voice steady and reassuring as he placed the bottle in her trembling hands. "It will induce sleep."
Mandy examined the bottle doubtfully, turning it this way and that. The liquid inside moved like silk, beautiful but somehow intimidating. Her throat felt dry as she contemplated drinking it.
Reading her hesitation, Kieran's expression softened slightly. "I assure you it tastes delightful. Like summer berries and morning dew."
She managed a weak smile at that poetic description, but her fingers still clutched the bottle uncertainly.
"Your body will be changing significantly," he explained, his voice gentling further. "Even with magic guiding the transformation, your physical form needs time to process these changes. The sleep allows this to happen safely and comfortably." He gestured at the setting sun. "You'll sleep through tomorrow and awaken in the evening."
Mandy's eyes widened in alarm. "Twenty-four hours?" Her gaze darted to Bach and Mozart, who sprawled bonelessly across the hotel room's king-size bed. "But -"
"I will ensure they are properly fed and cared for," Kieran said, his deep voice carrying absolute certainty.
She stared at him for a moment, trying to picture this ancient, powerful being scooping litter boxes. Which almost made her giggle, despite her anxiety. Still, if Kieran said he'd handle it, she believed him.
Her attention returned to the crystal bottle in her hands, watching the blue liquid swirl like captured ocean waves. "And that's really it? Just... drink this after dinner?"
"That is your part of it," Kieran confirmed, his tone somber. "The Wish magic will do the rest."
"Once you have fallen asleep, I will return to begin the spell work," Kieran said, his deep voice steady and reassuring. "You won't be aware of anything until you wake tomorrow evening."
Mandy's fingers tightened around the bottle as she nodded, unable to find words. The enormity of what was about to happen left her speechless. After thirty years of pain and limitations, everything would change in a single night.
Doubt crept in at the edges of her mind, whispering that nothing could possibly be this easy. The optimistic part of her heart desperately wanted to believe, while another part - her logical mind - insisted this couldn't possibly be real.
"Do you have any final questions?" Kieran asked, his ice-blue eyes studying her face.
She shook her head, then changed her mind. "Actually, yes. Will it... will it hurt?" She hated how small her voice sounded.
"No," Kieran's response was immediate and firm. "You will sleep deeply and peacefully and awaken feeling refreshed and energized. The magic ensures this."
Mandy took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. "Okay. I understand."
"Very well." Kieran inclined his head slightly. "I will take my leave now. Remember - after dinner, drink the entire contents of the bottle. Relax. Enjoy your evening. I will return once you are asleep."
With that, he vanished in a shimmer of blue light, leaving Mandy alone on the balcony with her thoughts and the bottle of magical potion.
Mandy took a deep breath, her fingers tracing the crystal bottle's smooth surface. The blue liquid inside swirled hypnotically, catching the rays of sunlight streaming through the balcony door.
"I'm really doing this," she murmured aloud. The pendant pulsed warmly in response, as if offering encouragement. Whether this worked or not, she was committed to seeing it through. After all, what did she have to lose? At worst, she'd have an interesting story to weave into her next novel. At best... well, at best, her entire life would change.
She glanced at her neatly organized spreadsheet of post-transformation plans, printed and laid out on the desk. She'd thought of everything - from practical concerns like clothing to longer-term considerations about explaining the changes to her daughter. She was ready. Or as ready as anyone could be for something this monumentally life-altering.
Mandy settled into one of the cushioned balcony chairs, her laptop balanced perfectly on one wide chair arm. The desert breeze carried the scent of creosote and sage, nature's perfume heightened by this morning's brief rain. Bach and Mozart prowled the generous balcony space, their noses twitching at new scents, ears perking at unfamiliar bird calls.
Her nerves calmed, steadying as she opened her current work-in-progress. Writing had always been her escape, her way of processing emotions too complex for ordinary expression. Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she lost herself in her characters' world, their problems temporarily more pressing than her own.
When her back began to protest the position, Mandy saved her work and changed into her swimsuit. The heated pool beckoned, its surface gleaming in the desert sun. Shrugging on her coverup and sliding her feet into flipflops, Mandy grabbed her cane and headed for the elevator.
In the pool, the warm water lapped at Mandy's shoulders as she floated, but her mind refused to settle. She tried her usual pool meditation techniques - focusing on her breathing, listening to the gentle splash of water against the pool's edge,counting the clouds drifting across the impossibly blue Arizona sky. Nothing worked. Her thoughts kept circling back to what lay ahead.
What would it feel like to wake up in a body free from pain? How long would it take to adjust to moving without calculating every step? The questions tumbled through her mind like clothes in a dryer, each question triggering three more.
Finally, Mandy gave up pretending she could relax. She pulled herself up the pool steps, careful not to twist her back, and wrapped herself in one of the hotel's luxuriously thick towels.
"So much for floating my worries away," she muttered, gathering her things. At least the walk to the elevator gave her time to dry off a bit. The familiar twinge in her knee as she stepped into the lift reminded her exactly why she was here, why she'd agreed to this crazy magical transformation.
Her room key beeped softly as she let herself in, greeted by Mozart's demanding meow. Apparently, their afternoon snack was overdue by cat standards.
