"Have you ever seen a shark before?" A young blonde girl is sat on the deck of a ship, and a man stands next to her, looking at a map "Course I have? What sort of Captain would I be if I hadn't?" the girl giggles at his gruff accent "What about a Grisha? Have you ever met one?"

"That's enough Dahlia," a man with similar blue eyes appears "Leave the captain alone, he's been kind enough to bring us to Ketterdam,"

"Sorry sir," she stands up and the captain smiles

"Not a problem lass,"

"Let's go get the chores done, yeah?"

"Yes Dad," Dahlia grabs her father's outstretched hand and he takes her bellow deck to their bunk, three cases are stacked by their bed, but only two people appear to sleep there "The Captain was telling me about Ravka and the fold,"

"Dahlia!" her father exclaims "What did I tell you? We don't talk about Ravka or Grisha,"

"But mum-"

"Shh! Your mother isn't here anymore, she told you the same thing, we're safer like this. We'll go to Ketterdam, I'll get a job, you'll grow up and go to the university, okay?"

"Okay..." Dahlia sighs "I just...I liked Novyi Zem, and The Wandering Isle, I didn't want to leave,"

"I know sweetheart," he pulls her to his chest, stroking her hair "Ketterdam can be a fresh start for us, yeah?"

—

Ketterdam was cold at night, and the shawl Inej gave her wasn't enough warmth tonight, Dahlia led the group to the docks, after three unsuccessful trips to different contacts, she was their last chance. Up upon a large ship is a familiar older man.

"Little Dahlia?" He calls "Is that you?"

"Don't get your hopes up Cap, not little anymore," the guards let the small group pass. Up on the deck, the man embraces her and Kaz raises his eyebrow ever so slightly.

"What's brought you up here?"

"We need a way through the fold," the captain had a blank look on his face "In Ravka,"

"I know where it is love, I'm wondering why you're asking me"

"You told me stories when I was a child, about the fold, a Grisha who led you through with bright lights,"

"That's all they were lass, stories. You were a little girl, now you must know a Star Summoner hasn't been seen since -"

"Sankta Fayina..." Inej mutters and Dahlia sighs

"Well thanks for no help at all," she turns and Kaz leads the group back down to land

"Your father wouldn't like this Lass! You know how he was about Ravka, Grisha,"

"Well that doesn't matter, does it," Dahlia snaps "He's dead, and I hope you know who I blame," Jesper and Inej look at each other in shock while Kaz doesn't bat an eye, continuing their walk back to the docks and towards the Crow Club.

Dahlia keeps quiet as they enter the familiar doors, it's quieter now, calmer. Jesper hangs back as Inej and Kaz secure a table "Hey, I didn't know-"

"It's fine," Dahlia brushes him off "We don't talk about our pasts, do we?" she looks up "The captain of that ship was one of my father's contacts, that's all,"

"I always assumed-"

"What Jesper? That I had a happy family to go home to, a mother in the kitchen, and a father at work? None of us would be here if we did," She heads to their table and sits next to Inej, giving her a half smile while Kaz twirls his cane and Jesper joins them.

"Here's what I don't get."

"We're going to be here all night," Inej twirls a knife calmly and Dahlia laughs, giving her a grin

"Rude." Jesper rolls his eyes "Why haven't they tried going under it? Just dig a tunnel,"

"Tried that. More than a century ago." Kaz pauses "Something... heard them digging."

"It was made hundreds of years ago by that crazy Grisha -?

"The Black Heretic."

"The one who controls shadow. They've got one in their army now. General Kirigan?"

"Jesper, get to the point," Dahlia sighs, gesturing for one of the waitresses to get a drink

"If one of his kind made it, can't he unmake it?"

"Have you ever put out fire by adding more fire?" Inej asks

"Then what's the opposite?"

"A Sun Summoner."

"Right, then, one of those."

"Doesn't exist." Kaz sighs and Inej shoots him a look

"Doesn't exist yet."

"What about a Star Summoner? The Captain Dahlia knows mentioned one,"

"Again, doesn't exist,"

"Anymore," Dahlia adds shyly "There's a saint recorded with the powers - Fayina. But another one hasn't come forward yet"

"Over the years there've been rumours, whispers" Inej adds "That her bloodline continues to this day, that a Star Summoner is out there,"

Jesper sighs "Descendent of a saint, what a title that would be,"

Kaz stops the conversation with a gentle tap of his cane "Dreesen comes into town, doesn't waste a minute. Sends out for a crew to steal something but doesn't specify what. Is it heavy, large, worth more than a million on the black market?"

"Maybe he doesn't know."

"We can let this one go, Kaz."

"Sounds like a trap, anyway."

The waitress from earlier returns, passing Dahlia a large glass of wine.

"A trap would sound easy. This is something else."

"Boss," a man walks up to the table "We intercepted a note from Dreesen."

"Did you now?"

"It's for the owner of the Orchid. Says they require the services of a Heartrender. Tonight."

"A Heartrender?" Dahlia questions

"Why?"

"Doesn't say. Just they need it before midnight."

"You don't bring in a Heartrender unless you need an answer from someone who isn't willing to talk. That's how we get this job before anyone else." Kaz stands and turns to his crew "Bring Dreesen a Heartrender."

"Boss, just one problem."

"Pekka Rollins knows."

"Pekka Rollins..."

"Bastard,".

A quick visit across town from Dahlia, and the crew, or 'crows' as some Dregs had taken to calling them, are heading towards Dreesen's mansion

"I really appreciate new business, but you've only paid for an hour of my time, and I have to be back at the Orchid." A Heartrender is by their side.

"The Orchid isn't safe tonight. Your life's in danger with this job. Make yourself scarce for a few days afterwards."

"Mr. Brekker, are you threatening me? Really? Even if I'm nice, my boss will call the stadwatch on you."

"It's not me you're in danger with. It's Pekka Rollins."

"My boss would call the stadwatch on him as well."

"Which is why your boss is already dead."

Dahlia leans to whisper to Jesper "Loves to keep it light, doesn't he?"

"Who are you lot?" A guard behind the gate asks

"We're here to see Dreesen."

"You're not with Pekka's crew."

"And you're not in Pekka's pocket anymore if you don't owe him." Kaz throws a bag of kurge through the railing, and quickly it's open and they rush through.

"Hey, where did you get that coin?" Jesper asks before the guard shouts back

"Hey! One of these has a hole in it!"

"Saints!"

"Inside. Inside!" Kaz gestures and Inej speedily leads them indoors as Jesper laughs. They're led to Dreeson's office, where the doors open simultaneously.

"One look and I can tell. Criminals." Well, he was right "I'm not meeting anyone 'til midnight."

"We heard you needed a Heartrender." The woman from The Orchid tilts her head to indicate it's her.

Dreeson thinks for a moment "All right, she stays, the rest of you, out." As the heartrender steps forward, Kaz snaps his cane to her front, stopping her.

"She stays. And we have an exclusive on this job."

"Mr. Brekker..." Dreeson stands and walks around his desk "No businessman worth his salt hires his first applicant,"

"No. No, I understand," Kaz nods "Of course, I will have to report you to the guild for kidnapping and harbouring a prisoner without chain of title,"

Dreeson's guard gently brushes his blaser, showing a gun at his side, Jesper does the same, hands brushing his own pistols.

"You wouldn't."

"No businessman worth his salt bargains for what he can take." Dreeson gets closer to Kaz and takes a deep breath, it seems to be an intimidation tactic Dahlia didn't understand, the heartrender beside her raises her hand.

"I have to be back in an hour."

 "All right," He's rather casual now "Come on," Dreeson leads them out of his office and down to his basement where a poor man is tied to a chair, a sack over his head.

"Who's this?"

"So you don't know everything after all. This..." he removed the sack and a bloodied face is beneath "is Alexei Stepanov. Two weeks ago, young Alexei here crossed through the Fold on foot." Dreeson goes to pour himself a drink "Alone."

"How?" Inej asks

"They're keeping it quiet, but allegedly he was one of a few witnesses to...an event."

"Water," Alexei hoarsly whispers and Inej quickly gets him some, glaring at Dreeson before she goes to give him some.

"What kind of event?" Dahlia turns her eyes away from the man in the chair

"I know an expedition was swarmed by Volcra. Should've been a total loss, but something happened. Some device detonated, Obliterated the Volcra, lit up the dark like a forest fire. I know it wasn't a fire or else no one would have survived."

Dahlia sighs, seeing Alexei's glass empty, she grabs the jug and walks to Inej, pouring some more into the glass.

"This was some invention no one had seen before. He knows, But he doesn't seem to be able to articulate his account of events. Some form of traumatic lapse."

"So you tied him to a chair and tortured him?!" Dahlia exclaims and receives a warning look from Kaz, she shakes her head as the heartrender steps forward, and Inej leads her to Jesper's side.

Milana kneels down and takes Alexei's wrist "You're safe now. Now you can just speak and I will just listen"

"All right,"

"Tell me what happened in the Fold. What saved you?"Slowly Alexei opens his mouth 

"You won't believe me, but..." The heartrender nods encouragingly and the crows stand in anticipation "It was a Sun Summoner."

Inej gasps and her breath is uneven, Dahlia watches her put a hand to her chest, and she looks at Kaz.

Dreeson steps towards Alexei and also kneels down "Who was it?"

"If I tell you, you'll set me free"

"You have my word. I'll set you free. You're in Ketterdam now, Alexei. You can go anywhere in the world from here. Just imagine...Come on." He was lying, Dahlia knew that, she knew a man like Dreeson wouldn't let the information leave this room

"Her name is..." Malina circles his wrist again, manipulating his heart "Alina Starkov."

"Alina Starkov?" Alexei nods "Good boy." Dreeson stands and talks to a guard "Show me the manifest." he's passed some parchment and inspects"Perfect."

"You'll set me free now?"

"Thank you. Of course." Dreeson turns, and his arm is raised, a gunshot sounds before he can gulp and Malina screams, falling back as Alexia's body tumbles backwards in his chair. 

Dahlia jumps slightly from shock and Jesper puts his hand out in front of her, almost as comfort, protection.

Dreeson walks over to the body "We are now the only people west of the Fold with this information. My ship sails for West Ravka at dawn. If you can prove that you have a way through the Fold and back, I'll put you on that ship with an advance. If you don't, I'm giving this job to Pekka Rollins." Dreeson walks towards the stairs, his guards following.

"Give me a day. I'll have a plan."

"You have until sunrise, then your ship will have sailed, Mr Brekker. The prize is one million kruge. Now bring me Alina Starkov."

The group turns slowly to look at Alexei's body.

Alina Starkov was not what they expected to be stealing.