No Mourners, No Funerals

10.✓

"Alright, and you can ask him yourself."

Wylan couldn't stop grinning. One of his best friends-no, family-was home and he was all too happy.

Inej and Wylan left the room, grinning from ear to ear. Inej was right, the mansion hadn't changed. She looked around, carefully observing her surroundings and the brightness in Wylan's eyes definitely didn't go unnoticed. They reached another door and Wylan opened it. Inej saw Jesper sitting with a flute. His eyes went wide at seeing the familiar Suli girl besides Wylan.

Walking up to him, she asked, "Have you seen my friend? Ye tall?" She raised her hand till Jesper's head. "Ye dark?"

***

Sybia was walking to the harbor. She watched the ships come and go. She had always loved the sea.

She remembered when she was young, how her parents always said, "The world will either destroy you, or rebuild you."

She had never understood what it meant till now. She eyed the Crow Club. She had heard many things about that place over the years. Some good, others not so good. She carefully slipped inside. She looked at a group of drunkards at one table, yelling at each other. She observed the way they talked to each other, the way their hands moved.

"How stupid are these people," she muttered to herself.

She exited and walked around. Eyeing the carts filled with goods, she quickly snatched a loaf of bread. Her long coat kept it well hidden.

Kwet eyed the cloaked girl as she entered the club of crows.

What the hell is she doing? She thought, shimmying down a drainpipe.

But the girl was already exiting the building and Kwet quickly made her way back into the shadows, silent as a hunting cat. This girl was entering dangerous territory, she was going to end up splattered on a wall by one of the Dregs if she didn't consider what she was doing.

Kwet sighed as she eased the paper out of her satchel that had important information about the other girl, Jinx. She should be reporting to Kaz. She glanced back at the younger girl and sighed again as she made her way back into the shadows.

Quietly, she reached Kaz's window, leaping easily onto the window sill and crouching. She spotted Kaz at his desk and tapped on the window, eyeing the roofs. She couldn't help but feel followed with all the people hiding in shadows.

After an embarrassing amount of time, Vlam and Oiche had arrived before the large gambling den. Vlam hesitated before the crow statue, taking a few moments to consider, and reconsider what he was about to do. Shifting his weight slightly, he leaned down to pat Oiche's head. The furry dog was busy scanning the streets, glaring at anyone and everyone.

Vlam took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Straightening his back, he faced the Crow Club again. Looping the rope lead through a few belt loops, he tied it on, just so he could use both his hands easily. Nervously running his hands through his hair, Vlam stepped forward into the club. Oiche followed reluctantly, making sure to stick close to her master, and definitely not considering biting anyone.

A large man leaned forward slightly as he saw Vlam approach. "Hey, kid. No dogs allowed, can't you read?" he sneered, flexing his arm muscles, bulging biceps prominently displaying the dark crow and cup that seemed to stretch against his arm. "What's your business here, anyway?" The bouncer asked, stepping in Vlam's way and holding out an arm to point at a side door marked employees only.

Vlam paused, looking over the bouncer. Again he ran his hands through his hair and sighed. He knew what he was about to say would sound like a load of crap, so he just decided to go for it. "I ran into Dirtyhands on the streets. He told me to come here if I was sure I wanted to join the gang. So I could fill out paperwork and what not."