Page 31 of Honour Bound
Bob’s shoulders slumped. ‘Oh yeah. What is it then?’
‘I don’t want to drag you away from whatever TV box set you’re currently enjoying but we thought this would be a great time to have a pre-Games party. Just us as a team.’ I gave him my best smile. ‘And you’re part of that team, Bobster!’
A slow smile spread across his tiny face. ‘Am I? Am I really?’ He bit his bottom lip and held his hands up to his chest. ‘That means so much. Usually I’m left out of things like that. People forget that I’m a person and that I have needs too. I’m a social animal really. But it’ssoooohard to socialise when you’re stuck inside a scimitar all day long. And when you’re the size of a sparrow.’ He bobbed his head from side to side. ‘You lot are considerably below my normal standard and it’s difficult for my superior intellect to maintain polite conversation when your brain capacities are so small but I can cope for now. Where are the jelly shots? Do we have strawberry?’
I smiled as he looked around. The further his head swivelled, the more his jaw dropped. ‘Uh Integrity,’ he whispered. ‘Where are we? Is this hell?’
I laughed. ‘Don’t be so silly! We’re at the Cruaich. We decided we’d bond together before the opening ceremony tomorrow and stay here instead of somewhere nicer. You know,’ I told him with a conspiratorial wink, ‘sleeping on the floor is very good for your back.’
Another drop of rain slid from the roof and splattered down next to him. He leapt out of the way with a shriek. ‘No! I will not do it! You cannot make me stay here!’
I shook my head in dismay. ‘Bob, what on earth is wrong? This place is great. Rustic living is so fashionable these days.’
Brochan sneezed again. Bob drew himself up and pointed in his direction. ‘Even the merman is feeling the cold.’
‘His sneezing has nothing to do with that and you know it.’
Lexie got in on the action. ‘Yeah,’ she agreed, although her lips were twitching. ‘Brochan loves this place. Being close to nature like this makes you feel as if you’re at one with the planet. I thought we might do some yoga later on and then some early morning mediation before the sun rises.’
Bob’s face screwed up like a squashed tomato. ‘No!’
‘Does it matter, Bob?’ Speck asked, shrugging. ‘You’ve got your letter op– I mean, scimitar to hang out in. If you don’t like communing with the earth, you can stay there.’
The genie jabbed his thumb at Speck. ‘But I’ll still know what is out here. I’m almost two thousand years old!’ he howled. ‘I deserve better than this!’
‘Well,’ I said, ‘we’re staying. If you want to leave, that’s fine. We can catch up with you after the Games.’
‘Oh no.’ He shook his head. ‘I know what you’re doing and I’m not going to let you fool me like that. You can’t rid of me that easily, sister!’ He glared. ‘Don’t go anywhere,’ he hissed. ‘I’ll be right back.’ And with that, he snapped his fingers and disappeared.
We looked at each other. I felt a little guilty for pulling the wool over Bob’s eyes yet again but it wouldn’t do any harm to see what solution he came up with. What was the point in having an all-powerful genie if you couldn’t manipulate him into giving you what wanted from time to time?
Brochan wiped his nose. ‘Should have brought antihistamines,’ he grumbled. ‘Damn genie.’
‘Where do you think he’s gone?’ Taylor asked.
‘Hopefully to magic us up a five-star hotel,’ Lexie replied. ‘In the Caribbean.’
I gestured around the room. ‘And miss out on all this?’ She stuck out her tongue. ‘We’re in Sidhe lands, Lex. If the wind changes…’
Her features quickly smoothed. ‘Bloody magical bastards ruining everything.’
There was a crackle and Bob reappeared. He gave a smug smile and waved his arms. ‘Mamamamamama,’ he chanted.
Brochan frowned. ‘What…?’
‘Shh.’
The air shimmered as molecules snapped and re-formed. I blinked in astonishment and looked around: everything glinted and gleamed with a rich opulence. Whatever I’d been expecting, it wasn’t this.
‘I have re-modelled based on what the Sultan of Brunei is currently enjoying in his palace,’ Bob announced with considerable flourish.
No wonder there was so much gold. The cabin was the same size but now there were shiny walls and large mirrors, creating the illusion of something far larger. Plush cushions and five red brocade-covered beds took the place of the sleeping bags.
I whistled. ‘Pretty impressive, Bob.’
His smile widened. ‘I know.’
Brochan was still frowning. He opened the door, stepped outside, look around and then came in again. ‘It looks exactly the same as it did on the outside but in here … good work, genie,’ he said grudgingly. Then he sneezed again.
