Beauty of Annihilation (Kaz Brekker x Reader)

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~Y/N~

The journey to Kribirsk in East Ravka was a silent one. Kaz wouldn't talk to me after what I did on the train. I'm not sure if that was good or bad, but I was convinced it was terrible from his facial gestures.

Now, just the four of us; Kaz is off somewhere; we are sitting at a local pub, and a show is behind us. Everyone around me is having a drink beside me. "So, that went well." Jesper says. I look at him with a look and reply, "Don't get me started."

"The Little Palace winter fete. There's just no way he can find a way to the Sun Summoner without Nina. Especially during this ridiculous party. The place will be crawling with Second Army." says Arken. He sets down the flyer and looks behind him.

I turn around to see Kaz coming back. "We're in luck. There's a good chance we can crack on. Now that we're three days travel from the capital, the next play is finding a way inside the Little Palace. It turns out the Kribirsk archives house the Little Palace blueprints. But... they're kept under lock and key. Far from the prying eyes of the masses."

Jesper gets excited and shakes my shoulders. "Yes," he says. I look at Inej and Kaz and ask, "What does that mean?"

"Time for a heist!"

Jesper pays for the drinks, and I wander out of the building and into an alleyway. I feel this wave of warm energy flow through me, and I look down at my hands.

I try to summon my power and see why I feel this way. A feint purple ball of energy comes from my hands and hovers above my palm.

It flickers before Kaz interrupts my concentration. "Are you going to join us?" I nod my head at his response and flick away the energy. He gets Inej and Jesper, and Kaz starts to talk about the plan.

"All right. Royal Archives heist. Here's the game plan. Watchmen are on guard around the clock. We want to get in and get out as quietly as possible. That means the hardware stays in the holster, Jesper."

He rolls his eyes at Kaz. "Ugh, fine."

"Inej, the dome on the roof is directly above the repository where the blueprints to the Little Palace are kept."

"Got it. That's my way in." She says.

"Y/N will be the smokescreen. She will be entering with Inej. If she can make the guards see whatever they want, she'll make it so you're not seen Inej. Y/N, you will also be unlocking or breaking what you need to. I expect high hopes."

Like I have those hopes.

"I'll set a trail of phosphorus that will lead Inej straight to the target. The repository is secured at all times behind a two-part lock mechanism. So, Inej, you have to leave the way you came in. Two hours after sunset is when you'll go in, Jesper. You'll need to blend in." says Kaz.

"Easy."

"The lighting valves are on the second floor."

Inej adds, "Y/N and I will take our cue once we see the lights go out. And then I will follow your trail straight to the blueprints while Y/N keeps watch."

"The archivist has to pull them a number of times a day, so we can't steal them or they'll know something is up."

"So? Make a copy."

"But careful. If you're heavy-handed, you'll bleed the ink." Kaz warns.

"I know what I'm doing."

Thus, this plan proceeded. Everything was going as the others had discussed it—until we thought we were done. Inej and I went back near the rope, and we were about to ascend. "Valve was turned off! I don't know how."