𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒅 || 𝐊𝐚𝐳 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐤𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐗 𝐎𝐂

Stupid Games

I snort as I peel the window of the bathroom open. I vault out the small opening and cross the roofs. I think about what Kaz said. If you care about me at all you won't follow.

The bad thing is I do care. I care too much. What else does he expect me to find if he dies doing something stupid. Does he expect me to find a kind mercher husband? Have his children and sharpen my knives as they lay their heads to rest. Clean the blood from my hands before I make breakfast. Explain the nightmares and the scars.

I still feel the ghost of Kaz's lips on my collarbone and the press of his fingers on my waist. His cuffs still burn a hole in my mind. Two of the deadliest people in the barrel. One longs for the bastard's touch. The other hurls with skin contact. Still, we tried. He tried. Maybe we could try again. Foolish. I shake my head. Where is all this romance garbage coming from. Kaz would laugh at my optimism.

I should be angry at him, more so than I am. I feel fear for him more so than anger. I see his dark silhouette, clawing his way across the stones with such determination it worries me.

I hiss as I slide down the drainpipe. My calf bandage tugging free painfully. As we draw closer to the slat I peel farther back. Kaz has continued to pause several times throughout the journey. He stretches his leg and I want to help him. I also relish in his pain. His leg is hurting worse than he let on. He deserves it. I will not intervene. I will watch and if things get bad, I'll throw my new star knives I snatched from Inej. I'm surprised how easy she was to pickpocket. I will respect Kaz's wishes and his pride not to meddle unless necessary.

I watch as the Slat edges closer into view. The teetering view is a light comfort. A few buildings next to it stands my home. The white paint beginning to peel. The black accents helped to cover the soot covered roofs. I shake my head free as I think, this will be the last time I return. I see Kaz's window, and I remember when I was stabbed. Sadness glooms in my chest as I realize I will never see Kaz seated at his desk, pouring over his papers. I'll never sit in the window again and feed the crows while I help Kaz with plans.

I watch Kaz awkwardly crawl from the lip of the roof and pick the lock on his window. His coat billows behind him as he steps into the attic. I find an alternate route as I can't go the same way without giving myself away.

I find a window on the front of the building and slip inside quietly. I slide into the shadows and pull my black hood over my face and crawl up to the beams on the ceiling. I peer down at the drunken Crows. Some of them sing and all of them are armed. Some with bats with rusty nails sticking out at dangerous angles. Axes. Knives. Guns. I see it all as I watch them. A few glare at the barbaric group, all the younger ones Kaz had helped organize. Kaz gave them homes.

Per Haskell walks out of his office in a red vest and a paper machete crow head cane. It doesn't even go with his outfit. I think as they all cheer. It makes me sick that they can laugh at such mockery. Kaz was like a son to Per Haskell. A cocky, murderous, ruthless, and devious son. But a son no less.

"Think we'll land him tonight, Old man?" One of the crows asks.

"If anyone's gonna get that reward, it's gonna be my lads!" Per Haskell says, raising the cane like a scepter. "Ain't that right, boys?" The crowd cheers again.

"Old man."

Kaz's raspy voice cuts through the cheers like a knife. He stands at the top of the rickety stairs. I see Kaz has switched his coat. A perfectly tailored coat sits over an expensive vest and shirt. His hair has been jelled back to reveal the man I remember making deals with. Kaz Brekker, Dirty hands, the Bastard of the barrel.

"Well, I'll be a son of a bitch, Brekker. You really are the stupidest man I've ever met." Per Haskell says, laughing.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Shouldn't have come here—unless it's to turn yourself in like the smart lad I know you to be."

"I'm through making you money."

Per Haskell's face crumples in rage. "You ignorant little skiv!" he roars. "Waltzing in here like some merch at his manor."

"You was always acting like you're better than us, Brekker," one of the men in the crowd yells. The others nod in agreement. "You've got no friends here."

Kaz lifts his shoulder, careless to their insults. "I didn't come looking for friends. And I'm not here for the washed-up cadgers and cowards, or the idiots who think the Barrel owes them something for managing to stay alive. I came for the killers. The hard ones. The hungry ones. The people like me. This is my gang," Kaz yells, starting down the stairs, cane thumping against the boards, "and I'm done taking orders."

"Go get your reward, Lads." Per Haskell yells.

A pause ripples through the crowd and a plume of hope fills my chest. The plume is whisked away and replaced with fear as they take turns trying to tackle Kaz down. Kaz uses his cane to take down several men. Kaz knocks someone's teeth out with his cane and they retreat before coming up the stairs in waves.

Kas kicks a man over the banister as his cane rolls down the stairs. He takes a hit to his bad leg and recovers quickly. As the next wave stumbles up the stairs Kaz puts his hands out, as if to say; 'nothing up my sleeves.' I risk a blink and when my eyes open a man has Kaz pinned against the wall. Kaz takes a few punches to the jaw and ribs before knocking his head forward with the man. The man takes a woozy step back. Kaz kicks him down the stairs and he turns his face a little. I see blood dripping down the side of his face and his eye is swelling shut. His movements slow. The men soon have him on the ground and my body tenses.

I was just about to drop down when his coffee-brown eyes find mine from the mix of men kicking his sides. I look at him painfully and with a small shake of his head, I return to my crouched position on the banister. My throat itches to scream. My body aches to feel the burn of a good knife fight.

A man has his boot on Kaz's head now. He begins pressing down and I can't bring myself to look away. The man releases a high-pitched, girly scream and I watch as Kaz has the man's boot. The man's foot is twisted at an ugly angle and swelling by the second.

"My leg. My leg." The man shrieks.

"I recommend a cane." Kaz grins.

The man topples down the stairs and Kaz stands. I see the knife before I hear Per Haskell yelling.

"Don't kill him you podge," Haskell yells.

The man was beyond listening. The Knife arcs in the air and I throw my hands to my mouth. Kaz rolls and has two nails between his fingers like claws. He drives them upward and into the man's throat. The man spits blood and releases a strangled gasp before he falls to the floor beside his knife that is lodged in the floorboards.

Kaz stands and a man puts his hands up. As though he forgets he is the one-armed. Kaz wraps his hand around his hair and smashes his head against the banister. A sound like a gunshot echos through the club as the man goes limp before Kaz. Kaz rolls his shoulders and grins, his teeth wet with blood.

"Who's next, huh?" I grin as the crowd seems to have gone scared. "Who's comin?" His voice is steady and gravely as ever.