I Don't Belong Here~Kaz Brekker x Reader~

Chapter 19: Wylan's Explosions and Barrel Kings

***

Wylan walks down the steps first, and I shut the door behind me. He wipes his face on the collar of his jacket, and sets down the leather bag that was on his back. Now that the lighting was better I could get a good look at him.

It was like he stepped out of the book, which I suppose wasn't quite the case considering it was more like I stepped into it.

Everything from the slight grime on his face from the materials he worked with and just being on this side of the Barrel that I had a slight feeling never truly left his face; to the expressiveness in his eyes that in this moment held fear at what just happened; to the messiness of his dark hair tinted with red that would be brighter if it wasn't for the darkness that seemed to always hang over Ketterdam. His face had a softness that gave off a feeling of innocence, and a pointed nose that made him nearly resemble one of the Folk.

Wylan glances up at me as I reach the end of the steps.

Behind him I see a familiar face.

"Wylan," Kaz calls, trying to get his attention. He then sees me, giving me a nod. "(Y/N)."

The boy's head snaps up, looking at Kaz. He gasps slightly. "You're alive."

"Thanks in part to you," Kaz tells him.

"Stadwatch are after you," Wylan says as if Kaz didn't already know. "I should have known that it was you who wanted (Y/N) to meet here."

"Thanks for showing her the way." Kaz looks at me for a moment before walking around a table full of vials. "How much phosphorus did you pack into that flash bomb? The escape option against the Darkling?"

My eyes widen and I turn to Wylan. "So you're the one he hired to make that?"

He seems to blush slightly, nodding. "Yeah. Kaz asked me to make him some flash bombs when he heard about the job."

I look at Kaz, knowing that later I'm going to have to ask if he knows who Wyaln really is, though I'm pretty sure he does.

Wylan looks back at Kaz, who is watching us. "Did you need it? Was it enough?"

"Nearly." Kaz takes a few more steps forward, leaning on the table. "I need you to make a new package for me."

"Uh..." Wylan looks down and rubs the back of his neck nervously. "You said that was a one-time thing, not a real step into your world. Besides, I was strapped at the time."

"And now?" Kaz's gaze softens. "When was the last time you ate?"

I look at Wylan, but the room stays silent.

Kaz reaches down to the table to move a bottle of some strange powder. I see that the label on it is a few music notes.

The writers didn't leave it out.

"Don't– don't touch that specific bottle," Wylan warns. "You'll be itching for days."

Kaz slowly moves his gloved hand away from the bottle in question. I keep note of the bottle for future reference.

***

I told Kaz that I was going to stay here and he went back to the Crow Club. He pulled me to the side and told me his plan– what he needed Wylan's help with –which I still couldn't fully believe. It was a risky move, and the others wouldn't react well to say the least.

He also told me before he left that there was still a little while before the others came, since I came a lot earlier than he planned. I considered asking him to pick some stuff up while he was out so that I could finally cook for Jesper like I promised, which maybe would also include Wylan and the others, but I decided to not say anything about it. I did tell him that Inej would find Nina, since I remembered that much from my strange dreams.