Daniel paced his room a hundred times without rest, clenching his fists, kicking his bed and shaking his head. It couldn't be. Zyca was not real. Shit! How hypocritical of him – he always wished for her to real, day and night he tossed on his bed wanting to have a feel of her silky skin and here she was in his parents' house, minutes away from his bed chambers. But how could it be? He clamped his hands in his hair and dragged with force not caring of the pain it caused him for he felt something worse but he didn't know what.

His heart beat quickened when a knock sounded on his door in a steady rhythm. Was that she? No! Riel must have sent her away like he ordered. The door creaked open and he waited in anticipation for what was on the other side.

"Young master," said Riel materializing in front of him. Daniel released a breath he never knew he held. What did he expect? A girl who was possibly meters away by now. "What would you like for brunch – its past eleven sir?"

Daniel scowled, "Anything, just anything will be fine," he waved him off. Eating was his least of his concerns but he wouldn't lie, his stomach rumbled once or twice and he in fact needed it to take his mind off his current state.

"Will do sir."

"Enough with the sir calling. I'm not old," he corrected him. "You're like ten times my age – sixty..."

"Sixty-one," he rectified. "Turned a day older the day before yesterday."

"A boring day I suppose," said Daniel managing to release a smile.

Riel glowered. "Spent my day, groveling the sand and shoveling the grasses all through the day – a pigeon even pooped on my shoulder just when I placed the shovel back in its place– so I would say it was far from boring - Irritating to be precise."

Good gracious, Daniel was laughing now, with hands on his belly he bellowed a full-blown laughter. He was sorry for him having to spend his birthday that way but he couldn't help himself, and by the way the corners of his lips turned up told him he wasn't offended by it.

Daniel crossed the room still trying to keep this laughter at bay, opened his shutters and looked outside. The chilly air attacked his face – the rain drops had come to a halt.

"I believe the girl is long gone by now. You sent her away right?" he turned and placed his hands on the window plane.

"Yes, young master. She's long gone from the living room." Daniel nodded his head. That's good, great in fact but his chest tugged a little. It was chilly, did she wear something warm? "I sent her away like you asked."

"Good, good," he said calmly. "She could have been a thief for all we know." seeing as cos playing was a thing in the 21st century it wouldn't surprise him if it was a fan who wanted to dress up like a character in his book. He knew majority of his books didn't sell but out of the two hundred copies given to bookstores – one hundred and eighty-eight were returned so that meant something at least; twelve people bought his book. He would know, he counted them all.

"I believe she is in the shower washing the stench and color of her skin," he added.

She was still here? Oh, that slimy snake, how could he! He hated himself more than he did Riel for his internal organs churned and he knew it wasn't because a slimy goo was about the force its way out his throat but rather the thought of her in the shower; naked and wet. What was wrong with him? After years of his no women policy, his getting affected by a genie or someone dressed as his genie. Oh his. What was his problem?

"I thought I told you to send her away and I meant away from here – Anywhere around me," he growled.

"She seemed to want to see you."

"I don't care. Make her leave."

"She's a woman young master and sending her off in this cold would be inappropriate." The old fool was getting on his last nerves.

"Quit butting into my activities Riel," he said sternly.

"That's what I do. I butt into things," he's done it this time. He was the one in charge not him.

"My parents put you up to this didn't they?" there's wasn't any other explanation he thought of, for the way he spoke authoritatively told him his parents had a hand in his attitude.

Riel shrugged and looked the other way, a gesture which could mean anything but he knew, he knew all too well what it meant. Shit! He thought he wouldn't suffer now they weren't around but they had put their butler in place of their taunting.

"Although I know nothing about the girl, I feel she could be the right match for you."

"How would you know? You know what – get out," he barked taking menacing steps towards him. "You don't get the right to choose or do anything for me."

"Your lunch..."

"I said out," he pushed him out of his room and banged the door to a close.

He couldn't think of ways for years to get out of their matchmaking charade and now he was in one again. Daniel began pacing the room once more like he did before, kicking his bed and clenching his fists.

A hot shower could do him some good, calm his aching head and feel its warm caress on his skin. Yes, he would do just that.

A glittering golden object caught his eye from below his bed. He was instantly drawn to it for some reason and wanted to know what exactly it was, so he grabbed it and gently pulled it out. It was the golden lamp Zyca was given before she entered into the human world. He would know, he described it vividly in his books.

Where was it! It was definitely in her hands when she landed in the human world, walked to the balcony, then carried her master with the butler's help to his room, changed him, went outside to throw his soiled shirt in the trash and... Oh dear! She couldn't think of a place where she left it. She couldn't afford to lose something so important, not at this time, it hasn't even been a week. "Bull Zyca. That's bull," she imagined what Colt would say if she were to tell him she lost the lamp.

She had no choice but to go look for it around the house, hopefully, it wouldn't be too difficult to find, she silently prayed. Her stomach rumbled at that moment. She hadn't eaten since yesterday and now she hungered for some tasty grub merely she knew looking for the lamp was top priority.

Clad in a black and white dress, with a white Shaw over her head, she stepped out the door in search for her lamp.

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