WHISPER- shadow and bone

Chapter 2

"Hey, you take Zemeni coin, yes?", asked a man with a crooked smile.

"Let me see that"

"The Lucky Nine casino up the block has had trouble with counterfeit coin lately.", a taunting voice rang out.

"Heavy, but brittle.", he said cockily.

"Oh, come on, now. I've been here for hours.", replied the man. "My money is good, no?"

"Zemeni coin can take a bullet. But the knockoff...", spoke Jesper throwing the coin into the air and shooting a hole straight through it.

"Busted."

"What does that prove?", asked the man frantically. "Hey! Wait! What are you doing. Get off me!"

Jesper reached out hungrily for the money before a familiar came became present on the table.

"No loud noises at the table, Jesper. You'll scare off the pigeons.", came the snarl of Kaz Brekker.

"Wouldn't want that, boss".

"Shouldn't you be on the door?"

"Yeah, right away, boss.", replied Jesper.

"Not still thinking about that brother of yours?", Kaz asked coldly.

"Of course not", Jesper replied a second too late.

"Well don't. Compassion will get you nowhere, memories will get you nowhere. Just forget about him, he's gone for good".

Jesper nodded solemnly. Truth be told her thought of Ezra every day and every night. He wondered why they ever separated and then would remember that Ravka was not a place for him and Ketterdam was not a place for his brother. They were two sides of the same coin, made from the same place yet always separate, never able to be with one another. Yes Jesper had found family with the Crows, but that didn't mean he could forget the boy he had grown up with, the boy that he wished he could speak to once again.

At least he had friends. He had mentioned a girl called Adeline and Jesper hoped she was taking care of him, yet also wanting to warn his brother that if she tried anything then his next bullet wouldn't be finding a coin.

~~~~

Ada was fuming. Watching her sister being thrown to the back of the queue had set her on edge. The medics ate together so she rarely had to worry about the prejudice of the First Army yet somehow it still shocked her when she saw it.

She and Mal had planned together to retrieve food for Alina from somewhere and a sudden sighting of a Grisha tent gave them an idea. They had just secured a plate of fruit when a ringing voice came from behind them.

"You can get arrested for that". "Stealing from Second Army will get you thrown in a hole" came the sharp voice of Zoya Nazyalensky. Ada wouldn't admit it but the Grisha girl had been her first crush at the camp.

"Maybe you should arrest us", Mal spoke confidently.

"Hang on. Aren't you one of our escorts for the crossing? And you're the medic who I've heard such great things about", the Squaller raised her eyebrows

Ada smiled to herself. She wasn't sure whether it was a compliment or not but anything from Zoya made her beam.

"That's right", Mal spoke for both of them.

"Yeah", whispered Ada. Zoya though had her eyes placed solely on Mal.

"Well, I don't mind sharing".

"Well, it's not for us.It's for a friend.", Ada said.