Book 3: Chapter 19 (1/2)

“Go away!” Stella hissed at Mervin and flew to the other side of Vur’s head, landing on the shoulder opposite the genie king.

A miniature flower blossomed out of thin air, appearing over Mervin’s waiting palm. He flew over to Stella, but she flew back around Vur’s head. Vur’s eyes flitted back and forth as the fairy queen and genie king repeatedly passed through his field of view.

“Stella, wait. I made this just for you.”

“Don’t call me by my name!” Stella said. She circled around to the back of Vur’s head, but Mervin was waiting for her there. She flinched and scrambled backwards, nearly tripping on air. She circled around to the front of Vur’s face before flying up into his hair. “Go bother someone else!”

Vur ignored the two miniature people and asked Alora, “What happens to a genie after you make a wish? The last one went back into the genie bean sprout, right?”

“That’s right,” Stella said, peeking her head out from behind Vur’s ear. She scanned the surroundings before whispering, “Hurry up and make a wish so he disappears.”

“It’s up to the genie, actually,” Alora said. Her hand flashed, and she snatched Mervin out of the air, holding him by the neck with two of her fingers as if he were a puppy. He kicked his legs and flailed his arms, but he was too small to do anything. “Some genies go back to sleep because granting a wish takes up a lot of energy. But he’s a genie king. If your wish is small enough and he doesn’t feel like going to sleep, then he’ll stick around.”

“Does that mean I can wish for another cake after the first one?” Vur asked, tilting his head.

Tafel pinched his waist. “No. You can’t even wish for the first cake.” She turned towards the pouting genie. “But can you grant more than one wish?”

“One wish per person per genie per each time we’re awake,” Mervin said, placing his hands on his hips. “That’s the genies’ code of honor. That means if I grant you a wish and go back to sleep and you find me again, I won’t grant you another wish.”

“Oh great,” Tafel said, her voice bland. “Another code of honor.” She gave Vur and Alora a dirty look. “Did you hear that, Vur? You can only get a wish from this genie king once. He can grant you anything you want, so don’t waste it on something you can easily get, okay?”

Vur furrowed his brow and lowered his head. His gaze landed on the necklace made of souls that Lindyss had given him. He blinked once. “I know what to wish for.” He freed Mervin from Alora’s grasp. “I wish my mana regeneration was faster. Can you do that?”

A wrinkle appeared on Mervin’s forehead. “That’s a tough wish. Let me check.” His body dissolved into motes of white light that disappeared into Vur’s chest.

Stella’s eyes widened as she chased after him, entering Vur’s chest as well. “Who said you could enter my house without my permission!? Vur! What if he steals my stuff? You can’t let random strangers enter you like that!”

“Genies don’t steal things! We’re honorable,” Mervin’s voice said from a flashing white dot on Vur’s sternum. A purple dot chased after it. “We only sometimes trick people when they make vague wishes, but that’s part of the genies’ code of honor, so it’s honorable too. But it’s really nice in here, wow. Can I live here too?”

“No!” Stella’s voice said from the purple dot. “I spent so much time furnishing this place! This is my home, not yours.”

“How long are you planning on living inside of Vur?” Tafel asked the two flashing lights.

“Until he dies, which is never, so forever and ever,” Stella said.

“You know he’s my husband, right?”

“And he’s me house, so what?” Stella asked back. “Vur let me stay here when he chose to accept my birthflower.”

Tafel looked at Vur. “And what are your thoughts on being turned into a mobile home?”

Vur scrunched up his forehead. “…Is it possible to live inside of myself?”

Tafel sighed, but before she could respond, Mervin spoke up, “It’s possible!”