sinner saint ━ six of crows

V

SHE DIDN'T LEAVE. She almost regrets not leaving, but Svetlana had all the information she needed.

Van Eck had kidnapped her and Brekker to work together to get Bo Yul-Bayur from the Ice Court— Brekker because he had a good record of not getting caught while doing his jobs, and Karina because she had a good sense of getting information and a ruthless hand. He told them the risks and how much he was willing to give them— thirty million kruge. But only if they worked together.

Kaz had told her just outside the Hoede mansion that he'd collect the crew they'd need, and he'd contact her once he does. She wasn't too worried about that, her mind was already preoccupied with other matters. She told him she'd collect the transport to Fjerda, and that he'd be able to find her at Phoenix Bay in Little Ravka, then disappeared into the night.

Natalia was at the Ice Court. Yul-Bayur was also at the Ice Court. Svetlana has been hired by a rich merchant to find one but not the other. If she planned this right and worked around it, she could kill two birds with one stone. She'd find Natalia, bring her back, and kill Yul-Bayur.

But if she killed Yul-Bayur, Brekker would kill her. Damn him, she thought, I won't betray my people for him.

She was in Phoenix Bay, her fingers moving a pencil on parchment addressed to the King of Ravka, but the address was an orphanage in Keramzin. She'd send it and hoped it would reach Nikolai by the time they'd be back in Ketterdam from Fjerda.

She still hadn't told Sophia, who questioned her every minute about where she went and what she found. Svetlana thought it'd be safer if she didn't know as much as she did, Sophia already knew too much. She tried to rest her mind by letting her know that she'd found a way to get Natalia and get kruge, and she would be safe because she wouldn't be alone. Then asked her to tell her everything she knew about Kaz Brekker.

Sophia was almost horrified that Svetlana even heard his name, then told her what she knows which was suspiciously little. But she was only Sophia, Karina Kozlov is the information broker.

He went by Dirtyhands because there wasn't a crime he wouldn't do for the right price. Everything had a price. He's an unfeeling monster who cares for nothing and no one but his kruge and his club. He had a girl from the Menagerie indentured to him and she was his spider, Sophia had seen her multiple times around the Staves. The club was one of the tourists' favorite places; they played good music, they won good money, and they drank good whiskey. His gang was large enough and they go by the Dregs, he works for Per Haskell and he has leverage over every judge and officer and merch in Ketterdam.

Svetlana was almost offended. She had left when he rose, and he took her place. But she wasn't a child anymore, and she wasn't interested in becoming the Queen of the Barrel. If Brekker wanted to become King, he can go ahead, but she was Karina Kozlov, and she'd have her leverage again.

Inej hated going to Little Ravka. First of all, it was so far away from the Slat. Secondly, it reminded her so much of home that it made an ache in her chest echo.

It took her an hour alone to get there, and another to find Phoenix Bay. And every minute of it she spent it cursing Kaz Brekker and his greed.

"I want you to round up Jesper and Muzzen. I want them here by dawn. And I'll need Wylan waiting at the Crow Club tomorrow night. Oh, and make sure to have time to go to Little Ravka, there's a shop there called Phoenix Bay, look for Karina Kozlov and tell her the same." He had told her earlier tonight, and she had stared at him with her jaw on the floor.

"Wait, wait, Little Ravka? You never had any business there."

"And we still don't, but do reach out to her."