Shimmer Read Free Page A

see his slow mind working.
    â€˜But then you wouldn’t be my genie any more?’
    â€˜It is for you to decide,’ she said, looking pointedly at his arm. ‘How much do you value your privacy?’
    He frowned. ‘But if I unharness you, does that mean I won’t get any more wishes?’
    Freedom was so close she could taste it. ‘Wish for all you want now,’ she tempted him. ‘As many wishes as you like.’ How much could a human want, anyway? ‘And then you could unharness me and be on your way. Alone!’
    She waited. She could see the idea appealed to him as his stupid human mind sifted through all the pathetic things that he could wish for. But then he shook his head. ‘No. I think I’ll see how having a genie goes for a while.’
    Anger and disappointment coursed through her. ‘Then you had better get used to having me around.’ She arched her eyebrows at him. ‘All the time!’
    She saw a flash of doubt cross his face and he rubbed his chin. ‘So, you will stay my genie until I wish for you not to be?’
    â€˜Or until you die.’ She smiled sweetly and glanced at the bike. ‘Whichever happens to come first.’
    He jerked his head in the direction of the bike. ‘Can you do something about that noise?’
    With a brief wave of her wrist the bike disappeared. The sudden silence was unsettling. She felt his eyes on her in silent contemplation. Would the thought of having her around all the time be enough to make him unharness her after just a few wishes? Could she make life so awful for him that he would hate having her around? How she yearned for her freedom.
    â€˜So how does it work?’ His words broke into her thoughts. ‘Do you come and live at my house?’
    She sighed. Of course no human was going to give up a genie easily.
    â€˜I will live in my own home.’ She met his blank look. ‘The one you stole.’
    â€˜Of course,’ he said, touching the pocket that held her globe. ‘You live in the rock that fell out of the sky.’
    Using magic, Kora lifted her globe out of his pocket. It travelled through the air to land safely in the palm of her hand.
    â€˜Not a rock.’ She waved her free hand across it and the camouflage dropped away, revealing the most exquisitely beautiful golden vessel. ‘A globe.’
    â€˜That’s amazing.’ He looked up. ‘But I thought genies lived in oil lamps? Or bottles?’
    Kora waved her hand again, and the beautiful globe turned into an old-fashioned oil lamp, its ancient silver battered and tarnished. ‘Our globes can appear however we want them to.’
    He shook his head in amazement.
    â€˜So do I just call out “genie” when I want you?’
    â€˜My name is Kora.’ The thought of him summoning her for every stupid whim irritated her and she used her most condescending voice. ‘But you may call me Empress.’
    â€˜Well, Empress,’ he sniggered, imitating her tone of voice. ‘My name is David. But you may call me Master.’
    She stiffened at the word ‘master’. Getting to her feet she looked down her regal nose at him. ‘Some advice, Master,’ she said. ‘Be very, very, careful what you wish for.’
    She allowed her words to hang ominously in the air between them, and then, in a perfect golden mist, slowly shimmered into the haven of her globe.

all that glitters
    Kora sank gratefully into her favourite seat and curled her toes into the luxurious carpet. Glittering threads of silver and gold were woven through the silk fabrics that lined the walls and covered the cushions in her globe. They sparkled in the soft light that glowed from the hundreds of tiny coloured lamps that floated in the air above her.
    She sipped at the icy fruit drink that appeared in her hand. ‘This Earth climate is dreadful,’ she told Amurru. ‘Humans do not seem to have any control