One-Shots // Book Compilation

• Kaz x Inej •

TITLE: Without Her
WORDS: 3,325
COMPLETED: 6/20/21
UNIVERSE: Six of Crows // Leigh Bardugo

Kaz Brekker didn't fully understand what was happening until he was standing right in the middle of the scene. Smoke was filling his lungs and clouding his vision. It wasn't cigarette smoke; no, this had a distinctly different scent and taste. It was the building. It was the Slat.

Jesper Fahey was on his knees, blood dripping down his forehead as he cradled Wylan Van Eck's lifeless corpse in his arms. Never had Kaz seen Jesper in such a scattered state of being. The boy was screaming, but it was silent. Kaz heard nothing. Wylan had three bloodied bullet wounds in his chest, each of which was fatal. There was also a slit cutting clean across the young merchling's throat, blood caked into his once sunshine golden curls. Jesper pulled up one of his revolvers, the other forgotten on the other side of the room. The gunfire was also silent as Jesper quickly shot the individual who had killed Wylan, tears trekking down his cheeks as he did so. Most of the blood covering Jesper belonged to Wylan Van Eck's corpse.

Next was Nina Zenik, who was in pure and utter agony, gripping at her chest while tears ran down her cheeks. Matthias Helvar was holding onto her, attempting to comfort her, but knowing she was beyond his help. The Fjerdan looked absolutely miserable, knowing that he had been defeated. Knowing that she was gone. Her lips had the bright orange powder around them, pupils dilated and fingers twitching. She'd gotten more parem and didn't even hesitate to take it, every cell in her body craving the drug. She belonged to the drug now, her brain completely empty of everything except getting her hands on more.

Finally, inevitably, Kaz found himself looking to the far side of the room, watching Inej Ghafa glance around with large and panicked eyes. Kaz understood what was happening a second too late, watching as the individual who was threatening her lodged a blade directly into her abdomen. Her whole body went still before slowly crumpling in on itself. She collapsed to her knees before hitting the floor.

"No!" Kaz cried, but couldn't even hear his own voice. He dropped his cane and was running as quickly as he could with his limp to reach her, sliding to his knees and grabbing onto her body. Her eyes were slowly closing, but she noticed he was there.

"Kaz..." Inej muttered, Kaz reading her lips and understanding that she was saying his name. His entire body went into shock, uncertain as to how to deal with this. Uncertain how to handle anything that was currently happening.

"Not so strong and mighty anymore, are you, Brekker?" A voice carried through the chaos; this was the first thing that Kaz had been able to hear. He had a leather-clad hand pressed to Inej's abdomen, desperately attempting to stop the bleeding. But it was futile. When Kaz looked back and spotted the individual who had been speaking, he felt as if his world had shattered around him. Pekka Rollins.

"What are you without them? What are you without her?" Pekka's words were sharp as daggers and hurt twice as much. Kaz felt physical pain hammer at his heart as he stared down at Inej, whose breathing was slowly becoming more and more shallow.

What was Kaz Brekker without her? Well, he was still the Bastard of the Barrel, that much was for sure. Without her, Kaz was ruthless. Without her, he had no weakness. Without her, he was unstoppable. Without her, he was hardly human. Without her, he believed life to be meaningless. Without her, he was alone. Without her, he felt like nothing. Without her, he had nothing. Without her, there was no Kaz Brekker. Could the world still turn without Inej Ghafa in it?

Kaz refused to answer, not wanting to give Pekka Rollins the satisfaction of an answer. Instead, Kaz looked back to the girl who was dying in his arms. Kaz was numb to death and pain, but this felt like something different; this was something much more horrible than just another dead body. No, she wasn't dead. But she was rapidly dying. And Kaz felt as if he could hear her heart slowing. But she couldn't die. He couldn't allow that to happen.