"I'll tell you when I'm ready to make a wish. Don't lie to me again."

Lova lowered her head and did not respond.

As I walked toward my hotel, I tried to count the days I had been gone. Twelve? Fourteen? Would my father still have a room at the Hilton? Had my mother flown over from the states to help find me? I had not bothered to work out a story to explain my absence. The only practical excuse was that I had been kidnapped. But if I brought up kidnapping, my father would bring in the police and I would have to answer endless questions. Being experts, they would probably figure out that I was lying. Where would that get me? it was not until I entered the hotel lobby that I glanced back to make sure Lova was following me. She held back twenty feet. To me she looked mostly solid, 90 percent, but the rays of the sun pa.s.sed straight through her. The image was spooky. She cast no shadow.

Her expression was pa.s.sive. I wondered if djinn experienced emotions the same way we did. True, they possessed a desire to manipulate, to control, but I wondered if they could feel love.

I hurried through the lobby to the elevator and pushed the tenth-floor b.u.t.ton. My card key was still in my day pack, along with my binoculars and compa.s.s. Lova hurried into the elevator before the doors closed. We were alone for a few seconds. The elevator had a mirror. Lova did not show in it, but I still did. I had put back on the same jeans and white shirt I had worn the night I left.

"Do you need to take the elevator? Can't you just float up to the tenth floor?" I asked. She hesitated. "this is an . . . Elevator?"

"Yes. Do you come from a mechanical civilization?"

"We have tools. But not like these."

"Do you know what electricity is?"

"No."

"Can you walk through our walls?"

"I suppose. I'm not used to this world."

"Are you angry at me for forcing you into this world?"

Lova considered. "What I do now, it is my duty."

"What does that mean?"

"You're human. You would not understand."

"Try me."

Lova did not answer, merely shook her head. There was a copy of USA Today USA Today outside my father's door. There were copies outside all the rooms. I picked up ours and checked the date. outside my father's door. There were copies outside all the rooms. I picked up ours and checked the date.

the paper was dated the day after I had left.

Only twelve hours had pa.s.sed since I had left.

But I had been gone two intense weeks! I had been sunburned, dehydrated, kicked by goats, betrayed by a friend, stabbed by a djinn. My mind overloaded as it tried to squeeze all those events into one normal night. It seemed impossible. So this is what the carpet had meant when it said time was not a constant. I could not accept it. But I had to; I could not deny the date on the paper. It meant, as far as my father knew, I had only been gone overnight. I opened the door and walked in. My father was having breakfast in the living room. Eggs, bacon, toast, and coffee. He smiled when he saw me.

"You're back early. How was the slumber party?" he asked.

He had not said my name. I did not want him to use it, not with Lova standing nearby. Eventually he would say it, but the carpet had a.s.sured me that knowing only Sara would not give the djinn true power over me. Yet it would give her a little, and I didn't want her to have even that. I forced a smile. "It was fine."

"How was your new friend?"

"Well, you remember rini? I introduced you to her."

"I know. Does she live nearby?"

"I was able to walk to her house."

"I forget. How did you two meet?"

"she works in this hotel as a maid." Which was true, but I was going to have to find rini fast and have her back up the details of my story.

"Great. I'm glad you have someone to hang out with."

"I like her; she's sweet." I paused, glanced behind me, saw Lova studying my father. "Hey, Dad, do you mind if I take a quick shower?"

"No problem. Want me to order breakfast?"

"Please. I'll have what you're having." inside my room, I was careful to stow my backpack in my chest of drawers. My father was not nosy by nature, but he was a dad and I was his little girl-it was better to be safe than sorry. I asked Lova if she was tired, and she surprised me when she said yes.

"But you don't have a physical body," I whispered.

"It is a drain to exist in this dimension."

"Are you suffering?"

"No. But it is what you would call . . . Stressful."

"Do you wish to rest?" the red fire flickered in the depths of her eyes. "Djinn do not ask humans for wishes."

"That's not what I meant. Do you want to lie down and take a nap?"

"Yes."

"Lie on the floor, not on my bed. Remain there until I call for you."

she started to stretch out.

"Do you require food?" I asked.

"Nourishment."

"What type?"

"Human blood is preferable." I spoke firmly, a little louder. "You won't be drinking any human blood as long as you're attached to me. understood?" she nodded, although she did not look convinced.

"Are you all right in there?" it was my father.

"Yeah!"

"Who are you talking to?" my father asked.

"I'm just talking on my cell."

"Hurry up with your shower. Your breakfast is coming."

"Okay!" I stared at Lova stretched on the floor and lowered my voice again. "Comfortable?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because I care. It's a normal human emotion. Do you know what it means to care for someone?"

Lova paused. "Not for a human being." I turned away. "I won't ask if you want a pillow." the hotel shower felt delicious. Hara and Aleena's primitive culture had its charm, but there was nothing like a hot shower and white fluffy towels. I exited the shower wearing a soft bathrobe. Lova appeared to be asleep on my bedroom floor. I shut the bedroom door. In the living room, my father was just finishing his coffee.

"What are your plans for the day?" he asked. I shrugged. "Order more room ser vice. Watch dirty movies on the pay-per-view channel."

"In this country you can only get PG-13 films."

"In that case I'll flirt with the guy who brings the room ser vice." my father laughed; he was in a good mood. "Mrs. Steward and mr. Toval were glad to see you again. They told me how witty and charming you were."

"Thank them for trying to get me into that cave." I didn't remember cracking any jokes.

"Maybe you can get in another time."

He made it sound as likely as an asteroid hitting the earth. Sipping his coffee, he studied me. " I'm amazed at the color you've gotten since yesterday. I've never seen you so dark."

"I went for a long swim yesterday," I said.

"After you returned from the job site?" it was an odd question. "Of course. I didn't go before." my father cleared his throat, shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"I heard you didn't leave the site immediately."

"Who told you that?" I asked.

"security. They have you down in their logs as having left two hours after I saw you."

"That's crazy. I didn't hang out that long," I lied.

"Did you hang out with a boy named Amesh Demir?" my heart beat inside my head. My father had greeted me more friendly than usual. Now he was grilling me.

"I think that was his name," I said, trying to sound casual.

"Where did you meet him?"

"What do you mean, where did I meet him? At the job site."

"He just walked up and introduced himself."

"No, Dad. He walked by, and I winked and smiled and asked if he was single."

"Don't get fresh, young lady. I ask because Amesh left early yesterday without explaining to his supervisor why." He paused.

"Did he leave with you?"

"Nope."

"So the black hairs in the shower don't belong to him?"

"Nope."

"Sara . . ." I felt blood in my face. "they belong to rini. I took my swim with her. Then I let her use our shower. Is that a crime?" there was a knock at the door. Room ser vice. My father stood and signed the bill and ushered the waiter out. Maybe he didn't want the guy to come in because I had on only the robe.

He wheeled over enough food to last me two days. He leaned down and kissed my cheek.

"Sara, please don't feel like you're being interrogated.

Amesh has a questionable history with Becktar. He's almost lost his job on a number of occasions. He's not the most trustworthy boy in the world." it was a mistake to defend him, but I could not just sit there and allow Amesh to be trashed. "that's a shame. He spoke so highly of you," I said.

"What did he say?"

"He said you were his favorite boss: fair, kind, hard worker, smart. He looks up to you." I picked up the toast and began to b.u.t.ter it. "You better get going; you'll be late for work." I had never hurried him out of the suite before, but I wanted him to know that he was dealing with a new and improved daughter. One who did not like to be pushed around.

He kissed me again, on the other cheek, and left. I ate slowly and without enthusiasm. The day was going to be a killer; I could feel it already.

Amesh Demir. I needed to find out where he lived, speak to his Papi and sister if necessary. I checked the hotel phone book but found no Demirs. They were poor, so it was possible they didn't have a land line. Yet Amesh had a cell and he had spoken of his neighborhood-the ruse. Too bad he hadn't mentioned the name of his street. I tried Amesh's cell. No answer.

either he or his djinn was not taking calls. I called housekeeping and asked for rini. When I explained to her boss that I was a friend, he connected me to a phone in a ninth floor room, where she was cleaning. Rini said she would be happy to back up my story as long as I did visit her house some day. I promised. I also asked rini about the ruse. She had never heard of it. I dressed-how wonderful it was to put on fresh clothes!- and rushed downstairs to catch a taxi. I brought the carpet and Lova. She sat in the back of the cab with me.

"Did you get enough rest?" I asked.

Lova stared out the window. "this realm is chaotic. Deep rest is not possible here."

"Do you prefer natural settings to human cities?"

"I dislike all things human."

"Do you dislike me?" she hesitated. "You are the master."

"That's right, and don't forget it." I paused. "the friend I'm going to see invoked a djinn from the round temple. It came out of a lamp. Are you familiar with the djinn I'm speaking of ?"

"Yes."

"I know its name. Do you know its name?" I asked.

"Not its complete name, no."

"In your society, names are important."

"It is the same in your world."

"Are you more powerful than the djinn who came out of the lamp?"

"Yes." there was pride in her tone.