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"BUT WE'RE STILL DOING IT?" "We trust them now or we trust them later." "Are we going to talk about Matthias' revelation about Nina's loyalties?" "Pretty sure most of us don't have 'stalwart' or 'true' checked off in our résumés."
Dinara knew he had a point, but it was still rough knowing that her best friend had caused all this pain. As the group trudged on, the distance between Dinara and Kaz grew with every day that passed. They both hid their feelings, locking them up and throwing away the key, not showing it to the outside world. They were a ticking time bomb, waiting for the right moment to explode and bring everyone down with them. Two long days had passed before they finally reached the cliffs that looked over Djerholm. The weather had warmed significantly, making Dinara hate the outfit she was wearing. The fur was tedious, sticking to her skin, making her want to tear off every piece of clothing. One the ground, small blossoms stuck up from the ground, showing off the first signs of spring. The picture Dinara had made up in her mind of Djerholm reminded her of Ketterdam — smoky skies, danger lurking in every corner, and buildings like the Menagerie lining every corner.
However, the streets were tidy, people were orderly, making this small town very different from the picture in her head. She let her gaze wonder over the houses, her eyes taking in the bright colors that painted them. The colors threw her off, making her wonder if there was something wrong with the air here. No one should be this happy. Unless, this is what it was like outside of Ketterdam. Maybe getting out of the Barrel wasn't a bad idea. Dinara let her mind wander as she once again dreamed of her new life, only this time she pictured a farm house, animals all around, and a porch swing. She always adored the life of simplicity, but she was never able to with the hunger that burned inside of her for the sight of blood leaving another's body.
Snapping out of her day dream, Dinara tore her eyes away from all the color, glancing up to where the Ice Court was standing. It stood like a great while sentinel on a massive cliff overlooking the harbor. Dinara recalled that Matthias had called the cliffs unscalable, and she hated to admit that it could present a challenge, but she was up for it. Dinara always had one foot dangling off the edge, so what would be so different from this. Everyone's lives were placed in her and Inej's hands, allowing them to deal the cards how they felt. It was scary, but Dinara was able to push that down and clear her mind. Her gaze remained on the sight of the Ice Court, gazing over the design from afar. The white like surface seemed clean and bright as ice, corresponding perfectly with the name.
"Canon," said Jesper.
"I've broken into banks, warehouses, mansions, museums, values, a rare book library, and once the bedchamber of a visiting Kaelish diplomat whose wife had a passion for emeralds. But I've never had a cannon shot at me," said Kaz.
