ME AND THE DEVIL (WALKING SIDE BY SIDE) | K.BREKKER

CHAPTER FIVE .

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CHAPTER FIVE
milo the goat

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THE FOUR CROWS, along with the Conductor, sat in a carriage. Him, Jesper and Inej sat squished together on one side with Kaz and Julie on the other. The space between them was small but not enough to set off the uneasiness he felt whenever someone touched him.

They were in Ravka now and Julie's heart couldn't help but beat rapidly in her chest. She clenched and unclenched her fist multiple times which caught the attention of Kaz. The bottom of his cane against her foot twice. Her gaze flickered towards him and she sent him a small smile before she laid her palms flat against her thighs.

"I didn't hire you to simply get us across the fold." Kaz explained once he was sure that Julie had calmed down. "You're with us because you smuggle Grisha out of the Little Palace, and that's the location of our target."

"Sun Summoner." Inej interjected.

"Alleged." Kaz shot back.

"They wouldn't keep a fraud in the most secure location in all of Ravka."

"She's right." Julie spoke up. "And if word got out that they had a fraud in the Little Palace then I'm sure that there would be an uprising."

Inej shot her a grateful look at her words. Though Julie wasn't heavily devoted to the saints. She still respected her beliefs. Kaz's eyes briefly flickered over at her. She wasn't sure what thoughts currently ran through his mind.

"You said you have a contact who can get us inside." Kaz moved the conversation along. He had had enough talk of saints. "A Heartrender."

"Mmm-hmm." Hummed the Conductor, who was also known as Arken.

"How do I know I can trust her?"

"Nina grew up there."

Unlike other people who feared to look Kaz in the eyes when he got control of their strings after they surrendered to his command, the eye contact between the two was unwavering. He wasn't afraid. Especially since the worst of what had happened had already happened with Inej about to kill him. But Kaz could be so much worse.

"Most Grisha grew up in the Little Palace." Kaz remarked. "Very few would betray their General, and fewer still would help foreigners kidnap their most prized possession."

Julie did. She betrayed Kirigan. Well, he wasn't on her mind when she fled so she supposed she unintentionally betrayed him. She wouldn't rejoin his army though. She preferred being with the crows. They were much better company.

"Nina's a radical." Arken explained. "Thinks Grisha should get to choose if they serve the crown. She despises involuntary service more than she does Fjerdans."

They were met with an empty room upon their arrival at the hotel where they were meant to be meeting Nina. All that was in the room was an open wooden suitcase. Julie spotted a knife on the floor near the chair.

"She knew to expect us." Arken said.

"She isn't late. She's gone." Kaz corrected.

"Taken." Julie spoke up. "There's a knife on the floor and the rug is slightly out of place."

She stood near Jesper and shook her head with a smile when she caught him eating whatever had been left on the table. She held her hand out, quietly asking for him to hand her some and he did just that. Kaz shot a look of disgust at the two as he looked at them from the corner of his eyes. Who knew how long the food had been left out on the table for. He shut Nina's suitcase closed with his cane and revealed a wolf pin. The Drüskelle had been here.