INEFFABLE | kaz brekker

chapter seven

Now in Kribirsk, East Ravka, the Crows and Arken sat around a table in a pub, mindlessly eating and drinking, thinking about the past days events. Kaz had left them there, leaving Elham in charge of making sure everyone stayed put while he scoped the city out, finding out what he could.

Arken was grumbling, slamming a flyer onto the table. "The Little Palace winter fete. There's just no way he can find a way to the Sun Summoner without Nina. Especially during this ridiculous party, the place will be crawling with Second Army."

Kaz suddenly approached the table, in an immensely better mood than the rest of them, despite his disheveled look. "We're in luck. There's a good chance we can crack on. Now that we're three days' travel from the capital, the next play is finding a way inside the Little Palace. It turns out the Kribirsk archives house the Little Palace blueprints. But, they're kept under lock and key. Far from the prying eyes of the masses."

Elham scoffed. "As if that's ever stopped you."

Jesper had perked up, high fiving Elham. "Yes."

Arken looked confused, suddenly uneasy around the group. "What does that mean?"

"Time for a heist!"

"Jesper, I don't think you could sound any more excited. Excited to get that kruge, finally pay me back all you owe me?"

"Oh, but Elham, isn't my company a good enough payment?"

She threw her head back laughing. "Oh, honey, you'd have to be around me the rest of your life to pay off your debt. Honestly, I don't get it, Kaz pays you as much as he pays me, how is it that you're always asking me for more kruge? I must say, though, the satisfaction of watching you lose almost makes it worthwhile."

Jesper gasped. "Elham! Rude!"

"It's my money you're losing anyways. Now come on, let's go say goodbye to the goat, and get this show on the road."

---

Elham stood next to Arken, watching Jesper hand off the goat that he had dubbed Milo, to a barmaid, giving his tearful goodbye. She rolled her eyes, and called out a goodbye to Milo, turning her attention back to Kaz, who was giving Arken instructions. He handed him a wad of money.

"I have a job for you. We need to hitch a ride east to the Little Palace. Make friends."

Arken nervously chuckled. "But that's the hardest job."

Kaz tapped his cane to the back of Elham's leg, signaling her to follow him. Over his shoulder, he called back to Arken. "You managed to win us over, didn't you?"

Once out of earshot, making their way out the door, Elham muttered. "Hardly. He was our only option. I still don't like him."

"I'm not asking you to like him, I'm not overly fond of him myself. But he's our only shot. We aren't getting in the Little Palace without him."

"Oh, come on Brekker, not with that attitude we aren't. Now, what's your big plan here, where are we going?"

He almost smirked. "You're not going to like this."

Kaz led them over to the alley Inej and Jesper were standing in. "Alright, Royal Archives heist, here's the game plan. Watchmen are on guard around the clock. We want to get in and get out as quietly as possible. That means the hardware stays in the holster, Jesper."

"Ugh, fine."

"Inej, the dome on the roof is directly above the repository where the blueprints to the Little Palace are kept."