The FlameKeeper - Kaz Brekker

CH.04 - Paul

(THE GIF I USED ISN'T MINE, CREDITS TO THE OWNER!)

~~~

Ever since Kaz's brother died he had felt weak and afraid.

To counter this, Kaz had taken out his revenge on everyone who had tricked them when they were younger, Pekka Rollins was the only one left. Kaz was going to show Pekka what it was like to be weak, afraid, and helpless.

Tonight was the night that he would find Pekka's weakness, his tell. He needed everyone close; Inej, Wylan, Jesper, Nina.

Then why would he send Sabo to the edge of town?

'Do you need us to give you a ride halfway?' Jesper asked Sabo as each of them left the cafe.

'Depends on what carriage you have arranged.'

'He's got a rat-catcher-carriage.' Wylan sighed, clearly not happy about it either.

'I think I'll walk.' Sabo said as her mouth curved into a smile. 'But you two have fun!'

'Thanks for that.' Jesper said annoyed before he walked off with Wylan.

Inej was going to investigate the building but before she left she softly squeezed her arm. 'Watch your back.'

'Always.' she smiled.

Nina left with Inej.

Kaz and Sabo were the only two left.

'Still no side effects?' Kaz asked her.

'Nope.' she said. The painful side-effects of the Redder had been slowly wearing off while they were having dinner with each other.

'Who's Paul?' she asked him.

'Paul is the supplier.' he answered. 'Wylan needs multiple powders to make more of the Redder potion. Paul has what he needs.'

'Can we trust him?'

'Paul is innocuous.' Kaz replied.

'And you're sure that you don't need me here?' Sabo asked him.

'Positive.' he said.

'Kaz?' Sabo asked as she stopped walking. 'I know it is not my business, but you would help yourself if you told us why we're doing all of this, what happened between you and Pekka?'

'You're right.' Kaz said before he began walking again. 'It's not your business.'

Sabo scoffed at him.

'You know what, it is my business, it's all of our businesses. Everyone is risking their lives for a vendetta that we don't know about.'

'I have my reasons, Sabo. Just like you have your reasons for not telling them who you are.'

'I'm not asking my friends to risk their lives for me, Kaz.'

Kaz stopped dead in his tracks. 'I'm not either, I'm trying to get us out of this mess.'

'By creating a bigger one.' she sighed. 'Just take it from me, Kaz. There comes a time when you need to let someone in.'

'That's rich, coming from you.'

She tensed. 'I let you in didn't I?'

'And yet I still don't know anything about you. And you didn't let me in, you had no choice.'

Was he so far gone that he believed he wasn't worth saving? 

'I like to believe that me protecting you was a choice, a good one. So don't make me regret it.'