Page 31

Chapter

Thirty-One

A week into her new life as a Djinn, Mandy marveled at how quickly she'd settled into a routine. Each morning brought new lessons in magic - sometimes with Kieran's patient guidance, other times under Jacinth's playful instruction. When both were called away to Council matters, little Lilah would appear, eager to share her knowledge through games and stories.

The afternoons belonged to her mortal life in Tucson. She'd write at her familiar desk, the words flowing easier now that magic had opened her eyes to new possibilities. Her daily swims felt different too - the water seemed to welcome her in a way it never had before, as if recognizing the magic that now lived within her.

Evenings meant returning to Kieran's tower in Qaf for dinner and more intensive magical training. Her control over the blue fire grew stronger each day. She could now shape it into complex forms, maintain multiple flames at once, and even weave patterns in the air that lingered for several minutes.

"Your progress is remarkable," Kieran had told her that morning, his silver-blue eyes warm with approval as she demonstrated her latest achievement - creating a miniature flame horse that pranced in circles above her palm. "Soon you'll be ready to learn transportation magic."

The prospect both thrilled and terrified her. While she longed for the independence of moving between realms on her own, the responsibility of such power was daunting. For now, she was content with her daily routine, learning to navigate both her magical and mortal lives with growing confidence.

Each evening, after their magical lessons, they would sit together on the balcony of his tower, watching the sun set over the desert landscape of Qaf. Sometimes they talked for hours - about books, about magic, about life. Other times they simply sat in comfortable silence, content in each other's presence.

And there were the kisses... sweet, tender moments that left her breathless and yearning for more. Those first few had been tentative, almost shy - so unexpected from someone as powerful as Kieran. But each subsequent kiss grew bolder, more passionate. The way his fingers would thread through her hair, how his strong arms would pull her close against his chest, the soft sounds he made when she traced the line of his jaw...

Even now, sitting in her familiar apartment, the memories made her heart race. The tender brush of his lips against her temple when he bid her goodnight. The way his silver-blue eyes darkened with desire when she spoke of her dreams. The gentle touch of his hand at the small of her back as he guided her through complex magical forms.

But it wasn't just the physical attraction. There was something deeper growing between them - a connection that transcended the physical realm. She found herself anticipating his subtle expressions, learning to read the minute changes in his stern features that betrayed his emotions. And he, in turn, seemed to understand her in ways no one else ever had.

Today, however, was special. Mandy's mermaid tail had arrived, and she was eager to try it out. The silicone creation lay across her living room floor like a shimmering piece of art, its scales catching the afternoon sunlight in iridescent blues and greens. She'd watched countless YouTube tutorials on how to put it on, but the reality proved more challenging than expected.

"Oh, for heaven's sake," she muttered, tugging at the stubborn zipper. The silicone clung to her skin, refusing to slide past her hips despite the liberal application of water she'd used to ease its passage. The anticipation was killing her - she couldn't wait to see how it would look in the pool, to feel what it was like to swim with a tail - if she could only get the darned thing on!

She wiggled and squirmed, trying to work the material up without tearing it. The tail might have been expensive, but it represented something priceless - a dream she'd carried since childhood, now finally within reach. Mozart watched from his perch on the dresser, his orange tail twitching with apparent amusement at her struggles.

"Oh sure, laugh it up," she told him, giving another determined tug at the zipper. "You try getting into this thing."

The beautiful blue-and-purple scales caught the light from the bright Arizona sun streaming through her living room window, but right now their shimmer only highlighted her frustration. She'd finally found this professional-grade tail on Ebay, and while she already loved it dearly, getting into it remained a challenge.

"Come on," she muttered to herself, twisting awkwardly to reach the zipper's pull tab. "You can do this."

A soft laugh made her look up. Jacinth lounged on the sofa nearby, watching her with an odd air of tolerant patience, like a parent waiting for their child to figure something out.

"What?!" Mandy demanded, blowing a stray strand of hair from her face.

Jacinth's musical laugh filled the room as she slid gracefully to the floor, folding her legs beneath her to sit cross-legged before Mandy. "You're a Djinn now."

"I know that!" Mandy huffed, still wrestling with the zipper. Then she froze, her eyes widening as realization struck. A grin spread across her face as she met Jacinth's amused gaze. "There's a magical way to get this zipper up?"

"It's lesson time!" Jacinth announced, her dark eyes sparkling with mischief.

A delighted shiver ran through Mandy. "I love lesson time!"

Jacinth pointed across the room to the hook mounted on the bathroom door, partially visible from where she sat on the floor in the living room. "Close your eyes," she instructed, her musical voice carrying that familiar note of patient amusement. "Now visualize the tail hanging there in its place."

Mandy closed her eyes, picturing the beautiful silicone tail suspended from its hook, the blue and purple scales catching the afternoon sunlight streaming through her window. The visualization came easily - she'd already pictured it hanging there countless times before in her mind.

"Good," Jacinth said softly. "Now gather up your magic, just like we've been practicing."

Mandy drew a deep breath, reaching for that warm well of power that still felt so new and strange. It responded eagerly to her call, flowing through her like liquid sunshine. She could feel it building, waiting for direction.

"Perfect," Jacinth's voice encouraged. "Now give it a push."

Mandy focused on her visualization of the tail hanging on its hook, channeling her magic toward that single purpose. She felt the power surge through her, followed by an odd tingling sensation.

Her eyes flew open as the weight of the silicone tail suddenly vanished from her legs. "Oh my gosh, I did it!" she exclaimed, staring across the room where her tail now hung perfectly arranged on its hook. "It's on the wall!"

She looked down at her bare, damp legs, wiggling her toes in delight at her success. The simple act of magical transportation still felt utterly surreal, even after weeks of practicing.

Jacinth's dark eyes sparkled with approval. "Excellent! Now, do the same thing again, but this time picture yourself wearing the tail."

Mandy closed her eyes, drawing another deep breath as she visualized herself in the tail. She pictured the way the silicone hugged her hips and legs, how the scales caught the light with every movement. The magic responded more readily this time, flowing through her with growing confidence.

The familiar weight and pressure of the tail suddenly wrapped around her legs, hugging her hips perfectly. Her eyes flew open in surprise - not only was the tail on, but the zipper was completely done up.

Mandy shifted experimentally, watching in delight as the tail swished across her living room floor. The blue and purple scales sparkled in the afternoon sunlight, creating mesmerizing patterns on the walls.

"This is amazing!" she exclaimed, running her hands over the smooth scales. "Do you know how much work it is to get into these things? Watching all the videos of live mermaids, this seemed like it was always the worst part!"

Jacinth leaned forward, her dark eyes twinkling. "You can make it lighter too. Just imagine it weighing less, and push your magic into it."

"Oh thank goodness!" She'd been struggling with the tail's weight, these darned things were heavy! She closed her eyes, visualizing the tail becoming lighter while maintaining its perfect fit. The magic responded instantly, flowing through her and into the silicone.

She swished her tail experimentally, delighting in how much easier it moved. "This is so much better!" The beautiful scales still caught the light with each movement, but now she could maneuver without straining.

"I can add more weight once I'm in the water," Mandy observed, already planning how to adjust it for different conditions. "That way it'll move more powerfully when I'm swimming." The possibilities made her grin in absolute delight.

Jacinth's dark eyes sparkled with approval. "Now you're getting the idea!"

"Does this work with regular clothes too?" Mandy asked, still marveling at how easily she'd managed the tail transformation.

"Of course! Just picture yourself wearing whatever you want, and..." Jacinth snapped her fingers with a flourish. "Voilà!"

Suddenly Jacinth got to her feet, and took a step back. Mandy caught the wicked glint in Jacinth's dark eyes, and she narrowed her gaze on her friend - she'd learned to recognize when the playful Djinn was up to something.

"We can change how we look, too." Jacinth's musical voice was filled with mischief.

"What do you mean?" Mandy asked, puzzled by the statement. Before she had time to think, Jacinth's appearance began to shift subtly.

Fine strands of silver threaded through Jacinth's midnight black hair, like moonlight streaming through darkness. The youthful smoothness of her face gained subtle character lines around her eyes and mouth - not wrinkles exactly, but the gentle marks of wisdom and experience. Her entire bearing shifted, taking on a more mature presence while maintaining her inherent grace.

Within moments, Jacinth had transformed from appearing as a woman in her twenties to someone who could have been Mandy's contemporary. The change was so natural, so perfectly executed, that if Mandy hadn't witnessed it herself, she would have sworn this was how Jacinth had always looked.

Mandy stared, her mouth falling open. There were no words…

Jacinth giggled, the sound musical and light. "We can go the other way too." Her form shimmered like heat waves rising from desert sand.

In the blink of an eye, where her friend had stood moments before, there was now the most adorable toddler Mandy had ever seen. Huge brown eyes dominated the tiny face, framed by impossibly long, curling eyelashes. The child-sized version of Jacinth wore a miniature bedouin dress, complete with tiny embroidered details, and her smile could have lit up the darkest night.

"Oh. My. God." Mandy's voice came out in a squeak. "Now I want to hug you and squeeze you and take you home and call you George!"

The toddler version of Jacinth burst into peals of laughter, the sound like tiny silver bells. Her miniature form bounced with delight, dark curls dancing around her cherubic face.

A moment later, the adorable toddler shimmered and transformed back into the familiar form of Jacinth. Mandy had to bite back a small sound of protest - that tiny version of her friend had been absolutely precious, and Oh. Em. Gee. She really did want to keep her!

Jacinth's dark eyes sparkled with mischief as she settled gracefully onto the floor beside Mandy, who was still swishing her mermaid tail - just because she could.

"I can teach you, you know. If you wanted to look younger..."

"No." Mandy shot her friend a mock glare, though she couldn't quite keep the smile from tugging at her lips. "I earned every one of these silver hairs and laugh lines the hard way, thank you very much! They're battle scars and I wear them proudly."

Jacinth's musical laugh filled the room. "I should have known you'd say that. You're quite remarkable, you know."

Mandy fixed Jacinth with a stern look, refusing to be distracted by shape-shifting shenanigans, no matter how adorable.

"Let's get back to the wardrobe discussion. I'd rather focus on practical matters like being able to change clothes instantly - especially since I keep having to go back and forth between here and Qaf." She gestured at her mermaid tail.

Mandy paused, pursing her lips, considering the implications. "Wait - does the clothing have to actually exist somewhere, like this tail that I bought, then visualized onto myself?" She gestured at the gleaming scales. "Or can I just imagine any outfit and make it appear?"

"Well, you can do that," Jacinth replied, holding up one elegant finger as she temporized. "However, it requires considerable visualization and magical effort. You have to picture every detail perfectly - the texture of the fabric, the way it drapes, how the seams lie, everything. Personally, I find it's not worth the effort most of the time. But then..." Her dark eyes twinkled with mischief. "I'm nine hundred years old and have quite an extensive wardrobe already."

Mandy nodded slowly, processing this new information as she adjusted her position on the floor, the mermaid tail's scales catching the afternoon light. Moving her legs, she admired the swish of the tail fins. "I can see how having centuries to accumulate a wardrobe would make creating clothes from scratch seem like too much work."

A thought struck her. "But where do you keep everything? I mean, nine hundred years of collecting clothes..." She gestured around her small apartment. "That's got to take up an enormous amount of space."

"In my home in Qaf, of course." Jacinth's musical voice held a note of amusement, as if the answer should have been obvious.

"And you can just..." Mandy waved her hand vaguely in the air.

"Access them whenever I want? Yes." Jacinth's dark eyes sparkled. "It doesn't matter where they're stored - in Qaf or here in the mortal realm. I simply visualize wearing them, and..." She snapped her fingers with a flourish, her outfit transforming into an elegant silk gown before shifting back to her original casual wear.

"The best part is," Jacinth continued, leaning forward conspiratorially, "if you do go to the trouble of creating clothing from nothing, once it's manifested in the real world, it belongs to you as surely as if you'd purchased it at a store. So it can go in your wardrobe to be called on at any time."

Mandy's eyes widened as she thought of it. All those historical costumes she'd dreamed of wearing, the elaborate fantasy gowns she'd sketched in her notebooks - she could actually create them, wear them, keep them.

Mandy rubbed her hands together, unable to contain her glee. "Oh my gosh, I'm going to need a new closet!"

Jacinth's musical laugh filled the room. "You're going to just love this next part." Her dark eyes sparkled with that familiar mischievous glint that always preceded something particularly magical. "You can magically expand your closet to be as big as you want."

Mandy stared at her, mouth slightly agape, the scales of her mermaid tail forgotten as she processed this new information.

"What do you mean, expand my closet?" She glanced toward her bedroom where the small walk-in closet barely held her current wardrobe.

"It will look exactly like your regular closet from the outside," Jacinth explained, her musical voice carrying that patient tone she used when teaching particularly exciting magical concepts. "But once you step inside..." She spread her hands in an expansive gesture. "It can be whatever you create it to be."

The possibilities made Mandy's head spin. Her writer's imagination immediately conjured images of vast rooms filled with rolling racks of costumes, walls of shoes stretching into the distance, mirrors everywhere to catch the light. Like something out of a fantasy movie - bigger on the inside, like...

"Oh my god," Mandy breathed, her eyes widening. "It's like the TARDIS!"

A delighted smile spread across Jacinth's face as she bobbed her head in agreement. "So you're a Whovian? That's precisely what it's like."

Mandy giggled and nodded, but her mind moved on from the Doctor Who reference, too excited by the possibilities. "So I could have different sections for different types of clothes?"

"Absolutely." Jacinth nodded, clearly enjoying Mandy's enthusiasm. "And since it exists in… well… you could call it a pocket dimension, although that's not exactly it, but anyway, you can make it as elaborate as you like without affecting your actual apartment space."

Mandy focused her magic once more, picturing her mermaid tail back on its hooks. After three attempts, the beautiful silicone creation finally settled perfectly in place, the blue and purple scales catching the afternoon light. She closed her eyes, visualizing her favorite soft yoga pants and oversized t-shirt. The magic responded more readily this time, wrapping her in comfortable cotton.

"OMG! Jacinth, look! I did it!" She bounced on her toes, delighting in how natural her clothes felt. No awkward bunching or twisted seams like she'd half-expected from magical clothing changes.

"Come on!" Her heart racing with excitement, Mandy spun toward her bedroom. "I want to try making my new closet now!" She hurried down the short hallway, Jacinth's musical laugh following behind her. Mozart and Bach watched from their perch on the cat tree, seemingly unimpressed by the magical wardrobe changes.

The plain white door of her walk-in closet stood open, revealing the familiar cramped space with its single rod and shelf. Mandy paused in the doorway, her heart racing with anticipation. The familiar space seemed to hum with potential.

"Take it slowly," Jacinth's musical voice came from just behind her shoulder. "You don't need to create anything elaborate right away - you can always expand it later. For now, focus on visualizing just one room."

Mandy nodded, drawing a deep breath. She closed her eyes, picturing a simple rectangular space with ivory walls, and a thick carpet of a soft gold color. Plenty of natural light streamed in from somewhere above, though she didn't worry about the exact source. Along one side she imagined a row of elegant brass rods for hanging clothes, with built-in shelves and drawers opposite, and a full-length mirror flanked by a comfortable armchair on the far wall.

"Okay, I see it," she said.

"Perfect," Jacinth murmured. "Now reach for your magic, just like we practiced. Let it flow naturally into your visualization."

The warm power responded eagerly to her call, rushing through her like a summer breeze. Mandy directed it toward her mental image, feeling the energy build and build until...

A soft gasp escaped her as she felt the magic surge outward. The air around her seemed to ripple and shift, carrying the faintest scent of jasmine - that telltale sign of Djinn magic at work.

"Open your eyes," Jacinth whispered.

Mandy's jaw dropped as she stepped into the transformed space. The warm golden carpet cushioned her feet, exactly as she'd imagined. Ivory walls stretched upward to a ceiling that somehow captured perfect natural lighting. The brass clothing rods gleamed, her clothing hanging there just as they had been in the old closet.

"Oh my god, it worked!" She spun in a slow circle, taking in every detail. "I can't believe it - it's exactly like I pictured!"

Her fingers traced the smooth wood of the built-in shelves, marveling at how solid and real everything felt. The full-length mirror reflected her amazed expression, framed perfectly by elegant brass sconces. Even the comfortable armchair looked inviting, its upholstery matching the warm tones of the carpet.

"This is incredible!" Mandy bounced on her toes, unable to contain her excitement. "I made this! With magic!" She ran her hand along one of the brass rods, delighting in its cool smoothness. "It's real - all of it's real!"

Bach sauntered in behind her, immediately claiming the armchair as his new favorite spot. Mozart followed more cautiously, whiskers twitching as he investigated every corner of the expanded space.

"Even the cats approve," Mandy laughed, watching them explore. She turned to Jacinth, her eyes shining. "I actually did it!"

Jacinth reached out and gently tapped Mandy's nose with her finger. "You are magical now," she said, her musical voice filled with warmth and mischief.

"I am," Mandy replied, feeling her heart almost burst with joy. "I really am."

Jacinth's dark eyes softened as she watched Mandy. "You know, I've never seen Kieran so... content. The way he looks at you when you're practicing magic, how his whole demeanor changes when you're near..."

Heat crept up Mandy's cheeks. Yes, there had been kisses, tender moments that made her heart soar. But to hear Jacinth speak of it so directly... "We're still figuring things out," she murmured.

"Are you?" Jacinth's musical voice carried a note of gentle challenge. "Because I think you're his Chosen."

Mandy twisted her fingers together in her lap, a smile tugging at her lips. "He... he asked me. To be his Chosen." The words came out in a rush, joy bubbling up as she finally shared the secret. "He said he wants to court me properly, to give me time to be sure."

Jacinth's delighted squeal echoed off the walls. "I knew it! Oh, I knew it!" She grabbed Mandy's hands, practically bouncing with excitement. "When did he ask? What did you say? Tell me everything!"

The word hung in the air between them. Mandy sank onto the plush carpet, her thoughts churning. "It's only been a week... he told me that first day, when I woke up in Qaf."

"Time doesn't matter when it comes to finding your Chosen." Jacinth's voice softened. "When you know, you just know."

"I haven't given him my answer yet," she admitted softly. "We… haven't talked of it since."

"Why haven't you given him your answer?" Jacinth asked gently. "What's holding you back?"

The question hit Mandy like a physical blow, making her chest tight. She wrapped her arms around herself, a defensive gesture she thought she'd left behind.

Old voices echoed in her head, harsh and cutting. Hurtful. Her father's dismissive tone - "Don't be stupid, Amanda." The cruel laughter of high school classmates as she stumbled in gym class. "Hey ugly! Watch where you're going, klutz!"

"He's a prince ," she whispered, the words catching in her throat. "He's ancient and powerful and wise, and I'm..." She gestured helplessly at herself. "I'm just me. Just Amanda. The same person I've always been, even if I look different now."

The thought of someone like Kieran - ancient, powerful, literally royal - choosing her seemed utterly ridiculous. Even with her new Djinn powers, even with her body restored to health, she was still just Amanda Dupont. A self-published writer who lived with her cats and spent too much time daydreaming about mermaids.

Jacinth's warm hand closed over her shoulder, turning her gently but firmly toward the mirror. "Look," she commanded, her musical voice brooking no argument.

Mandy almost flinched away, her instinctive aversion to mirrors honed by decades of limiting herself to quick glances - just enough to check her hair was brushed and clothes weren't mussed.

Gone was the grey-haired, pain-hunched woman who had struggled to walk more than a few steps, the one who'd learned to make herself small, to fade into backgrounds. Instead, a tall, graceful figure stood before her, forest-green eyes bright with vitality. Her dark brown hair - the pink and purple had only been temporary - fell in waves past her shoulders, the silver strands at her temples glinting in the afternoon light. The lines in her face spoke of laughter and experience rather than pain and exhaustion.

A smile tugged at her lips, impossible to suppress. Even now, the physical changes amazed her. Whatever else happened, whatever doubts plagued her, she couldn't deny the joy that filled her every time she saw her reflection now.

She frowned at her reflection. A moment later, her yoga pants and t-shirt dissolved, to be replaced by a lovely, flowing silk tunic and pants of regal purple that draped perfectly over her new curves, making her look elegant. Yes! She fist pumped.

Jacinth gave Mandy's shoulders a gentle shake. "You're still looking through human eyes," she said, her musical voice carrying a note of fond exasperation. "Looking only at the outer shell. That's not how we see you at all."

She tapped the mirror's surface with one elegant finger. "Now, see yourself as we do - as Kieran and I see you."

The reflection shimmered, like heat waves rising from summer pavement. The air itself seemed to hold its breath as magic rippled across the mirror's surface. Mandy gasped as her image transformed - not in physical form, but in essence. The woman in the mirror still had her features, but now she radiated something timeless. An inner light emanated from her core, transforming the air around her into liquid gold.

Peace and wisdom softened her face, while compassion gleamed in her eyes like banked embers, waiting to warm those who needed it most. Her presence filled the room with quiet strength - like ancient trees that had weathered countless storms while providing shelter to others.

The forest-green of her eyes held depths she'd never noticed before, like looking into wild places where old magic still lived. Dreams floated like mist between sun-dappled leaves, while hopes sparkled like dewdrops on moss-covered stones. This wasn't just how she looked - it was who she truly was, who she had always been. She had simply never seen it.

And there was wisdom… not that born of centuries of magical existence like Kieran's or Jacinth's - it came from the experiences of a human life - the hard-won wisdom of a woman who had lived fully, who had grasped life with both hands, and grown stronger through every experience, both bitter and sweet.

This wasn't the broken, worthless person those cruel voices had tried to convince her she was. This was someone who had taken every harsh word, every dismissal, every painful experience, and transformed them into wells of compassion. Someone who understood pain, yes, but used that understanding to help others heal.

Now she could see what Kieran and Jacinth had both seemed to recognize - not just what she was, but what she could become. The strength that had always been there, waiting to be acknowledged.

"That's... that's how you see me?" Mandy whispered, her fingers reaching toward the glass of their own accord, drawn by that magnetic pull. The woman in the mirror radiated possibility - not just who she was, but all she could become. A Djinn. A partner. Perhaps even...

"It's not just how I see you. That is who you truly are," Jacinth said softly. "The beauty of your heart shines through everything else. That wisdom, that beauty - you pass it on to your children, you know."

"I only have one daughter," Mandy said softly. "And Sabrina is everything I could have ever wanted in a child. She amazes me every day. The way she loves so fiercely, how she builds up everyone around her." Pride warmed her voice. "She fills my heart completely."

"You can still pass those gifts on," Jacinth said, her dark eyes twinkling with that familiar mischief. "After all, as a Djinn, you have endless possibilities ahead of you. Who knows what children might come into your life?"

"There were times I dreamed of having more children, but raising Sabrina was my priority, my joy. I poured all my love into being her mother." She smiled, suddenly wanting to hug her daughter - her baby. "And now she's grown into this incredible woman, this amazing mother herself."

Jacinth's musical laugh interrupted her spiraling thoughts. "Oh, my dear friend." Her dark eyes sparkled with that familiar mischief. "You're forgetting something rather important."

Mandy blinked at her, confused.

"You're Djinn now," Jacinth said softly. "You have thousands of years ahead of you to have more children."

The words hit Mandy like a physical blow. She stared at Jacinth, her mouth falling open as the full implications sank in. All those carefully buried dreams, all those wistful thoughts she'd pushed aside as impossible - they weren't anymore. She wasn't bound by human limitations. She wasn't too old. She wasn't too anything.

"I... I could..." She couldn't even finish the sentence, overwhelmed by the sudden explosion of possibilities.

The vision hit Mandy with startling clarity, reminiscent of that scene from Lord of the Rings where Arwen glimpsed her future son. But instead of the child from the movie, she saw a young boy with hair black as midnight, his brilliant sapphire eyes matching the rich velvet of his tunic.

Her heart caught as the boy ran past her, his laughter echoing like silver bells. Strong arms swept him up - arms belonging to a tall, achingly familiar figure. Kieran's silver-white hair gleamed in the sunlight as he lifted his son high, those distinctive black brows arched over eyes that matched the boy's brilliant blue.

Father and son turned toward her in perfect synchronization, their arms reaching out in welcome. The love radiating from their matching sapphire gazes wrapped around her like a warm embrace. Kieran's normally stern features transformed with pure joy as she flew toward them, her heart soaring at the sight of his radiant smile.

The vision shattered like spun glass as Mandy's apartment dissolved around her. Cool marble walls materialized, soaring overhead in graceful arches that caught the desert sunlight. Her heart thundered against her ribs as she recognized Kieran's tower in Qaf.

She hadn't consciously chosen to transport herself here - her magic had responded to her heart's deepest desire, carrying her to where she needed to be. All those careful considerations, all that hesitation... they melted away in the face of this simple truth. Every moment she'd shared with Kieran, every gentle touch, every quiet conversation had led to this. She belonged with him.

"Kieran!" His name echoed off the polished stone, carrying up the sweeping staircase that curved toward the upper floors. Her voice cracked with emotion she couldn't contain.