Love can find you |~ Kaz Brekker ~|

|24| skiff

The crows were lying down behind a wagon as they watched the train they had come through the Fold in. The four watched as two men were standing around and checking our said train.

"How many are there?" Inej asked no one in particular.

"Two." Danielle said as she ducked down under the wagon to inspect the scene in front of them.

"At some point, one of them will have to go tell a superior what they found." Kaz cut in. "We'll go in then."

"Not to be that person Kaz, but are you sure you can drive that thing?" Jesper asked from besides Inej.

"Yes." Kaz answered immediately. "On the way to Kribirsk, while you were busy hugging bait-"

"Milo! The goats name was Milo." Jesper angrily muttered.

"-I was memorizing Arken's timings." Kaz continued.

"Not to gang up on you... but Jes has a point." Inej meekly said between Danny and Jesper. "Arken's system was complicated and the ride was chaotic. No one would blame you for missing a count."

Kaz stared at her. "'Jes'?" It was silent for a few moments.

"Is that all you took from that?" Danielle asked him.

"No. But that's an odd nickname."

"No it's not-"

"It's Suli, for friendship." Jesper joked as he bumped his shoulder into Inej's shoulder. She didn't catch on and got annoyed.

"No, it's not."

Kaz cut their banter off. "Trust me. Arken and I think alike." As soon as he said this, the train exploded, metal pieces flying and smoke being evident in the air.

"Too soon to appreciate the irony, am I right?" Jesper said. Kaz's neck went limp and he looked down sighing. "Yeah. Too soon." He said softly.

"Well let's head back."

~*•*~

"The skiff is still here." Inej informed the three who were sat in their rented out room. "Travelers downstairs are complaining. They were due to cross this morning."

"Orders from the Black General. He plans to cross it tomorrow." Kaz told them.

"The general?" Jesper scrunched his eyebrows. "Is that the same general who tried to... oh yeah. Kill us all. That one?"

"He has the Sun Summoner." Danny pointed out. "Isn't she who we're trying to find. Not the general."

"Was this the plan all along?" Inej frustratedly asked. "To have the general get her back so you can take her again? Were you aware of this?" She turned around to face Danielle as she said the last sentence.

"Leave Ellie alone." Kaz snapped at the Suli woman. "My plan is to get us across the Fold. We aren't prepared for another fight. So lay off Ellie."

"So you're. Or going to take another run at Alina? And you're really willing to let a million kruge go?"

Everyone looked at Kaz who sat silent for a few moments. "The three of us can't do it without you."

"Been saying that since day one." Jesper tilted his head.

"And you've made your position perfectly clear." Kaz ignored him.

"So all you want is to cross the Fold?" Inej asked in confirmation. Kaz nodded.

"Once we land in Novokribirsk, it's your choice what you do next." He said, referring to how since she's out of Kerch she could be free. She looked over to Jesper who raised his eyebrows at her. She looked at Danny who nodded encouragingly.

"Okay."

Kaz stood up and Inej got ready to leave when Jesper stopped them. "Hang on. Are we talking about boarding a skiff with people who will recognize us? People who don't like us that much."

Danielle shrugged. "We'll have to blend in."

"Who else was on that Skiff?" Kaz asked the tall sharpshooter.

Inej answered him, "some people from the winter fete. Dignitaries from Kerch and Novyi Zem on their way back home."

"Now they're the audience to one more light show." Kaz said with his usual poker face. "Jesper, how did you enjoy playing a Zemeni guard?"