Calloused Hearts

Chapter 4:

A week.

You'd spent a week getting better, gambling, teasing Jesper and hanging out with the crows.

But most of all, you'd spent a week avoiding Kaz.

Although at this point you couldn't tell if you were avoiding him or if he was avoiding you. But, it seemed like a mix of the two.

You watched as he made his way down the stairs, your eyes temporarily diverting from the drink in front of you. Jesper cleared his throat next to you, earning a jab in his side from Wylan. "What?! It's like a full blown romance novel!" Your head spun around, wide eyes landing on your friend. "Cut that out will you? He could hear you!" you whispered. "Well he already knows. 'Till the tide goes sti-" you clapped your hand over his mouth, sending him a warning look.

Yes.

You'd told him. He'd found it rather amusing. However he didn't seem to understand the fact that it had to remain a secret. You pulled away, still watching him carefully as he held up his hands. "Sorry," he muttered.

You turned back around to face Kaz, the familiar hollow feeling settling in your chest. He was talking to Inej now, the girl's body language, a hand on her knives, worrying you.

"Something's wrong," you say, watching Kaz's expression harden even from this distance.

And then his eyes are on yours.

Piercing. Hard. And yet again, unreadable.

His head tilted to the left slightly, the age old gesture causing you to spring to your feet. You pull at Jesper's hand dragging him along, ignoring his protests about a drink going to waste.

It was weird. No matter how long you'd spent apart, the signal never changed. You're understanding of each other was still rather perfect. You followed Kaz and Inej up the stairs, the other crows following behind.

You couldn't imagine what it was. What made Kaz call you up here along with the others? If he had to contact you all, why tell you directly? Why hadn't he told anyone else?

Maybe. Just maybe...you were regaining his trust.

You all piled into his office, Inej sending a worried look your way.

Maybe not.

"Inej picked up on intel. Pekka Rollins is working with the stadwatch and Grisha now." Kaz said, placing his hands on his desk and leaning over it.

"Why would he do that?" Jesper asked from next to you.

"Because then he hits two birds with one stone."

What did he mean?

"I don't get it," Wylan responded, " am I the only one that doesn't get it?"

"No. I'm confused as well," Nina added.

"He's heard we're harboring a Grisha that's supposed to reward him with nearly 3 million kruge. And with the stadwatch's help. He'll take us down too."

"3 million?" Jesper gawked.

Kaz wasn't only keeping you away from Pekka. He was protecting you from the Grisha as well.

But he chose to not hand you over? Even if that meant losing 3 million kruge? And Pekka coming after him again?

"I'm sorry, Let me get this straight," Inej started, " You're protecting her," she said pointing to you, "even with a bounty of 3 million kruge over her head?"

You cowered away. 3 million could help them. Set them straight. Kaz didn't even know the full story of what had happened to you. According to what he knew, you lived a luxurious life at the Little Palace. So why not get rid of you?