I’m speechless. “It’ll do what?”
“Turn you into a paranormal being.”
I shake my head. “That’s insane.”
“Are you tempted?”
“I… I never thought it possible.”
“Honestly, I didn’t either. The witch who made it is very powerful.”
“Was,” I correct.
Powerful and untrustworthy.
“Thank you, Mirella.”
“Do you want the potion now?”
There’s a knock at the door.
“You’re busy. We can talk later. Let me know when you want the potion, okay?”
“Will do. Thanks again.”
I hang up and open the door. It’s Amad, but he doesn’t look right.
“I did it,” I tell him as I gesture for him to come in.
He barely picks up his feet, more shuffling than walking, and he drops onto my couch. I’ve laid out the bullets, the stakes, and the angel blade that he provided on the coffee table, but he doesn’t even look at them.
“What’s going on?” I ask, worried.
The genie ignores me. “I know you did it, and I’m glad. They posed a serious threat to the entire world.”
“Did you know they had access to Amarok’s blood?” I ask. I’m too concerned about his appearance to even bother to sound frustrated.
“I did.”
“Is it really all gone?”
“Yes. They only had a small supply to begin with, and it was like a drug to them. They did not ration well.”
“Okay, good.” I swallow hard. Amad is scaring me.
“You don’t have to be a mercenary, Rebel. You have become so strong and capable. You can help to better the world. Shine like a beacon of hope.”
“I’m not a symbol. I’m no beacon. I’m just a human who is twisted and dark and messed up inside.”
“Revenge is poison,” he whispers. “Your poison. It will taint you and hold you back.”
“I can’t stop now. I’ve come too far.”
“You have not yet reached the point of no return. You can still spread light.”
“Spread light. Is that what you want me to do? How? How exactly is killing evil paranormal creatures spreading light?”
“By banishing darkness.”
I nod several times, even though I don't agree with him. "You want me to be more than I am."
“No. I want you to realize that you have the potential to be so much more.”
“And you care about this, about me, why? You act like you are humanity’s guardian or something.”
“Genies live for centuries. I have watched the destruction and devastation both paranormal beings and humans have wrought over the years. Along the way, I have tried to help all of those I observe who can make changes for the better.”
“Yeah? What about those who made changes for the worst? Why didn’t you convince someone to go after and kill Hitler?”
The genie closes his eyes. “I convinced no fewer than three to go up against him. All three were killed and failed. Hitler… He was not exactly human.”
I gape at Amad. “What was he?”
“That does not matter. His evil has passed, but the shadow of other evils still plague the world. For your second wish, you could become a witch or a berserker or any kind of paranormal being to help you save the world.”
How funny he should offer this when I have a potion that will grant this for me. Is the universe trying to tell me something?
“A berserker.” I smirk. “Is that how you see me?”
"You cannot tell me that does not fit." His eyes are kind. He's so very different than when he insulted and verbally attacked me after I killed the vampire for him. "Would I rather you pick another being? Perhaps, but only you can decide who or what you become, and you can be so much more than a person of revenge."
“The person or creature… whatever killed my brother and his wife… My family deserves justice and their killer death. I can increase the light of the world by ending that person’s darkness.”
“Nothing will dissuade you.”
“You know the answer to that.”
Amad hangs his head. After a moment, he murmurs, “Make your wish.”
“I wish that this wish and all others granted to me by any genie will not kill me.”
The genie bows his head. A faint smoke billows, swirling around me from my feet up to my head and dissipates.
“Done,” he whispers, his voice hardly audible.
I sit beside him. “What’s going on?” I repeat.
“I have been cursed.”
“Cursed?” I gape at him.
“I will die and soon if the curse is not lifted. You were very wise to have your wish be that any genie’s wish will not kill you.”
“Well, that makes things simple enough,” I say, referring to my desire for a second wish.
His smile is so faint the corners of his lips barely move. “Yes, I suppose it does. I will grant you any wish at all if you can heal me.”
“I will,” I promise. “What cursed you?”
“A gremlin name Zorn.”
I shudder. “Gremlins are real?”
“Terrible, nasty creatures. They’re dark, twisted beings that exist only to cause destruction. Few live as paranormal executioners have sought them out over the years, but Zorn has been alive for at least a century.”
“So they aren’t tricksters like pixies and brownies?”
“Oh, not at all. They like to pretend to be that way so that people won’t hate them, but they are deserving of hate. They stick to the shadows and use their claws to rip out hearts. They are the ones responsible for the saying cat got your tongue because they used to dare each other to cut out people’s tongues while meowing.”
“Why?”
“Well, I suppose maybe they are tricksters after all, but dark, evil ones.”
“And they can curse people.”
“They do have magic, yes. The extent of their powers I do not know.”
“Why did Zorn curse you?”
"Because I refused to give him a wish. He said that if I did not grant him a wish, I would not grant a wish for anyone else. He doesn't have the ability to kill me outright, but you… you he could kill easily. You must be wary, Rebel."
“I will be. I assume silver hurts him?”
“Hurts, yes. Will it kill him? I cannot say.”
“Did you fight him?”
“No. Some genies have been able to overcome and rise up against those who enslaved us to be able to cause harm outside of killing the wisher, but others like myself cannot.”
“You’re powerful but still handicapped.”
“Yes.”
He looks so very feeble that I have to ask this next question.
“How much time…”
“Not much at all.”
I rub my forehead. I don’t know how long I slept for, but I’m still wiped from taking on the werewolves.
“You have time to sleep and plan,” Amad says. “I will not die in the next hour or day. I do not think I have a week, though.”
I nod solemnly. Rushing into battle against a creature I know very little about wouldn't be smart, especially considering my life isn't the only one on the line.
“Do I need to kill him? How can the curse be lifted?”
“He created a talisman to bestow the curse. Bring the talisman to me.”
“Can’t I just break it? Won’t that free you from the curse?”
“Not this particular curse. He imbued my blood into it.”
“I thought you didn’t fight him.” I’m confused.
“I didn’t fight him, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t fight me.”
I eye him, and he turns over his left wrist. The scab is black and looks painful.
“The poison in his blade is not helping me any,” he says dryly.
“I have a healing draught. It might help.”
“No. The poison has nearly left my body, and I fear what may happen in regards to the curse if I were to take something. It is better this way.”
“Where can I find Zorn?”
“Jacob’s Creek Bridge had been the first iron-chain suspension bridge in the country. I was friends with the designer. I sought the bridge to see how it fared only to learn that it had been damaged in 1825 and replaced by a wooden bridge in 1833. The gremlin had been lying in wait beneath the bridge.”
“They’re almost like a cross between witches and trolls,” I murmur.
“I suppose. They are fierce and strong and capable of nearly anything. Do not let your guard down.”
“I won’t,” I promise. “Oh, and your weapons…”
His gaze finally falls on them. “Keep them.”
“For this quest?”
Amad doesn’t answer and tries to stand and falls back onto the couch.
“Stay here,” I urge.
“But… As you command.”
“It’s not a command,” I protest.
He gives his near-smile again. “I know.”
Amad lies down and promptly falls asleep.
A gremlin. As intriguing as the creature sounds, I am more than willing to find it and steal away the talisman. I wonder if I would do it even if Amad wasn’t going to give me a wish in return.