Jeannie was about to tell the nice young man on crutches that she could take care of that problem. That it was getting cold. She had a plan for that very thing, in fact. A fireplace would work wonders for all of them.
But she stopped, her mouth half open in preparation to speak, when Dr. Simontam said not to do anything. She frowned slightly, more than a bit confused as to why he would say such a thing. He was a doctor, after all, and a hero. He helped people. Surely he above all others would understand why she felt compelled to give aid.
The djinn closed her mouth, frown lines framing her lips. She could make everything so much better, so much easier, for the humans here. Would he have tried to stop Liz from using her fire if she had been here? It made no sense to her at all. And while he was not her master, there was an automatic compunction to please this man who had saved her from that horrible place. She liked him, and she wanted to do as he asked. She just did not comprehend why he would prevent her from doing all she could to help.
And since he was not her master, she felt perfectly justified in asking very bluntly, “I do not understand, Dr. Simontam. Why not?”