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CHAPTER SIX
the missing heartrender

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"I didn't hire you to simply get us across the Fold," Kaz told Arken from his seat beside Celestine in the carriage they hired when they got to Novokribirsk, "You're with us because you smuggle Grisha out of the Little Palace, and that's the location of our target."

"Sun Summoner." Inej voiced from the left of Arken.

"Alleged." Kaz muttered and Celestine sighed heavily, resting her head against the wall of the carriage.

Jesper nudged her foot with a smirk and the Soulbearer rolled her eyes, glaring at him— at one point, Celestine considered opening the doors and throwing herself out the carriage.

"They wouldn't keep a fraud in the most secure location in all of Ravka." Inej stated but Kaz paid no mind, not bothering to retaliate.

"You said you have a contact who can get us inside," Celestine spoke up, raising an eyebrow at the Conductor, "A Heartrender."

He gave a nod as the Soulbearer straightened her back, accidentally nudging Kaz with her shoulder, murmuring a quiet apology before questioning Arken, "How do I know we can trust her?"

Celestine made it her job to protect the trio that consisted of the Sharpshooter, Wraith and Dirtyhands— they were her Crows, just as much as she was their Sparrow.

"Nina grew up there." He answered.

"Most Grisha grew up in the Little Palace."

"You didn't." Arken stated flatly, and Jesper and Inej's eyes widen the slightest in surprise.

Celestine raised an eyebrow at the accusation, "I beg your pardon?"

"You didn't." He repeated calmly, hands folded on his lap, looking directly at the brunette.

Kaz doesn't move, nor does he give a reaction to what's been said, knowing that Celestine can handle herself, and if it gets out of hand, he'll know when to step in.

For now, he kept his gaze on Arken, watching him carefully for any tells he may be able to pick up on.

"Of course I didn't, I'm not Grisha." The lie rolled smoothly off the tip of her tongue.

"That tattoo says otherwise." The Conductor gestured to her wrist, where the Soulbearer tattoo was etched into her olive skin, "You think I'm a Soulbearer?"

Her hand traced the intricate lines of the ink, Celestine giving a side glance to Kaz, communicating silently with him, something they'd learnt to do with one another.

Should I tell him? Is he trustworthy?

No, you'll only risk your safety— ours included.

"Anyone and everyone can get tattoos." Celestine told the conductor who gave a slight shrug, "Well, that one is a very unique tattoo, Miss Allaire."

The brunette gave him a fake smile, "Arken, if I was the last living Soulbearer, the first thing I'd do is kill anyone who knew of me— that way I'd keep myself safe, without having to worry about the Little Palace or Drüskelle, and I certainly wouldn't want to go to Ravka, of all places."

It was a half-truth she'd told him.

Whether she'd admit it or not, Celestine worried about Drüskelle every waking moment of her day— though you'd never know, unless you were Kaz Brekker, that is.

He'd seen her at her worst, helped her get to her feet, learnt her tricks and what made her tick.

He was the first to see that warm yellow that made her eyes glow and her hands shine, and he remembered it well— how could you not?

Kaz remembered thinking she was some sort of angel, sent by the Saints, or maybe she was a Saint.

Soulbearers were practically unheard of in Kerch due to the war between Grisha, they were thought to of all died gruesome deaths in battle.

Soulbearers and Jordas were legends to the people of Kerch— found in history books, describing the life bringers as, 'ethereal,' and the earth manipulators as, 'wicked.'

The Jorden were painted as barbaric and merciless from tales of past battles— suffocating their enemies with the soil from beneath their feet or strangling them with vines that they'd manipulate to twist and curl and tighten around limbs until they were cold and blue.

Soulbearers were seen as peacekeepers, they never engaged in any sort of battle or war unless it threatened the lives of the innocent or if they absolutely had to.

They healed broken souls and freed the darkness from within, they weren't fighters, they were lovers.

Such a shame Celestine never got the chance to be a lover rather than a fighter— things would've probably been easier that way.

"Very few Grisha would betray their general," Kaz steered the conversation back on track, the attention drifting from Celestine to him, "And fewer still would help foreigners kidnap their most prized possession."

"Nina's a radical," Arken stated, giving Celestine one more curious glance before letting the whole Soulbearer conspiracy go, "Thinks Grisha should get to choose if they serve the Crown— she despises involuntary service more than she does Fjerdans."

Just as the Conductor had finished, the carriage rolled to a stop outside the building Nina had told Arken she'd be staying at.

The five pass by a man behind the front counter, counting a wad of money in his hand on the way to the Heartrender's room, only to find no Nina Zenik in sight.

"She knew to expect us." Arken informed as they all inspected the room.

"She isn't late," Kaz dismissed, "She's gone."

"Yes, but her things are all—" Kaz lifted the lid of the case, a shiny silver pin hiding underneath that stopped Arken in his tracks and grabbed his attention, picking it up before Celestine could get her fingers on it.

"What is it?" Jesper asked, his mouth stuffed with food as the brunette beside him glared at the back of the Conductor's head, "Drüskelle, they're ruthless Grisha hunters."

Jesper placed a gentle hand on Celestine's back as she clenched her hands at the word, Drüskelle.

Her eyes flickered to the Zemini as she muttered an "I'm fine," whilst giving him her best smile.

Obviously, Jesper didn't buy it, but he let it slide.

"Explains the Fjerdan krydda the innkeeper was counting when we arrived," Kaz pointed out, "It's likely he ratted her out."

"She's probably captive on a ship to Fjerda by now." Celestine commented, snatching the wolf pin from Arken's hands and twirling it between her fingers.

"They had a clear line of attack." Inej told Kaz, and the man gave a single nod, turning to her, "Take a look— make sure there aren't anymore surprises."

Inej does as asked, and walked out onto the balcony of the room, leaping over of the railing to go out and investigate.

"Well, that's that," Arken sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed, "We've lost our way into the Little Palace."

Kaz glared at the back of the Conductor's head, before glancing towards Celestine who was already watching him, twirling the Drüskelle pin in her hand.

Time to make a new plan.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

sorry for the shitty chapter but,
celestine's back!

trying to get into the process of
updating again, taking baby steps.

hopefully the next
chapter will be better than this,
but i just wanted to get this
scene over and done with.

anyway, thanks for reading,
and another celestine
chapter will be here soon!