𝕬𝖗𝖘𝖔𝖓𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖘 𝕷𝖚𝖑𝖑𝖆𝖇𝖞 - [𝗞𝗮𝘇 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗸𝗸𝗲𝗿]

𝐱𝐱𝐢𝐢𝐢. 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 — decked out

━━━━━━━

 "𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐊𝐈𝐅𝐅 𝐈𝐒 still here," Inej spoke as she silently crept into the room; with what little coin they had left — thanks to Aleksa and her insatiable ability to be able to put anybody under her spell — they had managed to procure a room in a small and run-down inn on the outskirts of the fold. "Travellers downstairs are complaining. They were due to cross this morning."

 The looming wall of withering shadows was as clear as day from their window and Aleksa couldn't help the shiver that traced her spine as she pressed her cheek against the cool glass, looking out at the Unsea.

 She could still see the pathetic remnants of the train that Kaz had originally been so eager to put them on; the flames had died out but a cloud of billowing smoke still tangled high into the sky. She supposed there was no good way of perusing through the Fold, for whilst the torn apart train might have secured their deaths, at least Aleksander wouldn't have been there, nor his delightful Heartrenders.

 The Skiffs might have been well put together, strong and a viable way to surge through the darkness, but if they were caught it was over.

 Kaz nodded at the Wraith's words, "Orders from the Black General," his eyes moved to Aleksa who continued to stare bleakly out the window. He knew the risk of them getting caught was high, but there was no other way to get back to Ketterdam. They had to try, "He plans to cross on it tomorrow."

 Aleksa finally shifted on the window sill, her fingers curling around her waist as she hopped down, padding towards the table the Crows had gathered around. Jesper had tossed his tweed jacket on the scruffy couch, Inej had shed her hood and delicately placed her knives on the table and Aleksa had hung the woollen coat on the back of a chair, boots tossed close to the door.

 Kaz, however, sat at the wooden table in every layer imaginable. It wasn't a surprise, for Kaz was rarely one to get as comfortable as the rest of them, but the sight of him still draped in his long and thick coat whilst Aleksa sashayed about in her socks was something to be amused at.

 She slumped into a chair, watching as Jesper blinked at Kaz, "The General?" He queried, "Aleksa's brother? The one who tried to... Oh, yeah, kill us all. That one?" 

 A beat passed as they all submerged within Jesper's words. They had all come close; Inej had left the battle bleeding, and with a second life on her conscience. Jesper had left a fight with a Heartrender that had come dangerously close to squeezing his heart into nothing more than pulp.

 As for Aleksa and Kaz... There was no doubt that Kaz Brekker would have been able to find some way out of his stand-off against the Darkling, perhaps with the flash bombs stashed in his bag. But would that have been enough? If not for Aleka scrambling from the rooftop as her shadows cloaked them, he might have been left behind in multiple, bloody pieces.