Dark of the Tide [Shadow and Bones]

Chapter 10

"You want us to what?!" Mal asked in horror. Everyone was looking at me like I was crazy.

"We need to get aboard the general's ship." I repeated.

Kaz sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Arabella, I love you, but this is suicide."

Everyone perked up and looked at us.

"What?" I looked at Kaz, not sure if I heard him right.

"What?" Kaz asked, looking at me.

"Aaaanyways—" Alina started.

"No no no," I shushed Alina, looking at Kaz. "What did you say?"

"Um . . . nothing. Can we get back to the original problem? How are we going to get aboard the general's ship?" Kaz asked.

   "Arabella could—" Mal said.

    "No. Absolutely not. I'm not putting her in danger again." Kaz said immediately.

    "Sounds like you care about her, boss." Jesper said.

    "Well, of course I do, Jesper! She's a part of the team. She's important to me!"

We all went silent and looked at him.

"I'm not that important, Kaz." I said.

"You are to me." He replied, then quickly corrected himself. "T-to us. All of us." He said and walked away.

———

I sat out in the rain, crouched by the overhanging roof and looking into the window as Kaz talked with Pekka.

"How's it going?" Inej whispered, crouching next to me.

"It would go a lot better if it was silent." I hissed back.

"Right. Sorry." She apologized and we fell into a comfortable silence.

Faint shouting could be heard through the window and Pekka grabbed Kaz's cane from him and slammed it into his bad leg.

"Kaz," I got up, but Inej pulled me back down and shook her head.

"I can't just sit her and watch this happen to him." I said to her.

"Just a little longer, Arabella."

I looked from her to the two men in the room, and Pekka looming over Kaz.

"I can't. Sorry." I said and yanked my arm from her grasp, landing silently on the window sill and opening the window without a sound, slipping into the room and creeping in the shadows.

Kaz locked eyes with me and gave me a slightly disappointed yet relieved look.

I looked over at a vase with flowers in it and smiled, gathering a small amount of water over Pekka's head and dribbling a rainfall onto his head, making him swat at himself.

I bit my lip and held back a giggle of laughter as I watched Pekka growl with frustration and throw the cane onto the ground before running out, slamming the door and having the water puddle splash against the wood.

Kaz laughed and rolled onto his back, smiling at me. "You're insane. You're actually insane."

"I like to have a little fun." I started laughing, sitting down and leaning against the wall.

He got up and grabbed his cane before sitting next to me. "I'm sorry about earlier."

I looked at him.

"You know how I feel about you. Right?"

"It's still a little unclear, to be honest." I replied.

He smiled and took my hand in his. "Once we finish this total suicide mission you came up with, I'll tell the others."

I smiled. "There was this one thing you said earlier. I'm not sure if it was an old habit or—"

    "I love you." He said.

"Yes, you said that, but I'm still a little unclear." I said.

He chuckled and shook his head, dragging a hand through his hair and looking at me with a smile. "No. I meant I love you, Arabella. I really do."

"Oh. Oh. Okay." I said, unsure how to respond.

"All you can come up with it that? Wow. I chose the wrong person to love."

I smacked his arm. "You take that back."

He laughed. "I'm kidding. You're probably the only woman who can put up with me. Besides Inej."

"Yeah, you're pretty stubborn." I agreed.

    "You take that back!" He said.

    "Not gonna happen." I replied, looking at him.

    He leaned forward and quickly pecked my lips, pushing my hair from my face. "I really hate you sometimes."

    "Likewise,"