𝗕𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 | 𝗞𝗮𝘇 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗸𝗸𝗲𝗿

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝘄𝗼

ೃ࿔*:･✸⋆➶ ✧

Immediately, Anya was out of her seat and pulling her best friend into a hug with a wave of laughter passing her lips. She had missed the girl more than anything, she had spent as long as she could remember at the girl's side, a year without her had been too long. Deep down she knew that the girl needed to go and find her brother, but a selfish part of her had wanted her to stay with her.

The others could only watch as the two girls embraced, awaiting an explanation from the unexpected arrival of their friend. Inej had not told the others when she would be returning, or even if she would be. They just had to wait and hope that once she found her family, she still wanted to return to them. The Crows were not an ideal group and being with her family would be better than any life they could possibly give her, but Inej knew that was not true.

They were her family, blood relation or not and despite all the dangerous situations they were put into, or the moral breaking jobs she was forced to do, she would not trade their company for the world.

Once the two girls pulled away from one another, Inej broke the silence that had fallen over the room. "Well, come on Brekker, you were saying about a new job?" Inej grinned at him and Anya swore she almost saw his lips upturn for a second.

Deciding they would ask Inej about her time at sea later, they diverted their attention back to Kaz, awaiting an explanation. "There's a new weapon about to hit the market. If it does, it could make the destruction of the Shadow Fold seem like a spring picnic." He announced, his tone of voice low and foreboding. "Every corner of the world would feel the effects."

Silence once again surrounded the group of six, trying to absorb what Kaz had just told them. Breaking the sudden silence, Anya furrowed her brows. "What is the weapon?" She questioned, wondering what could ever cause so much damage.

"It's a drug called jurda parem." Kaz answered and she grimaced, the name alone sounded horrifying. "Highly addictive, and if Grisha take it, their power is amplified a thousand times over. The chemist who created it fled to Kerch once he realised what he'd done, but the Fjerdans caught him. He now awaits trial. If the Fjerdans weaponise this drug, the consequences would be unimaginable. Everything we've ever known, every strength we've relied upon, shattered."

When he finished, he turned to face the group with a raised brow. "Any questions?" His eyes scanned the group, noticing that Wylan was anxiously rubbing the back of his neck.

"What does this plan include?" Wylan asked hesitantly and Kaz held his crow cane tighter, his gloved hands flexing around the symbol.

"We are going to Hellgate, where we will find the creator of this drug and bring him back to Ketterdam." Kaz explained briefly, although Anya knew a longer explanation was sure to come later.

Once again, a round of silence surrounded the group as the severity set in for their latest plan. Just when they had begun to enjoy the mundanity of life, the quick jobs every now and then for a small reward, just enough to keep that side of them occupied. Now they were thrust into another job, this one being ten times more risk worthy.