𝐖𝐀𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒 ↦ Kaz Brekker

xlii. ketterdam

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO ─── ❛ ketterdam ❜

∘☽༓☾∘

𝕬s was, and always would be, the cockroaches of the barrel scuttled from the sound of Stasiaj Yahontov's heels clicking against the cobblestones beneath her. Men leered from the side, but a well placed glare from cold eyes had them scattering back into the shadows as people struggled to hide their secrets from her prying ears. She pulled her trench coat tighter around her, before turning into the Crow Club.

In the months since the Ice Court heist and the ill fated auction plot, which led to the death of Matthias Helvar, Stasiaj Yahontov had further nurtured her business and vipers, stretching her reaches until she was well embedded into Ravka and Fjerda. The more she controlled, the more she knew and the further her safety was ensued in Ketterdam and the surrounding areas. No one could hurt her if she had information on them.

"Good evening, ma'am," Stasiaj smiled at the bartender, who slid a bottle of whiskey to her as she walked past.

"Much appreciated," He nodded, blushing at the interaction and causing Stasiaj to smirk. Even after all this time visiting Kaz at the Crow Club, she still made most of the younger employees flustered. Stasiaj strutted through to the back door with a boosted ego, climbing up the stairs to the final room at the end of the corridor. Not bothering to knock, Stasiaj threw open the door of Kaz's study, sauntering in as if she owned the place.

"You're late," He was reviewing papers, and Stasiaj scrunched her nose up at his inability to look at her.

"Fashionable, Kaz, fashionably late," Stasiaj grinned at his rough voice, placing the bottle of whiskey in front of him and throwing her trench coat over the back of the chair opposite her. She was waiting for him to look at her. "You said look like two million kruge, so I had to find a new dress."

Finally, the man looked up, his mouth parting as he took in Stasiaj's emerald green dress that clung to her figure and matched the fangs in her hair and emeralds in her ears. Golden chains clung to her waist, and Stasiaj smiled at the sight of his open mouth and light blush covering his pale skin. His hands twitched, like he wanted to reach towards her and pull her to his side, but he instead raised an eyebrow.

"You're blushing,"

"And you brought the snake." Stasiaj nodded, scratching the top of her little snakes head, as it curled further around her neck like an expensive necklace. "Okay, fine, you're here. We need to go over the final details before we leave for the party."

"Firstly, are you not going to, I don't know, say something?" Kaz's eyes softened, momentarily changing from the coffee colour to the hot coco that Stasiaj adored.

"You look like ten million kruge, Stasiaj."

"Just for you and only you," He huffed, a soft sort of laugh that he saved for Stasiaj and only Stasiaj, before handing her a sheet of names for Stasiaj to flick through and memorize. "Oh, so we've got some Fjerdans in there with us."