Midnight Thoughts ~ Shadow & Bone

9

My breathing was heavy as I helped Nina support Inej through the cemetery. I had been here before, it made it easy to blend in the shadows while being chased, so it wasn't navigation that made it hard to maneuver through the headstones. It was more so the fact that my eyes were still blurry and my head hadn't stopped spinning. It was a relief when I finally heard Jesper's voice; we were in the right place.

"Assuming you got ambushed, too?" he asked. We stopped moving, and I took this opportunity to squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head to clear my vision. Nina scoffed.

"Oh, yeah," she affirmed. "So many of them, I lost count." When I peeled my eyes open, I caught a glimpse of Kaz approaching the five of us.

"I got what I needed," he informed us, "and Wylan's bombs took care of the rest." I furrowed my brows, knowing Wylan dislike the knowledge that his creations were being used for such things. I heard a door creak open and felt the faint touch of someone tilting my head upward. "Get her inside. Get both of them inside." Nina's fingers brushed against mine where our hands nearly overlapped across Inej's shoulders, and she quickly led the two of us inside. As soon as I found a wall, I released Inej and leaned against it, willing myself not to fall asleep.

"They gonna be okay?" Wylan asked quietly. I smiled. The boy's caring nature would always bring me the smallest bit of hope for this world.

"They'll be fine," Kaz replied quickly. Jesper scoffed.

"Will any of us be fine?" There was a pause, and then, "This won't end well, Kaz." It went silent for a moment, and I frowned, awaiting Kaz's response.

"No, it won't," he muttered after a moment. "But I'll be the one who ends it." My vision must have been getting better, because as Kaz entered the crypt and passed me, I saw him stop and look down at me. I couldn't see his expression well, but I imagined there was worry swimming in his pale eyes.

"Is Nina with Inej?" he asked quietly. I hummed and nodded as my eyes fell closed again, and it went silent for another moment. As I began to think he had gone, I felt something brush my arm and opened my eyes to see him extending his to me. I furrowed my brows and looked up at him. "Go on. Take it."

I wet my lips as my mouth went dry and hesitantly hooked my hand through his outstretched arm. He tensed slightly but didn't pull away, instead resting his gloved hand on top of mine and leading me through the dark room. After a few steps, he unwound his arm and pressed his hand gently against my back, sitting me down on what I assumed was a stool or bench. Either way, it was a relief to be off my feet. Not as far to fall if I should pass out.

My eyes began to flutter closed from exhaustion, and he quickly said, "I need you to keep your eyes open for me, love." That made my eyes snap open as I looked up at him. Even through my unclear vision, I could see him staring down at me from his seat beside me. "Who was it? That attacked you. Pekka said he hired a madman, who was it?" I furrowed my brows as I tried to remember the man's face, but when I finally did, there was nothing familiar about it.

"I don't know him," I told him. "I've never seen him before. But he was strong, he could lift me with almost no effort." I shook my head, remembering the fear that coursed through me when my feet left the ground. "He threw me, I hit my head." I shook my head, clenching my jaw as I began to remember the events of tonight. "I should've helped Inej, I should've done something. Instead I laid on the ground while he nearly took her." Kaz shook his head.

"Karlin, you tried," he said. "You're hurt, and in the moment, it was likely worse. You did everything you could, and you both made it back."

"But in what condition?" I huffed and shook my head. "We're both hurt, but you know and I know that this fight is far from over. We're not going to be at our strongest when you need us." He laid his hand gently on my knee, making me look up at him.

"But you'll be there. And that's all that matters." He nodded. "If I know you're with me, Karlin, that is all I need. You're all I need."

He was close enough that I could clearly see the blue of his eyes.

His words may have been true. They may not have been. But for now, I would choose to believe him. And for now, that was enough for me.