• Serpent Among Crows • Kaz Brekker

3

When Zhen told the boy that she had replaced the expensive cufflink with a heavy paperclip she'd scavenged from the desk, Kaz really did fight the urge to laugh, which was a shock to even himself given their dire situation.

They were walking the most dangerous parts of the Barrel where Crows like them weren't welcomed. The light barely reached the streets that far down inside the barrel where they made their way through the fog hanging heavy in the air.

Beggars, fugitives and the dirtiest of lowlife ciminals were born from places like this, but it was a decent enough place for thieves and spys like them to lay low.

Despite having the lovely weight of that emerald sitting deep in one of her pockets, Zhen could feel the adrenaline from nicking it wearing off as reality set in. The kruge she could get from it would be monumental, but wouldn't do much to help them now they had no allies, no home, no safety.

Kaz had a plan, or she could only assume he did, and it was probably the one thing they did have. She had dull hope that he'd fill her in on at least some of the details at some point, but the drab states of their dingy surroundings was beginning to make her mood plummet.

She brushed her hands over her vest, feeling as though every time the tight fabric brushed against her skin that she was struggling to breathe.

It had been fine before, and the floral patterns had even grown on her now, but ever since that handsy officer with the biting insults had touched her, she felt as though her ribcage was constricting. A python tightening around her lungs, she just about managed to pass it off as being hungry when Jesper saw the discomfort on her face.

(He did not believe her. But he knew better than to question it.)

Although she was hungry, it just wasn't the deciding factor in her emotions at present.

"We are in the literal bottom of the Barrel." Jesper complained for not the first time that evening.

"Stadtwatch don't patrol down here." Kaz reminded him.

She could see the cold was effecting his leg. He walked with a heavier limp than usual, leaning more on his cane, yet he moved with the same amount of purpose and determination.

"We're safer here."

Zhen hummed, wrapping her arms around herself to keep the chill away. "Ironic, isn't it?"

When a silent dark figure approached from the corner of her eye she knew better than to assume it was someone trying to mug them; the glimpse of familiar purple and soundless footsteps was enough to tell her it was just Inej.

She flashed the girl a warm smile, glad to have her back.

The one the Suli girl sent back didn't quite reach her eyes.

"What did you find?" Kaz asked calmly.

When Inej met their pace and came up beside Jesper the boy flinched and raised his hands in fright.

"We're accused of murdering Tante Heleen."

Zhen snapped her head around to see the conflicted expression on Inej's face. "Shit." She muttered.

"Wait, what?" Jesper turned on the girl too as though he couldnt quite believe it. "We didn't do that, though... did you?"

A flash of hurt crossed the girls face as she shot him a glare. "No I did not!"

Zhen let out a small sigh, muttering, "I'm glad she's dead even if we're being framed."

But the girl had a bad feeling in her gut, something she'd had since they got picked up by the Stadtwatch. With Heleen out of the picture, Inej could finally have some peace knowing that the one who caused her such suffering was gone and left to the judgement of the Saints. But it just meant someone else would take over.