Stupid Sickness

Incurable Damage (Kaz)

Rollins stepped closer to Inej, the blade clutched in his hand.

Kaz's mind was frantically trying to come up with a plan, just something, anything that would spare Inej the pain he'd undergone constantly since yesterday, when the Squaller had  taken them from the Fahey farm. 

But his head was a blank buzz of terror the closer that knife got to the girl in front of him, and it was getting awfully close.

Rollins brought the blade to Inej's thigh, slicing deep into her leg. Blood spurted, but Inej's mouth was set. She refused to make a sound.

Kaz pulled against Doughty's arms, but the waters of Third Harbor rose and Jordie floated beside him at the contact. He fought not to black out, he couldn't collapse now. Someone had to look after Inej, assure she was alright.

But she wasn't alright and Rollins' knife moved to her other leg.

He was going to break my legs. Kaz heard Inej tell him fearfully, long ago in another lifetime. The last time he'd failed her and gotten her snatched by men looking to get at him.

If he cut too deep, she'd never walk again, and Kaz knew how much that would cost her. She was the Wraith, she needed her legs. She needed to be able to run.

Rollins paused thoughtfully, reaching for Inej's sleeve. He slid it up her arm even as she tried to push him off. 

She was still bound. Terror and rage danced inside of Kaz.

The skin of Inej's arm was smoother than it should have been, the result of Nina's parem enhanced tailoring of where the Menagerie tattoo had once been.

Rollins considered it, thinking deeply about something.

"Since you appear to adore her so much," he said, turning back to Kaz. 

Kaz refused to let his expression show any of the number of emotions crashing through him at the moment.

"You can watch what many other men paid so much money to see."

Inej wriggled and squirmed, trying to kick the bruiser holding her in the shins, but he'd lifted her off the ground like she weighed nothing and she couldn't reach.

"Besides, it's not like it will be torture to her. She's gone through it before, with Heleen. She'll manage just fine. Will you, Brekker?"

Kaz's whole body went numb as his eyes met Inej's, wild, dark, and terrified.

No.

Rollins would not take this from her too, would not make her suffer that kind of pain again.

Sure, she'd delt with it before, but he promised her, sworn to her that she never would have to again. He'd given her freedom and Rollins was going to take that away along with everything else. He was going to make Kaz watch.

Everything came crashing back in on him as the man he hated so much took the blade against the front of Inej's tunic, preparing to cut through the fabric. Inej was staring upwards her lips moving in silent, unheeded prayer.

"Stop it!" He yelled, hating himself and hating Rollins, hating, hating him.

Rollins paused, a grin on his face.