My Dearest Inej

Chapter Twenty: Holiday

Dear Inej,

Thank you for always being so nice to me even if I didn't do much to deserve it. Thank you especially for the nice, warm clothes and the good soup. My Aunt Millie makes good soup, too, but it's not as good as yours. But that's okay. I think I'm going to like Leflin anyway.

Thank you for all you've done for kids like me. I think there are lots of us who would try harder to do the right thing if there were more people like you.

I hope Mr. Brekker feels better soon.

Love,

Artie

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(Marked at the top: "Jesper: Please read to Wylan")

Dear Wylan,

I've had some time to think and look back on the events of the last month or so, and I began to feel like something was strangely out of balance. It took awhile to recognize what it was – perhaps someone a little kinder might have realized it sooner. It was this: you have not been given enough credit.

Don't let Jesper not read this bit to you. His ego can handle a few minutes on the sidelines. Wylan, I think it might have actually been you who saved my life.

I've heard every angle, and I've pieced together the whole scenario. I've well-aware that it was a collaborative effort to haul me out of Ketterdam for treatment. But it was you who was stuck with the perhaps insurmountable task of keeping me sane.

(And Ambroos, too. Let's be honest: he did most of the work.)

So, I thought you should know that I saw it and I won't forget it. I won't forget that when I was half-awake and confused and disoriented, it was you who kept reminding me where we were. I won't forget that when none of my limbs were working quite right, you were the one assuming the unfortunate responsibility of helping me drink. You were the one walking the ward with me. You were the one playing along with endless card tricks. You were the one trying to get me to laugh when the aggravation and the frustration started to swallow me whole.

You're a good man, Wylan Van Eck, and an even better friend. One of the best. You have been fearless and determined and self-sacrificing, and for all that and more, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Sincerely,

K. Brekker

(an addition at the bottom)

No. Still too sentimental. DISCARD.

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(in the folder marked: "Nina")

Dear Nina,

I'm writing you today from outside a little café in Shriftport, and I'm realizing I had the opportunity to give you all of my letters and I FORGOT. Honestly, how are we so bad at this? Of course, we were all a little preoccupied, what with the jailbreak and the escape and the chaos of locating Artie while outrunning Stadwatch, and then gorging ourselves on inordinate amounts of award-winning cake. BUT STILL. I hate to think you might be thinking that I'm not writing you. I am writing you everything.

Now that we are in Shriftport, I've paid to have The Wraith dry-docked for maintenance for the next couple of months, and the crew has been given pay and leave to explore Novyi Zem to their hearts' content. Kaz and I are about to embark on the same; although, we've been saying this for about three days now and haven't made it out of the city limits. There's just a lot of sleeping and eating to be done first. I think all the excitement finally caught up to us, and, Nina, I am exhausted. And because of that, there's not been much of a plan formed, but for once, I think that's okay. And I think Kaz agrees. We know it may be a couple months until all the buzz dies down in Ketterdam and it's safe to dock again. Not much to do until then.