I Don't Belong Here~Kaz Brekker x Reader~

Chapter 3: Handsome Decoys and Unfortunate Meetings

***

Kaz took me back to his office. I'm now seated in the chair in front of his desk as he stands in the same place as before.

"How do we get across the Fold?" he asks, going straight to business.

"There's a man called the Conductor," I answered. "He worked with a performer named Poppy, but I don't remember much about him. Only that he's at the Emerald Palace."

Kaz looks down, recognizing the name. "Do you remember where the Conductor is?"

I shake my head. "I was rewatching everything yesterday but only got halfway through the second episode, so past that I only remember the bigger scenes. And as far as I remember they didn't say."

I hear Kaz sigh, and I go over everything in my head.

"Wait," I began. "There is one thing. When Heleen called Inej, it was for a job to kill him. But she doesn't know. She's going to go to Jesper to have him complete the task."

He looks at me. "Does Heleen know?"

"About the job? Not that I know. Only that you need him. That you're trying to take Inej somewhere? Yes."

"You can stay here tonight when you get back, but we need to go."

***

"Jesper! New job!"

Jesper looks toward Kaz and I as we walk toward him and Inej. I fix my hair beneath my hood; Kaz instructed me earlier that I should be as least recognizable as possible for a while. So in other words hide my (F/C) tips until I get it cut.

"Come along," Kaz says as we walk past. Rolling my eyes, I gesture at Jesper to join us.

He looks around before following. "She did it again."

I can't help the small smile that spreads across my features, but quickly straighten it before Kaz looks over.

***

"I mean it!" Jesper exclaimed, jumping between me and Kaz like a child who ate too much sugar. "We need a demo man."

"You're still on that?" Kaz asks, glancing my way as I laugh. My first thought is Wesper fan art, and I have to remember that I am actually with two of the crows right now. Once again in a short time I'm grateful no one here reads minds.

"I just brought it up tonight."

Kaz shook his head. "Jesper, you ask for an explosives expert on every job."

"Because I don't want to be the one you point to and say, "explode something for us." That is not a Jesper talet. I shoot things with style. And I look good. Just, play to my strengths, boss."

"Alina Starkov will be kept at the Little Palace," Kaz informs us. "Entering the Little Palace requires us to be quiet. Blowing something up, we've likely failed."

"Then we should take Inej. She's a good investment. More quiet than I'll ever be."

Investment, I think, turning the word over in my mind as I remember the times Kaz called her that. Totally all she is to Kaz.

"She can't stay here, you know that." Jesper puts his arm out, stopping Kaz and I. His jaw clenches at the touch, but he doesn't say anything. "Whoa, hang on, aren't we on Pekka's turf now?"

Kaz gives Jesper a dark glare. "I go to Heleen now and ask for her buyout, she knows I need Inej and sets a price I can't pay."

"That's evil. Well, how do you know that?"