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𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞
Ⅻ 𝒏𝒐 𝒏𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒍 𝒈𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒂
THE GROUP HAD SET THEMSELF IN A FIELD. They crowded around the fire as Kaz ventured off to rid himself of his volcra-blood-covered clothes. Ira rested her knees and nudged Jesper's side, who was back in his green suit. "Do you still have that blue coat?" Ira asked. Jesper nodded and pulled the blue coat from the pile of clothes at his side. "Anyone have anything sharp?"
Inej tapped down her corset, her knives missing from their spots. "Oh. Yes, I do," Inej confirmed. She pulled the slim knife from its spot in her tightly coiled hair, letting the bun fall down to a braid.
Inej tossed it her way and Elvira pulled the stitching from the left arm. She split it down the middle and stood on shaky legs. Elvira pulled up the dark shirt with her teeth, revealing the talon mark on her left side that now matched the bullet scar on her right.
"You seem to get yourself into trouble," Mal observed as Elvira tightly wrapped the cloth around her torso.
"Yes well, you're country is at war with my previous one," Ira muttered, her Ravken still weak. "Jes, can you hold this end." Jesper reached up and cloth tight as she used the old cotton and Inej's knife to make new stitches.
"You're old country?" Zoya questioned. "You're Fjerdan?"
"I'm Kerch, born in Fjerda," Ira shrugged. Jesper dropped his hand and Ira tossed the knife back to Inej.
"And you just-"
"Please don't act all high and mighty," Ira snapped, looking down at Zoya. "This place isn't much better. I much prefer Ketterdam."
Inej tried to coil the bun back in place but Alina stopped her. "Please, let me. It's the least I can do," Alina said in a soft voice.
Kaz joined the group and passed the bag to Ira. "I've never met a Saint before," Inej admitted.
"I've never been a Saint before," Alina said with a smile.
"That's my cue," Ira muttered, pulling out the blue-lined silver shirt and black sash from the bag. Elvira turned and made her way from the group, finding a hidden spot and changing her clothes.
Elvira walked back to the group, Mal and Alina missing. "Scare them off did you?" Ira snarked, sending a teasing smile to Kaz.
"A trade-off, we leave them alone and we have ourselves a very headpiece. Ira nodded and sat on the wood next to Zoya.
"You are no normal Tidemaker," Zoya stated firmly and the others looked their way. "The way you manipulate water takes years and years of practice and training since birth. No matter how strong an amplifier." Zoya looked at the Fjerdan girl and shook her head. "What are you, Ira? How strong are you?"
Elvira looked down at her hands, spinning the rings on her fingers. "I'm a girl who escaped death. I will not die until I say."
Alina and Mal stumbled back together and Alina tossed the royal silk dress into the fire. "I didn't expect it to burn at all," Mal spoke up, cutting through the silence. "But it can be destroyed in the end. Just like him." Alina looked to the fold and the two stepped away.
"You only know I'm not a normal Tidemaker because you are not a normal Squallar, are you?" Elvira questioned but Zoya kept her head forward. "What are you, Zoya?"
Zoya shook her head and stood up, her hat clutched in her hand. "I have to go," Zoya announced, starting to walk away.
"Wait!" Inej called, standing up too fast Ira thought she would faint. "You can't go back into the Fold."
"To Novokribirsk..." Zoya clarified, her eyes moving to look at Kaz. "I had family in that city. I need to know how much of it is lost."
Kaz stood, and Inej watched him with cautious eyes. "It's dangerous to go looking for the dead," Kaz warned. "What you see may haunt you for the rest of your days."
"Not going will haunt me more," Zoya argued. "You can't stay in Ravka," Zoya said as she walked towards Alina. "The Apparat will try to keep his power. Blame this on all of us. The people will turn on Grisha again. You need to find new allies."
Alina carefully reached forward and pulled the Suli girl into a hug. "Then I'll come back... and reclaim our country," Alina promised, letting go of the girl.
"I still don't like you..." Zoya said raising her head high. "But I'm grateful for you. So remember this. Saints become martyrs before they get to be heroes. So... stay alive."
"They'll have to get through me first," Mal spoke up and Ira rolled her eyes at him.
"You need more than bullets and bravado to survive the people hunting you now," Zoya advised before giving Alina a final nod and walking off into the field.
"It's a two-day walk to Os Kervo from here, given our condition," Kaz spoke up in his harsh voice.
"Two days as the crow walks," Jesper said with a sigh as he stood.
"We can smuggle ourselves onto a ship to Ketterdam from there," Kaz informed. Elvira weaved her hand and the moisture from the ground lifted to extinguish the fire in a swift movement.
❅
JESPER WALKED AHEAD ONTO THE BOAT, THE OTHER CROWS FOLLOWING CLOSELY. "We set out with a clear mission, a prize of a million kruge," Jesper said, his practically solo conversation carrying on for almost an hour now. "And a new member on our crew." The crows set themselves on the seats in the middle of the boat. Ira sitting with a pained moan.
"So... what did we learn?" Jesper questioned, looking between each of them. "People with trains are evil. You can't kidnap a human sunbeam. And maybe, just maybe, greed is a poor motivator. True wealth is the friends you make along the way."
"I just might be impressed," Inej said with a smile.
"I'm talking of Milo, of course," Jesper teased. Inej's smile dropped and Jesper sent her a wink.
"But you won't have your furry friend when we walk back to the barrel," Elvira added.
"Where Dreesen is waiting for our return," Inej whispered.
"And Pekka Rollins," Kaz said in a low voice.
"They'll both want our heads once we show up without the Sun Summoner," Inej pointed out.
"Well, I'm sure the boss has a plan," Jesper said with a smile that turned into a laugh. "He wouldn't send us into a death trap. Tell me you have a plan. I don't care if it's a lie."
"I have a plan," Kaz nodded. "And, just how this all started... we're going to need a Heartrender."
"Milana?" Jesper asked.
"No," Kaz shook his head. "For this to work, it has to be someone neither of them know. Someone desperate for work, with loyalties only to us."
Kaz quieted his conversation when two crew members walked past. "It'll be a long passage without that wine shipment," One complained.
"Have a heart," The other said. "Novokribirsk is in ruins. Their Sun Saint is dead."
"Excuse me," A woman spoke up, turning her attention to the others. Inej and Ira looked over their shoulder and the boys followed their eyes. "Is what he said true?" The woman asked, leaning forward slightly.
"I don't know if she's dead," Kaz said sternly. "But she is a Saint."
