fₒᵣ ᵢ ₐₘ bₑcₒₘₑ dₑₐₜₕ, dₑₛₜᵣₒyₑᵣ ₒf wₒᵣₗdₛ
Anastasia Morozova is a kinslayer. Anya Varamyr is a murderer. Anastasia is a decorated soldier. Anya is a backstreet cutthroat. Anastasia would die for her country. Anya would die for her friends.
Anastasi...
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When Kaz came back to the hotel, he found Anya swinging on the chandelier, bandages unravelling from her legs as Jesper frantically hopped around below her, trying to break her imminent fall. It was only when the lift doors slid shut that Jesper span around on his heel and called for the others. "All Saints!" he gasped, surveying the rather impressive damage. "So I guess that went well?"
"About as well as expected," Kaz grunted, lips twitching as Anya went tumbling to the floor behind Jesper.
"Saint's sake, Anya!" Nina cried, storming into the room with Matthias on her tail. She froze, catching sight of Kaz's bloody face. "Oh my."
"How many lives do you have, demjin?" Matthias asked, stooping to pick Anya up from the ground as she rubbed her head. The girl's eyes focused in on Kaz and his new companions.
"Fucking hell, Kaz," she groaned, pupils still blown as wide as they could go. "Ouch."
Ouch indeed, Kaz thought as he coughed up another round of blood into his handkerchief. "Nothing to worry about, Anya. Just a scratch."
As inebriated as she was, Anya winced, taking a long sip from the bottle of brandy she'd left lying on the floor and moving to follow him as he limped towards the bathroom. "Let us help you, Kaz!" Nina called out, running after them. "What is wrong with you?"
Anya stumbled on her feet, propping herself up against the bathroom door. A lithe body sidled up beside her, a small hand brushing against the bottom of her spine. "Hello Varamyr," Anika grinned. "Long time, no see."
Anya turned to look at the woman with a bewildered expression, lip pulled between her teeth. "No shit, Anika. I've been in hiding, remember?"
Anika frowned, quirking an eyebrow up at Jesper who watched the conversation unfold with a wince, his gaze flickering back and forth between Anika and Kaz - who'd stopped trying to struggle out of his coat to watch the exchange. "Our Anya's going though it right now," he said nervously. "The cure involves being as intoxicated as possible till we can find a more practical solution."
"Ah, now I can help with that," Anika smirked, flicking her hair behind her back. "What do you say, Varamyr?"
"She's busy," Kaz grunted sharply, pulling Anya into the bathroom and slamming the door after them. Anya laughed loudly and looked up at him with flashing eyes. "What?" he asked. "I can't wrap my own ribs up now, can I?"
