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Kaz hadn’t planned on taking a detour, especially not to the carnival of all places.
In fact, he hadn’t meant to be anywhere near the carnival at all; he was supposed to be on the other side of town, robbing unsuspecting tourists on the East Stave with Wylan, as usual. Though today the other boy had instead opted to work on an order, leaving Kaz to his own devices.
The two boys had reunited not long after Kaz had found out about Hertzoon conning him and his brother; after Jordie died. Kaz had been inconsolable after his death, fumbling around looking for food and sleeping in alleyways, not knowing what to do without the older boy. Wylan had found him one morning around a week following the incident- or maybe he found Wylan, the details were unclear. All he knew was that one moment he was alone, not a single person looking out for him, and the next, he wasn’t.
Caught up in the suddenness of it all, his whole world crashing down on him, the other boy hadn’t even crossed his mind. But soon Wylan became a pillar for him to rely on, even though Kaz was wary about getting too close. It seemed everyone he got close to left him eventually. The two boys later came up with a system; Wylan would distract a mark while Kaz, having the better sleight of hand, picked the unlucky patron’s pocket or purse. They also started up a business of sorts. Kaz knocked off a few shipments of supplies and Wylan used his knowledge of chemistry to make soaps and perfumes which they sold on the West Stave.
It was going pretty well for the two of them, and they were making money where they could. Kaz and Wylan were staying in an orphanage just outside the barrel, but close enough for it to still be crawling with thieves and liars; no matter how defenceless and needy they may look, Kaz had learned not to underestimate anyone. The orphanage- if it could still be called that- was a failed and forgotten attempt by the merchant council to clean up the streets of the barrel; clean up the youth on the street and suffocate the future of the Barrel.
In theory, it seemed plausible enough, but of course, it had backfired.
There were too many children to keep track of, riddled with diseases and not showing any signs of progress with turning their backs on their thieving ways. The council scrapped the project, and stopped all their funding, leaving barely a hole in the wall. Not many people stayed for long, Kaz and Wylan included, in the early days at least. The building still stood, and it was close enough to the barrel that it was one of the few buildings the council hadn’t bothered repurposing for anything. Even though, no staff remained; all of the previous workers had left once their paychecks ran dry.
It was a total free-for-all; nobody listened to anybody and the strong picked off the weak. Kaz was proud to say that He and Wylan, at 14 and 13 respectively, had become the top of the food chain. Most of the kids older than them had already moved on to join gangs in the barrel. Blacktips, Razorgulls, some even went on to join the Dimelions. That was their goal in the end. To join a gang, any really, and turn it into something great. Then he’ll appear out of nowhere, taking down Pekka Rollins once and for all.
Pekka Rollins.
He dreamed of his revenge. Over the past few years, all his thoughts and decisions were with that goal in mind, ever since he took the name Brekker. Kaz Rietveld was dead. Or at least, that was what he told himself. Sometimes, when given a moment to think without worrying about being caught by the stadwatch or escaping from a mugger when he wandered too far into the Barrel, he wondered what his nine-year-old self would have thought if he had seen him now. Ghenzen, what would Jordie have thought of him?
Kaz tried to block out the memories of the last time he saw him- his corpse. Even thinking about that moment made him queasy so he strayed as far as he could from the topic, though sometimes glimpses peeked through against his will. He remembered once a few years prior after a scam went wrong, and he had been swept into a crowd. Kaz had been frozen, unable to move until Wylan had grabbed his hand and dragged him away. After he’d strewn the little contents that remained from his lunch on the asphalt in some alleyway, the two boys realised that he couldn’t go on like this.
Wylan stole Kaz a pair of black leather gloves. Or at least, Kaz assumed he stole them; he wasn’t really sure where he’d gotten them, only that Wylan had handed them to him and that was that. He didn’t bring up the incident or ask if he wanted to talk about it. Kaz appreciated the sediment.
Wylan was the only person who knew anything about his life before he'd taken the name Brekker, and the only person left from before it all went down, though barely. Kaz figured if they hadn’t found each other again, he’d hardly remember the boy. It wasn’t only Wylan who knew things about Kaz. In turn, he learned more about his life before washing up in the harbour; his inability to read, his father, and his plan to get rid of Wylan. Wylan wasn’t as keen on revenge, content to forget about his past, but Kaz had made a promise to himself; after they took down Rollins, he’d get vengeance for his friend.
They didn’t tell each other everything, of course; some things were too difficult to talk about. It was enough for them to trust each other though, and that was what mattered.
Unfortunately, Wylan couldn’t help him today. Kaz had been going about his routine as normal as possible. However, he’d forgotten about the recent uptick in thefts around the area he was in, which meant more stadwatch were out patrolling. After lifting a watch from a Shu tourist on the East Stave, he’d made eye contact with an officer. Normally, Kaz would easily be able to throw him off his scent, but it was just his luck that at that moment the Shu man noticed his watch was missing.
He had been outraged; throwing his hands in the air and drawing a crowd of curious onlookers. Naturally, the man pointed to Kaz as his suspect, and the stadwatch officer who had been eyeing him suspiciously a few moments before took off after him.
Kaz ran as fast as he could, easily passing his pursuer, though another stadwatch had caught on to what happened and Kaz knew he couldn’t outrun them both for long. The way back to the orphanage was blocked by the crowd and he had no doubt he would be caught if he went that way. So, that left him with one other option.
The carnival.
The carnival came around every year or two. With booths of fortune tellers, exotic animals, and even more exciting spectacles, families came from all around Ketterdam and even from neighbouring towns to take part in the festivities. Jordie had promised they’d go the next time the carnival was in town. Of course, that never happened. Although Kaz didn’t have much enthusiasm for it now, he could admit he was grateful for the cover it provided as he seamlessly blended in with a group of people watching an escape artist.
Kaz let out a sigh of relief. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t escape jail if that’s what it came to, he just didn’t feel like it. After the first few times, it became less of a challenge he enjoyed and more of a hassle. Besides, Wylan would ask why he was late and quip some snarky remark about him losing his touch. Kaz was just about to leave- after years on the streets of Ketterdam he knew how to manoeuvre around the water channels in a way that he could stay unseen- when he caught a glimpse of the stadwatch officers who’d been following him.
Kaz cursed. Of course they’d be the determined type. They seemed young; probably just started the job. Usually more seasoned officers wouldn’t bother with such a minor theft but new recruits tended to take their job description more literally, not knowing when to save their energy.
He looked around, trying to find some cover, and ducked into a large tent that appeared to be hosting some sort of show. Kaz stepped to the side of the entrance, surveying the inside. The stands that encircled the tents were nearly full, and the crowd was idly conversing as they waited for the show which he presumed hadn’t yet begun.
While he waited for the storm to clear outside, Kaz slid himself into the seats near the top of the stands to better blend in and keep an eye on the entrance in case the stadwatch came in. Thankfully, the tent was poorly lit, probably to create suspense, and was the perfect place to lay low.
Rather than wait for the show, which judging by the equipment already set up looked to be some sort of acrobatic routine, he studied the spectators.
A lady a few rows down in a garish hat and a very expensive-looking necklace.
An impatient-looking man in a suit checking his shiny silver watch.
A couple a few seats away from him sporting matching gold rings.
Kaz was debating whether or not he had time to make his rounds to all three before he met up with Wylan when he heard a bright laugh. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t see what was in front of him. The laugh had come from a boy, maybe 8 or 9 years old, with dark hair and a mischievous smile. Kaz looked beside the boy and his breath caught. For a moment he saw a face that he never thought he’d see again. Not in broad daylight. He shook his head. No, it wasn’t him. Truth be told, the boy didn’t even look that similar to him, other than the fact that he was probably 13 to 14. Kaz’s age, actually; the same age he had been when…
Kaz gripped the bench tightly. He couldn’t do this here, he wouldn’t.
Still, Kaz couldn’t help but feel bitter when he looked at the other people sitting with them. A middle-aged man and woman, no doubt the parents of the two boys; the mother had the younger’s smile, and the father their oldest’s eyes. A happy family, they were. Kaz wondered if his family would’ve come to show like this; if his father hadn’t died in the horrific accident, if his mother wasn’t long gone, if his brother…
Kaz was so lost in his thoughts he didn’t register the chatter of the crowd dying down, as the last few people hurried to their seats.
So lost in his thoughts that he didn’t see as someone ducked into his row of seats, didn’t even notice until they were brushing against him quickly trying to get to their seat.
Kaz jerked away from the unexpected touch, anxiously looking around at the exit. Shit. The stadwatch officers were in the tent, stationed at the entrance in their ridiculous purple uniforms. He began breathing heavily, panic setting in. There were too many people, it was too crowded. He had to escape, get out of there before-
In the midst of his perturbation, he didn’t notice the show started.
The oohing and ahhing of the crowd momentarily distracted him, but it wasn’t enough. He needed something more than a distraction; he needed something to ground him, even if only for a moment.
The spotlight shone suddenly, focusing in on a small silhouette. By the looks of it, the figure was a Suli girl, maybe thirteen. Kaz managed to close in on her, drowning out the rest of the world.
The first thing he noticed was that she was smiling wide. Not a smile like the one the boy Kaz had seen earlier wore, the one that reminded him of himself when he was younger, though not any less real. It was a bit shy, but proud as she basked in the crowd's applause, like this was what she was made to do.
She looked ethereal in the warm glow of the spotlight. Though she was small, her presence seemed to fill the entire tent, her confidence and joy emanating throughout.
Kaz was in awe.
In that instant, he forgot about the crowd, the Stadwatch, the family with the two boys. The world had narrowed down to her and for a moment, it was enough to make him forget.
She prepared to take off on the swing again, and Kaz could feel the whole audience holding their breath. It took him a second to realise that so was he. There was no net, he noted somewhat distantly in the back of his mind. Kaz wasn’t so sure that was the reason his breath suddenly caught.
The girl took off, gracefully soaring through the air. She looked free, Kaz observed. Despite the many eyes on her, there wasn’t a moment of hesitation or doubt on the face or in her actions. She was clearly well-trained, but it was different than just going through the movements. Kaz could feel the joy she felt for what she did. He’d dare say it was magical.
She reached peak swing at eye level to his row. The girl was even more awe-inspiring up close. Kaz wasn’t sure he was even breathing anymore, whether it was the anticipation or maybe because he was scared of shattering the moment, he didn’t know. Despite him not being directly in front of the girl, she somehow managed to catch his eye. The seemingly endless moment felt impossibly longer, like they were stuck in that instant. Frankly, Kaz wasn’t sure he really wanted it to end.
Up close, he noticed the more intricate details of her face you couldn’t see from afar. Her long fluttering eyelashes which fanned across her cheeks, her intense soulful eyes. She blushed, barely noticeable on her rich bronze skin but there nonetheless. It was startling to see given the confidence that radiated off her moments before but with a start, he realised she was flustered because of him. His eyes widened, and he could feel his ears heat but mercifully, gravity caught up with the girl and she swung back.
When she was returned back on her podium, and the crowd erupted in another round of applause, Kaz finally sucked in a breath, his heart rate returning to a somewhat normal speed again.
Kaz sat back in his seat and attempted to control his breathing. Thankfully, the mysterious girl was replaced with new acrobats. Older than the girl but with a similar heritage; her parents, maybe. An hour passed, and by the end of the performance, Kaz was seriously questioning what he was still doing there. Jail wasn’t the end of the world, though perhaps there was another reason he stayed.
The performers dismounted their silks, and the Suli girl reentered the spotlight once again along with them. Now, together, they formed the picture-perfect family; happy, smiling, at ease. The group took a bow, and while the audience stood for a standing ovation, Kaz took his chance to escape.
He walked briskly, trying to avoid the carnival-goers while willing himself to move on from this bizarre evening.
Forget the naive stadwatch officers.
Forget the two boys and their happy-go-lucky family.
Forget the girl-
Kaz turned the corner.
Crash.
He gasped, stumbling back to see who it was he collided with.
The girl.
Her hair was loose, still wavy from the braid it had been in. Kaz stared at her wide-eyed, again feeling somewhat disoriented. The girl, however surprised, recovered quicker than him. At least, enough to open her mouth.
“I- uh, sorry. I-”
“Hey! You there!”
Kaz inhaled sharply. The stadwatch.
Maybe not forget them after all, he thought distantly.
Kaz quickly scanned his surroundings. Behind the tent where they stood provided some cover, but he’d already been spotted. Plus, there wasn’t anywhere to run from where he now stood unless he could somehow make it past the two officers.
Without thinking, Kaz hooked his arm around the girl’s, walking in the direction away from the officers.
The girl’s eyes widened, her brows furrowing as she attempted to pull her arm away. She spoke something in Suli that he didn’t understand, before switching to broken Kerch.
“What are you-”
“Hey! Stop!”
Shit! The stadwatch were still following.
The girl opened her mouth to cry out for help.
“No!” Kaz hissed frantically. “They’re after me.”
The girl looked at him skeptically. “Why?”
The one-word question lingered in the air as Kaz decided his lie.
“Well, I played a tiny harmless prank on them earlier. Looks like they don’t know how to take a joke.” He then attempted to smile sheepishly, and although he was confident it looked convincing, the girl didn’t seem impressed.
“Prank,” the girl said carefully, testing out the unfamiliar word. Still, she looked over at his greasy self-cut hair and filthy clothes, and Kaz felt as though she saw through his lies.
“Please,” he tried, a little reluctantly.
The girl, still worried-looking but seemingly recognizing his desperateness, took mercy on him and led him to the Suli caravan.
The inside was homely, decorated with various knick-knacks and colourful quilts. Without a word, he took a seat on the nearby bed, to which the girl wrinkled her nose, narrowing in on his dirty shoes. Kaz noticed she was still barefoot from her performance- not the best choice on the streets of Ketterdam- but somehow he couldn't be bothered to worry about being disrespectful with the stadwatch hot on their heels.
Knock-knock-knock
Speaking of which, He thought.
The girl shot him a frantic look, the message clear in her eyes. What do I do?
Despite the high stakes, Kaz felt more at ease than he had all day. This was something he knew how to do.
He smiled devilishly and mimed opening the door. Any previous signs of his earlier flustered state had been erased- though somewhere in the distant back of his mind found her discombobulated state endearing.
The girl opened the door as Kaz took a stand on the other side of it.
“I- hello?” The girl asked, only a little shaky to her credit.
“Uh. Hello, ma’am. We’re looking for a boy that came through here. Black hair, wears gloves,” one of the men said, louder than probably necessary. Kaz couldn’t see their faces but he could imagine their surprise opening the door.
The girl looked slightly panicked and glanced at Kaz for help. He shook his head, raising his eyebrows, and making a gesture with his hands to elaborate, though more patronising than anything else.
“No!” She said quickly. “No, no boy. Sorry.”
There was a pause, then, “Mind if we take a look?”
Now this might be more of a problem, Kaz thought as he shook his head more urgently. On second thought, he really didn’t feel like being on the receiving end of their fury after making them run around the city for hours.
“You can’t!” Kaz could almost feel their skepticism through the door. “It is very messy,” she tried salvaging, “But I saw the boy run there.”
Kaz couldn’t see which way she pointed, but that answer must’ve been satisfactory because sure enough, he heard the officers retreat and the girl closed the door, breathing a sigh of relief. Kaz grinned. He wasn’t particularly worried but nonetheless, his adrenaline always ran high after close calls like those.
Then the girl turned on him, and Kaz wasn’t quite sure it was the adrenaline anymore.
“What did you do?” She asked him seriously, her eyes narrowing.
“I told you-”
“No! There is no prank. Tell me what you did or I will call back the men who are chasing you.”
Despite the simple sentences she spoke, Kaz could see the intelligence and curiosity behind Inej’s eyes. That, along with the anger and frustration, which made him consider his next words more carefully. The threat was petty, but even though he could now easily escape if needed, and he still wasn’t fully convinced she would sell him out, Kaz was curious as to how this would play out.
He reached into his coat pocket.
The girl inhaled sharply, reaching for something on the nearby shelf. Kaz stepped back until-
“Is that… a bottle of honey?” He asked incredulously.
“I- shut up! What’s in your coat?!” She demanded.
He slowly pulled the watch from his pocket, stretching out the movement for exaggeration.
The girl looked annoyed by this but still uneasy nonetheless.
“What is this?” she asked, beyond confused once she saw the watch.
“A watch,” he replied easily, being difficult on purpose.
“That you…stole?” The girl asked carefully.
“No, that I was given in return for killing a rival gang leader.”
Clearly, the sarcasm didn’t translate well, because the girl gasped, covering her mouth in horror. In some ways, she reminded him of Wylan when he started out. Flighty, innocent, naive.
Eventually, the other boy mellowed out a bit, learning to let go of some of his moral values, but still, he preferred not to be involved on the front line. For some reason, whether because she did him a favour or because it was clear this girl did not belong in the harsh Ketterdam environment Kaz didn’t know, but he wasn’t in a hurry to see her lose those views.
“No! I mean, yes, obviously I stole it.”
This seemed to console her a bit.
“So, you are a thief,” she said, more a statement than a question. Alright, less intimidated than Wylan was then.
“Among other things, yes.”
“Do I want to know why you stole it?”
“Eh, not important. So, you live here?”
“Yes, with my family. We travel for- What are you doing?”
Kaz looked up from where he was fiddling with a knick-knack, its origin Ravkan, presumably.
“So, is your family coming back here anytime soon?”
“Well, no. They have to pack up supplies then meet with the ringmaster for payment.”
“And that will take them…”
“A few hours at least.” The girl eyed him suspiciously. “Why?”
“Well, we are at the carnival. Might as well take advantage of the circumstances. That way I can repay you for your kindness,” he said smoothly. Kaz wasn’t really sure why he offered, but the girl seemed intrigued and like she was possibly considering it, so he couldn’t complain.
“Well, this is the last day we’ll be in Ketterdam for the carnival. And Mama said I could not go alone, though she and Papa will be back late…” She trailed off, seemingly torn.
“So, you will come with me?”
“I…suppose. Only for an hour.”
“The deal is the deal.”
Kaz opened the door, taking a quick scan of the area, and stepped outside after seeing it was all clear.
“But- the officers are still out there. Someone might recognize you.” The girl said, trailing behind, cautiously sticking to the shadows. If not for her voice, he wouldn’t think anyone was there at all. Kaz couldn’t help himself, turning his head back to look at her, just to make sure she was really there, as the girl self-consciously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Kaz nicked a mask of The Madman from a stall as he passed, pulling it on his face when the stall owner wasn’t looking, to which the girl stared at him disapprovingly.
“Don’t give me that look. You knew what you were getting into when you agreed to this.”
The girl tilted her head to the side in a ‘sure’ motion which Kaz pointedly ignored.
“So, what should we start with first?” He asked.
The girl looked up from where she had been eyeing the dart games.
Kaz grinned. Maybe he could still have fun at the carnival after all these years.
He wasn’t the greatest marksman in Ketterdam but he imagines he has more aim than this girl.
(Later, when the girl is handing him the prize she won with a smug smile on her face, Kaz admits maybe he underestimated her. He also acknowledged that he didn’t try nearly as hard as he normally would have if he wanted to win.)
They played some more games after that, almost all of which Kaz won (he couldn't let her have all the fun), ate some cotton candy ( “How do you even eat this?” “How many carnivals have you performed at and you’ve never tried cotton candy?” “This isn’t a carnival thing. It’s just you Kerch who are strange.”), and Kaz robbed a carny whose game was very obviously rigged. The girl turned a blind eye to that one.
Now, a few hours had passed and the girl had insisted she had to get back before her parents noticed she was gone, so they were walking back to the caravan, albeit regretfully.
Neither party wanted to acknowledge it but realistically, they would never see each other again; the girl would go on performing wherever was next on her way, and Kaz would go back to his own routine. Hell, he didn’t even know the girl’s name. Still, this was more fun than Kaz had allowed himself in a while without having an ulterior motive or pulling off a scam.
It was getting late. Most of the families had left once it started getting dark, so now it was mostly university students coming out for a good time after their classes, and the rare drunk who strayed too far from the Barrel. The street lights shone and lanterns were lit, but most of the shows and game booths had begun packing up for the night.
“Hey, sweetheart! You lost? West Stave’s that way!”
Kaz turned his head to see who it was that called out. A man, clearly drunk, was stumbling around. It took Kaz longer than he would like to admit to realise the man’s comment was directed at the girl, who although might not know what went on at the West Stave, looked uncomfortable while she tried to make herself as small as possible. The girl was still wearing the leotard she performed in, although she had put on a pair of baggy pants over it and thankfully a pair of shoes since then.
The man approached and in a show of surprising speed for someone as intoxicated as him, attempted to grab the girl’s arm. She cried out, jerking her arm back, but she wasn’t able to escape his grip. Without thinking much about it, Kaz reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the knife he kept there, slashing the man. He cried out, cursing them as Kaz took the girl’s hand in his own, the only thing separating them the thin leather of his gloves, and ran in the direction of the caravan. The man was too drunk to follow, and although Kaz was pretty sure he’d heard him crash into some trash cans, that didn’t stop the girl from glancing back every two seconds until they’d finally turned the corner to catch their breaths.
They stood for a moment in silence; this part of the carnival near the girl’s trailer was deserted, so the only sound between them was their mutual panting. Even once their breathing returned to normal, Kaz still wasn’t sure what to say, if he was supposed to say anything at all. The girl didn’t seem too keen to talk about what happened either but this seemed like a bad way to end the night.
Kaz looked down at his knife, which now glistened red with the man’s blood under the faint glow of the street lights. A half-formed idea came to mind and he wiped the blood on his coat, not really caring about the stain it left on the dark fabric. If anything, it’ll help keep any unwanted attention away from him on his way back to the orphanage.
Kaz handed the knife to the girl.
“Here, in case you’re ever in Ketterdam again,” he said, “For protection.”
She took the hilt hesitantly, though she didn’t look all that puzzled or scandalised which Kaz took as a good sign. The girl paused, looking at the gift in deep thought before meeting Kaz’s eyes, again staring at him like she saw through all his facades. He had expected her to say something meaningful then, or perhaps just question the whole thing altogether, but instead, all the girl uttered was a soft, “Thank you.”
Before Kaz could reply, another voice called out.
“Inej Ghafa!”
He tensed, worried it was another drunk but when Kaz turned to face the girl she showed no signs of distress, though maybe…guilt? She yelled back something in Ravkan that he didn’t understand. Kaz turned and saw the figure she was talking to in front of the trailer. Her father, maybe. Just then he became acutely aware of the fact they'd been gone a bit more than a few hours. Kaz straightened though he was sure at this distance only the shadow of his figure would be visible to the older man. He silently cursed himself; what was he doing? Even Wylan would give him grief if he saw him like this.
The girl- Inej?-l turned to him, half apologetic, half uncertain. At that moment he was reminded that they’d never exchanged names. It wasn’t uncommon in the Barrel- to use fake names or not give one at all (hell, the first thing he and Wylan did when they met up again was change theirs)- but he hadn’t given any thought to how strange it would seem to an outsider.
“Inej, huh?” He paused for a moment debating. Oh, what the hell? “I’m Kaz Brekker.”
Inej raised her eyebrows, clearly surprised at the fact he’d offered information about himself, then smiled softly, clearly pleased. “Well Kaz, I had fun today, so thank you.”
She turned her back to him and took a step towards the caravan. Then suddenly, Inej turned around and before Kaz really understood what was happening, she kissed his masked cheek. He was suddenly glad for the mask he wore, however ridiculous it might have looked at that moment, because not only did it hide his wide eyes and flushed cheeks, but because he wasn’t sure he could handle her soft lips on his bare skin. Still, Kaz couldn’t help but feel vaguely disappointed at that fact.
Before he could remember how to say anything- what, he didn’t know- Inej spoke, her own cheeks also red but to her credit she could at least form coherent thoughts, which was more than he could say. “Stay safe, Kaz Brekker,” then she was scurrying off with a hurried farewell.
Kaz stood there, standing in the streets for a moment even as the door to the caravan closed.
Later, as he walked back to the orphanage, giddy for the first time in years, he replayed the still-unreal moment in his mind. Kaz pulled off his mask, letting the chilly night air cool his face which was hot from the warm air that built up in it. No other reason, of course. Still, before he stepped inside, Kaz willed his face to return to its normal shade. He spent probably too much time making fun of Wylan about his tendency to flush easily; if the other boy caught sight of him now, he’d never let him forget it.
***
Inej knew she shouldn’t have gone to bed so late.
And the reason she did definitely had nothing to do with a certain brown-eyed, glove-wearing thief. Well, maybe a little bit.
During the week after the carnival, Inej wondered about Kaz often; where he came from, why he convinced her to go out for the night- without stealing a single thing from her as she found out later, though Inej didn’t doubt he could if he wanted to- but most of all just what he was up to and what his day-to-day looked like. Not that she knew a lot about any of that before, though Inej had her suspicions about some of it. She just hoped he would be safe (and she dared dream that somehow they reunite, but unfortunately that was but wishful thinking).
Inej turned the gifted knife, Sankt Petyr she named it, over in her hands. If she thought about it hard enough she could picture the man’s blood stained on the sharp metal, though it had been long washed off. She tried not to think about the man in general, though when she did, the face of her saviour also came through in the frightening memory. The gift reminded her of something her mother had told her about love. He may not have given her flowers, but he gave her what she needed at that moment- protection. Though Inej didn’t think she would ever need the knife going forward, at least not in the way it was intended to be used- especially since when she returned to the caravan that night, after she’d been scolded about going off on her own, her Papa declared they would never go back to that dreadful city again- but she couldn’t help but imagine a world where she did. It was bizarre, truly, imagining herself in a life of danger at every corner, Kaz teaching her the ropes…
Inej let her mind wander. It wasn’t like there were loads to do the next day, besides practising for a local carnival in the town they were stopping by, Os Kervo, so she let herself get lost in thought until the late hours of the night.
What was the worst thing that could happen if she slept in a bit?
***
Inej sobbed, unable to control her cries. It was dark in the hull of the ship where she and the others were being kept. She was surprised she still had the energy to cry, as some of the others had already accepted the fact and had gone quiet in recognition or maybe fright, but Inej had far too much adrenaline with what was to come to be silent.
What little she found out from the other Ravkan speakers on the boat terrified her.
“Do you know where they’re taking us?” Inej asked the brunette Ravkan woman she’d been speaking to.
“Ketterdam, I reckon. I’ve heard rumours of girls being swept up and sold to the rich folk down there. Supposedly there's also a horrible place called the Barrel. A cousin of mine went there once for trade; he says there’s a dozen or so brothels lined up on the West Stave. Oh, Saints help us if we end up there,” the woman, still a girl really, probably only 3 or so years older than Inej herself, rambled nervously.
However, something the woman had said sparked a memory in the back of her mind. The West Stave…
“Hey, sweetheart! You lost? West Stave’s that way!”
Inej gasped, her hand flying over her mouth. A face that she hadn’t thought of once in the commotion and fear of the past few hours flashed through her mind.
Inej was going to survive this, and escape; she had to.
At least now, she knew where to start.