"What about-"
"No, look."
"Oh." We were gathered around the table in the inn the next day, scanning over the small map Inej had made for any way into the Little Palace. Inej pointed at another hallway.
"How about this hallway?" she asked. I shook my head and pointed to a nearby area.
"No go," I told her. "See? Guard tower." Jesper sighed.
"There's no way in," he complained. Kaz nodded.
"And no way out." Arken sighed.
"Well, I thought this plan might not work," he muttered. I opened my mouth to shoot him a snarky remark, as I often do, but I was cut off by a loud thud. We all spun around, watching as an acrobat limped away from her performance, except for Arken, who was still looking at the map with a smile. I frowned and sighed, looking around the group as the Conductor stood and walked away.
"Got any plans up your sleeve?" I asked them. Jesper shrugged.
"I mean, Kribirsk isn't the worst," he said. "We can open up a bar. Brew East Ravkan beer for the Westerners?" I rolled my eyes, and Kaz and Inej shook their heads.
"Shut up, Jesper," we all muttered. He frowned sadly.
"I miss Milo." I furrowed my brows, but before I could question him, Arken came back with a large man in tow.
"Friends," he greeted with a smile. Kaz frowned.
"What are you so cheery about?" he asked. Arken gestured to the man.
"This is Marko," he introduced. "Marko is the leader of the traveling troupe known as the Pomdrakon Players. They have been invited to perform in this year's winter fete." The man smiled and nodded.
"A lifelong dream," he said. Arken looked at Kaz.
"Yes, yes. A chance to get inside the Little Palace." I sat up a bit straighter as the pieces began to fit together. "But they lost their star performer due to an unfortunate freak accident. They are in desperate need of someone with the skills to replace their star performer, and as Ketterdam's premier talent manager, I had an idea." We all turned to Inej, who sighed, frowning. She looked between me and Kaz.
"As a friend once said," she started, "'If I can't crack this, none of us are going anywhere.'" I smiled a bit, and she began taking off her knives, handing them carefully to me. As I tucked them into my belt, she stepped up to the silk ribbons hanging from the ceiling.
I had known she was once an acrobat with her parents, but in Ketterdam, there weren't many opportunities to display that talent. This, this was something I had never seen before. When I went to balls or parties or fetes when I was a child, I always stayed close to the few friends I had. I never paid attention to the more elegant attractions, instead opting to sneak into the fairs that were set up outside.
We all watched in awe as Inej moved with flawless grace and poise, never once faltering in her routine. When I looked to my left, Marko, Arken, and Jesper were all watching her as intently as I was. But Kaz? Kaz's eyes were on me. My cheeks burned, and I shot him a small smile. He returned it before looking up at Inej, who had climbed off of the silks and back onto the floor. She raised an arm, bowing, and everyone in the room that had been fortunate enough to witness the beauty that was her performance cheered. She stepped towards us, and Marko clasped his hands together, grinning.
"The Saints must have sent you," he said happily. He nodded. "Yes. The show will go on. Now-" He snapped his fingers, and one of his friends handed him a very... colorful outfit. "Can you... fit into this?" Inej frowned.
"Um..." Jesper stepped up quickly and nodded.
"Of course she can," he said. He smirked. "Those are her colors, but the thing is, Inej... comes as part of a package deal." Marko frowned up at the boy and shook his head.
"No free rides. What are your talents?" Jesper smirked and ordered Inej back up to the silks. She begrudgingly agreed and soon was hanging upside down with a card between her teeth. Jesper sat with his back to her and kissed his gun, waiting until she was at just the right angle to shoot. Inej climbed down quickly and handed the card, which was now sliced perfectly in half, to Marko, who chuckled. He turned to me and Kaz with a smile on his face.
"Stage is yours," he told us. We glanced at each other, frowning, and looked back at the man.
"We'll make our own way," Kaz told him.
YOU ARE READING
Midnight Thoughts ~ Shadow & Bone
Fanfiction"Fear is a phoenix. You can watch it burn a thousand times and still it will return." Karlin Kaye ran. She ran from her home to a place completely unknown. But as a result she found the ones she knew would make sure she never had to run again. No m...
