Wish

Two

CALIX

I cannot help but grin; in all my centuries within the human dimension, they still fascinate me. They live so blissfully ignorant of all the beings which exist parallel to them, and the moment they're exposed to the truth, they panic.

Case in point: the creature seated on the ground across from me. She trembles so violently that the coils of copper hair knotted on the top of her head shake. Her green eyes are wide and unwavering, locked on me and her pink lips agape. Her porcelain skin drains of color, causing the sprinkling of freckles on her face and chest to appear dark gold. Her clothing is odd—extremely short trousers, a shirt without buttons, and strange checkered shoes. This is the creature who summoned me.

I stand, brushing the dust from my suit, and she scurries back, hitting the wall and stretches for the broom handle just out of her reach.

I assess her appearance once more, trying to pinpoint which human people she hails from. "Halò, a bhean," I say in Gaelic, but she doesn't respond.

"Bonjour mademoiselle."

"Hallo, meine Dame."

"Salve, mi domina."

"Geia sas, kyría mou."

"Kon'nichiwa, watashi no josei."

Nothing.

I run my fingers over the back of my neck and watch her as I pace back and forth. She makes no attempt to move, abandoning the broom and holding her breath. "Bloody hell, this is going to be impossible if you are mute," I say, reverting to the last language I spoke to a human.

"I'm not—I'm not mute," she stammers, standing up on shaking legs and putting her hands on her hips. "I'm really just confused as to why a guy dressed in clothes from the olden days has fallen from out of nowhere."

My lips curl at the sides and I cock an eyebrow. "Simply put—you summoned me."

"I summoned you? What are you talking about?" She snatches the broom from the floor and holds it out at me, backing toward the staircase. "Look, don't come any closer. What is it you want? If I have it, I'll give it to you. Just don't hurt me, okay?"

The fear in her eyes makes my chest ache. Why must humans be so fearful at the start? I slide my hands into my pockets and maintain the distance she has put between us. Once she comprehends my purpose, she will relax. "I wish nothing of you, my lady." I place my hand on the broom's bristles and guide it to the floor. "In fact, I am here to give you what you want...anything you want."

She shakes her head once and backs up further, her back pressing against the wall behind her. "What? I don't—I don't want anything," she insists, her eyes darting around the small room, seemingly trying to find the quickest way to escape.

"But you are to be my mistress, and I your loyal servant. I only wish to please you."

Her eyes widen further, and her expression turns from bewildered to terrified. "Mistress?" she squeaks as she sidles along the wall toward the door. "Seriously, dude, I will call the police in a heartbeat. I mean it; don't touch me," she hisses as she scrambles down the spiraling staircase, sparing me a glance over her shoulder as she runs.

I glance around the room and spot my locket lying on the floor next to a neat stack of books, and I gather them both. Racing after her, I pull the silver chain over my head and tuck the pendant inside my shirt. "Please, my lady, you forgot your books."

She turns around, her eyes wild with terror and disbelief. She looks from my face to the books, and she yanks them from my hands, practically tosses them onto a table against the wall, then without a look back, runs down the hall away from me.