Drowning (Kaz Brekker)

xviii - Gone

KAZ HADN'T SPOKEN TO ASRA SINCE. She was avoiding him. He obeyed her wishes. Sometimes she'd catch him staring. Sometimes he'd catch her. Both times they'd look away instantly. Why had he told her he wanted her?

He told himself it wasn't true, that it was the exhaustion and the few too many rushes with death speaking. He hadn't been thinking straight. He couldn't when he was around her.

He was thankful to get of the Ferolind. He brought Rotty and Jesper. His sharpshooter seemed ready to explode with pent-up energy. He told Rotty to keep an eye on him while he found a runner to send to Van Eck and left him to get whatever he needed out his system.

Van Eck would meet them on Vellgelulk, a hot spot for slavers and pirates just outside Kerch. Kaz thought that was rather fitting considering the nature of their deal. Hand over Kuwei and he'd be thirty million kruge richer. What he could do with that fortune. Brick by brick. After all these years, his vengeance was truly within his reach. He just wondered if Asra would be by his side when Pekka went to his knees. He hoped so. He hated himself for it.

The next day, Kaz, Asra, Jesper, Inej, Matthias and the Shu boy rowed out to Vellgelulk. It was a small and flat island, barely a mile wide.

"Alright," Kaz said once they were docked. "Let's go get rich."

"No mourners." Rotty said, settling in their longboat to wait.

"No funerals." They all finished.

They headed to the centre of the island, all crowded around the silent Shu boy they'd trade. Van Eck was waiting, a Shu man by his side, flanked by stadwatch. Two men hauled a massive trunk between them, struggling under its weight.

"So that's what thirty million kruge looks like." Kaz said.

Jesper whistled. "Hopefully the longboat won't sink."

"Just you, Van Eck? The rest of the Council couldn't be bothered?" Kaz called.

"The Council felt I was best suited for this task as we've had dealing before." Van Eck said.

"Nice pin," Kaz said, eyeing the new ruby pinned to Van Eck's tie. "Not as nice as the other one though."

"The other one was an heirloom." Van Eck said, lips pursed. He turned to the Shu man. "Well?"

He nodded. "That's Kuwei Yul-Bo. It's a year since I've him. He's quite a bit taller now, but he's the spitting image of his father."

Kaz fought off a smirk.

The man said something in Shu and gave a short bow. The boy glanced at Kaz briefly, then bowed back.

Van Eck smiled. "I will confess I am surprised Mister Brekker. Surprised but delighted."

"You didn't think we'd succeed." It wasn't a question.

"Let's say I thought you were a long shot."

"Is that why you hedged your bets?"

"Ah, so you've spoken to Pekka Rollins."

After I gave him a good few hits. "He's quite the talker when you get him in the right frame of mind. He said you contacted him and the Dime Lions to go after Yul-Bayur for the Merchant Council as well."

Van Eck shrugged. "It was best to be safe."

"And why should you care if a bunch of canal rats blow each other to bits in pursuit of a prize?" Kaz added.

"We knew the odds of either team succeeding were small. As a gambler, I hope you understand."

"Thirty million kruge with sooth my hurt feelings."