The Wish Rewrite with the Cat

Chapter 6

Magnifico

I rubbed my head. Those thieves had stolen a wish, my star, made a mess of my chamber, and bruised me! Thank goodness the penalty for treason was death; they had to hang for this!

And my cat was in cahoots with them! I had to confront Amaya about this. If she was involved in this, too...

I dropped my hand.

No, how could she be? She helped me pull down Arden. She wouldn't have let me do it if she didn't want me to have the star. She had no ambition for magic power; her father wasn't strong enough to give her that desire. She lived to elevate me. She wished to help me make Rosas the best kingdom, not overthrow me.

A knock struck the doors. "Your Majesty?"

Another intruder? "Who are you?" I pointed my staff at the doors.

"Simon O'Donohue, Your Majesty. One of your lower guards."

Simon. Thank goodness. "Come in."

He opened a door and gingerly entered.

"What brings you here?"

"I know who stole your star. It was Asha Montez Al-Mufti."

Asha? I knew it! "Thank you, Simon."

"Will you grant my wish?"

"Join me and Amaya onstage tonight. You will be well-rewarded."

"Amaya, Charo has come back."

"He has? I haven't seen him."

"He's found my star and the girl who stole it."

"He's with the thief? Is he all right?"

"He doesn't seem to be hurt. He helped Asha and her goat run off with my star and steal a wish."

Her eyes widened. "Asha is the thief?"

Good; she wasn't involved. "Just as I feared," I stroked my staff. "I warned you she'd only be trouble."

Amaya twisted her hands. "I don't believe this."

I patted her shoulder. "Amaya, I promise you, once I have that star, I'll bring Charo straight to your arms."

She managed a smile. "Thank you, mi rey. Please," she gripped my hand. "Be merciful."

"I will, my darling," I drew away. But there were promises I couldn't keep, and traitors had to be punished.

I scanned the wishes. Asha had wanted her grandfather's wish granted. Had she stolen it? "Sabino!"

No wish floated toward me.

She had taken it! Well, as she was the thief...a plan ignited. "Tomas! Sakina!"

A red wish and a blue wish floated down.

Inside the red wish, Tomas stood proudly in the city square as people bought bottles of goat milk and cheese, rented goats to trim their lawns, and petted kids.

Inside the blue wish, Sakina ran a shop full of brightly colored sweaters and scarves.

I stuck the wishes in my cape. If Asha wanted my wishes to be returned, I'd trade her parents' wishes for the star.

"You are all probably wondering why you are here. A savage teenager is running around with my star, stealing wishes. But guess who bravely came forward and identified her? Give a big cheer for Simon O'Donohue!"

"Simon?"

"I know, I was as surprised as you. Our sleepy little Simon here. No need to be nervous, Simon. Be proud! Show us your joy! So, my dear Simon, are you ready to see your wish to be the King's most valiant, courageous, and loyal knight?"

Simon held his arm. "Not a loyal friend."

"You are doing what is best for Rosas," I patted his back. "Once all this trouble is over and I bring your poor friend to her senses, she'll understand. It is my great pleasure to grant you your heart's desire." I conjured Simon's wish and tapped it with his staff, turning it a glowing green. Now Simon would help me end all the trouble in Rosas. I sent the wish flying into Simon's chest.

Simon cried in pain, and his eyes glowed green.

Amaya gasped.

Simon raised his sword. "Long live the King!"

The people cheered. "Long live the King!"

"Look, Amaya," I swept my arm over the crowd. "Isn't it wonderful?"

But Amaya's face told a different story.

"There are six more traitors, Your Majesty," Simon's cold voice echoed through the arena. "Dahlia Chen, Dario Berlusconi, Halia Al-Mufti, Bazeema Montez Hassan, and her brothers Safi and Gabriel!"

People gasped.

"Seven traitors?" A man cried.

"How could they go against our king?" A woman clutched her handkerchief.

Good, no one supported them. Restoring order would be even easier than I thought. "Thank you, Simon. Let's apprehend them so they may pay for their betrayal. Then we will find my star, so I will have the power to grant all of your wishes!"

The crowds cheered again.

I knew where six of the traitors would be; they all worked in the kitchen.

I gathered the guards, and we burst into the kitchen.

"Hello, traitors."

Dahlia's eyes darted from me to Simon. "King Magnifico? Simon?" Her face tightened at his glowing green eyes. "What has he done to you?"

Simon aimed his sword at her. "Seize them."

The guards and Simon swarmed the teens.

"Hey!" Gabo kicked at a large guard who held him up by his collar. "Let go!"

"Your Majesty, please," Dahlia wrestled in Simon's grip. "Whatever you've done to Simon, turn him back."

"It's too late to beg for mercy," I swept toward her. "I know you helped Asha. All those questions you asked this morning were meant to delay me, weren't they?"

Her lip quivered. "Yes, Your Majesty, but I only wanted to help. We'll never do it again."

"I'll make sure you won't." I snapped my fingers. "Take them to the dungeon. If the traitor cares for them, she will come for them."

The guards marched the teens away.

In the dungeon, the guards shoved most of the teens into cells, slammed the doors shut, and locked them.

"Oh, don't put Dahlia in a cell," I stopped Simon from pushing Dahlia into one. "Leave her to feed the ungrateful like her. But she doesn't deserve freedom after what she did. Because of her weaknesses, she's a burden no one will miss. She'll never be worthy of any wish. None of them will." With that, I fired beams of light that snared all the teens and ripped out their wishes. I devoured them all.

The teens stumbled and dropped to their knees, clutching their chests in pain.

"You can't do that," Gabo gritted his teeth. "We're underage."

"Still questioning your king? Clap this one in irons."

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