How do you fight an enemy who never shows his face?
The murder of crows must band together with a privateer prince to face their greatest challenge yet. But though Kaz is playing for the Dregs, Nikolai suspects that the future of the world is at sta...
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One thought flashed through Inej's mind. It choked all other ideas like a weed, filling her heart with burning hatred and the lust for revenge. She was not a vengeful person – that was Kaz – but this was her friend who was dead, dead because of Raven, and she could not let this go by.
I will kill her.
Melia's screaming had died down to a low whimpering, the sound of an animal in pain. Inej stood and embraced the devastated girl. She knew what it was like having everything you loved, all your hopes, all your dreams, snatched from you. She'd felt the same way when watching Ravka disappear from on board the slaver ship. There were no words that could alleviate the world-shattering pain, no 'it's alright' – because it wasn't alright, and it never would be the same again. That could have been Kaz, whispered a small voice in her head. That could have been his body lying face down with a knife in his back. Melia could have been you.
She pressed tighter against her friend's chest. The girl's heaving breaths were easing, but the tears showed no sign of stopping. "Who?" sobbed Melia against Inej's head. "Who did this?"
Inej felt her heart harden into a sharp blade. "Don't worry. I will kill her. I will make her pay."
Melia said nothing, but held the Suli girl, rocking back and forth.
Inej heard the rest of the crew come down the stairs, heard their exclamations of fear and pity, heard some start crying and others start swearing. She heard the Tides mutter something about the inspection being "delayed due to the circumstances" and leave, but she didn't have it in her to feel the slightest bit relieved. The one thing she wanted now was revenge.
Was this how Kaz had felt once his brother had died? This all-consuming need? Was this the force that had turned him into Dirtyhands?
Was this the force driving Raven too?
But there wasn't only rage in her heart – there was guilt, too. Somehow, she had made Raven angry, and it was in her vengeance that she had killed Adrik. If it hadn't been for Inej, Adrik would still have been alive and in the arms of her friend.
Inej sent up a promise to her Saints. I will avenge Adrik and Melia.
For promises like that could not be broken.
Fly away, little Raven. I'm coming. And when I find you, I will cut off your wings.
I will tear you apart.
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