Once Upon A Lie

Forty-seven:

Forty-seven:

"What did you do to piss off Magnus Opjer?" the question came from Kaz Brekker, who was leaning against Aleksander's locker when he got there. Kaz and Aleksander had become friends when he had stopped two football players from trying to beat the shit out of him one day. Kaz walked with a cane, and Aleksander, whose own mother did the same, had nearly beaten the football players to a bloody pulp.

He had almost gotten expelled. Until his father had donated new computers for the library, and asked why someone hadn't interfered when the fight first broke out. And, Kaz was an athlete as well. He was on the wrestling team. The coach often worried he'd injure himself further but anyone who saw Kaz fight knew there was nothing that would stop him. Much less his leg.

Aleksander stared at him. "What do you mean, Brekker?"

"Lantsov came to me with the pictures of your girl. I recognized the camera that was used and the style."

"The camera?"

"Yeah. Opjer doesn't do digital. He likes having hard copies of things. He's an old-fashioned crank. He tried threatening me when I was buying The Crow Club. Had someone follow Inej around, and take pictures."

Aleksander raised an eyebrow. "And why would he follow the gymnast girl?"

Brekker coughed. "Thought I had a connection to her. She comes into the club sometimes, dances. Opjer was mistaken. I set him straight."

"Are you sure that's who had those photos taken?" he asked.

"When was the last time I was ever wrong about anything, Morozova?" Kaz said, looking pointedly at him.

Aleksander scowled. It was rare that there was something going on in Ravka that Kaz didn't know about. And if there was something, all he had to do was pay the right people to get that information. "I guess I've got to go and pay a visit to the man."

"Be careful," said Kaz, "there's a rumor he was responsible for Tatiana Lantsov's accident. Don't want the same thing to happen to your girl. Or you, for that matter."

"Is that concern, Brekker?" he asked.

Kaz smirked. "Practicality, Morozova. I don't like it when my patrons get killed. Means less money for me."

"Thanks. I feel so loved," he drawled.

"See you around, Morozova."

"See you too, Brekker."

Kaz walked off, and Aleksander got his things from his locker. He was about halfway to class when he turned and looked at the schools front door. He couldn't go to class. Not as long as Alina was in danger. He wouldn't let anything happen to her. No, he would go and see Magnus instead.