-𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐳𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬- 𝙶𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚎 𝚏𝚊𝚗𝚏𝚒𝚌

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟐❆

Gwen walked to their tables with drinks in hand, she got everyone their usuals except Arken. She set down the drinks and Jesper immediately began to gulp it down.

Gwen sat down at Inej's side and started to down her drink as well.

Arken was just sitting patiently, he didn't have anything to drink, because she hadn't gotten him anything. She isn't going to buy him something from her money. Kaz was walking around and talking, gathering every single bit of information he could get.

Jesper commented "So...That went well."

Gwen scoffed and flicked him on his forehead, making him shoot her a dirty look. It certainly wasn't an experience that all of them wanted to remember and his comment didn't help.

Arken grabbed a flier and sat it down while explaining "The Little Palace winter fete. There's just no way he can find a way to the Sun Summoner without Nina. Especially during this ridiculous party. The place will be crawling with Second Army."

Gwen tilted her head at him and taunted "Why do you want to back out of this so much? Scared?"

Arken looked at her and quickly shook his head, he was slightly scared of her.Mostly because he noticed some unusual things when they were in the train.

"We're in luck. There's a good chance we can crack on" Kaz told them as he walked over with his cane hitting the ground loudly, normally it would bother Gwen a bit, but it didn't this time "Now that we're three days' travel from the capital, the next play is finding a way inside the Little Palace. It turns out the Kribirsk archives house the Little Palace blueprints, but... they're kept under lock and key. Far from the prying eyes of the masses."

Gwen sighed and dropped her head.

Jesper slammed the table with his fist as he exclaimed "Yes!"

"What does that mean?" Arken asked with furrowed brows.

Jesper put his arm around Gwen and cheered "Time for a heist!"

Gwen shrugged his arm off of her and pointed out "Whatever, it's time for you to say goodbye to your buddy Jesper."

He pouted as she pushed him into the goats direction. She then turned to Kaz and Inej, ignoring Arken and made a head signal to follow her.

Inej followed after her, but Kaz first said something to Arken before following the duo.

They ended up in a secluded corner and Inej asked "Is there something wrong Gwen?"

Tears formed into her eyes as she confessed "I can't hear her."

Kaz and Inej shared looks, they didn't understand and so Inej asked "Can't hear who?"

"Frost" Gwen explained "Either she isn't talking to me or somethings wrong. Ever since we entered the fold, she's been radio silent."

Kaz questioned her further "What about your powers?"

"About that" Gwen held up her hands as cold mist came out of them and her eyes turned icy white.

Kaz looked around and ordered "Put that away."

She lowered her hands and continued explaining "It's like I am the one that is in control of the powers, something happened in the fold and it messed with my powers and Frost."

Inej pulled her into a side hug and gave a kiss on the side of her head. Kaz glanced at the two, before looking away and sighing "You're not really necessary in the heist, so stay here and gather yourself. Try and get contact with Frost or try to control you're powers."

Gwen nodded and leaned further into Inej's embrace, Kaz clenched his jaw and walked away. How much he wanted to comfort her too, but his own fear would never let him.

After he was gone, Inej pulled away and grabbed Gwen's face while assuring "Everything's going to be okay, after all of this we can get a ship and sail away."

Gwen chuckles as she grips Inej's waist and pushes her against the wall "A ship? is that you're dream my love?"

"My love?" Inej questioned as a smile formed on her lips.

Gwen hummed "What don't you like it?"

Inej laughs and shook her head "I love it. But yes, that is my dream. Feeling the wind in my hair as we sail away, we would be free and happy..."

Gwen gave her a look as she pointed out "I sense that there's something else?"

"It is something that could never be true" Inej lowered her head and looked away.

Gwen grabbed Inej's chin and pulled it up to make them have eye contact, Gwen mused "Does that dream include a certain limping man?"

Inej looked at her shocked before confirming "You know?"

"It wasn't hard to figure out" Gwen shrugged "But I don't care, as long as I am apart of that dream. If you love him, that's fine as long as you love me as much. I would do anything to have you're love and if that means accepting that you love something else just as much, then I can do that."

Inej smiled as tears appeared in her eyes, she grabbed Gwen by the waist and pulled her into a kiss.

Gwen smiled into the kiss and put her arms around Inej's neck, the kiss was just what they both needed. One full of love and comfort.

__𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞__

Kaz looked away as Inej and Gwen's lips touched. He was sitting back at the table with Arken and was looking at the duo.

He turned to Arken and told him "I have a job for you. We need to hitch a ride east to the Little Palace. Make friends."

Arken protested "But that's the hardest job, what about Gwen? Can't she do it?"

"Gwen needs recovery, bedrest if you will" Kaz quoted her with a smirk as he saw Arken's defeated face "You managed to win us over, didn't you?"

Kaz walked away while signalling over Jesper.

Inej pulled away from the kiss as she saw Kaz and Jesper leave, she pecked Gwen's lips once more before leaving a flustered Gwen.