★𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒔 𝑭𝒍𝒚 ༄ 𝑲𝒂𝒛 𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒌𝒌𝒆𝒓★

14: Mettle

"You broke another mirror
You're turning in to something you are not"
-Radiohead-

"Kaz," I whispered as Inej entered the tavern. "Please, go easy on her,"

He didn't acknowledge me.

My lips drew into a thin line, and I took a sip of my drink.

"No horses at the stable, so..." Inej trailed off.

"So?" Kaz snapped.

"What?" replied Inej.

"Are you going to tell me how the target got away?" asked Kaz curtly.

Inej pursed her lips. "I let her go,"

"You were hired to do a job," Kaz stared at her.

I sighed, excusing myself. I went to find Jesper.

Busy setting up the alarm, he didn't hear me approach.

"Hey, man," I greeted.

He put a hand on his pistol, before recognising my voice. "Ada,"

"You doing alright?" I asked, leaning against the wall.

"Couldn't be better," grinned Jesper sarcastically. "How's your head, you never told me what happened,"

I shrugged. "Smacked it off the floor," smiling, I continued, "unlike you, we don't all have fabulous balance."

"Why thank you," Kaz tipped his hat. "I'm also very observant. For example, you and Kaz came from the same door,"

"Well observed." I sighed.

Jesper stood, gesturing to the bar. "Shall we?"

"We shall," I replied, following him inside.

I could see something was wrong. I could feel it in Inej's gaze, Kaz's frown.

"I've settle our tab with the last of our coin," Jesper sighed. "Set the alarm, and stashed our supplies."

As he spoke, there was a raucous bang.

"Was that the alarm?" I asked.

Jesper frowned. "That was the alarm."

"Jolly good." I smiled, cracking my knuckles and rolling my shoulders.

"Split up- much easier to take a Grisha one-on-one than a whole squad of them," Kaz instructed. "Rendezvous at the fountain,"

"Roger that," I muttered.

We moulded into the crowd, leaving the pub. To our dismay, we were faced by the Grisha immediately.

We were exposed.

Oh, I remembered. I didn't have a weapon.

My eyes widened as I spotted a woman wearing a matching Kefta to the Inferni I'd killed in the chapel.

I gulped. She definitely spotted me too.

We split up, and I hurtled down an alley.

I skidded to a halt as the barrel next to me exploded in flame.

I spun around, fists balled, squaring up for a fight.

I was a fool. I'd never beat her with my bare fists.

"Hey, lady, why don't we talk this out?" I said. "You seem pretty angry... which is fair, but~"

I cursed as she hurled fire at me. "Saint!" I dodged.

"You robbed me of my brother, now I'll rob you of your life!" She cried.

"Calm the fuck down, woman! I'm sorry!" I threw myself at her, sending us both crashing the ground. "I was just protecting~"

She swung me onto my back, her hand grasping my neck.

She lurched back in shock as she felt the sparks flying from my skin.

Well, now she knew.

"Maybe it wouldn't hurt just to kill ya?" I said through gritted teeth.

I slammed my fist into her face, blood decorating my knuckles.

I slipped off my gloves.

I grimaced, trying to summon the Kügelblitz.

I didn't have much energy left.

The woman's eyes widened as she summoned more flame. "What, what are you?" she cried.

"Your death, motherfucker," I seethed.

I lunged at her, lightning spraying along my arms and across my hands.

The Inferni screamed as the Kügelblitz scorched her.

She shook as the volts ripped across her body.

I scrunched my eyes shut.

Thump.

Slash.

I opened them. She lay, limp, upon the cold floor.

A sharp pain began to throb in my upper abdomen. My gaze flicked downward.

Blood stained my shirt, a slit in the fabric. She had tossed a shard of metal at me in her last moments...

I curled over, biting back tears.

I staggered away.

The others waited at the fountain.

Kaz's brows raised in concern, and he made an advance toward me.

I raised my hand, waving it.

"You're bleeding..." he remarked.

"Again, I know. It seems to be a trend," I replied. I stumbled toward the fountain. "Just give me a little time-out... anyone got orange juice?" 

I smiled weakly.

Jesper rolled his eyes, patting my shoulder. He looked to Kaz. "She'll be fine,"

"I didn't~" Kaz stopped, lips drawing in to a frown.

Jesper smirked, nodding toward a black carriage near the fountain. "That's a pretty nice ride,"

"Yes, indeed it is..." Kaz replied.

"I'll help Ada, you two get the carriage," said Inej, crouching down by me.

Jesper and Kaz strode around the carriage.

Jesper swung open the carriage door, jumping back as a book flew from inside.

The wielder of the book tried to escape via the other side, Kaz waiting for him.

Kaz struck the man with his cane, rendering him unconscious.

"All clear," called Jesper.

Inej had helped remove the shard of metal from my chest, which now bled profusely.

"Can you walk?" she asked.

"Yeah, yeah of course," my words melded together as I swung to my feet.

I attempted to take a step toward the carriage.

A swaying sensation consumed me, vision clouding.

"Ah, fuck,"

I collapsed.