Midnight Thoughts ~ Shadow & Bone

22

Sooner than any of us would've liked, it was time for the plan to begin. Inej was in her place to perform, Jesper was finding us an escape route, and Arken was ready to take the Sun Summoner. Kaz was in his place in the hall, waiting for his chance to sneak down to laundry, where I was waiting, having snuck in during my show of 'doing my rounds.'

Playing the part of a guard was never the fun job, but it was a necessary one.

I was glad to not have to spend any more time in the crowded corridors than I had to, in any case. Additionally, this lessened the chances of someone seeing and recognizing me.

I looked up from my place past the turn in the stairs as the door opened. I shrunk further into the shadows as I looked up, sighing in relief when Kaz came limping down the steps.

"Everything went well?" I asked him quietly. He sighed and nodded, leaning on the wall to take the pressure off of his leg.

"For now at least," he said. "Inej will be down once she's done with her show. Arken as well. Until then... we wait." I nodded.

"How fun." He smiled a bit and nodded, glancing up at the door to the hallway before looking down at me with a look on his face that I couldn't read. I laughed a bit. "What?" He shook his head.

"Nothing, you just..." He chuckled under his breath. "It astounds me how you can look good even in an Oprichnik's uniform." I felt my cheeks heat up, and I laughed quietly, shaking my head.

"Kaz Brekker, dishing out compliments?" I asked jokingly. "The world must be ending." He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Shut up," he muttered. "I was trying to be nice for once. Now I won't do it again." I grinned and leaned my head on the wall.

"It's okay," I told him. "It just surprised me, that's all." He gave me a small smile, which disappeared quickly when the door opened once again, Inej running down the stairs quickly. I leaned down, grabbing one of the spare uniforms off of the ground and handing it to her.

"Is it my size?" she asked me. I rolled my eyes, smirking a bit.

"You have to ask?" She glared up at me, but I could see her trying not to smile.

"Do you remember what happened last time we did this?" she asked. "Got me a man's uniform." Kaz shrugged.

"It worked, didn't it?" She sighed and looked down at her current outfit, mostly covered by a cloak.

"Just be happy I'm eager to get out of this." She ran off to change to get to her next point, and soon after, Arken came in to find us. I handed him his uniform, and he nodded quickly.

"See you at the meeting point," he said quietly before leaving as well. Kaz sighed and took my hand gently, pulling me up the stairs and releasing me only as we were walking back into the crowded hall. We stood in front of one of the doorways into the main room, and I caught a glimpse of three black keftas close to the king and queen's thrones.

Fire erupted towards the edge of the room, and I watched as it was thrown back and forth between two Inferni. It caught me off guard, however, when a hand shot up in the middle of the crowd and the flame turned a pure, blinding white. I glanced up at Kaz in confusion, but he stared at the fire with a clenched jaw. I looked forward again and quickly realized that it was Katya who had changed the flame when she ducked out of the crowd.

Inej walked up on the other side of Kaz, who quickly looked away from his sister and towards the chandelier.

"It's reflective glass," he said simply. "Bounce the light into that, and people won't know whether it's coming or going." She glared up at him momentarily before shaking her head and walking away. I sighed and looked up at Kaz.

"Really?" I asked him. He frowned and looked down at me. "I know you don't believe it, but you know how she is." He sighed and nodded, but my attention was drawn away by the sight of the other two figures in black keftas climbing onto the small platform at the other end of the room.

The Darkling muttered a few quiet words to Alina before lifting a hand, and my blood ran cold as the same shadows I controlled swarmed the room, leaving us all in total darkness. I let out a shuddering breath, and Kaz quickly enveloped my hand in his own.

I was nearly blinded when a small orb of light erupted from the hands of the young Shu girl at the head of the room. My eyes widened as it grew and lit up the room, chasing the shadows away.

I noticed the glance Alina shares with the Darkling, and my heart sinks in my chest. I had hoped he wouldn't be able to corrupt her as he nearly had with me, but it looked like I was wrong.

I was beginning to think we had made a mistake taking this job.