"You think I get to play favourites? I really wish I did"
In which the Snake of Ketterdam is dragged into a horrible plan, intending to kidnap a saint herself. And in which everything that can go wrong, does go wrong.
[TOLYAYULBATAAR X OC]
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Tolya crouched down on the dirt in front of the entrance of the house, quickly sketching the layout of the building. "This house is traditional. It has a specific layout. We enter through the front courtyard, antechamber, middle courtyard, main chamber."
"We sweep the entirety," Kaz said with a nod. He walked towards the door, tools at hand to pick the lock. As his hands worked on the lock he turned to Wylan. "How long will it take you to set up?"
"I can have the door open in about five minutes. And if Ohval trips it, we have two minutes before the firecrackers go off to get out."
"Even if she returns prematurely," said Inej, "we cannot leave without the blade."
Kaz nodded, "Yes, the future of Ravka and my payment depend on it," Kaz said turning to the group, "I'm aware."
"Well, Ravka doesn't really have much of a future if Vasily is to be king," Diena informed them, so, really, it's just the payment."
Tolya looked up at her, "Place nice, darling. It's more than the future of Ravka at stake. If we fail, Shu Han, Fjerda, Ketterdam, and beyond, they'll feel the weight of the Darkling bare down on them."
Jesper whistled lowly. "Way to up the stakes."
Kaz turned back to the lock and finally managed to crack it, opening the doors for the others to enter. He entered the front courtyard cautiously before heading to the door of the antechamber, Diena, Inej, and Tolya following behind him, whilst Wylan set up the door.
"I sense a heartbeat," Tolya informed them as he walked further into the antechamber.
"I thought the compound was empty," replied Jesper.
"It's faint. Further in the house." Tolya took one step, only one step and activated a mechanism that caused the doors to close before any of them could prevent them.
Inej snatched a dagger from her waist and shoved it against the fabric- looking doors. The dagger bounced right off, not even making a dent. "It's impenetrable."
Kaz walked near the wall, clanging his cane against the frame. "The frames are made of metal."
"They're Durast-made," Jesper said with a sigh, which stopped Diena from even trying to blow the doors open
