Having the new Heartrender see to my wounds was a form of bonding I didn't even think possible. Inej, Nina, and I were all laughing as Nina panically tried to patch us back together. Inej and I knew we shouldn't be laughing but Nina was so panicked it was funny. And my chin was so bruised and swollen that it hurt to laugh.
'So, this is just how you guys live?' Nina asks. 'What about you, Nat? You're a Grisha, right? Why aren't you in the Little Palace?'
I smile at her. 'Because the king is a perv and the Darkling is a dick. Any more questions?'
'No. Nope. That about covers it.'
Nina secured the bandage around my shoulder before walking out to face the others. Inej and I took pretty big hits but nothing we couldn't handle. Word was Wylan almost got shot and Nina did get shot. The entire heist was a bust. Pekka Rollins knew we were coming.
'I'm leaving,' Inej said, opening up the window in the room. 'I'm going to go check out if Pekka has anymore assassins waiting for us. I'm sure it won't stop at just those two.'
'Let me come with you,' I pleaded with her.
She turns to me. 'Why? Kaz will want to talk to you.'
'Exactly.' I sigh. 'Please, Inej. I'm not in the mood for a lecture or for a confusing swirl of emotions. Besides, they're after me, too. Let me help.'
Inej nods. 'Of course, you can come. Having the Venom on my side never hurts.'
I smile and follow her out of the window.
---
Inej and I hadn't really spoken to anyone but Nina in a day or so. Inej was set on getting any address she could. Any person she could. She was scared and I didn't blame her. I was scared, too. Except I had already done my killing. Those two guys on the roof are no more thanks to me. Inej was still searching for something. That feeling of power. I was going to let her have it. So, when we got the name and address of another one of Pekka's trusted Menagerie kidnappers, I let Inej go by herself. I let her go find whatever it was she was looking for.
The information cost Inej some of her new blades but I had already stolen them back for her. I was organizing both of our knife kits. They were all mixed together, but we knew which ones were our own. My sword lay on the table next to where I was working, and I kept looking at it. The snake was so prominent. My forearm burned where it had cut across my skin. I shivered. People were coming for us. They were coming to shackle me and use me. To degrade me. Inej and I wouldn't let them. Pekka was about to get a present, and he wasn't going to like it.
I felt his presence before he could say anything. I hadn't talked to Kaz since that night on the roof. Since he gave me my new sword. I didn't really want to talk to him. I was mad and scared. He was too confident.
'You've been lying low,' he said.
I glanced at him. 'Inej and I have been gathering information on Pekka's assassins. Found out the next guy he was going to send after us. Inej is handling it right now.'
'Murder? Inej?'
I shrug. 'She needs something, and I wasn't about to get in her way. I already made my kills.' I turn to him fully. 'Rollins is sending men after us so he can lock us up in the menagerie. Chain us up like dogs. Pekka is about to get a message that he won't like.'
'You aren't going to the menagerie.'
'You can't promise that,' I snap. 'Pekka is gonna keep sending men after Inej and me. I killed the first two, Inej has got the next one, and everyone after that will go down until Pekka is the last one standing. You have a plan, I'm sure. But we were ambushed, Kaz. We've been framed for two murders, and you blew up the fucking Crow Club. You can't promise anything to me right now.'
