𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝑬𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒊 // 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘 & 𝑩𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑭𝑭

𝟗.𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒔 & 𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔

Kribirsk, East Ravka

The crowd cheered in amazement, watching the  performers put on a fire show in the exquisite decorated yet simple bar. The performers dance around gathering the eyes filled with awe from the commoners, drinking and feasting at their tables. Jesper, Inej & Arken sit in silence staring blankly before them. Arken was drinking his beer, reading a brochure, Jesper was drinking his drink and Inej was munching on one of the baked goods, placed on the bar counter before them.

"So..." Jesper pulled the corners of his mouth in a frown, shifting in his seat. "..that went well.." he masked his discomfort with sarcasm as he caught the exhausted gazes of Arken and Inej.

Arken slammed slightly his cup on the counter, reading the brochure. "The Little Palace winter fete."he let it fall on the counter. "There's just no way he can find a way to the Sun Summoner without Nina." Arken exhaled in defeat. He shakes his head. "Especially during this ridiculous party. The place will be crawling with the Second Army." he waved around the brochure again.

"We're in luck." Kaz's voice emerged from behind them, walking to Jespers side. "There's a good chance we can crack on." Everyone turned their gazes to Kaz as he speaks.

"Now that we're three days travel from the capital, the next play is finding a way into the Little Palace." Kaz continued. "It turns out the Kribirsk archives house the Little Palace blueprints. But...they are kept under lock & key." Kaz leaned his arm against the counter, taking a deep breath before he continued. "Far from the prying eyes of the masses."

Jesper cheered, clenching his fist in front of him. "Yes!" he muttered, turning to Arken and Inej with a sly smirk.

Arken looks up from his glasses with his eyebrows raised, wondering what they are talking about. "What does that mean?"

Jesper excitedly pats Arkens forearm. "Time for a heist!"

Inej smirked amused as her eyes shift between them but soon her gaze went to her hands, resting on the counter as she lets out a long worried sigh.

"Not a sign from Raven yet?" Kaz asked, expecting a positive answer yet was met with lowered gazes as soon as the name was spoken. He sighs, tapping nervously his finger against the counter and licking the inner corner of his mouth, stretching his neck left and right to loosen his body's tension. "She wouldn't leave us." he commented lastly.

"No..." Jesper mumbled, staring blankly before him. "no she wouldn't..." he takes a sip of his drink. "Do you think she is...you know...dead?" Jesper looks around him at his friends and companions but they sigh, tense by just the thought of it.

"She can't be easily killed." Inej spoke with a firm voice. Her eyes blinked to stop the tears from falling as she rasps her voice. "Something must've happened to her."

"We don't know that for sure, Inej." Kaz looks her way, meeting her watery eyes as he feels his jaw tightening. "For now we have to focus on our mission to get into the Little Palace." he said lastly and walks off.