Not until JJ has other options. Options that Cass will hopefully be providing tomorrow, as long as the wire transfer to JJ’s new bank account clears.
While JJ and Obie continue to talk about lesson plans and Desi enthusiastically interjects at periodic intervals, Ez raises her eyebrows at Cass. “So everything is going well?”
“For now, yeah,” Cass says, and he lowers his voice. There might not be much space between him and the rest of the table, but the less JJ and Desi hear about Cass’s constant worrying, the better. “Any news?”
Ez grimaces. “Not much. Gutierrez told Obie that she doesn’t have any contacts left in the Sanctum, but we can assume that they’re after both herandJJ.” She hesitates. “Probably more Gutierrez, though. She’s a mixed breed, and we know how much the Sanctum loves their bloodlines.”
Guilt gnaws at Cass’s belly. Much as he doesn’t want Roma to be in danger, part of him is admittedly relieved that the Sanctum has a more immediate concern than JJ. “And the Chain? Have they questioned you and Obie again?”
“Only in passing,” she says. “We’ve been claiming you went deep underground and mostly cut off contact with us. They don’t believe a word of it, of course, but unless they catch us talking to you, they can’t do much about it.” She lets out a slow breath. “And I think Gregorio and Micah are trying to cover your tracks. If nothing else, they haven’t mentioned those new identity packages they helped you with.”
Vividly, Cass remembers his promise to “trust” Micah when the time comes. He fights back a wince. “They know that I owe them. They might just be trying to dig me in deeper.”
Ez shrugs one shoulder. “Or maybe theyareon our side. I feel like they’ve been disillusioned with the Chain for a while now. Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if they quit their jobs entirely in the next few years.”
“That makes sense,” Cass says without thinking. “After all, they’re married now. Their priorities are different.”
Ez’s eyebrows shoot up. “You think?”
Cass’s heart stutters. Hastily, he backpedals. “I mean, maybe. They wouldn’t have tied the knot if they didn’t like spending time together, right? So being apart on workdays might not be satisfying anymore. They might just want to focus more on, um. Themselves. You know. Their relationship.”
Ez squints at him suspiciously. Cass tries not to squirm in his seat. He does think that he’s right, that having a partner makes people reevaluate what’s important, but it wasn’t Gregorio and Micah who convinced him of that.
Honestly, it was JJ and Desi. Cass has spent his entire existence at war, jumping from one battle to another, toppling dictatorships and supporting revolutions?—
Trying to find something to make his life feel worthwhile.
But he’s starting to realize that “worthwhile” might be more small-scale than he thought. That maybe he doesn’t need to constantly save humans from oppression to feel like he has a purpose on Earth.
Maybe he can feel fulfilled just by homeschooling his daughter and cooking pancakes for his co-parent. Honestly, the past few weeks might just be the most fulfilled Cass has ever been.
“Maybe,” Ez says eventually, nodding. “In any case, the outside world is quiet for now. Let’s just hope it stays that way.” She turns back to JJ and Obie. “Yeah, yeah, human subjects are great and all, but we’re going to teach Desidemonskills, too, right? Like spellcasting?”
“Spellcasting!” Desi cheers, throwing her arms in the air.
“Absolutely,” JJ says, giving Ez a tentative smile. “We’d love it if you could teach Desi. You’re the best spellcaster on the East Coast, right?”
After a moment, Ez smirks back. “Hell yeah, I am.”
And as the conversation shifts from magic to history and back again, Cass smiles to himself and relaxes into the rhythm of his family—old and new—gathered around a table together.
31
JJ and Cass are busy arguing over how to properly fold laundry when Cass’s phone chimes with an incoming text message. “Hold that thought,” Cass orders, snagging it off the end table. “Donotattempt to fold anything else, lackey. I’m serious. Idespisethe way you fold clothes.”
JJ scoffs, grabbing his next shirt out of the laundry basket and deftly rolling it into a neat cylinder. Right now, he and Cass are sitting on the couch with their freshly washed and dried clothes on the floor between them, making neat piles on the middle cushion. Desi is curled up on the adjacent loveseat with Kira the Wyvern tucked safely in her arms, taking her customary mid-morning nap while JJ and Cass do chores.
And JJ adores Desi, but he really likes these quiet moments of downtime with Cass, too. He likes the soft domesticity of them, the casual intimacy of them.
He likes having Cass all to himself, even just for a few minutes.
Except, of course, when Cass sees fit to insult JJ’s admittedly lackluster household skills. Granted, Cass’s traditional clothes-folding methoddoescreate less wrinkles, but JJ’s roll-it-up strategy is infinitely more economical. “Not my fault you hate efficiency and saving space, Chin.”
“You know what, Jackson? You—” Cass swipes into his cell phone screen, squinting down at the message. Unexpectedly, his eyes light up.“Finally.”
JJ raises his eyebrows. “What? Did something good happen?”
“Anything is better than your pitiful attempts at laundry duty,” Cass says loftily, and before JJ can argue, Cass snaps open a pocket dimension and pulls out his laptop. “But yes. Your new identity is finally ready for showtime.”
