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crowsandkruge · 5 years ago

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Knives Drawn, Pistols Blazing

a/n: The fic I wrote for @grishaversebigbang is finally done! Yay! It was so much fun to participate in this event! I hope you like it!

Corporalki: my wonderful editors were @mybitchyoc @jesper-faheyyy and @kaz-aelin-and-jace-are-badass

Materialki: the artists in this gang were absolutely incredible!! they all made really cool pieces you should check out!! You can check out their art: @chaosvvolf here, @n8sue here, @zaleart here, and @evilfriendofmine here

Summary: Roeder’s a good enough spider, but Kaz feels his intelligence network is lacking since Inej left to go hunt slavers aboard the Wraith. To supplement his information, Kaz has taken to eavesdropping in bars across the Barrel. When he overhears two Dime Lions bragging about catching Brekker’s Wraith, he must gather old friends to get Inej back.

[without further ado, Knives Drawn, Pistols Blazing is under the cut!]

Kaz

Kaz hadn’t had a particularly good day. The cold had moved in the night before and every step made his leg scream with pain. It was early in the year for Ketterdam to be this cold, and Kaz’s breath clouded in front of him as he made his way through the narrow streets of the Barrel. The echo of his footsteps resounding against the cobbled streets. He’s inconspicuous tonight, wearing a roughspun coat and gray scarf. He left his cane at the Slat, which he sorely regrets now, but he knows it was for the best.

In the year since Inej left, a lot had changed. Kaz had risen to prominence in the Barrel. He’d opened two more gambling parlors and had plans for a third. The biggest change, however, was Roeder becoming his new spider. He’d done a good enough job, but compared to the intelligence Inej could gather, good enough didn’t really cut it. A couple months ago, Kaz had begun to seek out his own intelligence, and besides torture, no one talked more than a drunk man.

Kaz approached The Opdrin, a dirty but fairly reputable bar located between the central area of the Barrel and the Warehouse District. It was a popular spot for sailors and gang members alike. The drinks were good, not watered down like most bars in the Barrel, but the information Kaz could gather was better. He changed bars frequently, but The Opdrin was one of his favorites. Not to mention the walls were insulated, keeping the bar building warm. So despite the near emptiness of most other bars, The Opdrin had gathered a nice crowd and the cheerful buzz of conversation could be heard even before Kaz opened the door. He got a small table in the back corner, gloved hands wrapped around a cup of whiskey. He stretched his bad leg out in front of him and settled in for a night of gathering secrets.

An hour passed with little to show for it. The Blacktips and Razorgulls were planning a parley for the next night, and rumor had it that the Menagerie would only be able to support itself for another month. Kaz afforded himself a wicked smile at that.

People continued to come and go, but by midnight the crowd had begun to thin. Kaz was about to call it a night, when two burly men entered and took a seat at the bar, not far from Kaz’s table. Both seemed to be in good spirits and quickly ordered several drinks. The one with an old scar across his cheek from some long-ago brawl shucked his coat and his shirtsleeve raised, revealing a crown tattoo with a lion curled up inside. The Dime Lions. Now that Kaz had context, the man looked a little familiar. Sem, maybe, one of the dealers at the Kaelish Prince.

Neither of them were very high up in the gang from what Kaz could recall. Initially when Pekka Rollins had run off to the countryside, there had been a power vacuum and many of the older members had tried their luck running the gang. Each thought they could do better than the last and ended up wiping each other out. Only the Kaelish Prince remained as testament to Rollin’s empire, but even that was long past its glory days. The customers were few and far between, and Kaz doubted it would last through spring.

Nevertheless, Kaz’s ears perked at the possibility of learning what new low the Dime Lions had stooped to. It wasn’t long before the liquor took affect and the two men’s cheeks turned rosy as they loudly talked and laughed.

“We’re back on our way to the top, Markus.”

“The Dregs won’t know what hit ‘em,” Markus replied. Kaz leaned forward at the last comment, curious what the Dime Lions had in store. But if he’s learned anything from long nights eavesdropping, it was that patience always pays off.

“Hell, the Dregs won’t dare mess with us again once they learn what we’ve got. Van Eck said it was his biggest weakness. I’ll bet you 20 kruge Brekker will come personally, on his knees, begging once he hears. That’ll teach Dirtyhands a lesson,” Sem said with a chuckle.

Kaz set his jaw and sunk a little further back into the corner, trying to escape their notice. It was rare that Kaz heard news about himself.

Dirtyhands didn't have many weaknesses, none people knew anyway, and certainly none that would put him on his knees. Kaz is intrigued as to what these two Dime Lions thought might do the trick.

“After all the stories I couldn’t believe how easy it was to get her.”

“Musta gone soft out on the sea”

Kaz’s stomach tightened. Inej. They have Inej. There was a rushing in his ears and his vision tunneled on the two men at the bar. Before he even realized he was moving, he was out of his chair and making his way over to them.

He saw the recognition dawn on the men the moment they see his gloves, a step before he’s right in front of them. He didn’t really have a plan, just information he needs to get.

The two men were sluggish from their drink and he landed a solid right hook on Markus. Kaz felt a satisfying jolt as his fist connected with his jaw. Markus stumbled back, bringing a hand to his face. Kaz turned briefly towards Sem. He grabbed him around the back of the neck and slammed his face into the bar.

The bartender backed away nervously. The Opdrin was in a nice enough part of town that bar fights didn’t happen often. Kaz grimaced at the attention he’s drawing.

Sem was knocked out cold and crumpled to the floor blood gushing out of his, likely broken, nose. Kaz turned back to Markus, who threw a sloppy punch at him. Kaz dodged it easily and grabbed him by the collar with one hand, pinning him against the bar. He can smell the alcohol on Markus’s breath. With the other hand he flicked the oyster shucking knife out from his sleeve. It was one of the several knives he always kept on his person. A small and wicked looking blade, it glinted in the light. He vaguely registered the bartender slipping out the front, but didn't bother going after him.

“Where is she? Where are you keeping her?” Kaz asked, his voice like a knife on stone.

Markus, for all his bravado, spit in his face. Kaz wiped it off with the sleeve of his free hand, knife flashing again dangerously.

He made a quick, deep cut, mirroring the scar on Markus’s other cheek.

“I won’t ask again. Where is she?”

Blood ran down Markus’s face, staining his teeth red as he opened his mouth to speak.

“The Kaelish Prince. Top floor.” Markus grunted.

“Too bad you won’t get those 20 kruge.” Kaz replied. Another quick cut. This time across Markus’s throat. Kas turned away and limped toward the door, leaving Markus to bleed out. Given the sound of him choking on his own blood, it wouldn’t be long.

As he left The Opdrin, Kaz turned right. But before he even got 10 paces, he saw the purple uniforms of the staadwatch led by the bartender. He let out a curse under his breath.

With bloodied knuckles under his gloves, Kaz Brekker turned the other way, and like the monster he was, disappeared into the shadows. It was going to be a long night.

Wylan

Wylan had missed Nina more than he realized. She was in Ketterdam for a week with the Ravkan embassy, and Wylan had invited her over for dinner. Here she was, dressed in a bright red kefta, with her hair tied back in a long plait.

“Nina, it’s so good to see you,” he said finally, face breaking into to broad smile.

“Good to see you too, Wylan,” she replied, hugging him.

“You look good. It’s been too long,” Wylan commented as he led her into the dining room.

Marya was already seated at the head of the table. She has that far away look in her eye. It had gotten better since she’d come home, but despite the time, she was still not all the way back to herself.

“Mum, this is Nina,” Wylan said gently, not wanting to startle her.

Marya came back to herself.

“It’s nice to meet you, Nina. Wylan’s told me so much about you,” she replied, smiling softly.

“Only good things, I hope,” said Nina, shooting Wylan a conspiratorial smile.

Wylan took a seat next to Marya and Nina sat across from him.

“Jesper should be here soon. I don’t know what’s taking him so long,” Wylan said.

A moment later, he could hear Jesper’s lanky gait coming down the stairs, and tried to stifle a laugh as Jesper entered the room. Nina was far less successful and immediately let out a giggle. Even Marya has a broad smile on her face.

“Sorry I took so long. Let’s eat!” Jesper said, walking in cheerfully.

“Jesper, you’ve had a lot of… colorful outfits, but this one might be too much,” Nina said, still grinning.

Jesper over exaggerated a pouting expression as he takes a seat next to Wylan.

“Jes, she’s right. You look like a walking sunset.” Wylan said, finally bursting out laughing. He was wearing a red and yellow checked suit with an orange shirt and blue suspenders. Each color more vibrant than the last.

“Good thing everyone thinks sunsets are so romantic.” Jesper grinned. “I figured I should look nice for our company.”

“I’m so glad you chose this outfit just for me,” Nina replies.

Nina’s eyes sparkle when the chef brings out a heaping plate of waffles. Wylan had requested them as soon as he knew she was coming for dinner. They spent much of the night talking and laughing, reminiscing about their time in the Dregs. The hour grew late and the talk turned more quiet. To the boy with the blond hair who didn't make it through the job. Marya looks on sympathetically and thought that these kids are all too young to deal with such loss. Wylan pours the drink and Jesper makes the toast.

Marya goes to bed soon after, and the three of them go to the music room. Wylan plays a jaunty, dirty sea shanty. Jesper and Nina sing along much too loudly and terribly but not for lack of effort. The smiles soon return.

Just then, Wylan hears a loud knock. Marya appears in the doorway a moment later.

“Who would be calling at his hour? Is everything all right Wylan” Marya asks, brow wrinkling.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure it’s fine. I’ll get the door, Mum. You go back to bed.”

Wylan approaches the foyer, startled to see the front door swung wide open. Kaz stood in the doorway, dressed in an uncharacteristic roughspun coat and noticeable absence of his crows head cane. His breath clouded in front of him and his eyes glinted something terrible in the light.

“You need better locks, merch. Is Jesper here?”

“Yeah. Nina too.”

“Good we need to talk.”

Wylan leads Kaz to the music room. It had been several months since Wylan had seen Kaz. He generally kept up with the Dregs activities through Jesper, who still visited the Slat about once a week, but since Wylan was a merch now, it didn't do well to be seen in that part of the Barrel.

“Kaz?” Nina asked as he and Wylan entered the music room. “What are you doing here,” her eyebrows raised in surprise.

“There’s a job I need your help with. It’s going to be messy and I can’t offer much in the way of reward.”

Wylan thought this seemed very out of character for Kaz, he never asked for help, not like this anyway. And Kaz never did something for nothing. Jesper beat him to the question.

“This isn’t like you. What’s going on Kaz?”

Kaz gives a one word reply, “Inej.”

“Whatever the job, I’m in. Inej has always had my back,” Nina replies immediately.

“I’m in too,” Wylan said.

Jesper nodded.

“Good,” Kaz says, looking around at the three of them. “Let’s figure out this job then.” He splayed his gloved hands on the closed piano as he looks at them.

Wylan, Jesper, and Nina share a look before chorusing, “Scheming face.”

“She’s being held on the top floor of the Kaelish Prince,” Kaz begins. Wylan shudders when he thinks of how Kaz got that information.

“The Dime Lions were hit hard when Rollins left for the country,” Kaz explains to Wylan and Nina. Wylan figured as much- Jesper hardly mentioned them anymore. Nina cocked her head at the news, though.

“I’ll have Annika and Pim keep watch on the place, we’ll plan to strike in two days time.”

“Two days? Why not sooner?” Jesper asks incredulously, Wylan can see the worry in his eyes. Jesper and Inej were together in the Dregs long before he joined, and Wylan knows how close they are.

“We need time to prepare, I’m not leaving anything to chance with this one,” Kaz said, eyes going dark. Not with Inej on the line is what he means, Wylan thinks. He wouldn’t either though, if it were Jesper. Saints forbid.

Wylan casts a glance over at Jesper sitting next to him. His eyes are dark, angry, and his attention is turned to Kaz, Wylan sees him reach to his hip, but he doesn’t wear his guns in the house; Marya doesn’t really like it. Jesper feels safe enough here that he doesn’t make too much of a fuss about it, but Wylan knows they’re a source of comfort for him.

“We’ll go in as two teams, one will break into the office. Make sure the Dime Lions know not to mess with the Dregs again. The other will come from the outside to the attic and get Inej. The second team should get in and out with as little fuss as possible. The sooner they realize she’s gone, the harder it’ll be to get away...”

He talks them through the plan slowly, taking their questions as they ask them. It’s nothing compared to the Ice Court job, but it’s important that they get this one right.

It’s late when they finish. The dark of the night is beginning to fade to the misty gray that precedes dawn. Nina has curled up on the small settee, and Wylan’s so tired he can barely keep his eyes open. Kaz, however, looks the same as always.

“You’re welcome to sleep here if you need, Kaz,” Wylan offers softly.

Kaz’s eyes are dark as he looks at Wylan. “I’ve got things to do. I’ll come around later with more for the plan.”

He rises from his seat at the piano bench, and makes his way toward the door. At the threshold he hesitates for a moment. Wylan is sure he is going to turn around and say something, but Kaz just gives a small shake of his head and continues out. Wylan can hear is uneven footsteps echo down the hall, the opening and closing of the door, and then the silence that ensues.

“C’mon Jesper. Let’s go to bed,” he says, shaking Jesper’s shoulder gently.

Jesper makes a dramatic show of getting up, and Wylan follows his lanky frame to their bedroom down the hall.

Inej

Inej was better than this. She was the Wraith, feared across Ketterdam. She hunted slavers on the seas who were much more formidable. It had taken no less than twelve Dime Lions to take her down, and only because… because what? She had seen Tante Heleen and turned into a scared 14 year old again. Foolish, Inej chided herself.

She didn’t know where she was being kept or how long it had been. They had been smart enough to blindfold her tightly and chain her arms behind her. She could feel a thick coating of dust on the floor, and every once in a while a loud burst of conversation would come up through the floorboards. The slats of the floor creaked loudly when the guards were coming, giving her ample time to situate herself so it didn’t look like she was exploring the room, looking for a way out.

She wondered if her crew noticed she was gone already. Inej had given them the week off. This was a job she meant to do alone. She sent yet another prayer up to her saints for a way out of this.

It had begun two weeks ago. Inej had been hearing rumors about a huge slaver ship coming into the Ketterdam ports. The information had been fleeting and fragmented. She never knew who the captain was or what ship it was. She hadn’t even managed to glean what country it was coming from. She only got the date and berth number for the docks. Nevertheless, her interest had been piqued. She couldn’t pass up the opportunity; these peoples stories were all to similar to her own. She shuddered at the thought of them bought and sold like livestock to end up in the Menagerie or somewhere similar.

She had given the crew the week off to handle the job herself. It was foolish, but they were on land and this was her home turf. With her knives and her saints, she had been sure that she could take the ship.

The first tip off should have been the lack of staadwatch patrolling around the birth. There had been no one in sight as Inej had silently scaled down from the shipping containers. She had padded silently across docks, the breath clouding in front of her was the only indication there was someone there.

The upper deck had been empty, too. That made Inej’s stomach tighten and cast a furtive glance. She considered turning back, calling her crew, but her pride had gotten in the way. She had unsheathed Sankt Petyr and Sankta Lizabeta, and sent up a prayer to the rest of the saints before continuing into the hull of the ship.

There was a faint glow coming from a cracked door, twenty feet into the hallway. She heard several male voices talking quietly and crept forward. Two heavily armed men came out of the door just behind her. She whirled around, knives raised, as their boots marched loudly toward her. She threw Santa Lizabeta, knife lodging in his throat. The other one let out a shout a moment before she stabbed him.

Inej sent another prayer up to the saints for their lives, and grabbed Santa Lizabeta. When she reached down, she saw the Dime Lion tattoo inked onto the man’s forearm. She had walked to a trap.

Thoughts flew through Inej’s head as she turned to face the onslaught she knew was coming. She had heard from Kaz occasionally; they shared information as often as they could but not as often as either of them would have liked. Last she heard, though, the Dime Lions had been a joke, on the brink of collapse, running penny-poor cons on street corners. Was Rollins back? She doubted it, but Inej was sure he hated her enough to pull something like this.

She didn’t have much time to figure out who was behind this, however, before the first wave of Dime Lions was on her, all armed to the teeth.

Inej moved like the shadows, like an angel of death, slipping between the Dime Lions, so that more than one ended up with a knife in their back. But there were too many. She took a heavy punch across the face, and a brutal kick to the stomach.

She began backing up toward the stairs, bleeding from a cut on her arm. She turned her head quickly to see if there were more of them blocking her retreat and froze.

Tante Heleen’s hair shone golden in the setting sun, as she was silhouetted in the doorway. Inej felt the gentle rocking of the boat beneath her feet, and felt fourteen years old, again coming to Ketterdam for the first time.

The moment of hesitation cost her, and two muscled Dime Lions pinned her arms to her side and took her knives. She struggled against their grip, but to no avail. A sharp blow to the head, and the world around her went dark.

Kaz

Kaz acutely knew the limits of his body. The way his leg would ache when it got cold. How his heart seemed to skip whenever Inej entered the room. So it was no surprise that he knew exactly how his body reacted to twenty-four hours without sleep.

The irritability was familiar. Mornings after long nights on watch had taught the other Dregs to stay out of his way, but the restlessness was new. He was having trouble focusing on his work and sitting still for more than five minutes felt like some kind of tourture.

After he had left Wylan’s house, he’d gone to the Slat to have Annika and Pim stake out the Kaelish Prince. He knew he was the one who set the two day period, and he knew that logically it was the right choice, but when it came to the Wraith, he seemed incapable of being logical. The thought of her up in the attic made him want to put someone’s head through a wall.

Most of the Dregs had, luckily, caught onto his sour mood and done their best to avoid him, which wasn’t hard. He had practically locked himself in his office, and tried to keep himself busy and distracted with the work of running the Dregs.

Kaz knew he should sleep before the job; it didn’t do well to go in distracted and not at his best. But his mind wouldn’t slow down enough for him to even try to get some sleep. He’d stayed up for longer before, anyway.

It was late the night after he’d left Wylan’s when he heard a knock on his door. He’d been trying to balance the Slat’s books, for his investors, and was vexed someone had come to disturb him.

“Come in,” he called, and a moment later, Pim appeared in the doorway. Kaz relaxed ever so slightly.

“What business?” Kaz asked, once Pim shut the door behind him.

Pim hesitated for a moment, choosing his next words carefully.

“We don’t know how involved she is, but Tante Heleen has been coming and going from the Kaelish Prince pretty frequently.”

Kaz gripped the armrest of his chair tightly before flexing his fingers, palm open. It made sense, then, how they’d gotten Inej. She didn’t have many weaknesses, but Kaz knew her time in the Menagerie still haunted her.

“Anything else?” he asked, voice grating across stone.

“We estimate there are twenty to twenty-five gaurds, but we don’t have clear sightlines on the upper floors, so it could be more.”

“Let me know if you find anything else.” Kaz said, turning back to the books.

Pim hesitated for a moment before Kaz heard him close the door and his footsteps recede down the hallway.

Kaz tried to focus on the books, but he kept going over the plan again and again, working out the knots. He would have to go to Wylan’s tomorrow and fill the rest of the crew in. The balances he usually kept so straight in his head kept getting jumbled, and eventually he slammed the book shut and picked up his crows head cane from where it leaned against his desk.

He needed some air, and he was itching for a fight.

Inej

Inej knew the sea. During the year hunting slavers, it had lent her its secrets. The boy’s name repeating in her head, like a prayer to her saints, sounded like the ocean during a storm, like waves crashing against the rocks, threatening sailors with a cruel death. Kaz Brekker Kaz Brekker kazbrekkerkazbrekkerkazbrekker. It was foolish to think he’d come for her now. He didn't even know she was back in Ketterdam. But still she clung to hope, almost childishly. What was it he once said? That he would come for her, that he would crawl to her. She raised another prayer to her saints.

The chains around her wrists and ankles were heavy. She floated in and out of time; Inej had no idea how long she’d been in the dusty room. The guards rotations weren’t timed, as far as she could figure out, and there weren’t any windows or vents that she could find. Inej knew the basics of lockpicking, Kaz had taught her, but she had none of the picks she would need. She didn’t really know how she was going to get out of this one.

She heard two sets of footsteps coming up the creaking stairs, and positioned herself in a defensive crouch. She could take out the guards. If she was lucky one of them would have the key. If her hands and eyes were free, Inej was pretty sure she could get out even without her knives.

The door creaked open and the heavier set of footsteps approached her. When Inej estimated that he was just over her, she sprang up, slamming her head into what she hoped was his nose. She felt a sickening crunch, and the footsteps receded coupled with colorful swear. Without missing a beat, Inej sprang forward toward the second guard. She overshot to the right, and caught a whiff of cloying perfume as she passed- Tante Heleen’s perfume. Inej crashed into the wall, and spun around leg sweeping out to catch Tante Heleen off balance. She would not be the scared little girl anymore. She was the Wraith, the hunter of slavers, the best damn spider in the Barrel. She was unleashed. She was Inej Ghafa, and she would not be afraid.

Her leg caught Tante Heleen’s around the back of her knee, and she fell with a crash that made Inej smile. The crash was loud enough that it must have been heard by the other guards because a moment later she heard footsteps running up the stairs.

It sounded like the first one tripped over Tante Heleen, but three others had Inej pinned despite her struggling. She smelled Tante Heleen’s perfume as she leaned close to her ear.

“You and Brekker will pay for this, girl.” Inej heard her footsteps disappear down the stairs, but the smell of the too sweet perfume clung to her clothes and skin.

Inej’s faint smile vanished as her mind began to race. Did they have Kaz? Was he somewhere else in the building? She still didn’t know where she was being held. After her little stunt, she was sure they’d post more guards too. She sat back against the wall, and tried to figure out how to escape.

Jesper

Jesper had been buzzing with restless energy since Kaz had shown up and told them the news a day and a half ago. He’d worked hard to stay away from the tables, but the grandfather clock’s ticking sounded like the spin of Makker’s Wheel. The pull in his gut wanted him to go to the Barrel, and if not for Wylan’s distractions Jesper’s sure he’d be deep in debt again. And despite how hard Wylan was trying, the pull never seemed to go away completely.

When Jesper heard the knock at the front door, he practically leapt over the table to get it. He reached the door quickly, hearing Wylan’s more sedate footsteps still in the hallway. Jesper grabbed the brass knob and swung the door wide.

It was Kaz; he looked like a wolf. His eyes glinted in the light, his hair was mussed, and his eye was already beginning to bruise. He bared his teeth as he entered the foyer.

“What the hell happened to you?” Jesper asked, incredulous.

“Is Wylan here? Pim reported back and there’s a couple changes to the plan,” Kaz replied, shrugging Jesper off. Jesper knew better than to push Kaz, but watched the other boy carefully as they made their way into the house.

They gathered in the dining room this time. Jesper and Wylan facing Nina and Kaz. The table was silent, anticipatory.

Kaz began slowly, his voice like cold steel, as he explained the new information Pim and Annika had gathered. None of it was too big; they could easily change the plan around it. Concern had crossed both Wylan's and Nina's faces when Kaz had mentioned Tante Heleen's possible involvement. Honestly, Jesper was worried about it too. Inej had never shared those details with him, but nevertheless he knew her time at the Menagerie haunted her. But Jesper was confident in the plan nonetheless. Compared to the Ice Court job, it seemed almost too easy.

Nina and Wylan would go in first since Tante Heleen knew Kaz and Jesper too well. Nina would cause a distraction on the first floor to try and divert as many guards as possible and then prevent them from coming to the aid of the upstairs guards. While they were distracted, Wylan would sneak back into the office and retrieve Inej's knives- likely locked in the safe. Kaz also suggested he let the Dime Lions know not to mess with the Dregs again. Wylan had just smiled.

While that was happening on the ground floor, Kaz and Jesper would come into a private gambling den through the roof. It was already rented out under one of Kaz's aliases. In it, there was a latch in the ceiling which revealed a ladder. They would sneak up that way, dispatch the remaining guards, and getting Inej out with as little fuss as possible. They were all supposed to meet back at the Slat by eight that night.

The remaining materials were distributed, and the four of them prepared to leave the house in two hours. They would go in two shifts to avoid suspicion, but because they were so far from the Kaelish Prince, none of them thought it was too much of a risk.

Nina and Wylan re-entered the parlor, now dressed for the event. Nina was wearing a satin, green dress that made her look just as much a mercher as any one else on Geldstraat. Wylan was wearing more casual clothes, typical of those in the Barrel.

“You should be heading out soon or it'll be too late," Kaz said, giving them both a once over.

Nina nodded, worry furrowing her brow. "No mourners," she said as she pulled open the door.

"No funerals," Jesper and the others responded.

Before he gave his body the conscious thought, Jepser's hand was reaching out to grab Wylan's wrist. Wylan started and turned around, blue eyes locking on Jesper.

They had spent this past year in relative peace. Both had separated themselves from the Barrel as much as they could, and life on Geldstraat had been good. The big house had become Jesper’s home, and he couldn’t bare to lose Wylan. Not like this, on a return to the life that still haunted Jesper on the bad days and made him long for it on the good.

"Be careful out there, merchling," Jesper said, voice thick and dangerously close to cracking. "You still owe me a trip to Novyi Zem."

"You too, Jes." Wylan replied quietly, before shutting the door behind him.

Jesper and Kaz were left standing alone in the silent parlor. Maybe it was because he was thinking about his life with Wylan or maybe it was because there was an ache in his chest that he couldn’t seem to shake or maybe it was just sheer stupidity that caused Jesper to turn to Kaz and ask, “Do you ever think about getting out?”

Kaz gave him a cool sideways look, and Jesper was sure he wasn’t going to answer. But Kaz turned his eyes back toward the door, flexed the hand resting on his cane, and said, “Where would I go? What would I do? My whole life has been carving out a piece of this town for myself. Why would I want to give that up?”

Jesper could do little else but shrug in return.

“C’mon it’s time for us to leave anyway.”

They were both dressed in modest, and to Jesper’s dismay, muted clothes. Kaz with his cane, and Jesper had the two Zemini revolvers slung around his hips. He had no doubt Kaz had nothing short of an arsenal on his person.

The two of them made their way toward the Kaelish Prince, and soon enough the quiet, austere merch houses gave way to rickety, lopsided buildings and boisterous gambling dens. They avoided the staadwatch easily, only seeing one patrol. Two streets before the Kaelish Prince, Kaz led them down a small alley to the back entrance of a theater. He picked the lock in a matter of seconds. Two flights of stairs later, they were on the roof, with an easy path to the Kaelish Prince.

They perched on the gabled roof that would give them access to the window entrance they planned to use. Like in the Ice court, they were keeping on schedule with the clocktower near the Church of Barter. Nina and Wylan were supposed to be inside at 6, Kaz and Jesper would enter a quarter hour later.

Their breath clouded in front of them as they waited, both anxiously awaiting the chime of the clock. They had no way to communicate if things went sour, and Jesper was worried about Wylan. He snuck a glance over to Kaz, who looked unfazed, but after another second, Jesper noticed the tightness in his shoulders and the clench of his jaw. He had never known Kaz to appear anything less than cool and collected. This wasn’t a job they could afford to mess up.

Jesper rested a hand on his pearl-handled revolver as the clock struck ten past. He thought he heard a faint shout come from within, and hoped Nina was causing some kind of hell to the Dime Lions.

The five minutes seemed to move as slow as molasses, and Jesper’s restless energy was making it near impossible to sit still. After a short eternity, Kaz shifted and signalled to Jesper that it was time to go in. Jesper drew a deep breath and steadied his mind as Kaz unlocked the window.

Kaz

The locks on the Kaelish Prince were a joke; Kaz was almost insulted that they hadn’t even tried to keep him out.

He and Jesper slid into the empty gambling parlor. It hadn’t changed much since Rollins left. The gaudy green velvet still coated the walls and a gold filigree was on the crown molding. The circular table to play three man’s bramble was filled with chips, and Kaz considered lifting a couple as one more petty gesture against the Dime Lions. The yells from downstairs were louder here; Nina raising hell no doubt. Wylan should be wrecking the safe right around now, too.

It wasn’t hard to find the latch in the ceiling to pull down the ladder. Jesper easily reached the chord, and with a swift tug, the ladder dropped. It was rickety and disused and not entirely stable, but it’s a way up and that’s all they really need.

Jesper goes first, gun drawn, and Kaz follows closely behind, pistol in one hand, and the comforting weight of a knife up each sleeve. Jesper pauses at the top of the ladder, head cocked to the side, listening. They both waited with bated breath, but neither of them heard movement from above. After another agonizing moment, Jesper continued up.

They reach the landing and what appeared to be a small hallway. There was a faint smell of mildew and the old floorboards were covered in dust.

As soon as Jesper peered over the edge of the ladder, Kaz heard a loud shout, and the sounds of footsteps. Jesper ducked back down and began to swear under his breath.

“How many?” Kaz asked, already cocking his pistol. Jesper had his revolvers in each hand.

“One from the end of the hall, one coming out of a room, maybe more,” Jesper said. Kaz quickly maneuvered to stand next to Jesper on the ladder. It was cramped, but it meant they could fire all three guns.

Kaz gave a sharp nod, and he and Jesper ducked their heads above the floor. There were another two guards who were emerging from the room further room, bringing the total to five. Three quick shots and they dropped back down. Kaz heard one of the guards groaning in pain, and the footsteps coming toward them had stopped as the remaining guards took up defensive positions. A moment later, Jesper popped his head up again and got off two more shots.

“That’s all of them,” he said as he rejoined Kaz lower on the ladder. They climbed up into the attic, guns still drawn, as they surveyed the scene in front of them.

There was a door on the right about twenty feet in front of them and a second twenty feet beyond that. Nothing adorned the hallway, and it’s bareness was a shock after the gaudy gambling den they had just been in.

He’d been in this attic before, had wanted to map every inch of Rollins empire before he tore it down. Both rooms were functionally identical, a fair size with just the one door and no windows. The one closer to them had housed various clutter gathering dust; the other room held old furniture and trunks. Kaz wasn’t sure which room they would have been keeping Inej in, but the guards he had seen had emerged from farther down.

Jesper turned around to Kaz and gave a questioning look. Alright, Brekker. Make a choice. Kaz nodded silently toward the closer door, and they stepped over the bodies of the fallen guards. The two of them fell into the long ago pattern that had kept them alive through so many missions. Kaz stood to the right side of the door, Jesper next to him. He reached a gloved hand and grasped the brass handle, turning it ever so slowly. Kaz could hear Jesper drumming his fingers around the hilt of the gun, nervous energy too much to keep still.

Kaz gave another small nod as he flung open the door, moving with it so that his back pressed into the wood of the door. Jesper slid over and replaced Kaz on the right side. Both of them waited with bated breath. No sound was heard from inside. Slowly, Kaz peered around the doorframe. The room appeared empty. Kaz signalled to Jesper that he was going in, and Jesper quickly shifted to give him cover.

Kaz took a step into the room and looked around. The room was almost the same as it had been all those years ago. There were crates stacked along one wall and various clutter along another. Everything in the room was coated with a fine layer of dust. There was a disturbance in the dust near the door, and Kaz turned to tell Jesper just as someone moved from the entryway and swept his legs out. Kaz fell flat on his back, letting out a grunt as he hit the floor.

Jesper gave a shout while Kaz raised himself into a crouch. Finally seeing his attacker, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

“Inej?” he asked. She stood in front of him, hands chained behind her. Her clothes were ratty and torn, drops of what looked like blood stained one of the sleeves. She had a split lip and bruise blooming out from under her blindfold.

At the sound of his voice, she lowered her hands.

“Kaz?” she asked, suddenly looking unsteady on her feet. Jesper gave one last look toward the hallway and moved into the room.

“Jesper’s here too,” Kaz replied. Inej’s face broke into a small smile.

Jesper holstered his guns and undid her blindfold, and Kaz was shocked at how sunken her eyes were. Inej had always been small, but now he could see her collarbone protruding.

“Good to see you,” Jesper said, wrapping her in a tight hug.

“C’mon, with all those shots, I’m sure more Dime Lions are on the way. We don’t have all day,” Kaz said coldly.

“It’s nice to see you to, Kaz,” Inej replied. Kaz motioned for her to sit and produced his lockpick set from the depths of his coat.

Kaz knelt down next to Inej. The Dime Lions had certainly spared no expense on the lock securing her chains. It was a new Grendelen, notoriously tricky locks.

“Are you alright? Did they hurt you?” His eyes were dark and dangerous as he searched her face.

“I’m fine, Kaz,” Inej replied, but he noticed again how gaunt her eyes look and her usual knife sharp posture seems to waver. Her hair was falling out of her usual braid; it hung limp around her shoulders.

Jesper knelt down on Inej’s other side, hands nervously fluttering over the chains.

He’s trying to break them, Kaz thought. He hadn’t realized Jesper had spent so much time practicing to be a fabrikator. A small black cloud slowly formed between Jesper’s hands. Sweat beaded along his forehead, and he didn’t look up from the chain.

Inej’s eyes sparked. “Kaz,” she said softly, then again more urgently.

The next seconds seemed to pass in slow motion. Inej, still in chains, pushed him and he fell to the side, pain radiating up his bad leg. Then he heard the echo of the gunshot around the room.

Kaz turned his head to see where the sound came from. One of the Dime Lions had rolled over and gotten off a shot.

He turned his head back to see blood blooming from Inej’s abdomen, her face radiating pain.

Jesper pushed his hands forward and the cloud of metal shavings buried its way into the Dime Lion’s skin, rivulets of blood pouring from a thousand tiny cuts. He screamed and dropped the gun. Faster than Kaz thought possible, Jesper’s pulled out one of his revolvers and pulled the trigger. The bullet pierced the Dime Lions skull and the screaming stopped.

Inej’s laying with one arm pinned underneath her. Jesper pulls her up and she sways where she’s sitting.

Kaz managed finally to pick to lock, and the shackles on her wrists falling to the floor with a clang.

“Let me see it,” he said. He knows it’s bad because she doesn’t say anything in response, just shifts her body to face him.

He does his best to keep him face calm, but Jesper sucks in a short breath at the blood drenching Inej’s shirt.

Kaz quickly removes his jacket and using his ever present oyster knife, cuts the bottom into thin strips for bandages. It’s not the right material at all, but it’ll have to do until they can get back to the Slat. Kaz lets out a string of curses as the knife cuts the pad of his thumb. He’s being clumsy and careless and he knows it. There’s a feeling of pressure behind his eyes and his stomach is tying itself in knots. He hopes Inej is out of it enough not to notice. He should have checked the guards before the went in the room. It was foolish, and now his carelessness was going to get Inej killed.

He sneaks a quick glance at her, and her eyes look glassy and distant. Jesper’s secured the bandages around her abdomen well enough and they’ve got no other choice than to try and make it to the Slat.

“Jesper, run ahead and tell Nina. Get her to prepare whatever she’s got.” Kaz never got a new Grisha healer after Nina. It fell toward the bottom of his ever growing list of tasks, and now he’s kicking himself for not getting to it sooner.

“Kaz, she cant-”

“Just get her, Jesper.”

Kaz sees her eyes start to close, “Stay with me, Inej. C’mon, love, you were supposed to survive this city. Keep your damn eyes open.”

He picks her up, wincing at the feel of her in his arms. He flashes back suddenly to that night on the docks before the ice court job when he had to carry her to the schooner. He damn near sends a prayer up to her blasted saints for her to be as lucky as last time.

He doesn’t even turn to see if Jesper is following him as exits the room. He makes his way toward the ladder, and by some miracle manages to get them both down. He slips out the window, and makes his way across the rooftops. His leg is screaming and every uneven step, and it makes Inej bounce painfully in his arms. They’re not too far from the Slat. He just needs to get her home.

“C’mon Inej, talk to me. Tell me about the Wraith.” It’s the first thing he can think of to ask her.

Her eyes are distant and glassy, looking past his right shoulder. Her brow furrows as she processes the question and tries to formulate an answer.

“There’re so many,” she replies. Her words are slow and slurred. They’re still a couple of blocks from the Slat, and at the rate she’s losing blood, he’s worried she’s not going to make it.

Finally the familiar gabled roof comes into view. Kaz doesn’t think he’s ever been more grateful to see it. He slides in through his bedroom window.

He never let anyone else take her rooms, even when they were running short on space. He never quite knew why, but the idea of someone else living in a place that was so her was wrong. He hadn’t been in the room since she left, and everything was exactly where it was.

His leg feels like it’s going to give out as he enters his room. There’s a pile of papers on desk he’s been meaning to get to and his bed is unmade- it’s not like he’s slept in it the past couple days anyway. He moves through the room quickly and braces himself for the walk down the flight of stairs.

Nina

Nina has no idea what the hell Brekker expects her to do.

Her and Wylan’s part of the plot had gone off as smoothly as could have been hoped for. They’d just made it back to the Slat fifteen or so minutes before a very panicked Jesper burst in and told Nina that she needed to gather any medical supplies she had and get up to Inej’s room.

She felt useless; Nina had never tried to heal anyone without her powers before. “Does Kaz have anyone else who’s more qualified?” she asked Jesper, exasperated.

Jesper held up his hands in surrender, “I’m just passing along the message.”

Nina closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.

“Alright, what exactly am I dealing with?”

Jesper explained what happened as she gathered the supplies she thought she might need. She sent Wylan out to get some extra things they didn’t have around the Slat, and Jesper was busy heating more water as she made her way up to Inej’s room.

Nina anxiously paced the floor as she waited for Kaz to arrive. If she hadn’t taken parem, she could help Inej now. Or we’d all be dead in a Fjerdian prison she reminded herself. Still, Nina cast out her mind, searching for the feel of bodies in the Slat, the rush of blood, the beating of hearts. And felt… nothing.

She heard footsteps above her, and cast a quick glance toward the ceiling. Kaz must be back. She glanced around the room again, inventorying everything they had. She cleaned off Inej’s desk to use as a makeshift table. Bandages, water, a suturing kit. They didn’t have much in the way of pain meds; hopefully Inej would be out for most of it.

She can hear Kaz on the stairs and a moment later, he appeared in the doorway. He’s a wreck. His hair’s all mussed and his eyes glint with something terrible. Completing the scene, he’s drenched in, what Nina assumes is, Inej’s blood.

Inej looks worse than she expected. Her face is pale and her eyes are sunken. Her whole shirtfront is stained red, and Nina can smell the coppery stench from several feet away. Inej’s hair has come loose of her braid and hangs limply over Kaz’s arm.

Nina gestures to the desk. Kaz lays her down gently and takes a step back. Nina moves toward Inej.

“Did the bullet go all the way through?” Nina asks, trying to be as methodical as possible.

“Yeah, there’s an exit wound. I checked.”

“Good,” is Nina’s short reply.

Just then, Jesper enters the room, carrying a large bowl, steam curling off the surface of the water.

“Thanks, Jesper. You can put it down on there,” Nina says, gesturing to the wooden chair that usually accompanies the desk. It’s now full of bandages and medical supplies. Jesper sets down the bowl and looks around awkwardly.

“I don’t think I need anything else, but I’ll let you know if anything changes.”

Jesper nods, uncharacteristically quiet, before leaving the room.

“You should go too, Kaz,” Nina says over her shoulder, already cutting off the makeshift bandages.

“I’m not leaving,” comes the reply.

“At least change your shirt. You reek and there’s nothing you can do now,” Nina says, giving him an up and down appraisal.

Kaz looks like he’s going to protest further, but he looks at Inej and storms out of the room and up the stairs.

Nina lets out a sigh; she’s so far beyond her comfort zone, but she’s got to keep it together and help her best friend. You’ve got this, Zenik.

The last of the makeshift bandages come off, and Nina almost loses her nerve again. The wound’s bad and still leaking blood. Inej’s is going to need a fair amount of stitches. Nina gets to work.

Kaz comes down fifteen minutes later and takes a seat on the bed. He’s changed into a clean shirt and props his cane next to him. Nina’s still bent over Inej, and Kaz doesn’t say anything. They stay like that for two hours. Kaz only leaves once to get her more water.

After what feels like an eternity later, Nina steps back from the table, and Kaz looks up at her.

“I’ve done everything I can, all she needs now is time.” A sudden feeling of exhaustion comes over Nina, and she sits down next to Kaz on the bed.

The world outside had long grown dark, and Nina could hear the loud cries of Barrel floating through the window. She should stay up and make sure nothing changed with Inej, but her eyelids felt like they weighed a million pounds.

Kaz stood up and grabbed the chair by the table, now- mostly- free of medical supplies.

“I’ll wake you if anything changes,” he said.

“I only need five minutes,” Nina said, but she could already feel her eyelids closing. She fell asleep almost immediately.

When Nina awoke, the faint light of dawn was coming through the window. For a moment, she forgot where she was. She glanced around the room, eyes falling on Inej and Kaz. Inej’s chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, which was a good sign. Kaz, on the other hand, looked like he hadn’t slept all night. He looked disheveled and, Nina thought, exhausted.

“She’s been the same all night,” Kaz said when he noticed Nina getting out of bed.

“You could’ve woken me up, you know.”

Kaz only shrugged a response and turned back toward Inej.

Inej

Inej was back on the Ketterdam docks and before her stood the ship she had been hunting for weeks. The docks were empty and eerily quiet. There were no dock workers shouting out shipment numbers or even the faint noises of the distant Barrel. Inej was alone.

She sent up a prayer to her saints, and carefully boarded the ship. There was no one on the deck, so she cautiously made her way down belowdecks. Her knives were drawn; their familiar weight keeping her grounded. The stairs seemed to squeak impossibly loud as she descended. There was no one in the hall, but she thought she heard voices from a room farther down. Shadows seemed eerily dark as she continued into the hull of the ship.

Some far away piece of her mind knew this was wrong. That she’d been here before but everything had been different. Inej wracked her brain trying to remember. But the voices down the hall beckoned her, and she soon forgot her momentary deja vu.

Inej listened at the doorway, but couldn’t make out more than indistinct voices. Cautiously, she dared to open the door. Inside she found her friends in chains. Their faces were bruised and bloody.

Inej ran into the room, dropping her knives. They clattered impossibly loud on the deck. She knelt by Kaz first. He didn’t react- just sat staring straight ahead. Her hands fumbled over the chains, eventually finding the lock. It was complicated. Nothing she could ever hope to pick.

“Kaz, you need to help me. I need you to tell me how to pick the lock,” she said, her voice urgent. Kaz’s eyes slid to hers, and recognition dawned on his face.

“Kaz, how do I pick the locks?” Inej asked again.

His eyes flicked past her shoulder, and grew wide. Inej tried to turn to see what he was looking at, but two pairs of strong, rough hands grabbed her biceps and hauled her to her feet.

Inej tried to fight against them, struggling even as pain bloomed across her abdomen. Tears were running down her face, but she couldn’t break their grip. She looked back towards Kaz.

“Inej,” he was screaming.

The two men carried her out into the hallway. She could still here Kaz’s muffled screams.

Nina

Nina woke with a start. She had gotten used to sleeping in Inej’s room. She and Kaz had been taking shifts watching Inej while the other slept. Inej had woken up once, briefly yesterday and managed to eat something, but for the most part she was still pretty out of it. Things had been pretty quiet, but Inej seemed to be improving. Nina untangled herself from the makeshift nest of blankets and pillows she had made on the ground at the foot of Inej’s bed.

“Inej! Inej you need to wake up.” Kaz was leaning over her bed, and Nina could see Inej thrashing under the blankets.

Nina sees Kaz reach out a hand and hesitate, fingers inches from her skin. He’s so still, he could be a figure in a painting. He draws a deep breath, clenches his jaw, and makes contact with her upper arm.

“Inej,” he repeats, his voice growing louder. Nina’s not sure what to do, she sits frozen in the blankets.

“No, stop. Let me go,” Inej protests and Kaz immediately retracts his hand. Her breathing comes in short, panicked gasps.

“C’mon Inej. I need you to wake up. It’s not real; you’re just dreaming,” Kaz says to no avail. Nina’s never seen this side of Kaz before. Maybe she’s mistaken, but he almost looks concerned.

Nina finally finds herself able to stand and moves over to stand next to Kaz. He gives her a look as she takes her place next to him. She doesn’t even know what she’s saying, words just begin to tumble out of her mouth. She tries to keep her voice calm and steady even when she sees spots of blood appear where Inej had ripped her stitches.

It feels like hours, but about ten minutes later, Inej begins to settle and drift back off into a deep sleep. As soon as Kaz sees that she’s okay, he storms out of the room to saints know where. Nina gets her suture kit and prepares to fix the stitches Inej ripped.

Nina’s just about to fall back asleep when she hears the door bang open and Kaz storm in. His shirt is drenched in red and there’s blood spatter across his face and neck. His eye looks red and swollen like it’s going to bruise. He’s also favoring his bad leg.

“Where the hell have you been? And whose blood is that?” Nina demanded, voice a harsh whisper.

“This city’s price is blood Nina, and they had to pay,” he replied. “Has anything happened?” he asks after a brief pause.

“No, I had to give her three more stitches, but other than that she’s fine.”

Kaz nods and looks over at Inej before leaving. Nina hears the stairs above her creak as he makes his way up to his room.

Kaz

Kaz doesn’t think he’ll be able to sleep again. His blood’s still boiling from the fight. He hadn’t seen Inej that bad in years. When she first joined the Dregs, the Menagerie still haunted her, more than now. Neither of them ever acknowledged the nightmares, but on particularly bad nights he would go down and wake her up.

He washes the blood off his face and changes his shirt. Hands gripping the sides of the wash basin as he tries to settle himself. His chest has felt tight and coiled since he carried Inej back to the Slat three days ago. He’s slept maybe five hours total; he’s worried his body is just going to give out on him.

He manages to steady himself enough to make the trip down the stairs. His bad leg is screaming with every step. He collapses into Inej’s desk chair. Nina’s already asleep, buried in blankets.

From the chair he can see the steady rise and fall of Inej’s chest. There’s a little blood on the sheets, but her face looks calm, peaceful. So unlike an hour ago. Kaz tells himself that he’s going to stay awake, but at some point he’s lulled into a deep sleep.

He wakes up to the sound of crows cawing at the window. The crows left months ago. He never bothered to feed them once Inej left, and the sound is enough for him to force his eyes open. Sunlight is streaming in through the window and there is indeed a couple of crows perched on the windowsill.

More shocking however is Inej also perched at the window. She’s feeding the crows, hair redone in it’s neat braid, and her head tilted back, surveying the city. A soft smile plays on her lips as the crows continue to peck at whatever food she’s laid out for them. His chest uncoils and he finally feels like he can breathe again.

“You’re up,” he says, shifting in the chair.

Inej turns her head to look at him, braid falling over her shoulder as she does.

“Nina said we should let you sleep.”

“Where is she,” Kaz asked, noticing her absence.

“I think she went back to Wylan’s to get a change of clothes,” Inej says with a shrug.

They sit in silence for several moments. The crows and calls of the Barrel in the morning filling the gaps.

Inej eventually breaks the quiet. “Thank you,” she said eyes locking with his. “I am glad you came.”

“I told you I would come for you. Knives drawn, pistols blazing.”

Inej opens her mouth to say something as Nina burst in the door.

“I hope your hungry, Inej. I come bearing the finest waffles in all of Ketterdam,” she said.

Inej throws back her head and laughs. It sounds like liquid sunshine. Nina saunters into the room, bearing the plate of waffles proudly, big smile on her face. Kaz lets a small smile cross his face. It seems like it’s all going to be okay.

#soc #six of crows #grishabigbang #gvbbfic #kanej #kaz brekker #inej ghafa

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