I Don't Belong Here~Kaz Brekker x Reader~

Chapter 7: Guard Uniforms and Palace Heists

***

"How are you going to sneak in?" Kaz asks me as I watch Jesper blow a kiss at his reflection.

"Same as you. Guard."

He nods. I'm grateful he didn't ask why I didn't try to do something to get in with Jesper and Inej.

The sharpshooter tilted the mirror slightly to get a better look of Inej who hung upside down behind him. Carefully, he placed his revolver on his shoulder, cocking it and kissing the handle. Inej let herself fall and land sideways, giving Jesper a clear view of the playing card in between her teeth.

Though I knew what was going to happen I caught myself holding my breath in anticipation.

Jesper pulled the trigger.

The audience exploded into a cheer as Inej spun the rest of the way down. As she reached the ground she handed Jesper half of a card that he in turn gave Marko. The man practically giggled as he gave Jesper a light wink.

Marko turned to Kaz and I. "The stage is yours."

"We'll make our own way," Kaz told him, voice cold.

***

Soon Kaz managed to get guard uniforms for the two of us, and it was time to get ready and enter the Winter Fete. He changed much faster than I did, and by the time he was done I hadn't even begun putting it on.

I looked over my shoulder, seeing him facing the other direction.

"You're safe from me making you see anything private, you know," I tell him as I pull up the pants. "And is the shirt tucked in or not?"

"Not," Kaz answers, turning around but not looking right at me.

"Thanks."

I slip on the shirt, buttoning it up as fast as I can without messing it up. Thankfully I wear shirts like these often. Next I put on the jacket and use the rubber band around my wrist to put my hair into a bun that can be concealed under the hat.

"Am I all good?" I ask him, and he steps closer and looks me over carefully.

He nods, and before he steps away I reach up to tuck a loose strand of Kaz's hair back under the hat of the guard uniform he stole, but he knocks my hand away.

"Don't do that," he growls, expression changing quickly.

"Sorry. It needed to be fixed."

"Then tell me and I'll do it myself."

Kaz takes off his hat, fixing his hair himself before putting it back on. "Better?"

"Much."

"Now before we go you and I need to have a talk."

My eyebrows raise slightly, but step back when I see his expression. "What do you want to talk about?"

"If you know so much about what's going to happen, why do you never say anything?" Kaz demands. He leans in close, but still leaves enough of a gap for us not to touch.

"I told you about Arken being able to get us across, didn't I? And I tried to tell you about Jesper and the coal, but you wouldn't listen."

If looks could kill I would be dead a thousand times over.

"Why not anything else? Why not tell us we needed to use the performers to get into the fete before the heist?"

"Because I don't know if I'm going to change something. And if I change something big enough, I won't know anything any more."