The Fox and The Crow [Kaz Brekker]

chapter 6

Italics - Sign Language

Daemon and Kaz slipped into Poppy's room where they were putting on some finishing touches.

Poppy turned, "Boris, would you-"

Kaz grinned, "It's been a while, Poppy."

Daemon mouthed a hello with an enthusiastic wave. Poppy was quick to grab a gun off their vanity table and point it right at Kaz. Daemon acted on instinct, standing in front of Kaz.

"Darling, move," Poppy said firmly, not wanting to shoot their friend.

"I see you're still upset," Kaz nudged Daemon to the side with his cane.

Daemon huffed, eyes trained on Poppy's gun.

"About you stealing my shares of the Crow Club?"

"It wasn't stealing. It was just a raw deal. Most deals in the Barrel are."

Poppy slammed their gun back on the vanity, their movements making a jingling noise, "What do you want, Dirtyhands?"

"I need to find someone. Or at least learn how to find them. Tonight," Kaz walked further into the room.

Poppy began carefully applying lip stain, "Looking for a club act, are we?"

"I'm looking for The Conductor."

Poppy froze, turning their head to look at Kaz.

"So you do know him," Kaz concluded.

Daemon looked down at the pile of rubbish on the floor of Poppy's room. She caught sight of a paper.

"This is about a job, isn't it? One that sends you all the way east, for a million kruge? You'll never make enough to compete with Pekka, you know? He's a king. You're just the Bastard of the Barrel. You know, Fox, offer's still open for you to work here with me. You'd be a great performer. You deserve better than what he's giving you."

Daemon frowned at the dig at Kaz, a negative feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. She didn't like how Poppy talked about him like he was less than everyone else. Like trash. Daemon knew where she stood, and it would always be by Kaz's side.

Daemon used her foot to kick away the jewelry from the paper she saw and nodded to Kaz. The paper had the symbol of the Menagerie on it.

Kaz followed Daemon's gaze, "Tante Heleen wrote you?"

"Just this evening, yes, you snoops. She was asking about the Conductor as well. Probably about the same job. So I warned him to steer clear of her," Poppy said, continuing to put on their makeup.

"You warned him? With a note?" Kaz asked.

Poppy nodded and Daemon sighed, knowing where this was going.

"She wanted you to do that so she could have the messenger followed."

Poppy paused once again, "She wouldn't hurt him, would she?"

Kaz approached Poppy, "She would if it meant hurting me. Now, if you have any loyalty to him, tell me where he is. Right now."

~

Daemon bolted up the stairs, Kaz having ordered her to go ahead as she was much faster. Her heart raced and she hoped she would get there in time to stop the murder of the Conductor.

Daemon burst into the room, seeing Inej on top of a man with a knife, about to kill him. She whistled loudly, alerting Inej. Daemon swiftly dodged at the last second as Inej threw her knife, imbedding it into the wall right where Daemon once stood.

Daemon frantically signed to the girl, "We need him, Inej!"

"What are you talking about?"

"He can get us across the Fold. Heleen knew about him. She sent you to kill him so we would fail."

"She and I made a deal."

"Please, Inej. Just let him go. We will find another way to grant your freedom. I promise. I will do everything to set you free. Kaz will," Daemon insisted.

"No, he won't," Inej said, eyes teary.

Daemon took in a sharp breath, "He will! Kaz set me free! Years ago! He will do the same for you! I swear!"

Daemon pulled her necklace over her head. It had a long golden chain with a fox charm at the end. Her existence as Fox began with Kaz. He made her. Promises were made on that name. Memories. An entire life.

Daemon held up the necklace that meant more to her than her own life, "I swear on this, Inej."

Inej stared at the necklace for a few moments before letting the man go. She walked over to Daemon and took the jewelry from her just as Kaz walked in. Kaz watched the exchange with interest. His eyes flickered over to the man shaking in fear on the floor, blood leaking from his nose.

Inej put the necklace back in Daemon's hand, "I believe you."

Daemon let out a sigh of relief and slipped the necklace back over her head, tucking it back into her shirt.

Kaz hobbled over to the fallen man, "Conductor. I have a job for you. Get us to the Little Palace."

~

Kaz pulled out an envelope from his secret safe, placing it on the table as Daemon watched. She knew what was held in that envelope. The rights to the Crow Club. Kaz's livelihood. Everything he's worked for. The life he built. Daemon's eyes caught sight of another envelope in the safe before it closed. The one that contained the rights to her.

Technically, Daemon was still a slave. And Kaz, her master. She had a brand on the back of her neck to prove that. And a tattoo on her arm.

"Thank you, Kaz."

"You and Jesper are right...we need her," Kaz said.

"You could always give her me. The Crow Club is much more important," Daemon signed.

Her work was quite well known in the Barrel, and there was a secret demand for her. If Kaz ever fell, there would be a fight to see who would own the Fox next. People had already tried to buy her off Kaz before with no luck. She was no longer for sale.

Kaz glared into her eyes, "No way. Daemon, you are more important to me than any club or coin. I don't know what made you think any differently, but you best put it out of your mind now. You are not a bargaining chip. Do you understand?"

Daemon's gaze dropped to the floor and she nodded.

Kaz grabbed the envelope and walked to the door, squeezing Daemon's shoulder with his gloved hand as he walked by.

Her hand came up to rest on where he just touched. It tingled. It made her heart flutter and her breath catch and butterflies flew around in her stomach.

"You're my most prized possession, Daemon," Kaz whispered out before leaving.