The Fox and The Crow [Kaz Brekker]

chapter 17

Italics - Sign Language

The four Crows had lied underneath an abandoned wagon in the place they had appeared just outside the Fold. Arken's train was just sitting there, but soldiers had already found it. Daemon didn't know how they could even use it without that guy. None of them had even attempted to drive something like it. And through the Fold? Where they barely made it out the last time? Daemon liked the volcra, sure. They were fun the first time, but she didn't feel like dealing with them again. She didn't have enough knives and Jesper didn't have enough bullets. Not to mention they didn't have a goat to keep him calm this time around.

"How many are there?" Inej questioned quietly.

"Two. At some point, at least one of them will have to go tell a superior what they found/ We'll go in then," Kaz responded.

"Not to be that person, Kaz, but are you sure you can drive that thing?" Jesper looked uncertain.

"Yes. On the way to Kribirsk, while you were busy hugging bait-"

Jesper interrupted him, "Milo. The goat's name was Milo."

Daemon snorted, holding her hand over her mouth to keep in her laughter. She couldn't believe he had named the goat. It was cute, but hilarious.

"I was memorizing Arken's timings."

"Not to gang up on you, but Jes has a point. Arken's system was complicated and the ride was chaotic. No one would blame you for missing a count."

"'Jes'," Kaz mocked.

"What? Daemon calls him that all the time."

"Since when?"

Daemon looked dumbfounded, "Literally all the time, Kaz. I've been calling him 'Jes' for over a year now."

"I think he probably deleted it from his memory out of anger," Jesper joked.

"You think he deleted the time you and Daemon kissed too?" Inej brought up.

Kaz's stare turned murderous and Jesper quickly looked away, "You know, something tells me he had. Thanks, Inej."

Daemon waved her hand, "Hello? I can't believe I'm the one that has to say this, but let's get back on track."

Kaz threw one last glare at Jesper, but moved on, "Trust me. Arken and I think alike."

Then the train exploded, sending pieces of it all over the field. Daemon dropped her head into her hands with a groan.

Jesper cringed, "Too soon to appreciate the irony, am I right? Yeah, too soon."

~

"The skiff is still here. Travelers downstairs are complaining. They were due to cross this morning," Inej reported, slipping her scarf off.

Daemon rolled her shoulders a few times. She wasn't exactly comfortable with the current plan. Conning themselves aboard one of General Kirigan's ships to cross the Fold. She didn't like Kirigan one bit. Something about him turned all her senses on high alert and it definitely wasn't in a good way.

"Orders from the Black General. He plans to cross on it tomorrow," Kaz said.

"The general? Is that the same general who tried to...Oh, yeah, kill us all. That one?" Jesper pointed out.

Daemon snapped her finger and pointed to Jesper, agreeing with his words.

"He has the Sun Summoner," Kaz revealed.

Daemon sighed in frustration. She thought after both Inej and herself talking to him, he would leave it alone.

Inej looked pissed, "Was this your plan all along? To have the general get her back so you can take her again?"