notoriously exceptional hearing and Amurru’s ability had not diminished with age The temptation to peek was too strong Kora lit up the screens that revealed the world outside her globe A 360-degree panoramic view of this place they called Earth or more specifically Panda Rock Western Australia Her first look at what was supposed to be her home for who knew how long Years Decades The view directly in front of her was hot hard and unwelcoming Flat grey rocks lay sprawled in the summer sun They stretched across the land until they reached patches of green scrub It was hard for her to imagine where the pandas lived This land is barren she said smugly I cannot see any humans We have landed in a national park for the safety of everybody But I assure you Empress there are many people in the small town nearby I do not think any human will find me here We shall see murmured Amurru His ears twitched and swivelled until they were both straining forwards his attention completely focused on a tiny patch of shade at the edge of the clearing The first stirrings of fear snaked through her A human had emerged and was striding towards them His heavy 10
footsteps disturbed a lizard basking in the midday sun and she watched in fascination as it darted under a rock to hide All that human will see is a rock She forced confidence into her voice He will not be interested in that She held her breath as he neared Her first sighting of a human boy She waited for him to simply walk past but he did not Was it possible he had seen them land Amurru smiled revealing a row of large yellowed teeth Curious creatures humans She watched horrified as the human stopped right next to her globe and stared intently down at it from underneath a mop of long shaggy dark blond hair He was not what she had expected Humans were weaker than genies they had no power and she had expected to see that reflected in their build But this human was tall and strong with lean muscles that had rippled as he swaggered towards them She supposed their lack of power meant they needed stronger bodies His colouring was different to hers as well Where her skin was a smooth olive brown his was brown with an underlying fairness like it was meant to be paler but life had changed it She was jolted out of her musings as her globe was thrust up into the air only to be tossed straight back down again She immediately used her magic to ensure that they 11
were kept unharmed in the process She was angry with Amurru but she would not allow some loathsome human to hurt him Her globe was still scorching hot from when she had camouflaged it She smirked watching the human dance around shaking his hand A baboon in a tutu would have more dignity He is hurt Amurru’s words carried his disapproval Then maybe he should not pick up things that do not belong to him The human squatted down next to her globe She gasped and stepped back as a pair of piercing blue eyes stared at her She had never seen eyes like them before in her life Genies all had brown eyes They varied from dark to light but never were they blue never ever For a moment she thought he could see her but then he looked from his hands to her globe and she realised he was just trying to figure out how a rock had burnt him Curious and persistent said Amurru as they watched the human reach out a finger to touch her globe The human jerked his finger back as once again her globe seared his skin Kora sniggered What fool would keep touching something that hurt him The human bent even closer to her globe This time he tucked his hand safely beneath his T-shirt and picked 12
it up Her globe was small and fit easily in the palm of his hand He was gentler this time and she did not require magic to keep them from being thrown around Fear clutched her stomach She had hoped to have time to figure out a plan to find a way home To be harnessed so soon would be unbearable The human lifted the globe nearer to his face She could not understand his fascination Surely to him it was just a rock a rock like any other rock to be found here on this uninteresting land She felt his other hand also securely beneath his T-shirt begin to rub her globe and all the air drained from her lungs She could feel the harnessing begin With each rub she was being pulled drawn against her will She held on clawing at the heavy gold bands that had materialised on her wrists and ankles They tightened and began to glow a deep golden colour visible evidence that this nightmare was very real She reached for Amurru feeling helpless for the first time in her life Help me she pleaded She thought she saw compassion in his eyes It is too late he answered She knew he was right Pain splintered out from her chest as she resisted the pull of her new master dragging her from her globe 13
