Love can find you |~ Kaz Brekker ~|

|12| annoyance

They had gone back to the Dregs club and Danielle was now healing him. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you." He said after a few moments of silence.

"It's alright, Kaz, really." She said as she brushed her fingers over his face. His gloves hand rose and took her wrist.

"No, it's not. I should've planned better."

"Kaz. It's fine. I promise." She stopped her work to look at him. She leaned in, as did he. Just as their lips were about to meet, a rapping at the door. Inej walked in.

"Where were you?" Kaz asked the Wraith.

"The Drakonasha was trafficking indentures. I had to set them free-"

"We had a plan." He cut her off. The two argued and Danielle was sat on Kaz's desk watching them.

"It was unexpected. I had to make a decision in the moment." Inej argued

"You chose strangers over your crew."

"I got the note to driver. Nina said everything worked out."

"Did she also tell you about Danny?" Kaz snapped back. Inej stepped back in surprise.

"She told me she was used as leverage, but that she was ok." The Suli answered.

"Don't bring me into this." Danielle begged. "His point is, we didn't know where you were. We didn't know if you would come back safely. And we can see you did."

Inej nodded thankfully and left. Once the door shut, Kaz spoke again. "I can't have a weak link in my crew."

Danny scoffed quietly. "Someone does one thing without consulting you and they become a weak link? You can't be serious?"

"I need to know I can count on my crows." He looked away from her to look at his hands. "If we can't rely on each other, we have nothing."

"Kaz." Danielle sighed with exhaust. "We can rely on her. Stop this. You can't kick her out!"

He finally looked up and pushed Inej' signed papers for her freedom to her. "Give these to her and she will be. And she wants to. Trust me."

"Fine." She snatched the paper and walked out, leaving Kaz to his thoughts.

~*•*~

The next day, two new Grisha had arrived, Tolya and Zoya. They were there for help. Help to find the Neshyenyer. Sankta Neymar's blade. She was a powerful Durast who has created it.

Jesper was sat next to the table, Wylan stood next to him and behind Nina who was sat down at the table. Kaz was next to her and next to him was Danielle.

"The Neshyenyer? Sankta Neymar's blade?" Nina repeated what Tolya had told them.

"So you haven't forgotten what you were taught at the little palace?" Zoya sassed. Danielle could tell she wasn't going to like her already. "Just Ravka."

"Ravka or Kirigan?" Nina sassed back. "It didn't take him destroying a city for me to question my loyalty."

Jesper stepped in, stopping the attack. "So, now that we all know you two have history, what's the payment for this particular job?"

"Name your price. It matters that much." Tolya said before taking a bite of a snack he had gotten.

Wylan looked to Nina's hands which held a letter. "Is that the Lantsov crest?"

"You know it is because it's hideous." Nina glanced up at Zoya with a glare.

"Prince Nikolai requests your services to retrieve the Neshyenyer to Alina to Alina Starkov in East Ravka." Tolya looked at everyone as he spoke of the mission.

"She's returned?" Nina asked, shocked.

"As has the Darkling. With an indestructible army of shadow monsters." Zoya nodded.

"I do not like the sound of that." Jesper took a swig of his drink.

"Which is why you need the blade?" Elle asked Tolya, not Zoya as she decided she didn't like her.

Zoya nodded, supposedly not getting the hint she isn't liked. "It's the only thing that might work."

"Retrieve the blade and the Prince will pay what you ask." Tolya informed.

"But I like the sound of that." Wylan sent a look to the Zemeni. Jesper shut up.

"I assume same goes for you?" The Squaller asked Kaz. His usual stone cold face even more cold because he decided he didn't like her because Elle doesn't.

"I'd welcome the chance to help your prince spend his country's money." He said to Tolya, ignoring the girl.

"I don't need kruge, I need to get air one out of Hellgate." Nina urgently claimed. "The Lantsovs must be able to pull strings with the Kerch government."

"For a certain Fjerdan?" Zoya piped up.

"Oh my saints," Elle muttered, "shut up!" She shouted, shocking everyone. She never rose her voice. And when she did, which was rare, it wasn't that loud. She reached over to take Nina's hand. "I'm sure they will."

"Hm. He must be quite the slab of fur." Zoya continued, amused by the smaller girl.

If looks could kill, Zoya would be more than dead. Both Nina and Elle were glaring daggers at her.

"The offer is the offer." Tolya defused the tension and practical threat Elle has given Zoya with just her eyes. "Prince Nikolai is a man of his word."

"But we need to go now."

Does she ever not talk? Elle thought to herself with a roll of her eyes

"It's settled." Kaz tucked the paper Tolya had given him into his pocket. "We're in."

"And your wraith?" Zoya questioned. "I was expecting to see her."

"She's out right now. She should be back soon. If not, I'll go find her." Answered Elle.