𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒅 || 𝐊𝐚𝐳 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐤𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐗 𝐎𝐂

Trickster

KAZ POV

"Let's go," says Rollins. He fumbles with the locked door. "Where's the damn key?" One of his men comes forward with it, but I notice the distance he keeps from his boss. They will be telling the story of Pekka Rollins on his knees all over the Barrel tonight, and Rollins must know it too. He loves his son enough to wager the whole of his pride and reputation. I suppose that should count for something. Maybe to someone else, it would have.

The door to the street burst open, and a moment later they were gone.

Inej stands like a stone watching as Emris sinks down into a squat, digging her palms in her eyes.

"Will he make it in time?" Inej asks.

"For what?"

"To. . ." Emris looks up at me through her fingers. I'll miss the surprised look on her face, I'll miss all of her. "You didn't do it, did you? You didn't bury him."

"I've never even met the kid."

"But the lion-" she begins, standing straight.

"Was a guess. Pekka's pride in the Dime Lions is plenty predictable. Kid probably has a thousand lions to play with and a giant wooden lion to ride around on."

"How did you even know he had a child?"

"I figured it out that night at Van Eck's house. Rollins wouldn't stop flapping his gums about the legacy he was building. I knew he had a country house and liked to leave the city. I'd just figured he had a mistress stashed somewhere. But what he said that night made me think again."

"And that he had a son, not a daughter? That was a guess too?"

"An educated one. He named his new gambling hall the Kaelish Prince. Had to be a little red-headed boy. And what kid isn't fond of sweets?"

She shakes her head, golden waves lapping around her face. "What will he find in the field?"

"Nothing at all. No doubt his people will report that his son is safe and sound and doing whatever pampered children do when their fathers are away. But hopefully, Pekka will spend a few agonized hours digging in the dirt and wandering in circles before that. The important thing is that he won't be around to back up any of Van Eck's claims and that people will hear he fled the city in a rush—with a medic in tow."

"The outbreak sites," Inej asks from behind Emris

"The Kaelish Prince. The Emerald Palace. The Sweet Shop. All businesses are owned by Pekka Rollins. They'll be shut down and quarantined for weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if the city closes some of his other holdings as a precaution if they think his staff is spreading disease. It should take him at least a year to recover financially, maybe more if the panic lasts long enough. Of course, if the Council thinks he helped set up the false consortium, they may never grant him a license to operate again."

"Fate has plans for us all," Inej says quietly.

"You should have more faith in me," I say to Emris. I'm not going to lie, the fact that she didn't second guess the lie stings.

"It's been a long day." She grins. "Lots of emotional rollercoasters."

"I'm sure." Inej teases.

"We should be going. This isn't over." Inej nods and flees the room. I offer Emris my gloved hand.

"You showed mercy. You are the better man." My heart swells as she takes my hand and holds it tight. There she goes, seeking the better from everything.

"Emris, I could only kill Pekka's son once." I push the door open with my cane. "He can imagine his death a thousand times."

EMRIS POV