Page 3 of The Omega's Third Wish
“I'd say be careful what you wish for,” I told him mildly.
He scoffed and walked away from me, muttering a few insults. He shot a glance over his shoulder at me and took a sip of his own cider, then promptly choked on it, took a step to the side in surprise, then tripped over a rope, lost his footing, and fell over backward. His head hit the ground with a decent sounding thump.
“Are you all right?” I called.
He turned toward me and bumped his nose against the tent stake he had nearly been impaled on. He scrambled to his feet, looking at me in terror and proceeded to haul ass back to his tent, shooting terrified glances over his shoulder at me. In retrospect, I probably overdid things by levitating. I waited for him to turn away again, then transported myself back to my tent. Judging from the scream I heard a moment later, he must have checked over his shoulder again and found me completely gone.
“Be careful what you wish for,” I murmured teasingly, making sure that he was able to hear it. I was rewarded with another scream and the sound of him crashing into something.
I probably shouldn’t have done it, but it was the last day of the festival and he'd had an attitude for a while. He'd likely leave me alone from now on. Nobody would believe him, after all. Either he wouldn't be my problem next year or he'd be extremely respectful. On occasion the people I screwed with like that even meekly handed in their own wishes the following year. On occasion I granted them. And of course, if he did decide he wanted to take a more violent revenge… Well, there weren't any beings on this plane of existence I was particularly concerned about.
Then again…
“Good evening,” I said, sensing the presence that had just blinked into existence behind me.
“Good evening,” the Fae King replied.
I turned, but said nothing. I supposed there was actually a being or two on this plane that I did worry about. Luckily, I made the Fae King just as nervous. I smiled at him pleasantly, letting him make the first move. I knew better than to ask him anything.
“This is interesting,” he said, expertly inviting me to explain things without asking outright.
I sat down on one of my cushions and opened my box. “I grant wishes for carnival patrons,” I said with a chuckle. I gestured to the seat in front of me. “You're welcome to take a seat… if you wish.”
He pursed his lips grimly at me but said nothing. I ignored him and instead unfolded one of the cards and read the wishes off of it.
“Surely,” he said skeptically, “you don't grant all of the wishes.”
“That would throw off the balance of the universe, Your Highness. I wouldn't be so foolish.” I knew he was curious and so I decided to indulge him, if I put him in the position of having to ask another question, he would not be happy with me. “I choose a few small ones that overall are inconsequential but pleasant for the wisher.” I looked at one of the ones I was holding. “Getting into her dream college. Done.” I flicked the card aside, where it disintegrated in a flash of purple flame, and picked up another card. “Winning the lottery… I'm in a good mood, let’s say five hundred.” I flicked it aside and muttered, “Granted.”
As the Fae King watched me, I picked up another card, content to work until he stopped me. I knew exactly who had written this one; a trio of obnoxious, too cool, students who had been spiking their cider with something and challenging each other to come up with the stupidest, most outlandish wishes.
“On occasion,” I continued, “I grant ones that amuse me. Like…” I skimmed over the list. “Flying pigs.” I flicked it aside, in another flash purple. “Granted.”
The Fae King chuckled. “I shall be quite put out if I have to stop any pigs from flying,” he warned, half-jokingly.
I smiled at him. “Well, they do say be careful what you wish for. In the near future he'll have an unfortunate accident that involves several pigs falling from a high location. The pigs will be fine,” I added, knowing the Fae King had a soft spot for all things animal. “He’ll break their fall. His obnoxious friends he made the wish with will be there to see it. And perhaps in the future, they'll all be a little more careful when meddling with powerful magic.”
He said nothing, but smiled and I knew he approved.
“Then of course,” I continued, “I do like to pick a couple that I feel are particularly deserving of havingallof their wishes granted.” I waved my hand above the pile and a card drifted out. I flipped it around and looked at it. I knew who it was immediately. It was the father of the little girl who had come in at the end of the day, with only one ticket.
He positively radiated financial troubles and I wasn't at all surprised that his first wish was for a steady job. He certainly wasn't the only one who often who had finance related wishes, although a steady job was certainly a reasonable, if not somewhat humble one. His next wish however, “I wish,” I murmured softly, “For a home with working heat and a room just for Mindy.” The Fae King arched an eyebrow and I read the third wish, finding myself softening toward the father. “I wish that all of my daughter’s wishes willcome true.”
I wiggled my fingers at the box and out came a card with a childish scrawl on it, complete with i’s dotted with big circles.
“I wish,” I read softly, “for daddy not to be sad anymore. I wish I didn't have to move all the time. And I wish for a kitten and a best friend.” I chuckled a little. “That’s four wishes, Mindy. Cunning little foxes.”
“A fox kit named Mindy?” the Fae King said suddenly. “Show me,” he commanded.
I waved a hand; some of the smoke from my torches swirled and took the hazy form of Mindy and her father.
The Fae King began to laugh as the image faded. I watched him with an arched eyebrow, asking without asking. “I sensed your magic earlier, but in truth could not say why I felt the urge to come see you. Now, I know.” He paused, giving me a chance to break and ask him outright, when I didn’t he went on. “I owe this family a favor.”
This time, I couldn’t resist. “Youowethem?”
He smiled and I knew I wouldn’t get an answer. “Grant the wishes,” he said.
Since I was planning to anyway, I did.
As the two cards vanished, rainbow sparks flashed above the purple flames. I shot a look at the Fae King and he smiled. Then, he too, vanished.
“Sorry, Mindy and father,” I chuckled. “That granting may not have ended up as I intended. Oh well, be careful what you wish for.”
