My least favorite part about being hunted by the Stadwatch is where it made us have to go. There are multiple levels of the Barrel and right now, we are at the bottom of it. Jesper was whining.
'We are in the literal bottom of the Barrel.'
'Stadwatch don't patrol down here. We're safer.'
I sigh. 'Inej, what did you find out?'
Inej comes around Jesper who gasps and clutches his chest. Kaz and I share an amused smile.
'We're accused of murdering Tante Heleen,' Inej said.
That makes us all stop.
'Wait, what?' Jesper said. 'We didn't do that, though. Wait, did you do that?'
Inej and I pull a face at him.
'It was Pekka Rollins, wasn't it?' Kaz asks. 'He framed us for murder.'
'He wanted to punish us for taking the job after he warned you off,' Inej said, nodding.
'But why take it out on Tante Heleen?' Jesper asks.
Kaz's face fell in realization. 'Heleen held the deed to the Crow Club. We cut a deal so Inej could help us with the Sun Summoner, so Rollin's killed her.'
Inej took a shaky breath. 'He owns the club. Everyone who works there now works for Pekka Rollins. And... there's more.'
Inej slowly rolled up her sleeve and ran a thumb across her Menagerie tattoo.
Kaz's face hardens. 'The Menagerie.'
'He owns that, too. And everything the Menagerie owns.'
Realization hits me and I stumble slightly. Jesper grabs onto my arm and Kaz takes a step toward me, concerned. If Pekka Rollins got the Menagerie than he got, not just Inej, but me, as well. She never voided Inej's contract, but she did write mine up.
'What's wrong?' Jesper asks.
I looked at Kaz through blurry eyes and I knew he understood. He knew what was happening. What was so horrible about all of this.
'If Rollins owns the Menagerie, then... he owns me and Inej,' I whisper. 'It's not a trade off anymore. Pekka Rollins gets everything. He gets to take everything.'
I don't look away from Kaz, who looks close to passing out. Rollins words come back to me. I'd hate to have to put more scars over that pretty body, of yours. I shudder thinking of all the things Rollins would do to me if he caught us.
'I failed,' I whisper. 'Now neither of us are free and you don't have the Crow Club.'
'You'll be free,' Kaz said, finally. 'You both will.'
'So, Stadwatch are everywhere and Pekka's untouchable. Not to mention he's got our Wraith and our Venom. Never thought I'd miss the bloody Fold.'
Kaz pulls out some kruge from the amount we got from Nikolai and hands half of it to me and half to Inej. Inej and I look at each other.
'What's this for?' Inej asks.
'We aren't the only ones under a false accusation. Your Saint has a new bounty on her head, this time from Fjerda.'
Jesper nodded. 'They think she's in cahoots with the Darkling.'
