I placed my finger to my lips, encouraging her to be silent. ‘Watch.’ I slid the blade out of the sheath but, before I could rub it, there was a painful flash of light. All four of us moaned in sudden pain, covering our eyes.

‘Bob,’ I complained, ‘I’d not summoned you yet.’

‘Jeez Louise. You tell me to pay attention in case you need me at the drop of a hat then you fling me off to some Sidhe dude who stomps around and shouts a lot and you’re annoyed because I’m listening in and ready to appear when you want me to.’

He had a point. ‘Okay, okay. But it’s nice to have some warning before you do the flashing thing.’

He smirked. ‘Flashing? I can do flashing if that’s what you want.’ He began to unbuckle his tiny belt.

‘No! That’s quite alright.’

‘It’s larger than you’d think.’ He winked at me. ‘Size does matter.’

I gritted my teeth while the others slowly pulled their hands away from their eyes and gaped.

‘What is that?’ Speck asked, recoiling. ‘I don’t like little people. They give me the creeps.’

Bob stuck out his tongue.

‘He’s so cute though!’ Lexie interjected, jabbing Speck in the ribs. It must have been painful because he exhaled loudly and threw her a dirty look.

‘I prefer handsome,’ Bob said. ‘Or stud-like. Magnificent will also do. Cute suggests kittens and puppies.’ He shuddered. ‘That’s not me.’

Brochan, still staring, let out a massive sneeze that startled us all. ‘Genie,’ he said flatly.

‘How did you know?’

‘I’m allergic.’ He took out an embossed handkerchief and rubbed his nose.

Bob jumped up and down. ‘You’re allergic to genies? That’s awesome! Let me get closer! Can I make you sneeze on command?’

‘Bob,’ I said warningly, ‘that’s enough of that.’

‘Uh Integrity, you’re no fun.’

‘So you keep saying.’

Lexie’s brow knitted together. ‘Tegs, you’ve not made a wish, have you? Because that could be related to all the attempts on your life.’

‘No,’ I said cheerfully. ‘Those are all Sidhe and nothing to do with Bob. Up till now there have been no wishes.’

The pixie looked relieved but Speck’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. ‘Up till now?’

I beckoned all three of them over. We got into a huddle, our backs turned on Bob. ‘I know what the side effects are,’ I whispered. ‘But they’re always related to the wishes themselves.’

Speck nodded. ‘I heard there was a guy in Fife who came across a genie. He wanted everyone to like him so he wished he could hear everything that was said about him. The genie turned him invisible and he was never heard of again.’