Katarina should've known better. She should've known better than to walk in to a strangers house alone, should've known better than to use her powers in public, and should've known better to never trust people.
Alright, that last one was a little extreme, but she was angry. More than angry, if just one more thing was to tip her over the edge, she would've gladly burnt the entirety of Ravka to the ground.
By the time she returned to the pub, night had come and gone. As she passed more locals, she noticed their gazes and her hand fell to her cheek. Now, that was going to be one hell of a bruise. Pushing away through the crowd once again, she managed to find the Crows in the same place, at the bar, as she'd left them.
"You look like shit." Jesper said, a smirk on his lips as he briefly looked up from what she identified to be a map.
At his words, Kaz looked up quicker than he intended to, and then, at the same time the two fo them spoke.
"Shut up, Jesper."
In shock, her eyes met his for longer than usual. Long enough for Jesper to order another drink just so he didn't make a joke about it.
"Right, well, shall we catch her up before you two have another staring contest?"
Jesper Fahey, if looks could kill....
"That's the smartest thing you've said all night." Annika piped up, sending Katarina a wink when their eyes met. They might not be on the best of terms, but Annika would be damned if she let anyone embarrass her best friend.
She was rather quickly updated on their heist, which Jesper said went well despite when it almost went entirely wrong.
"So you know?"
"Know what?" Jesper asked, his smile faltering.
"There's no way in. I hate the royals as much as the next person, but they made Kirigan in charge of the grisha for a reason. He's smart."
"You don't hate every royal," Annika said with a smirk, and Kaz turned to her with a frown. "Wait! You haven't told them about you and the sobachka?"
"Annika." Katarina warned, glaring at the girl.
"Oh come on! You two were like Romeo and Juliet!"
"No we weren't." Katarina scoffed. "Both of them die in the end. Neither of us are dead."
"Your ex is still alive?" Kaz asked, mentally scolding himself for asking such a question out loud.
"He isn't my ex."
"Yes he is!" Annika squealed. "Saints, what if he's returned and we don't know? If we get to the palace, and he's there—!"
"Then what?" Katarina cut her off, raising her voice slightly so that now the entire group was watching her. "There hasn't been word of him anywhere for years. If he had half the brain I thought he did, he would've ran far far away, changed his name and stayed there."
"Well that was quite the speech." Jesper said, clearing his throat. "Note to self, don't mention Kat's old flames, got it."
She glared at him once more before she ordered another drink.
Before anyone else could comment, or even clear their throat, a loud thump and squeal rang out from behind them and in sync the group turned around. Kaz was the first to make eye contact with her, both of their brows furrowed in confusion and suspicion.
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"Got any plans up your sleeve?" Inej asked, turning to Kaz who didn't even spare her a glance.
"I mean, Kribirsk isn't the worst. We can open up a bar. Kat can dance on the tables—!"
"Shut up, Jesper." Everyone but the man himself and Annika, sighed.
"I miss Milo."
"Friends!" Kat and Jesper almost spat out their drinks in shock as Arlen pushed himself in between them.
"What are you so cheery about?" Kaz asked.
"And we aren't your friends." Kat added.
"This is Marko," He moved out the way to reveal a man with long dark hair and a beard. "Marko is the leader of the travelling troupe known as the Pomdrakon Players. They have been invited to perform in this year's winter fete."
"A lifelong dream." Marko said, a smile on his face.
"A chance to get inside the little palace. But they lost their star performer due to an unfortunate freak accident. They are in desperate need of someone with the skills to replace their star performer, and as Ketterdam's perimeter talent manager, I had an idea."
The group turned to Inej, her reputation proceeding her.
"As a friend once said," She stood up, off of her seat. "If I cant crack this, none of us are going anywhere."
She took out her daggers and gave Annika a lovingly sweet kiss on the cheek before she got on the ropes.
Inej had done all of beautifully, her gaze and smile never faltered once, and even Katarina found herself cheering by the end.
"The saints must have sent you." Marko spoke with excitement in his eyes. "Yes. The show will go on! Now..." He snapped his fingers and was handed a leotard. "Can you... fit into this?"
"Of course she can!" Jesper answered for her, placing his hands on Marko's shoulders.
Katarina could barely hear them, she had instead chosen to stay beside Kaz, close but not close enough for him to flinch out of the way like he had in the past.
As it usually did, Kaz's gaze fell to her and to the nasty looking bruise that was forming in her cheek.
"Who gave you that?"
Katarina frowned. "Gave me what?"
"That bruise on your cheek."
"Hm," Her fingers reached up and gently prodded the area he had gestured to. "Didn't even notice it."
"You're smart enough to notice an almost purple bruise on your cheek, Katarina." He turned to her, watching as she sighed but did the same. "Who hurt you?"
"Hurt me? Nobody hurt me."
"Your slight limp and almost black eye says otherwise. You didn't have those before your little show earlier."
"Been watching me, have you?"
Kaz smirked. "Suppose I have to, until you give me a reason to trust you."
Katarina scoffed to herself, with her arms crossed over her chest she took a step forwards. Kaz didn't take his usual step backwards.
"I'd rather you didn't have my trust, that way I can't break it."
AUTHORS NOTE nearly 10k reads??? what the actual fuck??? thank you so much for your support, it's so encouraging!! ps i love all your comments they make me entire day :,)
