CHAPTER FIFTEEN
vol i — bloody fjerdans!

"CLAW EACH OTHER TO DEATH?"
"No wonder you do so badly at the tables."

Jesper steered her toward the rail, where they could make an approximation of a promenade without getting in anyone's way. "I'd threaten to toss you into the sea, but Kaz is watching." Dinara nodded her head, yet she didn't look towards him. She noticed Jesper waving towards the man, chuckling to herself, knowing that his face didn't change. "Would it kill him to smile once in a while?"

"Very possibly." Despite every crew member called greetings and well wishes, Dinara was growing tired of everyone. Her social battery was running low, making her want to run and hide in a dark corner.

Matthias walked over, giving Dinara an awkward bow. She stifled a laugh at the sight. "I understand you're the reason we made it out of the harbor alive."

"I suspect there were a lot of reasons."
"I'm a reason."

"All the same," said Matthias, ignoring him. "Thank you." He sounded sincere, which surprised Dinara, but she offered the muscular boy a small smile. He returned the gesture before stalking off somewhere, presumably to brood over Nina.

They moved on, Jesper catching wind of the small smile playing on the pale pink, chapped lips of Dinara. "Surprised," he asked.

"A bit. Spending so much time with Kaz. I guess—"
"It's a novelty to feel appreciated."

Dinara let out a small laugh, pressing her hand to her cheeks after. The pain was shooting through her, stinging her muscles. "Still hurts to laugh."

"They're glad your alive. I'm glad."
"I should hope so. You think I enjoy covering your ass all the time?"
"I thank you for it."
"Anytime, love."

When they reached the foredeck, Dinara leaned over the railing and look out at the horizon. "Did he come to see me at all."

Dinara could tell Jesper knew who she was referring too by the look on his face. "Every day."

Dinara turned her dark eyes on him, scanning his face, she shook her head. "Don't tell me shit lies. You can't read people and you can't bluff."

Jesper sighed. "No," he admitted. Dinara ignored the pain that shot through her chest at that. She had some thoughts over what it could be, but never did anything about it, due to her fear of ruining everything. "I don't think he likes sickbeds."

"Who does?"

"I mean, I think it was hard for him to be around you that way. That first day when you were hurt...he went a little crazy." Her brow cocked at Kaz going crazy. Sure, everyone was a bit wonky in the head, but for him to go crazy is out of character.

"I'm sure he was just going crazy because if I die, this whole plan can be flushed."

Jesper nodded along, agreeing with the girl. "Tell me something. What was the big falling out between Wylan and his father?"

She cast a quick glance up at Kaz, then to scan the area, making sure no one was lurking. Kaz had told her to keep the information between them, not wanting anyone to have leverage over his plans. So far, it's gone to shit, so what's the harm in telling one person. "I don't know exactly, but three months ago Wylan turned up at a flophouse near the slat. He was using a different surname, but Kaz keeps tabs on everyone new to the barrel, so he had me do more snooping."

Jesper leaned foreword, hanging onto every word Dinara was saying. "And?"

She shrugged. "The servants at the Van Eck house are our well enough that they're hard to bribe. The information I got didn't add up to much. There were rumors Wylan had been caught in a sweaty romp with one of his tutors."

"Really?" Jesper asked incredulously.

"Just a rumor. And it's not as if Wylan left home it take up residence with a lover."

"So why did papa Van Eck write to Wylan every week, and Wylan doesn't even open the letters."

"What do they say?"
"You're assuming I read them."
"You didn't?"

"Of course I did." She frowned, remembering every single word. "They just said the same thing again and again: If you're reading this, then you know how much I wish to have you home. or I pray that you read those words and think of all you've left behind."

Jesper looked over to Wylan talking to Nina, Dinara following his gaze. "The mysterious merchling. I wonder what Van Eck did that was bad enough to send Wylan to slum with us."

"Now you tell me something, Jesper. What brought you in this mission? You know how risky this job is, what the chances are that we'll come back. I know you love a challenge, but this is a stretch, even for you."

"I'm in debt, Di."
"You're always in debt."
"No. It's bad this time. I borrowed money from the wrong people. You know my father had a farm?"
"In Novyi Zem."
"Yes, in the west. It just started turning a profit this year."
"You didn't."
"I needed the loan... I told him it's so I can finish my degree in the University."
"He thinks you're a student?"

"That's why I came to Ketterdam. My first week in the city I went down to east stage with some other students. I out a few kruge in the table. It was a whim. I didn't even know the rules of Makker's Wheel. But when the dealer gave the wheel a spin, I never heard a more beautiful sound. I won, and I kept winning. It was the best night of my life."

"And you've been chasing it ever since."

He nodded. "I should have stayed in the library. I win. I lost. I lost some more. I needed money so I started taking in work with the gangs. Two guys jumped me in an alley one night. Kaz took them down, and we started doing jobs together."

She snorted, she remember when Jesper joined the dregs. Scrawny little shit. "He probably hired those boys to attack you so you'd feel indebted to him."

"He wouldn't—" Jesper stopped short, and then laughed. "Of course he would. Kaz is... I don't know, he's like nobody else I've ever known. He surprises me."

"Yes. Like a huge if bees in your dresser drawer."
"Just like that."
"So what are we doing here?"

Jesper turned back to the sea, Dinara watching as his cheeks heating up. "Hoping for honey, I guess. And praying not to get stung."

Dinara bumped her head against his. "Then at least we're both the same kind of stupid."

"I don't know what your excuse is, Shadow. I'm the one who who can never walk away from a bad hand."

She looped her arm in his. "This makes you a rotten gambler, Jesper. But an excellent friend."

"You're too good for him, you know."
"I know. So are you."

"Yes," Dinara said, falling into step beside him. "And then I need you to distract Nina, so I can go after my knives."

"No problem. I'll just bring up Helvar." Dinara glanced back at the wheel as they set off down the opposite side of the deck. Kaz hadn't moved. he was still watching them, his eyes hard, his face unreadable as ever. So Dinara did what she did best, she sent him a wink.

( ...⛓... )

TWO DAYS HAD PASSED AND KAZ HAD
been nowhere to be seen. It was starting to piss Dinara off, wanting to find the boy and annoy the shit out of him. She was sitting by herself, legs crossed, back to the hull of the ship, sipping a cup of Kvas.She could hear the cane before she saw him in all of his glory. "I want to show you something."

"I'm well, Doll, thanks for asking," she said, looking up at him. "How are you?"

She watched as his lips twisted, bringing her some satisfaction. "Splendid." Awkwardly, he lowered himself down beside her and set aside his cane.

Dinara raised an eyebrow at the action, not expecting him to sit so close. "Is your leg bad?"

"It's fine. Here." He spread out Wylan's drawing of the prison sector between them. most of Wylan's plans showed the ice court from above, but the prison elevation was a side view, a cross section showing the building's floors stacked on top of one another.

"I've seen it," she said. She ran her finger from the basement up to the roof in a straight line. "Six stories up a chimney."

"Can you do it?"
"Is there another option?"
"No."

"So If i say I can't make that climb, will you tell Specht to turn the boat around and take us back to Ketterdam."

"No. I'll find someone else to do it."
"You know I can do it, Kaz, and you know I'm not going to refuse. So why ask?"

He paused for a second, making her question his true intentions of this conversation. "I want to make sure you know what you'll be dealing with and that you're studying the plans."

"Will there be a test?"
"Yes. And if you fail, we'll all end up stuck inside a Fjerdan prison."
"I may fail. That seems like a good time, and I'm not doing this alone."
"So who are you going to do it with?"
"Inej."
"Smart."

"I know, I'm the brains of the operation." Kaz let out a small grunt, obviously not agreeing with her. "Also, what was up with you not talking to me for two days? And was this some elaborate plan to talk to me?"

"I was a bit preoccupied trying to make sure we don't die on this mission. It had nothing to do with you," Kaz said.

Dinara raised an eyebrow, not believing a word that came out of his mouth yet went along with it anyway, not wanting to cause any issues between the two. The two felt drops in their stomachs at his words, the two living in a state of unknown, wanting to be close, but unable to. It was causing pain for them, but there was nothing they could do about it, not wanting to overstep each other boundaries.

"I'm worried about the escape route to the harbor." Her eyes closed and leaned her head back against the hull.

Kaz settled back beside her, head banging against the wood. "Me neither," he conceded, stretching out his bad leg. "But that's why the Fjerdans buoy it that way."

"Do you trust specht?"
"Is there a reason I shouldn't?"
"Not at all, but if the Ferolind isn't waiting for us in the harbor..."
"I trust him enough."
"He owes you?"

Dinara opened her eyes, watching as Kaz nodded and glanced around. "The navy threw him out for insubordination and refused him his pension. He has a sister to support near Belendt. I got him his money," Kaz said.

"That was good of you," Dinara said. "Glad you didn't something for someone else for once."

"Oh, fuck you."
"You know you want to."
"Please, for the love of saints, Di, shut up."

just makeout already