Noble Hope| General Kirigan

𝟘𝟚𝟛

{Chapter twenty-three}

AFTER HER LITTLE SHOW WITH THE SHADOW BALL, KAZ DECIDED IT BE BEST TO BIND HER HANDS SO SHE COULDN'T USE THEM DEFENSIVELY. To say it pissed her off would be an understatement.

She sat quietly at the table with an upset pout across her lips and anger radiating off her. Inej felt bad, but it had fortunately made Kaz shut up as well.

Jasper harshly let a large black pouch fall onto the table, sparing a quick glance to Adaline who glared at him. He pursed his lips and decided better not to engage. "The alarm trigger is set."

 "Horses are ready and I've stashed the rest of our gear." Jesper continued as he took a seat next to Adaline.

Kaz glowered. "If we don't move soon, the Black General will be on top of us." his gaze shortly shot to the raven-haired girl. "We can't waste any more time looking for the girl."

"You're absolutely insane if you think I'm leaving my sister here. Not to mention you kidnapping me." Adaline snapped, leaning against the table and placing her rope-bound hands there where they couldn't touch due to the thickness of the knot Kaz had tied.

"You were ill when we got to you." Kaz sneered, quirking a brow. "And your sister left you. If I were you, I'd leave her to rot."

As much as Adaline wished she could fight off these two, with her hands bound and in a public place, she couldn't. Word of a Shadow Summoner in a small town like that one would catch on fastly to Drüskelle.

Her glare darkened. Inej sat back down at the table, folding her hands in front of her. "I just settled our tab with the last of our coin."

Jesper sighed and shook his head. "We're really gonna leave empty-handed, then?"

"Um, first of all, rude—"

A loud explosion interrupted Adaline's words. The group of four's eyes blew wide, hearts slightly pounding in panic. The Grisha girl began to rap her fingertips onto the wood of the table. 

"Split up, much easier to take a Grisha one-on-one than a whole squad of them," Kaz demanded as Jesper slipped his hat back on and Inej slid knives into her sleeves.

Jesper flipped his pistols as Adaline stood, still in her dress from the Winter Fete and grey cloak she and her sister had stolen the night before. "I'll take this as my queue to leave."

Though before she could walk away, a cold and leathery grip solidified on her elbow. "You're staying with me. More leverage in case we get caught."

Adaline sighed angrily. "If I weren't tied, I'd have you on your arse for this," she grumbled as Kaz forcefully pulled her out of the exit of the bar.

"You're still weak. We'll rendevous at the fountain."

The second they stepped outside, Zoya, Ivan, and Polina (an Inferni that Adaline had met once,) all stood in front of them. Ivan made eye contact with Adaline, who slightly leaned forward from Kaz's grip which tightened. Ivan scanned over her dirty cloak, scratched face, and messed hair. The General won't be happy about this.

The Inferni began screaming when she noticed Inej. With a cold shout, Kaz pulled on Adaline's arm and dragged her through the back of the bar and to the other side.