Chapter 10: A Way Across

                                    

                                          


                          
In Ketterdam... 
                          


                          
'Don't!' Kaz shouted. Inej's dagger flew into the wall, inches from his head, with deadly accuracy. Inej stared in horror, her hand slightly shaking. 'He's our way to Alina Starkov.' 
                          
'Him?' she asked, the horror and shock growing with every second. She could have almost killed the man. 
                          
'Heleen knew it. She was using you to sabotage our mission.' 
                          
'She and I made a deal,' Inej hissed. 
                          
'It isn't worth more than what we get with him alive.' She looked at Kaz. 
                          
'You would choose him over my freedom?' 
                          
'You assume it's one or the other.' She looked down at the man called the Conductor, and with one quick swipe, left the man with a mark on his neck he'd likely remember forever. Kaz limped up to the man, who laid on his back, tied down in a chair reclined against a couch. 'Conductor. I have a job for you.' The man looked up at Kaz. 'Get us to the Little Palace.'
                          


                          
In Os Alta... 
                          


                          
General Kirigan, with Alina in tow, galloped into the front courtyard of the Little Palace. The two dismounted and walked towards the large front door of the Palace. 
                          
'You'll be safe here. The palace is the most secure building in the whole country. I made sure of it.' He paused at the door just as she walked up to it. She looked back. 
                          
'Where are you going?' 
                          
'Take her to the vezda suite,' he commanded. 
                          
'Am I a prisoner?' she asked in shock, the panic creeping up on her. 
                          
'All of Ravka is,' he replied. 'Until you and I have banished the Fold.'
                          
'So no pressure,' she mumbled as she and the General parted ways and two soldiers took her inside the Little Palace, leading her to a suite. One of the men opened a door, showing her a room that had more extravagance than she had ever seen in her young life. The soldiers shut the doors, leaving her alone. After looking around the room, it was then that her situation finally began to sink in, and she sobbed. Long and loud. Just then she heard footsteps, and her head snapped up. Frantically she began to rifle through the drawers until she found something long, gold and needle-like. Moving over to the bed, she hid it underneath her pillow. 
                          


                          
Back in Ravka (Kribirsk)... 
                          


                          
It was nightfall in the camp of the First Army, stationed on the very edge of the Shadow Fold. Mal walked across with all his gear and began to saddle a horse. To find a way out. To the Little Palace. Just as he was keeping an eye out for any passerby, he spun around to see his friends and fellow soldiers, Mikhael and Dubrov, just behind him. 
                          
'Mikhael, Dubrov, what are you doing?' 
                          
'Keeping a friend from making a mistake,' one of them replied.
                          
'It's not a mistake, she's in danger.' 
                          
'She's with the Black General. Safe as you can get.' 
                          
'Not enough for me. Make way.' He tried to go past them, but they blocked his path. 
                          
'Dubrov's right,' Mikhael said. 'Okay, she'll be at the Little Palace by tomorrow.' 
                          
'Fine, that's where I'll go.' 
                          
'What's your plan? You can't just walk in there, Mal. That place is filled with people who can kill you with merely a clean line of sight. You can't get in the gate without a formal invitation -' 
                          
'Which you don't have,' the soldier finished for his friend. 'And you're no good to anyone if you're hanged as a deserter. Look, you want into the palace? Be a hero. Get a medal. That'll get you invited.' 
                          
'Right. Fine. I'll stay. But only for you.' Mal went to unpack his stuff. 
                          
'Yeah. Sure. It has nothing to do with the getting hanged or killed part.' 
                          
'I don't get it,' Dubrov asked Mikhael. 'She kept her power a secret from him. Isn't he mad at her?' 
                          
'We're all fools, Dubrov. And when our closest friend is in trouble, we do foolish things.' 
                          


                          
In Ketterdam... 
                          


                          
Kaz Brekker walked into Tante Heleen's office. 
                          
'I'm taking her,' he said. 'And we return, I'll have the buyout to clear the books. Until then... this is my collateral.' He passed her a thick envelope, with a wax seal. 
                          
'What do you have that could possibly be enough?' she taunted, tearing open the wax seal with a penknife. She pulled out the deed to the Crow Club, Kaz's lair. 'The Crow Club?' She stood. 'Well, I stand corrected. Inej is yours to lose now.' She extended a fair-skinned, slender hand to Kaz. 'It's all yours to lose.' He reached forward and slowly shook her hand.