Bob swung over my forehead, hanging upside down and waving. ‘Ireland is the answer!’

I growled and tried to grab him again. He disappeared in a puff of bright green smoke, reappearing on the tip of Brochan’s ear. The merman sneezed three times in quick succession but Bob didn’t react; he just crossed his legs and smiled. ‘I will do what I have never done.’

Resigned to the situation, I blew air out through my pursed lips and glared. ‘What?’

‘I will accept an IOU.’

‘Huh?’

‘IOU. I realise you are not the most intelligent Sidhe, Uh Integrity.’ He leaned down, whispering loudly to Brochan, ‘Sharp as a sack of wet mice. An IOU is…’

‘I know what an IOU is.’

‘Then what’s the problem?’ He blinked innocently.

‘You’ll help Integrity out if she promises to make another wish,’ Brochan said.

‘A pot of leprechaun gold to the man with the runny nose!’ Bob applauded noisily. He lifted an eyebrow in my direction. ‘Well?’

‘I promise to ask for a wish in the future and you’ll help me become musical?’

‘I won’t make you musical but I’ll tell you where to get the equipment you need to pass the test.’ His brow furrowed. ‘Or win the challenge. Or whatever.’

‘Equipment?’

‘Magical equipment which even you could play.’

I met Brochan’s eyes. ‘That doesn’t sound so bad.’ The ‘future’ could be an eternity.

‘Just one caveat,’ Bob chirped. ‘You have to make the wish within the next six months.’

Bugger. ‘Can I think about it?’ Although it sounded like a brilliant idea, everyone knew that asking a genie for wishes would only end in disaster. I’d already made one and it had almost led to me having my head lopped off by the Bull when I’d been transported into his quarters on the back of a poorly conceived desire.

Bob shrugged. ‘Okay.’ Ten seconds later, he pulled up his cuff and gazed at his watch. ‘Time’s up!’

‘Do you have a better idea?’ Brochan asked me. ‘Because however bad you sound to yourself, Tegs, you sound a million times worse to an audience.’

I muttered a curse under my breath. ‘Fine.’

Bob beamed. ‘Say the words.’

‘I’m probably going to regret this.’ I looked at him. ‘If I win the Artistry challenge, I promise to make my second wish. Alright?’

Bob made a face. ‘No, this is not contingent on success. I’m not having my life’s goals disrupted because you’re an idiot. You either promise or you don’t. There’s nothing in between.’

I gritted my teeth in defeat. ‘I promise.’

There was a tiny clap of thunder. Bob jumped up in the air, hovering for a second with his arms stretched upwards. ‘Hurray!’ He executed a perfect somersault. ‘Best decision you’ve ever made.’

Somehow I doubted that. ‘Go on. What information do you have?’

‘Dagda.’

‘What the hell? That doesn’t mean anything!’

‘Man.’ He shook his head. ‘You really are the poster child for contraception, aren’t you? Dagda? The ancient Irish hero?’