The boy leapt back, just out of her grasp. As Dominique gave an annoyed sigh, he grinned. "This is a magic lamp," he answered in a dramatic whisper.
Dominique rolled her eyes. When Lysander had written to her about an important discovery, she had taken him seriously. But this was ridiculous. He was just having a go. "A magic lamp?"
"Yup. Grants wishes."
"Ly, you don't really believe in genies do you? They're just stories."
"No genies," he answered proudly. "It works on its own. And I can prove it."
Once again, Dominique's eyes shot toward the ceiling. She took a deep breath and shook her head before returning her attention to him. The least she could do was humor him. "All right," she sighed. "I'll bite. Show me."
Still grinning, Lysander held the lamp in his left hand. With his right hand, he rubbed four clockwise circles over the tarnished surface, humming to himself. Dominique watched in amusement, her foot tapping impatiently as she waited.
"Well?"
"Done," Lysander said.
"Nothing hap-"
He cut her off with a quick kiss before pulling away triumphantly. "See? I wished I could kiss you. It works!"
Dominique couldn't help it. She laughed, pushing a hand through her strawberry blonde hair. "You wasted a 'wish' on me?"
"Not a waste. Totally worth it," Lysander said seriously. "One wish left."
"And what will you wish for?" the girl chuckled.
Instead of answering, Lysander repeated his unusual ritual. "There."
"Did it work?"
"Dunno yet. Do you feel the sudden urge to go on a date with me?" Lysander asked thoughtfully.
A blush painting her cheeks, Dominique stared at him in shocked silence. It took several seconds for her to collect herself. "As it happens," she said, wrapping her arms around him, "I do."
The boy pressed a kiss to the top of her head, smiling into her hair. "Merlin's beard. It does work."
Laughing, Dominique pulled back. "So where did you really find the lamp?"
With a shrug of his shoulders, Lysander smiled. "Just a bit of rubbish Granddad was going to chuck," he admitted.