The Phoenix and the Crow

I'm a solider, not a thief.

A knocking on the thick wooden door of her room startled Y/N as she was splashing her face with water from the wash basin. "Yes?"
"Downstairs now. Your country needs saving." Kaz's voice was muffled through the door. Y/N's eyebrows furrowed in curiosity, "I'll be down shortly." She finished getting ready and tied her hair up before leaving her room and walking downstairs. The moment she spotted Kaz and Nina sitting at a table with two others whose back was facing her, she froze. She'd recognize the back of that head anywhere.
"Zoya Nazalensky. Well, I'll be damned." The inferni could feel the dramatic eye roll she received in return as she walked to the table. "Old friend, how are you?"
"Y/N L/N. Thought you'd be six feet under by now." Her tone held a biting sting to it, but the inferni knew her too well to take it seriously.
"Always a pleasure, Nazalensky." She pursed her lips in faux disdain before breaking into a smile.
Nina looked between the two etherealki with a wide smile, "Oh it's like we're in the Little Palace all over again. Isn't this nice?"
Kaz's glare didn't lighten up as he glanced at all three grisha women with the sharpest side eye Y/N had ever seen. She moved to stand behind the Heartrender and placed her hands on her shoulders. "So what's this I hear about my country needing saving?" She shot a quick teasing glance to Kaz before directing her attention back to the topics at hand.
Zoya cleared her throat, "We need you lot to get us the Neshyenyer."
Nina scoffed, "The Neshyenyer? Sankta Neyar's blade?"
"So, you haven't completely forgotten what you were taught at the Little Palace." The Squaler leaned back in her chair with her arms folded in front of her. "Just your loyalty to Ravka."
"Ravka? Or Kirigan?" Both older grisha stiffened at the name. "It didn't take him destroying a city for me to question my loyalty."
Y/N pulled back at the sharp words that fell from Nina's lips. She knew she should've run far before Alina came to the Little Palace, and she was ashamed to say how long it took for her to finally think over her loyalties.
Jesper cleared his throat, "So, now that we all know that you two have history, what's the payment for this job?"
The Shu man finally spoke, "Name your price. It matters that much."
"Who are you?" The inferni questioned.
"Toyla Yul-Bataar. Member of Prince Nikolai's personal guard."
Nina opened the letter handwritten by the prince of Ravka himself. Everyone looked over her shoulder to read it.
"Is that the Lantsov family crest?" Wylan asked.
"You know it is because it's hideous."
Y/N snorted but collected herself quickly.
"Prince Nikolai requests your services to retrieve and deliver the Neshyener to Alina Starkov in East Ravka." Toyla said.
Nina looked up, "She's returned?"
"As has the Darkling. With an indestructible army of shadow monsters." Zoya stared directly at Y/N as she spoke.
"I don't like the sound of that." Jesper took another sip of his drink.
Y/N shook her head in denial, "That can't be. We saw him in the Fold. Zoya you were there, he-"
"We didn't see his body. He's back, Y/N and he's stronger now. Or so he seems to be with these new puppets of his. That's why Alina needs the blade to kill them. It's the only thing that might work."
Toyla spoke, "Retrieve the blade and the Prince will pay whatever you ask."
"I like the sound of that." Jesper downed the rest of his glass.
Zoya turned from the zemini to Kaz, "I assume the same goes for you?" He nodded, "I'd welcome the chance to help your prince spend his country's money."
"I don't need kruge. I need to get someone out of Hellgate. The Lantsovs, they must be able to pull strings with the Kerch government." Nina vocalized her thoughts.
"For a certain Fjerdan?" Zoya's tone held a smugness to it. She smiled, "He must be quite the slab of fur."
Toyla stepped in, "The offer is the offer. Prince Nikolai is a man of his word."
"But we need to go now." Zoya's voice turned assertive.
"It's settled," Kaz folded his arms, "We're in."
"And your Wraith?" The squaller asked, "I was expecting to see her."
"She's gone."
"No, she's not. Not yet. She's-"
"Not an option." Dirtyhands threw the sharpshooter a glare, ending the discussion then and there.
~
"The Neshyenyer at Ahmrat Jen is definitely a fake." Kaz limped towards the group standing around the bar. Zoya rolled her eyes, "Which we told you. Perhaps now you tell us something we didn't know?"
"According to my contacts, it's been stolen by a thief known as The Disciple. He had a penchant for stealing Saint-related relics while on jobs."
Y/N hummed, "A thief and a collector."
"And retired." Kaz made eye contact with her briefly. "But he has since put a few pieces of his collection on the black market."
Toyla nodded, "So, to get to him, we go to his fence."
"Ohval Saran. She has a tea shop in Bhez Ju. To speak to her, we're going to have to order yellow chrysanthemum tea, off menu."
Nina turned to the shu and repeated the type of tea in his mother tongue. "It pairs well with sesame rice cakes." He told her. Nina smiled, "Let's discuss." She walked to him, "Tell me more."
Kaz shoved passports into Wylan and Y/N's hands before walking to Jesper and Inej.
Zoya placed a hand on Y/N's arm, "You look ill, L/N. Don't tell me you've been holding back on your practicing now."
The latter sighed, "If only you'd've known what we've been up to. I haven't had the chance to use my power lately. I didn't think it was that noticeable."
"It wouldn't be to just anyone, but I've seen you at your strongest. No one else here could say the same now could they?"
The inferni smiled, "I've missed you."
"It hasn't even been a few weeks since you saw me last." Zoya rolled her eyes fondly, "You're just dramatic."
"Only for you, my love." Y/N threw a wink at her as she got up to go pack her things.
~
Shu Han was a colorful city, always bright and full of light. It was a stark difference from Ketterdam and Y/N was loving it. Walking the streets she could smell all the different street foods and incense floating through the air.
Toyla walked to an altar that had candles and burning sticks of incense. Inej, Zoya, and Y/N followed shortly, all wishing to pay their respects to their lost loved ones. Toyla said his prayers in shu and the girls just knelt before the altar.
"When the fold moved, your aunt..." Nina sat down beside the squaller. Zoya avoided her gaze and that was all Nina needed as an answer. "Zoya, I'm so sorry."
The suli shook her head, "Who here hasn't lost someone?"
Both Y/N and Zoya leaned forward to grab the burning sticks and held them to the flame, saying their prayers.
Kaz, Wylan, and Jesper stood at a distance watching the others perform their religious rituals in patience. That only lasted so long before Kaz walked to the four girls still kneeling. "You two, we have a teatime to make." Nina and Inej quickly stood, following Kaz down the street.
Y/N's eyes strayed to follow the all-black silhouette before it got lost in the crowd.
"So, Brekker?" Zoya stood and dusted her skirt off, waiting for Y/N to rise as well. The inferni looked at her sharply, "I don't know what you're talking about. I hardly know the man."
"You don't have to know him to fancy him." Zoya nudged the y/h/c-haired girl as they walked from stand to stand looking at all the foods and sweets.
"I've been with these people for hardly a few weeks now, Zoya."
"But he's caught your eye, yes?"
The lack of response caused the suli to snicker. "Well, once this war is over you'll have plenty of time to get to know him."
Y/N shook her head, "Who said I'd be going back to the Barrel? You brought it up yourself, loyalties. Ravka is my home. She's my country, and I'll serve her till my dying breath."
"You've done beyond enough for Ravka and you know it. No one would blame you even now if you decided not to fight or come back home. You need to go and make a life for yourself. You above anyone deserves that." Zoya rested her hand on her friend's shoulder.
"I'm not the only one who deserves peace. I would blame myself for not helping my country. I don't do anything to meet the expectations of others, you above all people should know that by now." Y/N turned her head and saw Toyla waving them over to where he was seated. She smiled and nodded before turning back to Zoya. "I'll think it over though. Making a life for myself, that is."
The two grisha walked to the table Toyla sat at. "What are we watching?" Y/N followed his line of sight to see Jesper and Wylan talking at a firework stand. He chuckled, "Jesper attempt to get his man back." Zoya rolled her eyes while Y/N hummed.
"Toyla?" Wylan walked over calling for him, "Toyla could I get your help?"
The inferni stood on her tiptoes and looked over to Jesper mouthing 'What happened?' To which he just shrugged, his shoulders dropping in defeat.
The group got up to keep walking around, all looking at different stands and carts that piqued their interest. Someone shoved into her back, she turned around to tell them off but noticed the familiar black silhouette continue his way down the street, stumbling into people with every step.
Y/N quickly followed after him, threw herself into his back to stop him in his path, and wrapped her arms under his, around his chest, pulling him into her. He thrashed in her arms as she moved him to a more secluded section of the crowded street. She released him quickly and backed away, giving him space.
Kaz was breathless as he curled into the wall behind him. Y/N watched him carefully making sure he was alright and noticed his lack of gloves. He turned his head enough to look at her for a split second before he flinched farther away from her causing her to back up slightly and nod to herself. "I'll be back."
He barely heard her voice over the panic and buzzing in his mind. Flashbacks of his brother and the bloated, rubbery skin of the corpses plagued him as he tried his hardest to get control of his breathing again. His bare hands clutched the metal head of the cane, holding it tightly against his side as he slid further down the wall. His shoulders ached while the wall dug into his muscles painfully. His lungs burned from the uneven rapidness of his breath. He tried calming it by breathing in through his nose, keeping his mouth shut but that only caused his body to falter and panic more. He closed his eyes and twisted the cane between his hands feeling the metal and wood beneath his fingertips.
He didn't notice Y/N's return till he finally opened his eyes and noticed that she placed his leather gloves beside him, making sure to keep her distance from him. Not sparing her a glance he picked up the gloves and held onto them for dear life, feeling as if he could finally take a proper breath. "Did Inej-"
"She followed Ohval Saran." Y/N kept her voice low in order not to startle him again.
"And Nina?" His eyes started to clear and he was beginning to gather his senses.
"She's fine. She's with the others."
He nodded and took a deep breath before looking over at the girl beside him. She looked paler than when he first met her, her fingers thinner. Overall she looked weaker. She's a grisha. He couldn't recall a time when she used her power since the bomb in the accounting office. He took a mental note to assign her some role so she could use and practice her power again. Despite her physically looking weaker, her eyes never let go of the same kindness that they held from when they first met. Her y/e/c-eyes sparkled with concern and care, but they didn't smother him, making him want to push her away. No, instead he was drawn to it, and that terrified him. Never before had he felt so comfortable and relaxed in the presence of someone he didn't know. Never before had he felt the need to constantly look over and make sure that person was alright or just simply to admire them from a distance.
Kaz couldn't exactly place a name to what he was feeling, but he had become a master at controlling his emotions and he will learn to rein this one in one way or another.
~
"Ohval's not just a fence. She's The Disciple." Kaz sat at the table in the center of the room with Wylan and Zoya. Nina lounged, fanning herself, on the couch with Y/N while Toyla stood next to them and Inej sat on a stool behind Zoya. Jesper closed the doors to the room for privacy.
"What... What tipped you off?" Wylan asked.
"Her tea cup. When she set it down, she did so without a sound."
"And her heartbeat never fluctuated once. It held at one beat a second like a clock." Nina sat up straight causing Y/N to lean closer and fix her skirt.
"So, she can control her heart rate and her emotions." Toyla held out his bag of walnuts to the two grisha on the couch, each taking one.
"Those are useful skills for a thief," Wylan noted.
"Now's the part where you tell us where the blade is." Jesper spoke cooly as he leaned on the wall closer to Inej.
"Ohval has it. Her signal to the waitress to spill tea on me told me as much." He clutched his cane a bit tighter. "It's as if I know you." The zemmini smirked. Kaz ignored him and continued, "And if she's not going to sell it to us, we'll just have to take it. After Nina and I ordered the tea, I had Inej follow the tea shop employee who was sent to notify Ohval."
"She lives just outside the city. When she stopped at the tea shop, she placed an order at the apothecary that she'll be picking up tonight. I watched her home for a while and no one came or went except her." Inej said while twirling her butterfly knife between her fingers.
"So, while she's out of the house, Nina will tail her to make sure she stays out of the house. The rest of us will go in and grab the blade."
Once Kaz finished speaking Zoya scoffed, "You don't seriously expect me to break into this woman's house."
"Uh, why do you think we're here?" Jesper asked jeeringly.
The squaller turned around in her seat to face him, "I'm a soldier, not a thief. Why else would I need you, criminals?"
Y/N chuckled, "There's much less of a difference there than you think."
Zoya rolled her eyes and said, "I'll go with Nina." Making the heartrender choke on her snack and quickly clear her throat. "Are you sure you don't need me?" She asked Kaz. "I mean, Zoya can tail Ohval."
"Nina and Zoya will wait for Ohval at the apothecary. Follow her. If she starts heading home, buy us some time. Distract her."