The next morning, the four of us made it back to the train that took us through the fold. We were lying on our stomachs behind our carriage, watching out into the field.
'How many are there?' Inej asks.
Kaz looked closer out into the field, scanning the area around the train for men. 'Two. At some point at least one of them will have to go tell a superior what they found. We'll go in then.'
Jesper turned to Kaz. 'Not to be that person, Kaz, but... are you sure you can drive that thing?'
'Yes,' Kaz said, exasperated. 'On the way to Kribirsk, while you were busy hugging bait—'
Jesper interrupted. 'Milo. The goat's name was Milo.'
'I was memorizing Arken's timings.'
Inej looked uncertain. 'Not to gang up on you, but, Jes has a point. Arken's system was complicated, and the ride was chaotic. No one would blame you for missing a count.'
Kaz and I both turned our heads toward Inej, simultaneously speaking, 'Jes?'
Jesper smiled. 'It's Suli, for friendship.'
I made a face at that.
'Trust me,' Kaz said. 'Arken and I think alike.'
I shook my head. 'Let's hope you two aren't totally alike.'
Before anymore could be said, an explosion went off, and we all turned to watch the train go up in flames. I burst out laughing.
Jesper turned to me. 'Too soon to appreciate the irony, am I right?'
Kaz ducked his head down, closing his eyes. We all looked at each other, worried.
'It's alright, Kaz,' I say. 'We'll find another way to get home. We always do. Or we open up a bar here. We could probably get some business.'
'Ah, yes, then you can be the Queen of Ravka, too,' Jesper said.
My smile drops slightly. 'I'd be no good Queen.'
Kaz looked at me. 'You already are a Queen, Nat. If I'm the Bastard of the Barrel, then you're the queen of it.'
I could feel the heat enter my cheeks and turn my head to look at the train that had exploded. Inej leaned her head on my shoulder, and I could feel her hidden laugh against me.
---
We used the last of our money to get a room, and Kaz spent the last hour trying to figure out what to do. Inej was off, trying to find out any information she could, and I was practicing different tricks with the new sword. The balance was good but different, so I had to relearn all my old tricks. Jesper watched me, throwing out comments that made me want to punch him but also made me laugh.
When Inej got back I sheathed the sword behind my back, and we all moved over to where Kaz sat at a desk.
'The skiff is still here. Travelers' downstairs are complaining. They were due to cross this morning.'
Kaz nodded. 'Orders from the Black General. He plans to cross on it tomorrow.'
'The General?' Jesper says. 'Is that the same general who tried to, oh yeah, kill us all? And use Natalia to literally push away the competition?'
'He has the Sun Summoner,' Kaz said.
Inej's face contorted. 'Was this your plan all along? To have the General get her back so you can take her again?'
