Salem Starkov is Alina Starkov's cousin who like her is a cartographer for the first army but when they both unexpectedly enter the Fold on a mission they are both exposed as people of myth, but the real question is, is everything in the myths true?
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The sound of Kaz's laughter makes me pause as we walk towards the boat taking us to our certain doom. His laugh sounds rough, like he hasn't done it in ages but also spellcasting. Something I could listen to forever, smiling he asks me "you seriously did that on your first day on the camp?" I was telling him about how I got into a fight with a leading officer my first day at the army camp because he was trying to come on to another cartographer, naturally I beat him bloody but that got me thrown in prison for a while.
I can't help but smile, nodding my head "of course I did" I say as it starts to rain, not a good omen, "I made a few friends in prison who would sneak me chocolate whenever I wrote to them" a gleam flits in his eye and we reach the docks. "Salem" he says suddenly very serious and I look over to the docks. An attack. Who ratted us out? No one knew we were going except for the people in our team but they wouldn't rat us out would they? Dime Lions and other gangs are shooting shots at us, half the docks in flame.
I can't see any of my friends which makes me panic and I go to race forward but Kaz grips my wrist and I know how much that pains him. Physical contact. I turn back and see a flash of worry in his eyes before it's gone "get to the boat, I'll make sure the others are safe" I step forward "but-" he cuts me off quickly "no mourners" he says brushing past me and I sigh. "No funerals" and I rush towards the real boat, not the decoy Kaz placed for this very reason.
It unnerves me sometimes that Kaz is always prepared for if someone betrays us. He has has so much hurt in his life he assumes everyone will hurt him. It's upsetting. The boat comes into my view, who looks like Jesper up high his guns out and shooting, at least I know he is alive. I move around some storage boxes when someone grabs me from behind, I get flashbacks to the attack in the forest by Fjderans when I was making my way to the little palace. How hopeless I was then and start to panic before reality sets in again and manage to grab my knife strapped to my thigh and jam it into his leg, he hissed in pain, his grip slipping on me.
I grab his arm, twist around and pull my knife out of his leg and hold it to his throat, my hands shaking. "Do it" he says his eyes wide, betting I won't but I lean in and whisper "you went after my friends. For that you die" and the knife slashes his throat easily, too easily. Without pausing to think I rush for the boat and Nina and Matthias are on. I look around for Kaz and Inej. My best friends.
"Where are they?" I ask Nina who is clutching her side, "I don't know" she answers and I panic. What happened? Did they get hurt? Or kidnapped? Or killed? My mind is racing with hundreds of different possible out comes when I see a figure appear through the smoke left by a bomb Wylan set off. The figure becomes clearer, it's Kaz and he is holding..... "Saints Inej" I whisper rushing to his side. I can see the pain in Kaz's eyes from having someone this close but I also know how much Inej means to him.
"Get us out of here" he says, his face distant, trying to keep from thinking out the close touching. The boat leaves the dock and I feel a wave of calm, even if Inej is severally injured at least we are away from further threat. "Specht" he shouts completely ignoring everyone. Ignoring me. "Get your great in shape or I will start cracking skulls" he threats and I know he means it.
"Where's Nina?" He snarls at us and Jesper replies "seeing to the wounded below. She already took care of me" that's when I notice his bloody leg and feel guilty for not having noticed sooner. Kaz plunges down below and Jesper looks at me "don't take it personally Sal, he isn't thinking straight" but all I can think about is the pain in his eyes and wanting to stop it. I would do anything to stop him hurting.
Without saying anything I head for the railing and look out over the true sea. This is only the second time I have been on a boat, the first was when I came to Ketterdam from Ravka in worse shape then I am now but for some reason I feel more shake. Probably because I have more to loose. A few minutes later Kaz joins me after seeing to Inej and talking with Jesper. "Are you ok?" He asks softy, both of us looking out at the blue expanse around us, I don't bother looking at him when I answer "I'm dead if that's what you mean" he sighs and hooks his cane on the rail "I knew that was a safer route for you to take" he explains softly making sure no one over hears us "I didn't want to have to worry about you when I was saving everybody else"
I look at him this time with an expression of shock, that wasn't something I expected him to say, "I can hold my own" I say leaning against the railing and sending a jolt of lightning down metal shocking him slightly through his gloves making him jump. He smiles and looks out to the sea again "I know but I still worry. You have been through so much already" I look over to the others Matthias is sitting down by himself, Jesper and Wylan are in the midst of a conversation and I know Nina is below deck tending to Inej.
I send up a silent prayer to the Saints and say to Kaz Brekker "we all have. You especially" there is a pause and we look at each other "I heard we have a guest who needs a talking to" he says and we share a smirk. He is referring to Ooman, "follow me" I say walking towards we're our captive is being held.
A/N: I love Kaz and Salem so much!!!!!! Kaz has revealed a more soft side in this chapter, what does everyone think?
