By Elizabeth Jane Shelton

The Agents Against the Abuse of Arcane Accords had originally been pitched as the Break-A-Wish Foundation, but someone thought that might be irreverent, so they went with Quintuple A instead.

Agent Vera Fray, Quintuple A’s best wizard, listened to the morning’s recorded call for clues as she picked her way over the rubble in an abandoned alleyway in Haven City.

“You’re not gonna learn anythin’ new that you didn’t from the first eight listens, darlin’,” drawled Grant. He looked mostly like a normal elf, but the glowing, golden cuffs on his wrists marked him as something much more powerful. “At this point, your eyes are gonna serve you better than that transmission.”

Vera scowled at him, removing her headphones. Her new “partner” was a constant reminder of the inner turmoil she was desperate to avoid. With his help, she could end this incident instantly. But where would that leave her? Powerless, again?

His voice echoed in her mind. You only get one wish.

She shook her head. She was the officer here. Just because he was a nearly-all-powerful being didn’t mean she had to take crap from him.

“I’m just looking for clues. Evidence. Anything that will help us figure out what we’re walking into.”

“And I’m sure you’re doin’ a fine job.” He saluted her with his sunglasses. “But if you really wanna nip this in the bud, I’d get your wand out.”

“What makes you say that?” Vera asked.

Grant nodded toward the side street. The asphalt was pocked with a series of massive craters.

They looked remarkably like footprints.

Vera freed her wand from its holster, then hit her speed dial. “HQ, be advised that we have evidence of a physical manifestation capable of causing material damage.”

Grant chuckled.

Vera shot him another glare. “What’s so funny?”

“You’re all ridiculous.” He shook his head. “Why not just call it what it is? Some girl made a stupid wish and it’s runnin’ buck-wild ’round the city.” He grinned at her. “So the Break-A-Wish Foundation sends their favorite wizard and their least corrupt pet genie to mop up the situation.” He wiggled his fingers. “Besides, say the word and we can wrap this up like that.” He snapped.

Vera sighed. Stupid, arrogant djinn. “You need to take this seriously. Helping Quintuple A is a condition of your parole.” She left the alleyway and turned up a wider street.

Grant rolled his eyes. “Parole.” He said it as if it were a curse. “A little second chance for good behavior, a little community service to help pay for my sins.” He looked at her pointedly. “Do you even know what I was in for?”

Her irritation flared. “For the same reason any djinni land themselves in cosmic prison, I imagine. You broke one of the Rules.”

He opened his mouth, probably to give some scathing opinion on djinn laws, when a loud boom shattered the air. The explosion shook the ground, and Vera staggered to keep her footing.

Grant frowned, a real sense of urgency on his face. “Lead the way, wizard.” This time, it didn’t sound like an insult.

The city center was a demolition zone. A writhing mass of shadows ripped up anything it could find and hurled it at whatever moved.

How had this wish gone so wrong?

“Where’s the wisher?” Vera scanned the wreckage.

“You’re gonna love this.” Grant handed his now-glowing sunglasses to Vera.

She put them on and looked again, doing a double take at the figure in the very center of the shadowy mass. “You’ve got to be kidding me. She’s inside that thing?”

“Vera.” Grant met her gaze, all joking gone. “You know what you have to do.”

A cold hand gripped her heart. “No.”

“Even you aren’t powerful enough to dispel that wish, and there’s no way to extract the wisher.” He grimaced. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”

Vera squeezed her eyes shut, arms wrapped around her stomach, not wanting to admit he was right. This wish, this one wish… It was supposed to be for her. She could get everything she wanted out of a single wish, and she’d been working on the wording for months.

Finally, she could have a family of her own.

But…

She opened her eyes and watched the shadowy, destructive magic level the city. She’d sworn an oath to protect people from rogue magic.

That had to come first. Other people had to come first.

Her family would have to wait.

“Grant,” she said, steadying. “I wish that all the damage to this city caused by the supplicant’s wish would be reversed and that the magic of the wish would dissipate.”

Grant nodded, smiling slightly, eyes and golden cuffs glowing. “Your wish is my command.”

* * *

An hour later, the pair sat on a bench, waiting for extraction.

“You did a good thing, Vera,” Grant said softly.

“Mmm.” Vera was only half paying attention, looking out over the city, newly restored thanks to her wish.

Her only wish.

“I never told you what I was in for.”

Vera turned, giving him her full attention. “Yeah?”

“I did break a Rule. I used my magic for my own gain.”

“For what?”

There was a deep sadness in his smile. “I saved the life of the woman I loved.”

Maybe she and Grant were more alike than she thought. “Did it work?”

“Yeah. ’Course, I got arrested right after. She’s gone now. She was mortal, and I was in prison for a long time.”

“Do you regret it?”

“No,” he said simply.

Huh. Even djinni had hearts.

Vera nodded. “Well, then.” She stood and stretched. “How many cases d’you have left on your parole?”

Grant chuckled. “One less.” He stood as well. “What are you going to do now, Vera?”

Vera took a deep breath, then blew it out slowly. “I’m going to keep doing my job.” She looked at him. “And one day, I’ll get my wish.”

“I don’t doubt it for a minute.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elizabeth Jane Shelton has loved stories of every kind since she was young, although fantasy is her favorite. She strives to write stories that are both entertaining and meaningful, and she hopes to impact others and honor her Creator with her writing. If she’s not working on a story, it’s probably because she’s writing code at her job as a software engineer.

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