Free The Genie and the Engineer 3: Ravages of War by Glenn Michaels Page A

gentleman to serve her plate first but he
doubled the amount on his plate and dug in with gusto, twirling the noodles
around his fork before stuffing his mouth full.
    “Hmm,” he hummed, his eyes closed as he savored the flavor.
    Capie grinned as she ate a bite. She didn’t say anything,
just watched her husband as he ate in enjoyment.
    After a few minutes, Paul slowed down a bit and grinned his
appreciation at his wife.
    “Best spaghetti I’ve had in ages. Thanks!”
    “You’re welcome.
    Paul noticed that the music was playing an Italian song he
actually knew.
    He hummed to it. “When the Moon hits you eye, like a—”
    “You should ask for your money back,” Capie advised him.
    “My money?” Paul asked, as he stuffed a roll in his mouth
and chewed. “What money?”
    “For your singing lessons, CR,” she replied, with a smile.
“Well, I guess my husband can’t be perfect in all things.”
    He gave her a mock glare. “Oh, it’s that way now, is it? Not
perfect, heh? I was just getting warmed up. Listen to this!”
    And he cast a small spell, changing the tune being played
and then another spell aimed at his vocal cords, before letting it rip.
     
    Oh, Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
    From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
    The summer’s gone, and all the flow’rs are dying
    ‘Tis you, ‘tis you must go and I must bide.
    But come ye back when summer’s in the meadow
    Or when the valley’s hushed and white with snow
    ‘Tis I’ll be here in sunshine or in shadow
    Oh, Danny boy, oh, Danny boy, I love you so.
    And if you come, and all the flow’rs are dying
    If I am dead, as dead I well may be
    I pray you’ll find the place where I am lying
    And kneel and say an “Ave” there for me.
    And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me
    And all my grave will warm and sweeter be
    And then you’ll kneel and whisper that you love me
    Oh, Danny boy, oh, Danny boy, I love you so.
     
    For several moments after Paul finished the last note, Capie
said nothing, frowning instead, deep in thought.
    “You didn’t like that?” Paul asked, puzzled by her reaction.
    “Yes, I did,” she replied with a sad smile. “It was
beautiful. Beyond beautiful. I’ve never heard that song sung better. Thank you.
In fact, I have never heard any voice sing any song like that before. You did
use magic to alter your voice, right?”
    Paul shrugged, still not understanding why she hadn’t liked
his performance. “Yes, I did. I used a combination of Andy Williams, Dean
Martin, Frank Sinatra, Jim Nabors, David Archuleta and Harry Connick, Jr,
combining the best elements of all their voices. Sort of like what Data did
when he was playing a violin in the episode “The Ensigns of Command” in Star
Trek: The Next Generation .”
    “Yes, I thought so,” she said with a ghost of a smile. “You
did a very good job of it. But it has made me realize something.”
    Paul frowned, now confused. “What?”
    “This magic business,” she said. “Color me slow but I’ve
never quite realized until now how much of an impact it will have on us. I
mean, it can do far more than just cure spinal injuries. It could give me a
perfect singing voice too, right? And painting skills, dancing skills, playing
any instrument known to man, and so on and so on. And it can make me the most
beautiful woman on Earth and nearly immortal as well. In fact, it’s taken until
this moment for me to fully understand why the wizards of Errabêlu look
down on mere Normals. It would be hard not to do so when they have
perfect talents and perfect bodies that live nearly forever while everyone else
is so obviously imperfect and thus inferior.”
    Paul considered her words. “Yes, it’s the Gary Mitchell
syndrome in the Star Trek episode “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” And
yes, this thought occurred to me earlier as well. This kind of power is
addictive as well as dangerous.”
    “Yes, it is,” she acknowledged. “Paul, please promise