Read Tales of the Djinn: The Double for Free Online

this?”
    “Yes,” she said. “It seems like something I can handle.”
    Her eyes were hopeful. Cade shifted his gaze to Arcadius.
    “Elyse is right about us needing to take advantage of there being two of us. As long as we present a united front, we each have equal authority. Working in concert doubles our influence. If, however, we lock horns over trifling issues, people will be uncertain whom they should listen to. That isn’t efficient.”
    “You’re saying I can’t afford to gainsay you.”
    “I’m saying if you let me go, you’ll have this office all to yourself.”
    Cade leaned back in his chair, pursing his mouth as he considered Arcadius’s proposition for hidden traps.
    “I don’t really need your permission,” his original reminded.
    “Cade.” Elyse’s voice was gentle. She stepped around his desk and sat on its edge facing him. Her hand touched his forearm, her thumb riffling his hair. “Can’t you trust yourself to use good judgment? He is who you used to be.”
    Cade smiled at her. His original was who he used to be before he met her. Who could blame him if that seemed inferior? He patted the hand that caressed him.
    “If you trust him, I can too. Have Joseph give you a magic scroll. Then you can contact me if you need to.”
    Arcadius’s eyes had rounded as he watched this exchange. Maybe it was childish, but Cade enjoyed shocking the other him with how much he valued his human’s opinion.
    Joseph returned with another in the endless queue of worried officials.
    Elyse jumped and said “oh!” as she spotted him. She covered her mouth when everyone looked at her. “Forgive me. Joseph, if you get a moment, I’d be grateful to speak to you.”
    Seeming aware she’d stepped outside normal female boundaries, she slid off his desk and made an I’m-sorry face . Cade smiled enough to let her know he understood. The goggling official tracked Elyse to Arcadius as if she were an exotic talking beast.
    Ironically, she was more of a novelty than Cade’s duplicate.
    “Do have a seat,” Joseph said, pulling out a chair to distract the official. “You can tell the commander everything you told me.”
    Cade suppressed a grimace. Hopefully everything wouldn’t be as longwinded as he feared.
    ~
    Because they seemed to have gotten the go ahead, Elyse followed Arcadius out into the anteroom. Seated and standing, a crowd of men waited their turn with Cade. Their vibrant silk robes fell to sparkly slippers in every hue imaginable. Since Elyse loved pretty footwear she could walk in, she was a tad jealous.
    As Arcadius stepped into their midst, the men perked up and leaned toward him in unison.
    “Have you a moment?” inquired a plump gentleman in yellow.
    “I’m afraid I’m otherwise engaged,” Arcadius said politely. “I know the other me will hear your concerns as soon as he’s able to.”
    “Of course, commander.” The man in yellow inclined his head with respect. “May it please our merciful Creator to prosper your endeavors.”
    Arcadius returned the bow, then placed his hand beneath Elyse’s elbow. With a determination that surprised her, he steered them swiftly into the outer corridor.
    The glint of humor in his expression enlightened her.
    “You wanted to dump that mess on Cade,” she accused. “You only pretended to vie with him to be in charge.”
    “Perhaps I’m not utterly desolated at how our dispute turned out. Giving audiences never was my favorite duty, especially when I was had other things to do. Iksander was far better at it than me.”
    The mention of the sultan sent a shadow across his face.
    “He’ll make it back,” Elyse said. “From the stories Cade and Joseph told me, Iksander had a lot of fire. With all he’s been through already, a trip to my world won’t finish him.”
    Arcadius tilted his head at her. Did he think she’d overstepped by making observations about his important friend? Elyse wasn’t inclined to apologize. Luckily, after a pause, he