Six of Crows: Cloaked in Shadow

Chapter 11 - Nikolai

Nikolai strolled down the Geldstraat towards Fifth Harbour, where his ship was moored. It had been deemed unsafe for him to stay another night with his crew so he had been sent to fetch what he needed from his cabin so he could stay the night at the red-head's mansion. However, apparently there was too much of a risk for him to do that on his own – hence the grumpy Heartrender trailing behind him, sulking in her red kefta.

"Miss Zenik, you do realise it's not my fault Brekker sent you to accompany me?" he said eventually, after a few minutes of leaden silence.

She gave a non-committal grunt.

He sighed. "This journey's going to be rather unpleasant if you remain quiet through the whole of it, and I happen to know that you are exceptionally gifted for talking continuously, Miss Zenik."

"Nina," she said abruptly.

He looked at her askance.

"It's Nina. You keep calling me 'Miss Zenik', but my name's Nina."

"Oh," he said hesitatingly, slightly taken aback, but ever the charismatic privateer, he returned with "So we're on first-name terms, are we? What's next – darling?" and a cheeky wink. I can never resist a little flirt when a pretty face is involved, and it can't do any harm, can it?

She rounded on him. "Shut your mouth, Sturmhond."

"Nikolai."

"To be honest, I don't give a damn."

What have I done to piss her off- oh. Now Nikolai could remember what had happened to the Heartrender after the Ice Court heist: her Fjerdan had gotten shot and she'd brought him to Fjerda to be buried in the Suli girl's ship. No wonder she was annoyed at him for trying to flirt with her when the wound was still so raw. She'd probably taken it as an insult or an attempt to make fun of her. "Sorry... Nina. I... well. Is he at rest?"

"He sleeps under the ice and his spirit runs with the wolves."

"He'd have wanted that."

"I know."

There was a brief silence, which the Heartrender – Nina – broke. "You loved someone, didn't you?"

"I- what??? How did you-"

"My power is death, Lantsov. Loss. I can tell you're mourning someone."

"Not in the way you are. She's... she's still alive, but with someone else."

"Who was she?"

Nikolai didn't know why he wanted to tell her. He didn't know what made him open his mouth and say her name. He didn't know why he gave away one of Ravka's best-kept secrets with one word to a girl who was practically a stranger to him.

But he did.

"Alina," he said.

He watched as her face changed, from pity, to shock, to outright disbelief. "Alina Starkov??? You loved her... and she's still alive???"

"Shut up!!!"

"Sorry if I'm shocked, but- WHAT??? How did you keep that from your country? People worshipped her! My friend worshipped her!" Her green eyes were filled with outrage, and Nikolai couldn't help but think that it was the first time that he'd seen her look truly alive since they'd met. Priorities, Lantsov!

"Look, I don't want to- no, I can't talk about this. Please, for both of our sakes, forget I told you that." He gave a meaningful glance at their surroundings. "Not here. Not now."

"Saints. Saints. This is absolutely insane."

"Nina. Please."

She growled angrily. "Fine. Just for you, Nikolai." She spat his name like it was an insult.