Chapter 37
Malek watched from the messy twin bed as Caspar struggled with his tie in the bathroom mirror.
He looped it around his neck, then once more, but soon made a face as he undid the knot with an aggravated sigh.
Malek was dressed in a suit like Caspar, but his tie hung loosely around his shoulders, forgotten about when Jocasta had texted him moments ago.
All right, she’d written. I know your party is tonight, and I’m letting you know we have people all around the event to hold the gargoyles off.
You stay at the museum and at the hotel, and you should be safe.
None of this lollygagging with dogs back and forth.
I heard about that nonsense second hand.
It wasn’t total nonsense. We got what we needed. But thank you for the cover. I love hearing some good news.
Oh, I’m full of it. Including some info for William.
Yeah? You find his brother.
Not quite. But Imogen may have known him. Since it’ll take her a while to get away, and you guys have your big important night, I figure it’s best not to tell him until later. Is that okay?
Malek reviewed the message several times, unsure what to say.
William had been patient, only asking about Cecil once a day, and usually when Malek was alone.
His response had always been the same: Soon, soon.
One step at a time. One story at a time.
Those had been his grandmother’s words when he was a kid and his goals became too big for his family to handle.
Malek smiled as he wrote a quick response to Jocasta, echoing his grandmother’s sentiment.
Before Malek put his phone away, he came across a photo he’d taken of Caspar the night before.
He was spread out on the bed, all awkward limbs and elbows, and he’d been drooling.
There was something so simple about Caspar sleeping—all spread out and relaxed, something so counter to what he’d done when he was in prison—that it warmed Malek’s heart.
He needed to keep that image alive, the same way he’d needed to keep the memory of his grandmother alive.
If someone knows, then it’s not lost. Erwin’s words still haunted him, but in a good way.
In a way that, no matter what happened tonight, Malek knew he’d made the right choice.
“Are you just gonna watch me suffer, or are you going to help me out?” Caspar shot a glance to Malek through the mirror and raised his brows in a challenge.
“Sorry, sorry,” Malek mumbled. “I was catching up on some correspondence.”
“Uh-huh. Sure. Just help me.”
Malek stepped into the bathroom and ran his hands up Caspar’s collar. Caspar shuddered underneath his touch, and shook even more when Malek met his gaze.
“Jesus, I’m tall,” Caspar said. “No wonder my knees hurt.”
“I think that’s from other things, but you will get used to the height,” Malek teased. When Caspar didn’t respond, Malek looped the tie again. “Are you nervous?”
“About tonight?” Caspar laughed as if it was ridiculous, only to nod again.
“What exactly about tonight makes you nervous? Our fears become less scary if you can focus on them.”
Caspar folded his hands over his chest, tangling himself in his properly tied blue and gold tie.
“Well, other than the fact that this is the first time I’ve worn a suit since court, and the fact that, up until a week ago, I was still wearing a jumpsuit, I’m a little concerned that my manners at the table tonight will give me away as a criminal long before any type of break-in does. ”
Malek nodded, completely understanding. Caspar didn’t eat with his hands guarding his food anymore, but he still jumped up at random noises, surveyed all the exits in a place, and checked locks a dozen times, along with calling out in his sleep.
But Caspar was also opening up, allowing his body to spread out and take up space, and allowing Malek in.
He was growing and changing—not only into a djinn, but into a free man.
“You’re fine. You remember a lot more than you think. And the suit covers everything else.”
“Hah. Easy for you to say. You’re fucking me.”
Malek dragged his fingers along the collar of Caspar’s shirt until their lips were millimetres apart.
When they kissed, Caspar seemed to melt into the embrace, needing it deeply.
Malek kissed along Caspar’s jaw, still smelling of shaving cream and mint, and up to Caspar’s earlobe, where he whispered, “I haven’t fucked you yet. I’m looking forward to it, though.”
“Oh, okay. That is some good motivation for the night. Maybe we can steal a bed to fuck in? Because I really don’t think we can fit on a twin mattress anymore.”
Malek laughed, but didn’t put the idea out of his mind. He was also nervous because, beyond the crown and the heist itself, he was sure he’d never worn a suit outside of his high school graduation, and that was much, much longer ago than Caspar’s court dates.
“Now you have to help me tie my tie.”
“What?” Caspar asked. “Did you not see the train wreck I made?”
“True. But it’s easier to tie it when it’s someone else. Give it a shot.”
Malek gestured to his red and gold tie. The two of them had picked simple charcoal grey suits from one of the first stores they went to, but they spent a long time looking for pocket squares, ties, and shoes that could express their personalities more.
When they’d both been attracted to a similar pattern of gold ties, the decision to get them in each other’s colours seemed natural.
For tonight, Malek would wear red, and Caspar would wear blue.
Afterward, with the crown in hand and everything in place, Malek could imagine what both of the ties would look like on the floor of the hotel room.
Caspar approached Malek, and managed to master his tie in a few tries.
“Looks pretty good, huh?” Malek asked.
“Yeah, you have a good eye for style. I think I need better cufflinks, though.”
“Next time. The generic ones work for now.”
“Maybe we’ll get lucky tonight and find some,” Caspar said. “Who knows what’s in that basement storage area?”
“You mean the Post Office.”
“Of course. Gotta practice those code words.”
Their gazes caught one another in the mirror. Malek broke the moment by asking, “Have you thought about your items?”
“What?”
“Your items,” Malek repeated. “Your jewels are going to need to be switched to something more real when you get the chance.”
“I thought that was only if I decide to be a djinn and use magic? If I want to stay exactly as I am,” Caspar chuckled as he gestured to his body, “then don’t I just bind them with an incantation and walk away?”
“True. But before you can give up power, you need to claim it, so you’ll have to decide on items that fit you.”
“And they can be anything?”
“Yes. Anything your heart desires. Just make sure to assign the proper one the weight it deserves, you know?”
Caspar nodded. He adjusted his tie again, and for a moment, Malek thought he was going to ask if the tie could be an item. “Can items change?” Caspar asked instead. “Can I switch one for something else if I ever want to?”
“Yes, but it’s difficult. It means being vulnerable as your power switches,” Malek said. “But only vulnerable to scavengers now. Huh. Still weird that I don’t have to worry about Odafin. Or Qasim, for you.”
Caspar grew quiet again. “But I think I’d still like to find my family. If it’s safe, then why not, right?”
Malek swallowed the urge to say that they were family now.
They had to be, right? They’d done so much together, including breaking into the house of George Cosner and somehow walking away okay.
But… Caspar could still decide to be human.
To relinquish the gift he’d been given and not touch anything magical again.
Malek had a sudden vision of Caspar going way up north and living in a cabin with a dog, talking to no one and living out his life alone.
Except that djinns—even ex-djinns—could never be alone.
Even if Caspar didn’t want his power, he’d still need someone.
Maybe that was his remaining family, or maybe that was Malek.
The moment that Malek wanted to ask Caspar just that, a knock sounded on the hotel room door, followed by Ultima’s voice.
“Good evening, fellas. Are you two done preening for the night? Because as much as I love being fashionably late, we’ve got work to do.”
“We’re coming. Just the final touches.” Malek scanned Caspar’s tie, his pocket square, and then his face with a smile. “I think you look good.”
“You’re just saying that because we’re fucking. But thank you—and same to you.”
Malek opened his mouth to say something, but Ultima cried out again. “Good, good. You both seem wonderful. But come out here and get a load of us.”
With a sigh, Caspar opened the door so they could both step outside. Malek had already placed a hand over his mouth to exaggerate his surprise. He’d learned to do this a lot with his mother and his many, many female cousins, but now he didn’t have to milk his elation. Everyone looked amazing.
Natasha wore a gold dress that rose on an angle from her ankle to her shin.
The gold skirt flared out at her knees and grew tighter as it reached her midsection to give her small breasts ample cleavage.
Her brown skin seemed accented with some kind of glitter that shimmered each time she moved.
Her nails had matching gold polish, while her lips and eyes were painted in muted brown tones.
Her hair flowed down one side and seemed completely windswept, as if she was a mermaid.
Katja stood next to her, arms linked. She wore a cute, tailored suit in black and white.
The jacket hugged her small hips, and heals just barely poked out from the tailored pants.
A broach with a necromancy sigil added some flare to her outfit, while her makeup was natural, save for a shimmering gloss on her lips.
Ultima wheeled her chair next to Katja, splaying her arms out to show off her attire.
Her dress fell down over her legs at the front of her chair; the dark blue shade made it seem as if she was wearing the midnight sky pinpricked with stars.
Her hair was pulled back in a neat French braid, while her makeup brought out the colours in her cheeks that Malek had missed at the bar.
Her shoes were pointed heels, and as Malek glanced at them, Caspar burst out laughing.
“Do you really need shoes?” Caspar teased. “It’s not like the heels are gonna make you taller.”
“Well, do you really need a glass eye?” Ultima teased right back. “Come on. Fake it until you make it, right? I’ll dress in my high heels until they pry them from my cold dead hands. Decorum is important.”
“You should meet Jocasta,” Malek said. “I have a feeling you two would get along.”
“Oh, give me her number some time.” Ultima winked.
After sharing a laugh and giving them all updates from Jocasta, Malek glanced down the hallway to see William approaching.
His suit was dark blue with a silver tie.
His brown hair had been pulled back into a ponytail, making his face seem ten years younger.
“We’re lucky the drinking age in Montréal is eighteen,” Katja said. “Because there would be no way William could get in otherwise. He barely passes as that old now.”
“Don’t even worry,” William said nonchalantly. “I’ve been getting into bars since I was fourteen.”
“Well, I think we all look amazing,” Caspar said as he fidgeted with his pocket square. “Good enough for a magazine fashion spread. Or maybe even a band photo.”
“Hey now,” Malek said. “One thing at a time, okay? We have a party to get to.”