the shadows ballad ° kaz brekker

chapter 8

chapter 8:
heist.
Nyx

"So, you were just going to casually become ruler of Ravka? And ran away?"

"No," I shook my head, "I didn't just run away. I wanted to stay - I wanted Grisha everywhere to know that they had someone who could actually protect them, but Baghra told me the truth behind making me Queen."

"Baghra?" Jesper questioned.

"My mother. My brother is General Kirigan," I revealed.

"Did they plan to assassinate you?" Inej asked, seeming like the only person who wasn't judging me for seemingly dropping an easy life of jewelry and money for a hard one that meant death around every corner.

"My brother planted the seed of marrying Prince Vasily, said I would make a great Queen. Then, without my knowledge, started to influence the people around me to make sure that it was me who married him. But, I didn't care that I didn't love him."

"It was the fact that he planned on weaponizing me, and if I didn't agree to whatever he wanted, then I would be hung as a traitor. Turns out that all of those whom I once called my friends were spies for my brother, and extremely loyal to him. They'd turn against me and I'd die before knowing it. That's why I ran," I finished explaining to them.

"And no one is judging you for it," Inej reassured me, giving everyone the evil eye.

"Well. . .that went well."

The ride or my explanation?

"The Little Palace Winter Fete. There's just no way he can find a way to the Sun Summoner without Nina. Especially during this ridiculous party. The place will be crawling with the Second Army," Arken sighed in defeat.

"I know some secret entrances and halls, but there's no guarantee that they haven't boarded them up," I said, being totally useless.

"We're in luck," Kaz spoke up, approaching us.

"There's a good chance we can crack on. Now that we're three days travel from the capital, the next play is finding a way inside the Little Palace. Turns out the Kribirsk archives house the Little Palace blueprints. But. . .they're kept under lock and key. Far from the prying eyes of the masses," Kaz explained with a little smirk at the end.

"Yes!" Jesper grinned.

"What does that mean?"

"Time for a heist!"

A heist.

I haven't seen the Little Palace in so long I've almost forgotten what it looks like. Soon enough, I'll know again, but it won't be smiles and welcoming me back with open arms. It'll be glares filled with hatred and envy. Hatred for not obeying my brother, and leaving them to be pawns in his game. Envy for being able to escape and fake my own death.

I have my new family by my side, and although they'd fight to the death for me.

They won't have to.

I looked at Kaz, reminiscing on the awful yet needed conversation we had before leaving Ketterdam. He gave me a curt nod, and I knew that he'd go through with it.

"Kaz, I need to ask something of you," I said, nervous as I sat down across from him.

"Not if it involves explosives. I already told Jesper no."

"Kaz. I'm serious," He did a double take glance to see my serious yet torn expression, and sat up straight.

"What is it?"

"If General Kirigan gets ahold of me, I need you to do this without hesitation. You can't remember our past, you need to forget me completely. Inej cannot remember that I existed, and I know that's going to break her, but you need to get her through that-"

"Nyx, what are you asking?" Kaz asked, his tone telling me to just drop it and leave.

"If Kirigan gets ahold of me. . .I need you to kill me."

///
Did a little Starlord and Gamora moment there. But yes, Nyx fears what Aleksander may do if he gets ahold of her, and asked Kaz to kill her before he can even grab her. Do you think he'll do it?
Go check out my new Shadow and Bone fanfic! Resurrection! It's a Kaz Brekker fanfic, so I hope you enjoy!