The Fox and The Crow [Kaz Brekker]

chapter 14

Italics - Sign Language

Inej, Daemon and Kaz watched Alina laugh with two people. Daemon thought her smile was just as radiant as her powers.

"And the lynx flush was to smoke out Arken," Inej concluded.

"Like I said, our futures depend on this. I saw two identical dresses in the fitting room. The target is wearing one, and an Inferni about the same height and build was measured for the other. They need the target for the demonstration, but at the reception, that's when they'll deploy a double for security reasons. So, set Arken after the double while we stay on target," Kaz explained.

"Arken will get caught."

Daemon fought the urge to shrug uncaringly. Arken wasn't important to her. And maybe her nonchalance made her a bad person, but she didn't care much about that either. She knew Arken's kind. The kind who only took the winning side. The side that kept them alive. As soon as Arken thought the Crows were going to get him killed, he changed plans on his own end.

"He chose his fate in Novokribirsk when he met with Zlatan," Kaz said.

"What if you're wrong? What if we sandbagged him with a lynx flush, and the meeting had nothing to do with this?" Inej argued.

"Then we're wrong and we'll cry about it later," Daemon signed discreetly.

"The only two men in the world who profit off the Fold? Doubtful. Now."

The three of them walked towards Alina who was left alone for the moment.

"Miss Starkov!" Kaz greeted, "We are to escort you to dinner. Could you come with us, please?"

"I thought, um...Actually, I am quite hungry," Alina smiled sweetly.

When she met Daemon's eyes, Daemon thought she would faint. Daemon loved Kaz, true enough. But that didn't mean she couldn't appreciate the absolute beauty of another person. And right now she was appreciating.

Alina began walking and the three fake guards followed after her, but they were quickly stopped when General Kirigan appeared. Daemon tensed, smelling the Fold once again. It was odd.

"Thank you. I'll take her from here," General Kirigan nodded to the three before handing Alina some flowers, "For you."

Daemon was a bit confused at the gesture. Why was he giving her flowers? Daemon wasn't exactly up to speed on the latest romantic gestures.

Kaz sighed as they left, "All right. Plan B. Scratch that. Plan F. Inej, stay on the target and meet us at the escape route."

Two Inferni had appeared at the end of the hall. A man and a woman.

"They're Inferni. Don't take chances," Inej said before walking in the same direction that Kirigan and Alina went to.

Kaz and Daemon walked together for a bit before splitting off down separate hallways. Daemon rushed up the stairs, listening as a pair of light footsteps followed after her.

Daemon moved into a large room. There were no other exits though, so she knew this was where she'd have to stay until she dealt with this Inferni woman.

Daemon hid by the entrance and slipped her dagger into her hand. As soon as the Inferni walked in, Daemon struck, lunging.

The woman grabbed her arm, struggling against Daemon's surprising strength. She managed to push Daemon back an inch and, like a match, fire struck in her hand. The Inferni caught Daemon's hand, pressing the fire into her wrist before she could wrench it away.

Daemon held her breath to keep from crying out before kicking her leg up. Her foot collided with the Inferni's elbow, breaking it. The fire immediately fizzled out and Daemon twisted out of the crying woman's grip. The skin on her wrist was covered in black burns. And it didn't take her long to realize she had lost all feeling in the area.

Daemon didn't miss a step though and shoved her blade deep in the Inferni's neck. With a grunt, she pushed the blade to the side until it exited the other side of the woman's neck. She fell to the floor and Daemon could see blood squirting out of the deep gash.

Daemon ran out of the room and she rushed to find Kaz. It didn't take her long as she ran up the stairwell to a balcony overlooking the room Kaz and the Inferni man were in.

She felt anger rise in her at the look of fear on Kaz's face. The man had fire in his hands and was preparing to throw it at Kaz. Daemon threw her already bloody blade and watched it sink into the back of the man's head, killing him instantly.

Daemon dropped from the balcony, landing on her feet below. Kaz watched her approach him with shock and pride in his eyes.

"You saved me," he said.

Daemon threw her arms around him with a sigh of relief. She was almost too late. She almost saw him die. Her precious Kaz.

Daemon pulled back and Kaz caught sight of the burn on her wrist, "Daemon-"

The girl waved him off with her good hand, "No time. I can't feel it anyway."

"This way!" guards yelled distantly.

"We need to go," Kaz began limping to the exit.

Inej appeared at that moment, "Let's go."

Daemon wrapped her arm around Kaz's waist, allowing him to use her as a crutch as they hurried out of the Little Palace.

They saw Jesper leaning against a column in the empty courtyard.

"What happened? You ok?" Jesper asked as soon as he saw Kaz practically being carried by Daemon.

Inej looked at him with teary eyes, "She's real, Jesper. She made the light sing."

"We lost her."

Jesper grinned, "Did we?"

Daemon gave him a duh look, "Does it look like any of us have her?"

"We don't know where she is," Kaz added.

Jesper approached a carriage, "Don't we? Just ask."

"Jesper..."

"Just ask," Jesper climbed onto the carriage.

Daemon and Inej climbed to sit on the top and Kaz joined Jesper in the front seat.

"Just ask," Jesper repeated.

Kaz rolled his eyes, "Fine. Do we have a fix on where the target is?"

Jesper simply smirked before snapping the reins to get the horse moving.

While Inej and Kaz continued to pester him, Daemon rolled up her sleeve to fully assess the damage on her wrist. Just as she noticed before, it was black and red. There was no feeling at all. She'd need treatment for it as soon as possible so it didn't get infected. But it wasn't life threatening and she didn't think she'd lose any limbs, so she took it as a win.

At least no one was dead.