Page 58 of The Promise of a Traitor

“Makeup will even out your skin tone,” Vedika added.

“I am not wearing makeup.” Advik strung his tie around his neck and started knotting it.

“It might be a better option than turning up looking like a patchy caramel custard pudding,” Vikram said.

Advik cursed under his breath.

“It’s your engagement, Adi,” Tani said. “Think of the photographs. You’re going to be looking at them for the rest of your life.”

“I don’t give a shit about the photographs,” he muttered, tightening the knot on his tee and shrugging into his waistcoat.

Vikram stepped up and stopped him from buttoning his waistcoat. Without a word, he set about fixing the tie Advik had mangled in his agitation.

“Listen to them,” Vikram murmured. “You look like you have a skin disease at the moment.”

“Except that it’s evenly half and half,” Rehaan said, appearing suddenly at Vikram’s elbow. “That’s so odd. No jagged lines or uneven patches. He’s like one of those paint by numbers kit with only two numbers.”

The glare Advik shot him had him disappearing seconds later.

“You can do one of two things,” Vikram said, fighting a smile. “Make up or a fake beard.”

“Fuck!” Advik swore.

“That about sums it up.” Kabir slapped him on his back. “Now sit down and let Kimi work her magic.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kimaya walked over, her tote bag slung over one shoulder. She dropped it on the bed and started rummaging through it, pulling out brushes, palettes and tiny pots and tubes.

“You don’t expect people to believe you wake up looking like that, do you?” Kabir asked his sister. “It’s magic.”

“Black magic,” Rehaan piped up.

Kimi shot them her middle finger before using the same finger to gesture to Advik to sit down. This time, he sat and closed his eyes, giving himself over to the inevitable.

Kimi hummed the most annoying tune as she worked on his face. She tucked some paper tissues into his shirt and got going with a vengeance. She dusted something over his nose and he sneezed.

“Stop it,” she ordered.

“I can’t stop a sneeze,” he muttered, opening one eye to glare at her.

“Shut up,” she replied, as she smoothed something over his cheekbones.

“Jeez Kim, if I end up with glitter on my face, I’ll draw on your face with permanent marker while you sleep.”

Kimi sighed. “Have some faith, dumbass.”

He heard some giggling and turned in time to see Rehaan pocketing his phone. “If you don’t delete that fucking photo,” Advik snarled. “I’ll-“

“You’ll do what, Beauty Queen?” Rehaan taunted. “Pout at me?”

“Close your mouth,” Kimi ordered, using a finger under Advik’s chin to turn his face towards her. Some more patting and brushing ensued and then, finally, Kimi said, “All done.”

He almost didn’t want to look but when he forced himself to look at himself in the mirror, he was shocked. He looked like himself, a polished version of himself, without the dual tone skin he’d managed to unearth that morning.

“You really are a magician, Kimi,” he said, kissing the top of her head.

She beamed at him and then said, “Don’t touch your face and mess it up.”

A knock on the door and Kanak popped her head around it. “Time to go, bacha party.”