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and round breads in large stone ovens.

    Sausage makers ground their seasoned meats while pie makers rol ed out their dough and prepared their perfect fruits. Two women worked arduously on a sugar sculpture while N widtmak several younger boys took care of the vegetables that needed peeling, paring, cubing and slicing.
    Beyond them, in the lavish gardens, dozens of boys and girls gathered a variety of fruits and vegetables, al laughing and singing as they did so.
    Aromas, welcoming and enticing, fil ed the air, but above al , it was the sense of joy, of pride and of harmony that exuded from the large gathering; it was captivating and I could easily envision myself caught up in the festivities, eager to do my part, my share of the work. No one fought or argued. No one tried to get out of the task that they’d been charged with. There was obviously no place for enlarged egos here. Work needed to be done and they al set about doing their tasks without complaint.
    Even in the perfect world I’d grown up in, this was not quite the case. Though work managed to get done and everyone did as they were told, an underlying resentment was often felt. I’d always thought Arcadia was a peaceful and happy place to be, to grow up in, but happiness, true joy was brought to a whole new level here.
    Here, young children played in the courtyard, games of wild imagination, creation and validation.
    The warrior genie at my side took me by the hand. “Come,” he said softly, his gentle command like a loving bal ad. “This is the land where we are from.” As we walked through the crowds, he nodded his greeting to the workers.
    Amidst al the hard working people of the Nethers, the young genie stopped for a moment and stood aloft, his hand just barely holding the tips of my fingers. With a loud clearing of his throat, he captured the attention of everyone around us. “We welcome you at last,” he said in a clear and strong voice. “Kama, daughter of General Adar, his one and only child.”
    The men and women around us smiled, some curtsied and bowed. A young boy, barely six years old, walked up to me, his eyes shy, but proud. He pul ed from behind his back a large translucent blue lol ipop.
    My heart swel ed. “Is this for me, young man?”

    man?”
    The boy nodded. “Blue is my favorite color.” I winked as I knelt before him and took the lol ipop. “You know what? Me, too. It’s been my favorite since I was a little girl. Thank you so much.” With his fingers gentle on my elbow, the handsome genie guided me up and on through the crowds and on to the palace.
    “Why have you brought me here?” I asked, my thoughts suddenly reverting to the troubles of Arcadia. “I should be in Arcadia with everyone else, fighting with everyone else.”
    He shook his head, though a gleam of approval shone in his eyes. “General Adar mentioned you were strong… brave. It’s a commendable quality… a quality worthy of V>
    “But,” I prompted.
    “But, the danger remains too great in Arcadia. That renegade djin, the plans he had concerning you put you at too great a risk. With you in such danger, in the hands of one who has so few scruples, General Adar would find himself at a disadvantage and Dr. Sanz knew that. We must never underestimate what he is capable of. He has a vicious streak he hides wel , masked behind that fake grin and mock laughter. The truth is that he wishes only to rule al humans… and djins.”
    “The al ure of power,” I said absentmindedly.
    “Absolutely.”
    “So I’m to remain here in order to keep me safe? In order to ensure I don’t weaken General Adar’s chances of a victorious battle?” He looked down at me with his gorgeous blue eyes, laughter creasing them. “Absolutely.” I wanted to ask him about my destiny, my cal ing to battle, to save my people. If I remained here I was of no use at al . I thought of Dr. Sanz’s stunning revelations about the Magical Ones and their desire to hurt and destroy humans…