It was PortiaKadish.
"You," Ihissed.
She held up a hand. "Before you do anything, I'd just like totalk."
"Haven't we done enough talking?" I said with a sneer. "Haven't you done enough to completely fuck up mylife?"
Instead of sympathy, Portia rolled hereyes.
I slammed the door in her face, but a strong gust of wind stopped it before it closed all the way. She pushed it open and stepped into myhouse.
Martin had come out of the sunroom to see what all the fuss was about. A weird smile played around Portia's mouth as she studied him. His expression curdled at the sight of her for reasons I couldn'texplain.
"What do youwant?"
"I'd like to encourage you to continue sorting through the datingpool."
"Are you out of your freaking mind?" I shouted at her. "I've got an endless line of freaks and weirdos sending me enough flowers to stock a garden festival and I just ended it with someone who wasmarried!"
She studied her nails. "Ah. Yes. That one wasunfortunate."
I pinched the space between my brows. "Unfortunate?" I growled. "You're a special kind of stupid, aren'tyou?"
Martin hissed in a breath. We both knew who I was talking to and what she could do to me if she were so inclined. A flash of anger slithered across her gaze before she gave me a brilliant smile. "Katarina Harper, Jinn of the Blue Jewel, I ask a boon, a wish, a request from your line of powerful Jinn, specificallyyou."
I froze in place. "No," Iwhispered.
"The man you seek is close to you. My request for you is to continue sorting through these men so your heart will know the trueone."
Tears fell as the spell locked into place. Blue magic shimmered around me and I felt the bindings of the request shimmer around my wrists. I would be bound to Portia until her wish wasgranted.
"And if there is no trueone?"
A wicked smile played upon her face. "Your gift is wishes," she said quietly. With a quick glance at Martin she said, "mine is theknowing."
Portia disappeared into thinair.
I buried my face into myhands.
Martin saidnothing for several minutes until finally he set his tools down and joined me at the kitchen table. "That waswrong."
I huffed out a wet laugh. "Can you imagine? Being forced to date? I feel like I'm the heir of a billionaire forced to get married to seek myinheritance."
"Except there is no inheritance," Martin said, making me laughagain.
"What am I going to do?" Iwhispered.
"Is there anything youcando?"
I shook my head. "She took my magic, my anonymity, and now she takes my freedom. Does anyone ever want a soul mate thatmuch?"
"I'm sure not willingly." Martin patted my hand. "I'm sorry." He stood up. "I have to get back to work. I know you'll figure thisout."
I shook my head. How could I figure it out? "How many eligible men could there possibly be in Midnight Cove?" I muttered tomyself.
I heard Martin's muffled chuckle from the otherroom.
Two dayslater I was dressed up in dark wash jeans, a black off shoulder top and a pair of black wedges, and on my way to meet Helen for drinks. We'd never been able to work our schedules out until today. I pulled into the old, popular bar on the main street of the town and walked in. The residents hadn't quite gotten used to knowing the identity of the local jinn, but the celebrity aspect of it was dying down, especially when people realized I wasn't giving out wishes for free. It hadn't stopped them from their staring or plotting yet,though.
