The Fox and The Crow [Kaz Brekker]

chapter 24

Italics - Sign Language

Kaz stood alone on the rooftop above Wylan's workshop, his eyes focused on the distance where the Crow Club once stood. The rage that had been long bubbling in his stomach was rising with each passing hour, screaming at him to draw the blood of Pekka Rollins. He wouldn't stop until that man felt true suffering just as he had.

He closed his eyes with a brief wince as he remembered Daemon's face back in that diner. He hadn't meant to hurt her. He would never dream of doing such a thing. But seeing her heartbroken face after he slapped her away hurt him more than anything. He knew that he would have to apologize. Actually apologize. And he would when this was all over.

Inej appeared from the shadows, her glare on her boss' back. Just as he couldn't stop thinking about what he had done, neither could she. Daemon was her best friend. Her sister. Daemon meant a lot to all of them. She kept the crows together. And no one was allowed to hurt her. Especially not any of them.

"What did you find?" Kaz asked, not wanting to hear her lecture him.

"There's a doorman even after hours, and a pair of roving guards in the halls. But I can get you in through a window if Nina and Daemon watch the front," Inej told him.

"If this goes sideways, tell the others to regroup at Black Veil. Get Daemon and the Heartrender. We leave in ten."

"No."

Kaz turned around at her refusal.

"Not until you tell me what happened between you and Pekka."

"All you need to know is that I have a reason."

"And that's reason good enough for you to hit Daemon? There's enough secrecy in this crew as it is."

Kaz ignored the first part, "Secrecy is the only way to survive the Barrel, Inej."

"So keeping me in the dark is about survival?"

"Now you're getting it."

"Mm. My survival or yours? Trust is the other side of secrecy, Kaz. Remember that. And... keep this in mind. If you ever touch Daemon like that again, I will take her and we will disappear. You will never see her or me again. So if you truly care about her, you better act like it. I won't let her go back to the way she was before."

Kaz turned around, but Inej had already disappeared.

The way she was before...Kaz knew exactly what Inej had meant.

When Daemon was first brought in, she was distrustful, rabid. Like a caged animal. She would flinch at every loud noise, she would go into panic attacks if anyone even raised their hand around her, whether it was in a malicious way or not. She couldn't make eye contact. Her body was constantly shaking. She would only eat enough to survive and she would sleep in the cupboards with a knife in her hand. She would only ever sleep for one hour at a time and then would pace around nervously for a few hours before sleeping again. She had no way to communicate at all. She couldn't read or write and she didn't talk. It took years for her to open up to Kaz. And when she met Inej and Jesper, it was like she was starting all over again. Scared and vicious and protective.

Kaz knew nothing of what happened to her at her previous 'homes'. All he knew was that she had killed her masters before him. And he only knew that because it became her reputation. She never talked about what they had done to her. He didn't even know if she remembered much of it. But whatever had happened to make her the way she was, it couldn't have been anything pleasant.

"Damn it," he cursed.

~

Inej, Daemon, Nina and Kaz met up in the alley by the diner. Kaz had gone over the plan twice more, just to make sure everyone knew what their role was. They couldn't afford to mess this up.