glow of the mark (six of crows soulmate au)

chapter seven (kaz)

Kaz kept a close eye on Inej as he made his way through the crowd, easily breaking bones with just a simple hit with his cane.

He saw Inej disappear into an aisle of crates, and Kaz sensed that something was off. He followed her, and, seconds later, a member of another gang -Oomen-, specifically, one that Kaz had some trouble with, emerged from the crates, his groin bleeding. 

Inej climbed up onto the crates, and Kaz saw the blood spilling out of her side, a dagger was sticking out where the blood was. He climbed up the crates, seizing her ankle. He turned her onto her back, and Inej pulled a dagger out, about to stab herself between her ribs. Kaz gripped her wrist, taking the dagger out of her possession.

//I HAD TO KEEP THIS SCENE TOO- LEAVE ME ALONE-//

"Not just yet, Inej." Kaz rasped, picking her up and jumping down from the crates, his bad leg buckling painfully before he started running to the ship. 

"Did we win?" Inej murmured.

"Always the important questions, Inej. I'm here, aren't I?"

"I don't want to die."

"I'll do my best to make other arrangements for you." He said, and he meant it. Inej started to close her eyes, "Don't slip away from me, Wraith. Keep talking."

"But it's what I do best."

Kaz tightened his grip on her, "We need to just make it to the ship. Open your damn eyes, Inej."

"Talk to me, Wraith." He nearly pleaded after a few moments.

"You came back for me."

"I protect my investments." Kaz reasoned, ignoring the glow that came from under her sleeve, there were more important things to worry about at the moment.

"I'm glad I'm bleeding all over your shirt."

"I'll put it on your tab, don't worry."

"Say you're sorry."

Kaz's eyebrows furrowed, "For what?"

"Just say it." And, that was the last thing Inej had said to him before she passed out.

Kaz ran faster toward the ship, trying to ignore the unbearable pain in his leg.

Jesper was sitting on the deck of the ship, talking to Matthias.

"Where's Nina?" Kaz shouted breathlessly, "Matthias, you need to go grab Oomen, force him onto this boat, tie him up, put him in shackles, whatever, I don't give a shit, just get him on this goddamn boat."

Matthias nodded, grabbing the dagger he'd used earlier, and rushed off the boat. 

"Nina's below-deck, tending to the wounded. Let me help you."

"Out of my way," Kaz said through gritted teeth, pushing Jesper out of his path, plunging down the stairs that led below-deck.

Wylan was sitting on a table, Nina fixing up a minor bullet wound. "Wylan, move your ass out of the way." 

Wylan leapt from the table, Nina about to yell at Kaz since she wasn't finished, but she remained silent when he laid Inej down on the table.

"I don't know if I can do this... I'm a Heartrender, not a Healer." Nina finally spoke.

"She'll be dead when we find her one. Try." Kaz felt helpless inside, leaving the room, he knew he couldn't distract Nina whilst she worked.

He felt like he had when he was a young boy, alone in such a dangerous world. He couldn't lose her, he couldn't lose his Wraith. She had saved everyone's lives so many times, including his. 

When he re-emerged above-deck, Matthias was making sure Oomen couldn't move, and the boat was sailing.

"Kaz, real quick, who's driving the boat?" Jesper questioned.

"Have you not been paying attention at all? Specht is." Kaz rolled his eyes.

"Kaz, is Inej okay?" Wylan asked.

Kaz ignored the question. The hell do you think? 

"So... what are we doing with this guy?" Jesper kicked Oomen in the arm.

"If he thinks he can nearly kill m- the Wraith, then he gets to feel what she felt when he stabbed that knife into her side, except... I'm going to make it ten times worse." Kaz slowly walked over to Oomen, heavily relying on his cane in that moment.

Wylan blinked, silent for a moment, walking away. "I'm not gonna watch this..."

"Jesper, hand me one of your guns," Kaz ordered.

Jesper hesitated, "If you damage it in the slightest bit, I will murder you." He held out a gun.

Kaz snatched it from him, "Oomen, stand up."

"And why should I listen to you?"

"I'll kill you if you don't." Let's be real here, Kaz was going to kill him either way.

Oomen stood up, Matthias and Jesper held him to the railing, making sure he couldn't jump off.

Kaz stepped closer, "Are you the one that stabbed the Wraith?" He knew the answer.

"I stabbed her, I stabbed the Wraith." Oomen laughed.

Kaz shot Oomen in the stomach. "What was your intention with her?"

"I was gonna get all those secrets outta her, your's too, Brekker."

//i refuse to write the eyeball scene//

Kaz took a knife from Matthias, plunging it right in between Oomen's ribs, stabbing him straight in the heart. 

"Throw him in." Kaz motioned to the water, which was freezing cold.

Matthias nodded, and he and Jesper threw the body in, a loud splash erupted when the body hit the water.

Wylan had been below-deck during the whole ordeal, but, when he re-emerged, he made a face and didn't ask any questions.

"Uh, Kaz, Nina wanted me to mention that she's trying her hardest with Inej, but, she doesn't know if Inej will make it. Luckily, the knife hadn't gotten any organs, but she's lost a lot of blood."