cause incidental harm.” Belus paused again, not so much for drama, but to let her comprehend the statement. “A minor inconvenience to you might be your coat zipper breaking, but the result of the inconvenience might be that you are unprotected by the elements and freeze to death. The zipper breaking, of course, is minor, but since you are unprepared to compensate, other circumstances can lead you to bigger problems.”
“I could drop a bucket of water, and an electrical wire could fall in the puddle and roast me?”
Belus offered the genie a glance as he yawned. “He won’t intentionally try to kill you, but if you agree to the three inconveniences, you must understand that they will likely cause a greater failure later on. It’s just how it works. They are sacrifices after all.”
“When will the inconveniences occur?”
“Over the course of the remainder of your life,” Belus said sympathetically.
“Oh, for craps sake, like I need another threat looming over my head.”
“You will know after each inconvenience occurs. That is one of the written rules.”
“If I agree to this,” Cori looked to the genie for her answer. “If I agree to my debts, what exactly happens?”
He smiled at her and again it was an honest smile. “The option to renege on your current fortunes in exchange for your misfortunes will expire in 48 hours. After that, you will permanently be placed in this life with no option to return to your other life. If you agree, simply hold the lamp by the spout and handle and say “genie I accept your offer” and I will send you back to your former life: Gypsy will no longer be employed here, your path of normalcy with your mother and fiancé will be exchanged for your previous happy existence here at the prison.”
20
“You don’t have to answer now, if you don’t want to,” Danato said when Cori hadn’t looked up from her lap in over a minute. “You can stay at the house tonight, and sleep on it. Give him your answer in the morning.” She caught a glimpse in her periphery of the nonverbal debate, that statement sparked, but in the end, Danato slammed his fist into the desk and Belus walked out.
She looked at the genie and scanned his tattooed spells. “Why?” She asked.
“Because I think a decision this important should be given time, plus you look like you need some rest,” Danato answered.
“I don’t think that’s what she’s asking,” the genie said staring at Cori as hard as she was staring at him. “Why don’t you step outside a moment, Danato?”
“I don’t think so.” The genie turned away from Cori and glowered at Danato. “You have no power here genie, don’t waste your lure.”
“I have more than you think, now go. I won’t ask again.”
Cori could feel his full form return, more than see it. As far as her eyes could see, he was the same, but her heart raced and she felt the fear and attraction, she had felt before. She was certain Danato could feel it too, because he left without another objection. He may not have been her Danato, but she was pretty sure it was against several protocols to leave someone alone in a room with an active genie.
When he turned back to look at her, the volume of his magnetism was turned down dramatically. He was either trying to make her more comfortable, or he intended to have an honest conversation with her. “You have something to say?”
“Why do you do this? All this scheming and turbulence?” She asked.
He leaned forward as if he was going to tell her a secret. She resisted the urge to lean in. “For the same reason that you take air into your lungs…because I have to.” He motioned to his tattoos.
“Breathing is an involuntary response. If I don’t breathe I die, but I can’t choose to not breathe. Even if I held my breath I would just pass out and continue breathing normally in my unconscious state. Are you saying you have to do what you do because you have no choice, or because you don’t
“I could drop a bucket of water, and an electrical wire could fall in the puddle and roast me?”
Belus offered the genie a glance as he yawned. “He won’t intentionally try to kill you, but if you agree to the three inconveniences, you must understand that they will likely cause a greater failure later on. It’s just how it works. They are sacrifices after all.”
“When will the inconveniences occur?”
“Over the course of the remainder of your life,” Belus said sympathetically.
“Oh, for craps sake, like I need another threat looming over my head.”
“You will know after each inconvenience occurs. That is one of the written rules.”
“If I agree to this,” Cori looked to the genie for her answer. “If I agree to my debts, what exactly happens?”
He smiled at her and again it was an honest smile. “The option to renege on your current fortunes in exchange for your misfortunes will expire in 48 hours. After that, you will permanently be placed in this life with no option to return to your other life. If you agree, simply hold the lamp by the spout and handle and say “genie I accept your offer” and I will send you back to your former life: Gypsy will no longer be employed here, your path of normalcy with your mother and fiancé will be exchanged for your previous happy existence here at the prison.”
20
“You don’t have to answer now, if you don’t want to,” Danato said when Cori hadn’t looked up from her lap in over a minute. “You can stay at the house tonight, and sleep on it. Give him your answer in the morning.” She caught a glimpse in her periphery of the nonverbal debate, that statement sparked, but in the end, Danato slammed his fist into the desk and Belus walked out.
She looked at the genie and scanned his tattooed spells. “Why?” She asked.
“Because I think a decision this important should be given time, plus you look like you need some rest,” Danato answered.
“I don’t think that’s what she’s asking,” the genie said staring at Cori as hard as she was staring at him. “Why don’t you step outside a moment, Danato?”
“I don’t think so.” The genie turned away from Cori and glowered at Danato. “You have no power here genie, don’t waste your lure.”
“I have more than you think, now go. I won’t ask again.”
Cori could feel his full form return, more than see it. As far as her eyes could see, he was the same, but her heart raced and she felt the fear and attraction, she had felt before. She was certain Danato could feel it too, because he left without another objection. He may not have been her Danato, but she was pretty sure it was against several protocols to leave someone alone in a room with an active genie.
When he turned back to look at her, the volume of his magnetism was turned down dramatically. He was either trying to make her more comfortable, or he intended to have an honest conversation with her. “You have something to say?”
“Why do you do this? All this scheming and turbulence?” She asked.
He leaned forward as if he was going to tell her a secret. She resisted the urge to lean in. “For the same reason that you take air into your lungs…because I have to.” He motioned to his tattoos.
“Breathing is an involuntary response. If I don’t breathe I die, but I can’t choose to not breathe. Even if I held my breath I would just pass out and continue breathing normally in my unconscious state. Are you saying you have to do what you do because you have no choice, or because you don’t
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