𝐍𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃
Brynn Adala had lived in fear for so long. Keeping her secret hidden, buried far under the events of her past and the promise of her future. Until the job that might just get her killed brings it all back to...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
CHAPTER 21
No Mourners
Vellgeluk was silent and dark, the small island well outside of Ketterdam's harbor watch. Brynn changed out of her nightgown as soon as she woke up and got out of her hammock. She'd found a new appreciation for blouses and suspenders, a noticeable lack of gloves in the compartment she shared with Sasha.
She tried visiting Nina after she woke, but Matthias told her it would be best if she let the girl rest. Brynn didn't think that was the complete reason why, but she didn't argue with love.
Sasha would stay with Specht, Wylan, and Nina, safely far away from Vellgeluk. Their goodbye was cut short by Kaz, telling them that they needed to get going if they were going to get their money.
The rest of them rowed out from the Ferolind with Rotty on the longboat. "Where's the other longboat?" asked Jesper.
"Repairs," replied Kaz.
When their longboat made it to shore, Brynn jumped down and helped the others pull it onto the sand. Brynn saw Jesper check his revolvers, Inej touching each of her knives, lips moving, Matthias adjusting the rifle strapped to his back and rolling his enormous shoulders. Brynn silently checked the rings on her bare fingers. Anything could happen, so she'd need to be prepared for anything. Brynn met gazes with Kaz, but he quickly looked away.
"All right," he said. "Let's go get rich."
"No mourners," called Rotty from the longboat.
"No funerals," they replied.
Brynn knew it was Van Eck before she got close to see his face properly. He wore mercher's black, accompanied by a tall Shu man with his dark hair bound at the nape of his neck, and followed by a group of stadwatch in their purple coats, all carrying batons and rifles. Two men lugged a heavy trunk between them, staggering slightly at the weight.
"So that's what forty million kruge looks like," said Kaz.
Jesper whistled. "Hopefully, the longboat won't sink."
"Just you, Van Eck?" Kaz asked the mercher. "The rest of the Council couldn't be bothered?"
Now that they were closer, Brynn could see the resemblance between Jan Van Eck and Wylan Van Eck. Immediately, Brynn didn't like Jan Van Eck.
"The Council felt I was best suited to this task, as we've had dealing before."
Kaz glanced at the ruby pin stuck to Van Eck's tie. "Nice pin. Not as nice as the other one, though."
Van Eck's lips pursed. "The other was an heirloom." Brynn suspected the thief from Ketterdam had stolen the first pin from the mercher. "Well?" asked the Shu man beside him.
