[Jamil holds his gaze for a moment longer. Part of him wants to make some biting comment--after all, when has he ever known Kalim not to screw things up--but the stakes are too high. This could go very badly for them both if they do screw up, and Jamil finds he doesn't want to risk inviting any divine attention.
And Kalim has managed to survive this long without him, which is more than he'd ever have expected several months ago. It'll have to be enough. Jamil nods, then lets go of Kalim's wrist.]
Go. I'll see you in a few hours.
[At least Kalim's bright hair makes him easy to spot in the dying sunlight. Jamil can give him a bit more of a head start.]
---
[It takes Jamil a bit longer than necessary to make the loop from the staff quarters to the hotel and back. He has to be strategic about his path, depending on where he's going and whether he wants to be seen. Maybe he's being a little too paranoid about this, but he is not taking chances.
He goes as far as returning all the way to the Pyrmonts' hotel room, just so the concierge can absolutely say they'd seen him--just long enough to change his clothing and rearrange his hair into something a little less conspicuous, and then dart back out through the lobby when nobody's looking his way. By the time he makes his way back to the staff quarters, it's well into the second half and his heart is in his throat.
Did they come looking for him? Did Kalim deliver the message? Did they buy it? Or did they immediately figure out he's escaped and leave to go looking for him--are they out there right now? Did someone see him leaving the hotel after all, is anyone on his trail--
He slips in to Kalim's room--unlocked as promised, thank fuck--and locks the door behind him with hands shaking so badly it makes the doorknob rattle. Great Seven, this was so stupid. If anybody is after him a locked door will hardly stop them and his self-defense options are limited with his magic bound like this, what was he thinking? He's a sitting duck in this room.
Well. There's nothing he can do about that now--he's made his choices. The only thing left to him to do is crouch on the floor with his back to the wall, facing the door--and wait. At least if someone does try to break in he'll be ready for them.
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And Kalim has managed to survive this long without him, which is more than he'd ever have expected several months ago. It'll have to be enough. Jamil nods, then lets go of Kalim's wrist.]
Go. I'll see you in a few hours.
[At least Kalim's bright hair makes him easy to spot in the dying sunlight. Jamil can give him a bit more of a head start.]
---
[It takes Jamil a bit longer than necessary to make the loop from the staff quarters to the hotel and back. He has to be strategic about his path, depending on where he's going and whether he wants to be seen. Maybe he's being a little too paranoid about this, but he is not taking chances.
He goes as far as returning all the way to the Pyrmonts' hotel room, just so the concierge can absolutely say they'd seen him--just long enough to change his clothing and rearrange his hair into something a little less conspicuous, and then dart back out through the lobby when nobody's looking his way. By the time he makes his way back to the staff quarters, it's well into the second half and his heart is in his throat.
Did they come looking for him? Did Kalim deliver the message? Did they buy it? Or did they immediately figure out he's escaped and leave to go looking for him--are they out there right now? Did someone see him leaving the hotel after all, is anyone on his trail--
He slips in to Kalim's room--unlocked as promised, thank fuck--and locks the door behind him with hands shaking so badly it makes the doorknob rattle. Great Seven, this was so stupid. If anybody is after him a locked door will hardly stop them and his self-defense options are limited with his magic bound like this, what was he thinking? He's a sitting duck in this room.
Well. There's nothing he can do about that now--he's made his choices. The only thing left to him to do is crouch on the floor with his back to the wall, facing the door--and wait. At least if someone does try to break in he'll be ready for them.
Hopefully Kalim remembered his keys.]