hoax | kaz brekker

sixteen. show you love

(malakai is partially non-verbal, so when dialogue is in italics it means that she or another character is using sign language.)

For Charlotte (Lottie)
you were more than just a short time

"you can throw a party full of everyone you know. you can start a family who will always show you love"
matilda by harry styles

"The Neshyenyer? Sankta Neyar's blade?"

"So, you haven't completely forgotten what you were taught at the Little Palace. Just your loyalty to Ravka." Zoya taunted the Heartrender.

"Ravka? Or Kirigan? It didn't take him destroying a city for me to question my loyalty."

Everyone glanced between the two girls, as if they were playing a game of tennis.

"So... now that we all know that you two have history, what's the payment for this particular job?"

"Name your price. It matters that much." The teenagers watched as Tolya, who hadn't spoken much at all, kept snacking on a bowl of dates as he talked. He was handsome. Tall and broad.

"Is that the Lantsov family crest?"

"You know it is because it's hideous." Nina muttered. "Sorry, Malakai."

"No offence taken."

"Prince Nikolai requests your services to retrieve and deliver the Neshyenyer to Alina Starkov in East Ravka."

"She's returned?"

"As has the Darkling. With an indestructible army of shadow monsters." Zoya turned to Malakai.

"I do not like the sound of that." Jesper muttered.

Malakai chewed her lip nervously. "He's back? But...I watched the Volcra take him."

"Apparently, he survived. I couldn't tell you how but he did. Alina needs the blade to kill these shadow monsters. It's the only thing that might work."

The gunslinger squinted in thought, pointing a finger at the Shadow Summoner. "Why can't Malakai just make her own army of shadow monsters?"

"He would have used merzost to do that. And using merzost comes with a cost. My life is already in jeopardy tearing down the Fold."

"What do you mean? Jeopardy?" Jesper furrowed his eyebrows.

Malakai looked to Kaz for support, he raised an eyebrow and nodded. Sighing, she answered.
"When I was in the Fold with my father. I told you guys that I watched the Volcra take him, and that was it. But my hair..." She held a strand out, half black, half blonde. "went all weird. And then my powers became weak. Well... something else happened that day and I didn't tell anyone. Before the Volcra took him, Kirigan said something to me. He said that if the Fold falls everything he has created will fall with it. I'm not entirely sure what he meant but... but there's a chance that I'm collateral."