𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐍 | Kaz Brekker

「rend my heart」

Kaz locked eyes with Val the two holding it for as long as possible until she found his cane on her back and them being led down the hallway to a door that went into the basement. Kaz and Jesper remained close by to her as Inej blended into the shadows as she does best.

The smell of blood hit her fast and she began breathing more shallowly than before. Especially when she caught sight of the body of a man hunched over on a chair with a bag over his head. Muscle memory made the crows line up behind Kaz with Val then Jesper to the left and Inej to his right.

"Who's this?" Kaz asked as Dreesen went to stand behind the body.

"So you don't know everything after all." Dreesen said, gaging the Crows reactions but only seeing Val glare at him over his shoulder. "This is Alexei Stepanov."

The bag was ripped form Alexei's head who was perfectly manic, his breath heaving and a black eye prominent on his face. His cuts were obviously untreated and Valerias chemist brain was working a formula that would heal them without a scar at record speed. But as she heard Inej's own breath quicken she reached out to brush her fingers for a few moments against the Suli girl.

"Two weeks ago, young Alexei here crossed the Fold on foot, alone." Dreesen said, patting the man's shoulder as he looked around as though he would want nothing more than to go back into the Fold rather than stay here.

"How?" Inej asked, her interest peaked.

"Well they are keeping it quiet but allegedly he was one of the witnesses to... an event." Dreesen said and poured himself a drink, practically teasing the man.

"Water." He moaned out and at that Valeria had had enough. She walked towards Dreesen and with the glare he knew so well at this point, poured the man a glass of water. But as she went to give it to him she slipped a pinch of healing tonic into the glass.

Kaz's cane slipped out in front of her, preventing her from going on. He shook his head slightly. He didn't want her to be hurt by a man driven made by captivity. Val and Jesper exchanged a look.

She mouthed a string of curses at Kaz's back, his cane still against her calf and passed the glass to a waiting Inej who poured the water down the mans throat.

"What kind of event?" Kaz asked, looking back at Alexei.

"I know an expedition was swarmed by Volcra. Should've been a total loss but then something happened. Some device detonated. Obliterated the Volcra, lit up the dark like a forrest fire. I know it wasn't a fire or else no one would've survived. This was some invention no one had seen before." Valeria had read books upon books on the second army and Ravka itself, they didn't have enough money to make that kind of machine.

"Ravka is not advanced enough for that, let alone the second army." Valeria said aloud. Usually Kaz found her goading personality amusing but in this situation he needed to keep her safe. Jesper moved closer to Valeria as Dreesen began a slow walk towards the Crows.

"Alexei here is inarticulate but it's pleasure to know you can speak and so much." Dreesen said, stopping in front of her and Valeria could feel Jesper's glare from behind her. "So please, explain why."

"I think we all know you have more money in your coffers and I more poison on my person than Ravka has funds and technology, Mr Dreesen." She said, her voice that silky smooth as it always was.

Dreesen leaned into her as Jesper pulled her into his chest and Kaz put his cane at Dreesen's stomach. Inej now stood behind him, a knife in her hand but he seemed undettered. He watched Valeria and licked his lips. It was a dance the Crows were used to, but they would dance it over and over for their own. Val didn't love that the dance made her seem weak and soft but it was nice that they cared.