Empyrean || Kaz Brekker

chapter four

Elham found her way to the carriage Wylan was driving, slipping her way into the back. Jesper had his pistols raised as she entered, staring at her in surprise as she pulled herself up and in through the latch on the roof, grunting as she landed on her stomach.

"There's a door, you know. What the hell are you doing?"

Elham clambered to her feet, ignoring his question. She opened the sliding window to the front of the carriage, smiling when she came face to face with a confused Wylan. He looked between Elham and Jesper, snapping the reigns of the horse as they lurched forward.

"What are you doing here?" He asked in a hushed whisper. "I thought you were supposed to follow Inej."

Elham nodded, scooting over so Jesper could see out the window as well. "I did. I would've stayed with her the whole time, but it seems like Kaz is more than capable of doing this without me."

"Lovers squabble?" Jesper asked, groaning as he earned an elbow to the rib cage.

Elham fought the flush creeping to her cheeks, keeping her eyes forward. "That's not funny! Besides, I figured Wylan could use the help. Babysitting you is a full time job, you know?"

Her remark earned her an elbow to the ribs, making her hiss in pain. She rubbed her side as she pouted. Wylan watched the pair in bewilderment, racking his focus back and forth between them and the road.

"So, how do you know Kaz?" Jesper asked Wylan, changing the subject.

"I can't honestly say that I know Kaz. He asked me to make a few phosphorus bombs for him. I didn't want to."

"That's better than how I met him," Elham shrugged. "He found me standing over the body of the first man I ever killed. A Dime Lion, when I was fourteen."

"What?" Jesper asked incredulously.

Elham shushed him, patting his arm. "I'll tell you later. Wylan, why didn't you want to make the bombs? You're really talented, you know."

Wylan gave her an uneasy glance over his shoulder, not exactly comfortable with the information she just so casually revealed about her past. His nerves lessened as Elham gave him a grin, one far too comforting–and somehow, inviting–considering how dangerous of a person she could really be. He found himself effortlessly talking to her, his thoughts spilling out, like he didn't have any control over them.

Elham tended to have that effect on people.

"Because I knew that he'd use them for something like this. Did it work?"

Jesper gave Elham a knowing glance, turning back to Wylan with a breathy laugh. "Oh, it worked. Not many people can go up against General Kirigan and live to tell about it."

"One of the single most terrifying experiences of my life, by the way. You saved our asses, Wylan," she smiled.

"I suppose you did save them, didn't you? Where'd Kaz find you, anyway?" Jesper asked.

"I was apprenticing at the tannery, so I guess he knew that I was good with chemicals."

"Tannery? That sounds familiar. Have we met before?"

Wylan hesitated, making Elham raise a brow. Before she could question him, he quickly motioned for her and Jesper to duck back inside the carriage.

"Stadwatch! Wait...alright, you're clear."

Jesper took that as his cue to sit back against the window, but Elham hung back. She watched the pair through narrowed eyes, racking her brain. She swore she had seen Wylan before, it was on the tip of her tongue. She vaguely listened in on their conversation as she sat in thought.