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Kaz growled, his arms wrapped around Wylan as they walked from the Slat. Anika, Beatle, Gorka, Keeg, Milo, Red Felix, and Swann were stationed around an alleyway, but Kaz didn't feel like the situation was any safer.

If any harm came to Wylan at all, Ketterdam would burn.

Once they were outside the Slat, Kaz switched positions to link elbows with the boy.

"If you think anything is going wrong, you shout for me immediately, okay?"

Wylan nodded, his eyes downcast. "You don't have to do this for me."

Kaz tugged Wylan even closer as they slid among the crowded streets. "But I want to do this for you, Wy."

Wylan nodded.

Kaz felt a pulsing... darkness. The feeling that was like... he wanted to do everything he could for Wylan. He wanted to help Wylan and he wanted the boy to be safe.

Before they split ways, Kaz gripped Wylan's shoulders and stared him in the eyes. "Listen, Wy. I... I really care about you. I don't want anything to ever happen to you. And... Jesper messed up. Bad. If it were up to me... I would kill him. But you don't want that."

Wylan nodded, glancing down, but Kaz placed a hand under his chin and forced the boy to look him in the eye. "I know, Kaz. I know that... that you care. But... I'll be fine."

Kaz pulled Wylan into a tight hug. "Be careful."

Wylan nodded once more. "I know, Kaz."

They split ways and Kaz forced himself not to watch Wylan the whole time.

He switched to his costume and started walking towards Jesper.

He pretended to look the other way, but ran into Jesper, knocking the boy to the ground.

Jesper glared, then frowned. "Could you help me, sir?"

Kaz made his voice higher. "What can I do for you?"

Jesper stood. "I'm looking for a boy... red curls, blue eyes, freckles, short and skinny? Have you seen him?"

Kaz nodded and pointed in the direction of Wylan. "I just passed him."

Jesper nodded. "Thank you very much."

Kaz smirked behind his mask then stalked away, sliding into the marked alleyway and pulling off his costume.

Anika raised her yellow eyebrows. "Is he heading towards Wylan?"

Kaz nodded. "Be prepared."

Anika nodded, readying herself to slide among the crowd. "No mourners."

"No funerals."

The girl disappeared and Kaz quickly scaled the side of the building, his leg aching. Keeg motioned him along as he reached the top of the building.

Kaz followed the plans, sliding along the tops of buildings until he reached the spot where Anika would lead Jesper and Wylan.

He glanced down and shivered at the sight.

Jesper was pulling Wylan towards Anika, who was leaning against a doorframe in a covered alleyway. Kaz picked the roof-door lock and slid inside.

"So, Wylan."

Ugh.

"Yeah?"

"How has Kaz been?"

"Extremely annoying. He won't let me leave. He makes sure that all of my food isn't poisoned and he has guards all around our room."

"Well, my dear," Jesper gushed, "you could always come back home with me."

Wylan giggled and Kaz could have been fooled that it was real. "I would love to come back home with you."

Kaz was pinning Jesper to the wall within seconds. Wylan was backing away, pulling his shirt back down and rubbing at his neck.

"Brekker! Why can't you let him leave?"

"It's all part of the plan, Fahey," Kaz snarled. "You hurt him, I hurt you."

Jesper glanced over Kaz's shoulder at Wylan. "Truly, I'm sorry. I just want things to go back to normal."

"Wylan isn't an object, so quit being possessive. Wylan, at the very least, would belong to me. So you need to fix things before Wylan goes back to the mansion."

Jesper closed his eyes. "Fair. Now, please let me go."

"Leave Wylan alone until you can prove that you can be trusted."

"Fighting your own, Brekker?"

At the voice, everybody looked for the source. It was Tante Heleen.

Kaz stepped away from Jesper. "What do you want?"

"Oh, I just came to watch the show."

Wylan suddenly screamed. "Kaz!"

Kaz spun around. A girl was holding Wylan against her, a knife to his neck.

"Let him go," Kaz hissed. "What is the meaning of this?"

Heleen dropped down to the ground floor. "I need money, Kaz. I need money for my business. If you do not offer any, I will have no choice but to kill this pretty, pretty boy."

Kaz bristled, his eyes glistening, his neck growing hot. "I'm not giving you any money."

Wylan yelped and a trail of blood appeared on his neck.

Kaz swore. "How much do you want?"

"One thousand kruge."

"Seven hundred."

"Eight hundred."

"Six-fifty."

Heleen glared and finally gave in. "Return the boy to his master."

"Master?"

Heleen nodded. "He's yours, right?"

Kaz decided not to get into a discussion. "Yes, he's mine."

Wylan stumbled over to Kaz and Kaz placed a hand over the small gash on his neck.

"Hand over the money, Brekker."

Kaz reached for the pocket in his coat and pulled out a stack of kruge.

Heleen grinned, clapping her hands together.

"Not so fast, honey."

Kaz had to laugh at Jesper's line.

Heleen spun around to be met with a gun to the forehead. Around the room, more of the Dregs emerged, all of them grinning eagerly.

Kaz pulled Wylan to the side. "Be quiet."

Wylan nodded and leaned against Kaz. "You were willing to pay money for me."

Kaz ruffled the boy's curls. "I like you more than I like money."

"Does that mean... that you love me?"

Kaz did. He did love Wylan.

"Yes."

Wylan watched the Dregs as they confronted Heleen. The woman spun around angrily.

"Do you forgive Jesper, then?" Kaz asked.

"I suppose."

Kaz shook his head. "He's as crazy as a... as an old lady with seven cats."

Wylan grinned. "Poetic."

******

"Writing to Inej again?"

Kaz glanced up at Wylan, his brown eyes narrowed. "Yes. I'm telling her about Heleen's death and the mysterious wrecking of the Menagerie."

Wylan smiled from his perch on the edge of Kaz's desk. "She'll be so happy."

Kaz nodded, peeling off his gloves and placing them in a drawer. He stood and stretched, then pulled off his layers of jackets until it was just his button-up shirt. Wylan blushed and glanced away as the boy took that off as well.

"When are you planning on heading back to the mansion?"

Wylan shrugged and forced himself not to look at Kaz's pale, lean figure. "I thought I would stay here for another night or two. Why?"

Kaz ran a hand through his hair anxiously. His face turned slightly pink. "I... I like having you around."

Wylan slid from the desk and curled onto the bed. "I wish you would stay at the mansion sometimes."

Kaz sat on the windowsill, his pale skin glowing. "I will."

Wylan gazed into the boy's brown eyes. "Thank you, Kaz."

Kaz hugged his arms around himself. "For what?"

"For taking me in. Giving me a purpose. Helping me."

Kaz nodded. "You don't have to thank me, Wy."

Wylan smiled. "Goodnight."

Kaz took a slow step towards Wylan, a wistful look in his eyes. Wylan raised an eyebrow, willing the boy on.

Kaz walked to Wylan's side and leaned down, brushing the ginger hair from Wylan's eyes. His gaze was intense. "You mean a lot to me, Wy."

Wylan smiled. "You mean a lot to me, too, Kaz. I... I love you."

Kaz curled into the bed, pulling the blankets over himself.

His face was a mixture of shock and... desire. "Nobody loves me, Wy."

Wylan faced the boy. "I do."

Kaz pulled Wylan close. "I love you, Wylan. If anything ever happens again..."

Wylan rested his head on the boy's shoulder. "I know."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Kaz."