The Apple of My Eye -Kaz Brekker (Complete)

Chapter Two

Six of Crows – CHAPTER 28

Kaz was terrified.

They had gotten the Black Protocol going and almost died more times than he cared to count; he had been touched, hurt and even got as far as fainting in the wagon much to his shame. But worst of all, he had seen Pekka Rollins and he had walked away, not killing him, hoping that the time would come.

He had almost got his friends killed. He couldn't afford that, and he couldn't afford to die either.

"I have something for you," someone said.

He turned to Inej walking to him, offering his leather gloves.

The comfort and relief that simple scene brought him was indescribable.

"How --?" he asked.

"I got them from the discarded clothes. Before I made the climb," she explained.

"Six storeys in the dark," he said, trying his best to look like it was a compliment.

She nodded, eyes firm and face blank. Kaz want's very good with feeling, but he could see she was hurt from his decisions and blamed him quite a bit; he understood, he blamed himself too.

He pulled his gloved on slowly, thoughts on the way things would work out in the future. From that moment on, he would put himself more in danger than the others, so he needed to share. He took a deep breath – he was going to tell Inej about Jordan, about why he took the job.

"When I get back to Katterdam, I'm taking my share, and I'm leaving the Dregs," she told him.

He looked away, courage wavering.

"You should. You were always too good for the Barrel."

Inej with her innocence and hopefulness that made his heart ache night after night when he heard her cry, especially after her first kill. Inej and her strength that he was near to being envious of as she would wake up sobbing, but the next morning she would let Jesper hug her and, though she would disappear sometimes, would come back and smile at him because she knew he meant no harm.

She was so much stronger than him. Her goodness didn't deserve to be snuffled out like a cheap candle.

"Saint's speed, Kaz," Inej said.

It was time.

He snagged her wrist.

"Inej," he said, "if I don't make it out, I want you to know..." he hesitated. Could he trust her?

"Kaz?" she asked. "If we don't survive this night, I will die unafraid, Kaz. Can you say the same?"

"No, I cannot..." Kaz mumbled, looking around and letting go of her, not wanting anyone to hear. "You're the one I trust the most here. I need you to know that if I don't make it out alive, you need to get my share and send it to..." he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, "you need to send it to my daughter."

Inej's tanned face went pale at once and her knees seemed to shake.

"Saints, Kaz," she said, eyes wide as she struggled to get her breath again.

"I'm telling you because I trust you and because you're the one with the highest chance to leave this place alive," he explained. "Spentch knows where my daughter and her mother are hidden, just make sure she gets what was my due."

"You're married," she said, surprised.

Kaz blinked.

"No," he said. "I'm not. Inej, we were fifteen, it wasn't programmed or anything like that. However, she's... my priority, both of them."