𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒃𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑰𝑰 / 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘 & 𝑩𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑭𝑭

𝟗. 𝑪𝒂𝒏 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒊𝒔𝒔?

Ever since the Crows and the Serpents have joined forces, mistrust still lingered among them. The Crow Club was blown up recently and Kaz Brekker has been restless ever since their arrival back on the Island of Kerch and their home Ketterdam. The members of the Serpents have torn apart their Grisha attire and created their own, stripped down that which marks them different from otkazatsya, the normals. And Adonis's useful set of skills and his resourcefulness allowed him to design and upgrade their new attire to the like of that of the Grisha. Bullets cannot harm them, bulletproof attire and much sharper and clean blades to their likings. It is a set for their new beginning and their new life. Their freedom that felt like it cost them everything. Cost them a friend, a leader, their status, their safety, and partially a life in some sort of luxury, where they did not have to worry whether they would starve to death or be killed wherever they set foot.

Though sometimes they thought, it is better to live in dangerous freedom than in peaceful slavery. And certainly, they were slaves to the King and General Kirigan. Soldiers of the second army. But they did not long for that life any longer, and wished to hear the news of the Kings upcoming death.

But Kaz Brekker had other plans. When the crows watched the Crow Club erupt in explosion, Kaz murmured the few words he always spoke to himself, thinking of Pekka Rollins. "Brick by brick." I will destroy you. The hatred pondered between a fine line of madness and pure anger. Dead set on his mission to find a way to end Pekka Rollins. Kaz sought out options on gathering information. And as per usual, Kaz Brekker always had a plan.

A while ago

Inej had entered a Tavern, finding Jesper enjoying a fresh meal at the table, stuffing his mouth as if he hadn't eaten for weeks. She sat down opposite of him.

"Started to wonder if I had the wrong time or place." Jesper commented.

"This is where Kaz left word to meet." Inej whispered, looking around. "So you know. It's worse today."

"Worse how? We had to sleep on that novices floor. This body deserves a proper bed."

Disregarding his commentary, Inej continued. "Word is we also killed a constable."

Jesper pulled his facial muscles in confusion. "What? I have so many questions.. how? Why? Who? Where? When? I guess..." he stuttered, shaking his head. "Yeah, I guess that's all of them." he took a sip out his cup.

"Last night, after you escaped from the wagon. Constable Sem was his name. Shot with his own weapon." Inej scoffed in disbelief. "Stadwatch are shaking down every informant they know."

Jesper blurted out almost insulted, "I would never shoot someone with their own gun." he leaned back in his seat, "Besides, it's not even a good frame-up."

A moment of silence remained. Inej grabbed a glass and filled it with water. Jesper speaking his thoughts aloud.

"Have you seen him today?"

Inej shook her head, "Avoiding questions, I suspect."

"Yeah, from the both of us."

Inej took a sip of her water as Jesper held her gaze and looked at her questioning. "Blowing up the Crow Club..?"

Inej twirls her glass in front of her. "Makes you wonder what else he's willing to destroy."

The clicking of a cane against the wooden ground is heard. Kaz Brekker has entered the Tavern, followed by the two novices,  Nina Zenik and Wylan. He took his seat right next to Jesper that scooted to make more room for Kaz to sit.