“Exactly.”
“What if I wanted to be free of the ocean?”
“Same consequence.”
I sigh. This is impossible. The genie folds his hands behind his head and stretches out. “What if I used one to get you to tell me the wish I could make to get out of here without consequences?”
“That’s against the rules.”
I arch a brow. “You have rules?”
“Very few, but enough to oppose what you’re talking about.”
“Tell me.”
Genie unravels his hands and lifts one finger. “One, you cannot ask me to disclose a wish which will have no consequence.”
“So there are wishes with no consequences.”
His mouth flops open and closes. “That’s right.”
I’ll need to ponder that. “What else?”
“I cannot bring anyone back from the grave.”
I scrunch my face. “That’s a given. I also don’t know any dead folks I would waste a wish on.”
He lifts another finger. “I cannot force love.”
I flick my hand in the water. “No requirement for that. I have four knights to keep me occupied.”
“Indeed,” he agrees, lifting another finger. “I cannot transform someone to become the main character in a narrative. That is messing with Idols. Even I won’t do that.”
“Can you do the opposite? Remove someone from a narrative?” He goes silent for a tempo. I’ve stumped the ancient genie.
“Nobody has ever asked me that, but I believe it is possible. But don’t forget the consequences of that wish.”
I snort, creating a wave of bubbles. “Probably murdering them, which removes them.”
“I resent the word murder.”
“Then stop committing it.”
“Lastly, you cannot gift or skip your wishes, and you cannot wish for more wishes.”
“Meaning you are stuck with me until I make three?”
“Yes.”
I contemplate what he has revealed. The wishes were a burden, not a gift, and I am not foolish enough to believe I won’t slip at some point. Everyone uses the wordsI wishwithout weighing the consequences, because we know it won’t happen.
“I need to get out of here,” I mutter.
“We already discussed the consequences of that wish.”
“No, just out of this house.”
“Didn’t your guide say you shouldn’t leave?”
