Katerina Petrova was on the run and had to hide her past. But among thieves and murderers, did that really matter? All that mattered to Kaz Brekker was whether or not his prized grisha was up for the job. He didn't ask questions and that's what made...
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━━it took two days after she emerged from the surgeon's cabin for kaz to make himself approach katerina. she was sitting by herself, legs crossed, back to the hull of the ship, sipping a cup of tea.
kaz limped over to her. "i want to show you something."
she laughed. "i'm well, thank you for asking," she said, looking up at him. "how are you?"
he felt his lips twist; she was making him uncomfortable on purpose. "splendid." awkwardly, he lowered himself down beside her and set aside his cane.
"is your leg bad?"
"it's fine. here." he spread wylan's drawing of the prison sector between them. most of wylan's plans showed the ice court from above, but the prison elevation was a side view, a cross-section showing the building's floors stacked on top of one another.
"inej already showed this to me and went over the plan," katerina said. she ran her finger from the basement up to the roof in a straight line. "it's a good plan."
"are you sure?"
her dark brows rose. "is there another option?"
"no."
"so if i say the plan sucks, will you tell specht to turn the boat around and take us back to ketterdam?"
"i'll think of another plan," said kaz. "i don't know what, but i'm not giving up that haul."
"you know the plan is good, kaz, and you know i pretty much have nothing to do during this heist besides assist and help you make plans. if i say a plan is good, it's good. so why ask?"
because i've been looking for an excuse to talk to you for two days. because it used to be so easy to talk to you about anything. "this haul is a big deal. i want the plan fool-proof."
katerina nodded, seeming content with the answer. "i'm worried about the escape route to the harbour. i don't like that there's only one way out." she said as she took a sip of her tea and closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the hull.
kaz settled back against the hull, too. "me neither," he conceded, stretching out his bad leg. "but that's why the fjerdans built it that way."
"damn, fjerdans," she muttered as she shook her head. katerina's hair brushed against her face and for a second, a split second, kaz raised his hand and almost brushed it away. but she already did. he was glad her eyes were close, so she couldn't see his raised hand. "do you trust specht?"
kaz cast her a sideways glance. "is there a reason i shouldn't?"
"not that i know of, but if the ferolind isn't waiting for us in the harbour..."
"i trust him enough."
"he owes you?"
he nodded. kaz glanced around then said, "the navy threw him out for insubordination, and refused him his pension. he has a sister to support near belendt. i got him his money."
