𝔰𝔢𝔞 𝔴𝔦𝔱𝔠𝔥 - nikolai lantsov

iii - guard dog

Kaz entered the tomb room to witness an unsettling sight; Inej had two deep cuts on each of her arms. In her mouth was a dense pole of ice with bitemarks. Luda was there too sewing up the gashes. She had on a pair worn-out brown leather gloves, but her control of the water was just as fluid.

With the candlelight he was able to see both of the girl's faces properly. Inej would wince and hiss occasionally, but something on Luda's is what caught his eye. The blood was still there, but it dried all over her mouth and trailed down her neck to stain her dress.

"How are you holding up?"

Inej muffled out, "fine."

"I can see that," Kaz swallowed hard. He turned to Luda, "What'd he do to you?"

Luda growled. Her eyes dark. One hand moved up and wiped away any of the barely douse blood left.

Kaz would deny it if you asked him; but her lethal growl trembled him to his core. It wasn't...natural.

"It isn't hers."

His gripped tighter on his cane, "Mogens?" Of course he knew it was the madman's. He still needed to hear it.

Luda glared back to inej with begging green eyes, stopping the stitch in hopes she didn't snitch. "she bit into his shoulder."

"You've hired a monster, Brekker. Boy you are messing with something that belongs in my fish tank."

Luda squeaked out of protest, huffed out of her nose then returned to finalising the stitch. Luda used her blunt teeth to cut off the black thread then wrapped bandage around Inej's arms. She tried ever so desperately to avoid touching Inej's exposed skin.

"Thanks," Inej grunted. She allowed Luda to help her onto her back.

"Rest," Luda's whispered sounded more like a gust of wind it was too quiet. She turned to Kaz, then mouthed out, "she rests here, tonight."

"I'll keep an eye on her," Kaz offered, and received a nod of gratitude.

Luda gathered together the bloody cloths, utensils and contaminated water. Inej tried to move but Luda hovered a hand above her, using the air around her chest to push her back down.

"She's more than a Tidemaker. There's no logical way a grisha can manipulate water and people. Only myth can."

She held the dirty water away from herself. Although she still had her worn-out brown leather gloves on, Luda treated the water like it was poison. Kaz watched her behaviour, in one swoop, he tossed the container up. The water drenched Luda face first.

Her teeth changed first. When she opened her eyes, they were white.

"Bastard was right," Kaz hissed. Luda went to sprint out but Kaz's cane on her chest pushed her back.

The exposed skin on her neck and forearms pulled apart. They turned thinly translucent. Underneath emerged were scales. Patterned scales all over. Her hand, now webbed with claws, gripped onto the end his cane.

"Break it and so does your hand."

"Let me go."

"Not until you tell me what you are."