"I am not a woman, I'm a god. I am not a martyr, I'm a problem,"
Aurora Vostokoff was an orphan in the barrel, like so many others. So when her sister died as well, she was stuck doing the only thing she knew that she was good at - killing.
As an a...
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ii. money, money, money, must be funny in a rich man's world
KAZ AND AURORA FOUND THE Heartrender, a blonde woman called Milana, and were now taking her to Dreesen with Jesper and Inej
"I really appreciate new business, but you've only paid for an hour of my time and I have to be back at the Orchid," she explained, following them to a house.
"The Orchid isn't safe tonight. You're lifes in danger with this job," Aurora explained to her, "You should make yourself scarce for a few days afterwards,"
"Are you threatening me? Really? Even if I'm nice, my boss will call the stadwatch on you," Milan said and Aurora just chuckled at the sentiment.
"It's not us you're in danger with, its Pekka Rollins," Kaz said, stopping and turning to look at her.
"My boss would call the Stadwatch on him as well," she threatened, standing her ground which Aurora appreciated.
"Which is why your boss is already dead," Kaz stated, watching the confident look on Milana's face drop.
Kaz approached the door, leaving the other four behind, "Who are you lot?" A man guarding the entrance asked him.
"We're here to see Dreesen," Kaz stated as he approached the wrought iron gate.
The man behind the gate approached, "You're not with Pekka's crew," he said, looking at Kaz.
"And you're not in Pekkas pocket anymore if you don't owe him," Kaz said, pulling out a bag of money and tossing it to the man who looked at it for a second before opening the gate.
The five walked in, Inej and Aurora on either side of Malina in case she decided to run.
"Hey, where'd you get that coin?" Jesped asked as he walked in front of the girls and next to Kaz.
All of a sudden the man yelled out, "Hey! One of these has a hole in it," he said and they realised they'd been caught.
"Inside," Kaz said, everyone following him inside quickly before being escorted to Dreesens office.
"One look and I can tell. Criminals," Dreesen said, pointing at them, "I'm not meeting anyone 'til midnight,"
"We heard you needed a heartrender," Kaz said and Dreesen stood up, looking at the group.
"All right, she stays, the rest of you, out," Dreesen tried to bargain.
Milana started to walk forward, believing that they would agree with the deal. Kaz held his case out, stopping her from moving any further.
"She stays. And we have an exclusive on this job," Kaz said.
"Mr Brekker," Dreesen said, walking out from behind his desk, "No businessman worth his salt hires his first applicant,"
"No. No, I understand. Of course I will have to report you to the guild for kidnapping and harboring a prisoner without chain of title," Kaz threatened in a calm voice.
One of Dreesens men reached for their guns, Jesper doing the same to show that the Crows were evenly matched.
"You wouldn't," Dreesen said. That calm exterior from earlier dropped as he realised he didn't have the upper hand.
"No businessman worth his salt bargains for what he can take," Kaz stated, a harsh look on his face.
Dreesen approached Kaz, inhaling deeply, "All right, come on," he said before walking them into a wine cellar where a man sat with a bag on his head.
"Who's this?" Aurora asked, looking at the man with confusion.
"So you don't know everything afterall Miss Vostokoff, this, is Alexei Stepanov," he unveiled the boy, "Two weeks ago, young Alexei here crossed through the fold on foot. Alone,"
Dreesen walked back towards them, "How?" Inej asked, looking at the beaten boy in shock.
"They're keeping it quiet but allegedly, he was one of a few witnesses to an event," Dreesen explained.
"Water," the boy - Alexei - begged in a weak voice, Inej pouring him a drink and helping him drink it.
"What kind of event?" Kaz questioned, watching as Inej helped the boy drink.
"I know an expedition was swarmed with Volcra, should've been a total loss but something happened," Dreesen took a sip from his drink, "A device detonated, obliterated the Volcra, lit up the dark like a forest fire. This was an invention no one had seen before,"
Aurora wondered what it was, "He knows," Dreesen pointed at the boy, "But he doesn't seem to be able to articulate the events, some form of traumatic lapse,"
Malina walked up to him, placing a hand on his cheek and whispering that he was safe, "Now you can just speak and I will just listen," she said, "Tell me what happened in the fold,"
Alexei looked calm, "You won't believe me but, it was a sun summoner," he said.
Inej gasped and looked at Jesper, Dreesen looked shocked and Aurora and Kaz looked at one another, a look somewhere between disbelief and shock passing between the two.
Dreesen crouched in front of him, "Who was it?" He asked, the battered boy looking at him with hope.
"If I tell you, you'll set me free?" Alexei asked, Dreesen promising he would, "Her name is, Alina Starkov,"
Dreesen stood up, walking over to a manifest that showed who was on the skiff that day.
"You'll set me free now?" Alexei asked, a hopeful expression on his face.
"Of course," Dreesen turned around and shot him in the head, Malina screaming as he lay on the floor bleeding.
"We are now the only people west of the Fold with this information, my ship sails for West Ravka at dawn. If you can prove that you have a way through the Fold and back, I'll put you on that ship with am advance," Dreesen stated, "If you don't, I'll give it to Pekka Rollins,"
"Give me a day, I'll have a plan," Kaz asked, Dreesen preparing to leave.
"You have until sunrise," he countered, "Then your ship would have sailed Mr Brekker, the prize is one million kruge, now bring me Alina Starkov,"
He walked off, leaving them to stare at the lifeless body of Alexei Stepanov as they realised they had the lead to find the Sun Summoner.
