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━━━━━━━━━━ 🏹 T E U T A 🏹 ━━━━━━━━━━
"We still have two days!" Nikolai protested when everybody made their way downstairs.
"Guess they got word that you figured everything out and now plan an attack," Kaz said over his shoulder as they walked through the gambling hall towards the entrance. Teuta was surprised on how quick Dirtyhands could walk in crisis. "Did you tell your old friend anything?"
"Of course not!" Teuta called out. "We didn't say anything, he just-"
Then, she remembered something that made her cut off her own sentence. Kaz stopped on the spot and turned around, he had noticed by the way she had interrupted herself that something was wrong. "What?"
"I told him that we had still a few days left to wrap our heads around things." Teuta's heart started to pound when she realized what she had done. She had literally told Cassian that they were making plans, insinuating they would strike against the Buzzard even before going down to the south. "Cassian told the Buzzard and now he's going to destroy Kerch ..."
Kaz grunted in frustration and opened the door. "Why can't you for once-"
"Not the time, Kaz!" Inej scolded him as he stepped out to the street. "We have bigger problems, now."
Everybody followed Kaz outside and rushed down to the harbour. The citizens of Ketterdam had already noticed the fleet on the horizon and the town was in panic, authorities had troubles keeping them calm. Most of them fled south but Teuta knew they wouldn't be safe there, either. It was where the Buzzard and his crew would go to.
The closer they got to the water, the darker it got. The sun was nowhere to be seen and dark clouds were covering the sky. A storm was coming their way, very quickly. It looked like the Buzzard had brought bad sailing conditions with him, as if he knew what one group was supposed to go to his treasure island in the north.
"What's up with the weather in this damn town?" Nikolai asked, eyes pinned on the horizon. "It was sunny half an hour ago!"
"It's still a small island," Jesper shrugged. "Weather changes quickly around here."
"But not that fast ..." Wylan mumbled unsure.
"I can see him." Teuta said. "He's on the main ship."
"And he doesn't look very happy .." Bassim added slowly.
He was right. The cheerful and knowing look as gone, the Buzzard was furious. He couldn't even put an act up, he was ready to do whatever it took to get what he wanted. Teuta swallowed hard as she stopped among the others at the fifth harbour and watched the fleet rush closer to land. Destruction was coming their way if they didn't act quick enough.
"Thank the Saints we're safe on land." Jesper exhaled loudly.
Suddenly, the Buzzard's posture changed, and he spread his arms. Wind was howling around him, and it started to lift him up into the air. Teuta couldn't believe her eyes when the wind started to carry the Buzzard away from the ship.
"I guess you spoke too soon ..." Nikolai commented.
"He is Grisha," Teuta said breathless. The realization hit her slowly, everything started to make sense all of a sudden. "That's how he managed to become the original Sinner. He played with the dark forces, just like the Darkling but in a different way. Instead of using it like the Black Heretic did, he let them use him, let them work for him."
"Unfortunately, that makes a lot of sense." Wylan said. "Shouldn't we run for cover? We could hide in my house, it's-"
"No, we don't have the time!" Kaz cut him off. "We need to act now! So listen closely, otherwise neither one of us will see the next day!"
🏹 🏹 🏹
Kaz' plan sounded easy in theory but it was practically destined to fail. But everybody did what the Bastard of the Barrel told them to. He threw the bag with the ball over to Teuta and warned her to stick to his plan. Without disagreeing, she nodded and her and Nikolai ran into the city again.
"Jesper, keep him buisy!" Was the last thing she heard Dirtyhands shout before they rushed down the main road away from the harbour.
The horses stood at the spot where Kaz described them and the two pirates mounted them, urging them to get moving. Teuta looked back when the black stallion started to gallop through the now empty capital towards the south. Jesper was still shooting at the Buzzard, who had his troubles to keep the winds steady on the water. A few Grisha had come to help and were trying to tilt him over and shot fire waves his way. On top of that, the Buzzard was occupied with the sharpshooter's bullets.
A spark of hope grew in Teuta when she looked back to the front and followed Nikolai's horse. Maybe they were able to beat him. Whole Kerch was now counting on them and the other group who was now sailing towards the treasure island. Bassim was managing the Billy of Tea with Butch at his side, driving up north. Inej's ships and the rest of Teuta's and Sturmhond's fleet would keep the Buzzard's crew away from them.
Teuta prayed the whole ride to the Saints she didn't believe in.
May Jesper strike one of his bullets through the Buzzard's heart.
May Butch seek for the treasure successfully.
May Wylan's bombs keep the Undead away.
May Inej manage to get them some time.
May Bassim find the door.
May Kaz' plan work.
May Nikolai be safe.
May they all be safe.
Even Kaz.
The place where the ball should be placed looked exactly how it did on the map. The mapmaker had done a great job. Teuta frowned when they walked down to the beach, at the end of the spit of land was a little statue of Sankt Emerens. "Can this be right?" She asked, stopping in front of it. "Why this statue?"
"I have no idea." Nikolai exhaled loudly. "Maybe a bribe? The prophecy says that a war between Sinners and Saints is upon us, what if this is the calling for it to start?"
"Only one way to find out, I guess ..." Teuta grabbed the bag from her belt and carefully pulled the golden ball out. She looked at it for a second and then gave it to Nikolai. "You should do it."
The former king of Ravka took a deep breath and bent down, placing the ball into a little curb in front of the statue. It fitted perfectly. The mythical object lit up and Sankt Emerens moved to the side, revealing a trap door.
Teuta frowned and stepped closer. What on earth was this? A voice behind her made her jump. "You surprise me, I thought you broke the deal."
