𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐱, Kaz Brekker & Inej Ghafa

Chapter 9

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Kaz strode through the crowded street, the goat tucked snugly under his arm as he weaved through the throngs of people. The air was thick with the tension of the crowd, their eyes fixed on the stage where a man stood passionately addressing them. Kaz's boots clicked against the cobblestones, his gaze scanning the faces, sharp as ever.

"They want you to believe the Sun Summoner had been found, that she will finally tear down the wall, that she and the Phoenix Summoner together will bring an end to the division between us."

Kaz paused in his steps, his sharp eyes catching sight of a poster flapping in the wind. The image of a glowing sun, flanked by an imposing silhouette of a mythical bird, caught his attention. His fingers twitched, but he didn't reach for it. Instead, he kept his gaze fixed on the man who was still speaking from the stage.

"How many times have we been fed a story like that?" the man continued, his voice rising with a fervor that made the crowd hang on his every word. "And how many times have we, in the West, been told to send our sons and daughters through the Fold for another year, for another meaningless promise?"

Kaz's lip curled in disdain. The rhetoric was familiar, almost too familiar. But the man's words were nothing new-this was a long-standing play by politicians trying to fan the flames of rebellion and discontent. It was a game they all played. The difference now was the crowd was listening, nodding, agreeing.

"It is time to accept that we need to break away from the old country. Now is the time to form our own nation, a country built by our own hands!" The speaker's words were sharp, urgent, coaxing the crowd into a frenzy. "The time is now, to claim what we have earned, what we've built, instead of letting it be sent to the East. For the true Ravka!"

"True Ravka!" The crowd roared in response, their fists pumping the air in unity.

Kaz's dark eyes followed the man off the stage, a calculating glint flickering within them. He watched as the man moved toward a tent at the edge of the crowd, his gaze never leaving him. The man shook hands with someone, someone Kaz knew well-The Conductor. The sight of them together made his jaw tighten. It was no surprise. The Conductor had his hand in many pockets, especially when it came to the west's current discontent. Kaz's eyes narrowed as he walked away, the angry pulse of his thoughts settling into a simmering cold fury.

As Kaz distanced himself from the stage, he found Inej standing quietly at the memorial for those lost to the Fold. The monument stretched before them, its marble surface etched with names-names of those taken, swallowed by the void that was the Fold. One side listed the names of those from the East, and the other bore the names of the fallen from the West. The memorial was a solemn reminder of the sacrifices, the pain, and the endless cost of war.

Kaz moved toward her, the weight of the moment settling on his shoulders. He called out to her softly, his voice cutting through the silence like a knife.

"Inej."

She turned at the sound of her name, her gaze flicking from the goat in his arm to meet his eyes. Kaz could see the brief flicker of a smile cross her face as she studied the small creature.

"He's adorable," Inej commented, her voice soft, the warmth in it a stark contrast to the grim nature of their surroundings.

Kaz smirked, his eyes flicking to the goat as he adjusted his hold on it. "Don't get attached," he warned, his tone cool but with a hint of amusement. "I didn't think I'd have to specify no detours to you."

Inej gave a small chuckle, her fingers absently touching the pendant around her neck-a small, delicate trinket that Irina had given her. Kaz noticed it immediately, the glint of it catching his eye. It was a piece of their shared past, something that had become a quiet symbol of hope for Inej.

Her expression shifted then, becoming more serious as she sighed, her eyes dropping to the memorial. "Even if just a few minutes could end a lifetime of questions?" she said quietly, her words laced with a vulnerability that Kaz rarely saw from her. "I was making sure her name wasn't on there."

Kaz's gaze softened, the hardness in his eyes momentarily fading as he took in her words. He approached her, his voice quiet but firm, a reassurance in the way he spoke. "She's not dead," he said, his conviction clear. "I know she isn't. We can't give up on her, Inej. We've been searching for years, and the Little Palace is the only lead we have left. We can't stop now. Wherever she is, I know she's counting on us to find her, or at least help her. We won't give up on her."

Inej's eyes met his, her gaze steady, unwavering, despite the uncertainty that lingered in her heart. Kaz could see the weight of the years they'd spent searching for Irina in the way she looked at him. If Kaz's hands weren't occupied with the goat, he would have reached out, taken her hand in his, and given it a reassuring squeeze. But instead, he kept his hands tight around the animal, his eyes speaking the reassurance his words could not.

Inej smiled, a small but genuine expression, before she reached up and touched the pendant again, her fingers brushing the edges of it as if seeking comfort from it. The soft glimmer of it in the fading light reminded her that some bonds, some promises, remained unbroken.

Kaz's eyes flicked to the pendant briefly before returning to meet hers. There was a quiet understanding between them, an unspoken agreement. They had both suffered losses, both fought through the darkness, and neither would stop until they found what they were searching for.

"We'll find her," Kaz said again, more determined this time, his voice steady with a promise that carried weight beyond words. "I promise."

The air between them hung heavy for a moment longer before Inej nodded, her expression resolute. She knew Kaz's promises weren't made lightly. He would see this through, no matter the cost. And she would stand by him, as always.

Together, they would search for Irina, together they would face whatever lay ahead. There was no giving up-not now, not ever.