𝕬𝖗𝖘𝖔𝖓𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖘 𝕷𝖚𝖑𝖑𝖆𝖇𝖞 - [𝗞𝗮𝘇 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗸𝗸𝗲𝗿]

𝐱𝐱𝐢𝐯. 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 — into the darkness

━━━━━━━

 𝐃𝐀𝐖𝐍 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌 swiftly and Aleksa felt as though she'd had little time to breathe or even process the fact that they'd soon be stuck on a skiff filled with Grisha that had been ordered to find and kill them... as well as Aleksander himself. She still had yet to tell her Crows of what she had planned; neither knew that she had finally steeled her resolve and had decided that it was finally time for brother and sister to meet again.

 Kaz would have likely asked Jesper to bind her with rope and hold a gun to her head throughout the journey, and she had no doubt that Jesper would happily oblige. She could only imagine what Inej would think... though, the difference was that whilst Inej would have been terrified and would try to talk her out of it, the Wraith had a brother of her own and knew how much it stung to be apart. Granted, Inej's brother likely wasn't a Shadow Summoner with a harsh temper and plans that weren't likely to be good.

 Her hands hadn't stopped shaking and Aleksa had taken to tucking them in her pockets as she trailed behind her Crows, watching as they slowly trudged past cobble and dirt to reach the encampment. She watched their silly hats bob atop their heads. A sliver of Inej's silky black hair peeked through, Jesper sauntered forwards as though he was simply walking to the sweet shop, and Kaz looked just as he always did.

 Cas had joined her, his talons lightly tucked into her shoulder as one of his beaks nibbled away at the brim of her own stupid hat. She was draped in Kaz's coat with the collar pulled up to obscure as much of her face as possible; it had been Kaz that had grasped them and set them into place. Her hat was tilted, casting a shadow over her wonderful features and her hair had been stuffed into her hat with great difficulty.

 Cas, ever the odd little thing that he was, cawed lightly into her ear. The animal had always been in tune with her, able to recognise unease especially well. He ruffled his feathers and tucked his left head into her cheek, causing her to let a small and soft laugh tumble from torn-up lips.

 Kaz was the one to look over his shoulder at the sound. Aleksa had half expected him to glower at the bird, but he merely blinked and slowed his steps until just Inej and Jesper trailed in front of them, animatedly chatting as they went.

 Her own steps fastened, catching up to the Bastard.

 "Do you have to take the bird with you?" Kaz frowned, eyes darting to the bird who promptly opened his eyes and made him want to recoil. Perhaps, had it only possessed one head and didn't have the insatiable desire to cling to him and tear apart his furniture, he might have liked the thing.

 "We could leave you behind, Cas could take your place," Aleksa bumped her cheek into the bird, "Look, he even has your taste in fashion."

 Cas's feathers gleamed like oil beneath the sunlight, and Kaz almost spared a glance down at his ensemble. Whilst Jesper had donned an entirely new outfit and inej had grumbled as she slipped into a coat at least two sizes too large for her, he remained in the outfit he'd arrived in. The most colour one could spot would have been the light gold detailing on his waistcoat, but even that was covered by his billowing coat.