West Stave Story [Kaz Brekker X Reader]

Costumes and Casinos

~ Y/N Pov ~

For a week I stay in the Den, polishing my guns, sweeping the floors slowly, and letting my wound heal. No one knows of how I snuck out to the Dreg's turf except for Kaz, and it will remain that way if I have anything to do with it. Roydan occasionally visits me in between his shifts at the Emerald Palace with a sweet roll for me in his hand.

"Have you had enough of heists to last you a lifetime?" He asked a few nights ago.

I smirked. "Not even close. I think they are quite thrilling, actually."

"Until you run into Dirtyhands."

"Right, until I see Kaz Brekker, the cripple," I said. The boy who seems to be ten steps ahead of me.

Ro grabbed my hands. "Just know that I am still serious about this. I swear on the Saints. It isn't fun to see my sister getting stabbed."

"And it isn't fun to have my brother keep bringing it up."

He had ruffled my hair then let me be, heading out of my bedroom door to get some rest. But now, as I do some light stretching, it is Rollins who stops at the threshold and shuts the door behind him. I realize that I haven't actually seen or talked to him since...

"Brekker was on the heist, wasn't he? He got hold of the guns," he says, staring at me, challenging me to say he is wrong.

A part of me panics that he knows of my visit to the Crow Club, but I am just overthinking.

"Don't tell Roydan," I say.

"I won't but only because if he knew that Brekker was on the crew, he would take you guys back to Ravka before I could put you on another heist. You know, one day you'll have to stand up for yourself. You managed to survive Dirtyhands up close. You can survive your brother. Among other things," he says.

I shake my head. "That isn't important right now. What business?"

Rollins starts walking around my room. "Well since you aren't completely a failure, you survived your first heist alone, I am sending you on another one. This time, no artillery will be involved, so you should have better luck."

"Hey, it wasn't the artillery that stabbed me-"

"There is to be a parley in the Exchange at midnight. Casual Barrel business," he continues. "The street fights have been getting a little dirty; the Dregs have called a meeting about rules or whatever. I need you to be Doughty's second."

"Okay, so I just stand there next to him?"

He nods once. "Precisely. You don't do anything. If a Dreg makes trouble, shoot 'em. But the parley isn't the important part. After the parley, I need you to hide yourself somewhere in the Exchange. I hear a messenger will be there to deliver information to a merchant secretly about the whereabouts of a rare metal."

I place my hands on my hips. "A metal?"

"Apparently someone found out that Materialki can manipulate a certain metal into unbreakable locks. Perfect for merchants, with all of their secrets. And perfect for us, if any Dregs try to push their luck and break into my safe," he says, nonchalantly opening the chest at the foot of my bed, glancing at the bloody tunic I shoved in there after I changed into my Grey Imp costume.

What about getting an unbreakable lock for my own damn items?

I think back to Kaz's safe, hidden behind a painting in his office. The casino chip feels oddly heavy in my pocket as I stare at my gang leader. If you change your mind...