CHAPTER 7

"Alessandra," I said with a nervous nod. I wasn't sure how I'd pass this test with all that I had done. "Come in."

I showed her to the living room where I had tea waiting, a pot of Earl Grey which I favored. I'd bought little cakes from a nearby bakery and those waited as well.

"Well, this is much more welcoming," she said as Diego came running in from the yard, the doggie door swinging loudly.

"Down boy," I said firmly. He was excited, moving, all this new territory to claim.

"Please, have a seat. Tea?"

"Honey and milk, please." She cooed to Diego, scratching his chin the way he liked and he half melted at her feet.

I poured two cups with honey and milk and passed her one, sitting on the couch opposite her. I put three tiny vanilla cakes on a plate and grabbed it mostly to have something to do. When Diego started sniffing I tossed him one by the fireplace and he plopped down to eat it.

"You're nervous."

I nodded and sipped my tea. "Indeed I am. I'm not sure exactly what the test was."

"So let's go over things. You created money. How much?"

"Fifty million dollars."

"Quite a large sum. And did you just wish it into existence?"

"Actually, I wished for it to be siphoned off from the personal accounts of twenty people who can spare it and frankly I feel didn't need it."

"So you didn't just create it?"

"One of the degrees, actually two of them, I wished for were in economics. I knew what would happen to magically create money from nothing. I didn't want to upset the balance of things too much."

She nodded and popped a small cake into her mouth. "And you bought this house."

"I bought this house and a new car. But I also bought a brownstone downtown. I've wanted it since I was a child. I gave the tenants thirty days and two million each for their apartments, and already hired a contractor to revert it to the manor it once was."

"Why did everyone agree to move?"

"I gave them two million each, cash, under the table. They signed over their deeds, and the alderman already agreed to let the construction permit turn it to a single residence."

"And what will you do with two homes?"

"I'll give this one to friends who need it."

"And why do you want- how large a brownstone is it?"

"Five units. Once done it will be a six bedroom ten bath monster."

She nodded. "Why do you need such a large space?"

"Want. I admit, I want. If...if this lifestyle is to continue, I think I'd like to have foster children. I don't know yet, but I prefer to be surrounded by people. I'm a pack animal."

Another strange emotion crossed her eyes, something like dreaded avarice. She sat forward, her cashmere coat revealing a dress not that far off from mine. "So you planned for the future, worked not to disturb the natural order, and figured out a way to help friends in need."

Put that way...guilt crept in. "I went nuts at the salon and I did conjure an entire wardrobe from nothing, though many pieces I bought at stores. I just...hate shopping, actually."

She said nothing at first, smiling in a way that told me she was thinking, and it was equally good and bad. I ate two small cakes to have something to do and then called Diego over to lick frosting from my fingers.

"Your next gift-"

"I passed the test?"

She nodded, biting her lip. Her words were polite, but I could sense she didn't like me, for whatever reason. "You passed this test with flying colors. I'm just not sure how you'll do with the next test."

"Can you tell me why the tests? What exactly is going on?"