Elora Van Eck | Kaz Brekker

TWENTY-SIX | TO CAPTURE THE MAIDEN

***

e l o r a

"I should've never left."

"Yes, you should have." Elora was sitting on a fragile wooden bench, which stood by the side of the hut. Kaz sat on the ground in front of her, leaning his back against a tree trunk. "I am a Van Eck. It would have been much worse for you," she explained.

His eyes snapped to hers, filled with pain, as he said, "It did you no good." That she was a Van Eck. "It still went badly for you. I got away."

Elora didn't mention it, but she knew that was a lie. He might have escaped unscathed back then, but one look at him was enough to understand he had been through hell. She couldn't bring herself to ask. She had yet to hear him laugh. The emotions he allowed to escape were so thin that they were barely recognizable. Transparent, like a ghost of the boy he used to be. He used to laugh so much. That didn't just disappear with growing up.

"It would have been worse for you," Elora repeated with finality.

Kaz shook his head, his gaze fixed on his shoes. He sighed, sorting his words, before finally forming a coherent sentence that completely threw Elora off. "There is nothing worse than losing a family member." She understood he was talking about Marya. But why did it sound personal? At that moment, she couldn't even think of her mother. Her heart sank to her stomach. It couldn't be—

"Jordie?" The question slipped from her lips like a breeze of wind. It was a miracle Kaz even heard it. He didn't need to answer her. He merely looked at her, and she knew.

Elora had never met Jordie in person. He had been too busy, and Kaz and Elora too mischievous. But she knew very well how important Jordie was to Kaz. He was his only family. Had been. A shiver ran cold down her spine. When had this happened? How long had Kaz been alone? She felt her heart shattering at the notion that this might have happened a long time ago, meaning Kaz had been on his own as a child. Not that it hadn't always been that way. But at least Kaz had still had Jordie.

"Kaz," Elora suddenly stood, then knelt in front of Kaz. She hadn't even noticed she had stood up. Her lip trembled as she reached a hand toward Kaz's cheek. But quicker than lightning, he slapped her hand away. His eyes were wide with panic. "Forgive me," he stumbled over his words. Elora stood, shocked. "No," she shook her head, taking a few steps back, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—I didn't know—" she couldn't find the right words. Arms wrapped around herself, she searched for them on the earthy ground.

"It's not you," Kaz sounded frantic, but he didn't come closer. He seemed to need the distance to breathe. "It's not—" he heaved as if he had just run a marathon, and he too was at a loss for words. He didn't want to open up, not yet. He hadn't realized that before. He didn't want to tell anyone. So he just repeated his words, hoping they would be enough. "It's not you."

Elora looked from one eye to the other and nodded once, sharply, understanding glimmering in her gentle smile. She suppressed the urge to reach out to him again.

A deep throat clearing interrupted the moment.

Elora turned and followed Kaz's gaze, which had suddenly turned serious. She nearly entered fight or flight mode when she spotted the large, muscular man, but Kaz seemed to know him.

"Yuji," he said, his voice urging him to speak, and the man obeyed.

Elora wanted to relax when she realized the man wasn't a threat. But what he said sent a cold shiver down her spine.

"He knows," revealed the man's deep voice, and Elora knew immediately what he meant. "And he's on his way."

Kaz cursed under his breath. "How many?" he asked, instinctively grabbing Elora's arm and leading her around the building back to the entrance.

For a brief moment, she was perplexed, her gaze fixed on his hand wrapped around her forearm. Then she realized. Gloves. With the gloves, touching her wasn't a problem.

"Not sure," Yuji replied. He followed them with slow steps, almost ambling. For him, the news didn't seem to change anything; his day would continue as usual. "But spread throughout all of Shu Han."

Kaz burst through the door, Elora behind him. His stress immediately transferred to everyone else. "Take only the essentials. We don't have much time." The others didn't question it. They seemed to understand the seriousness of the situation right away and gathered few, if any, belongings, leaving the hut.

Kaz turned to Elora, but before he could say anything, she asked, "Are we going home?" She was referring to Ketterdam. She hadn't quite realized that this was probably the least safe option. She just longed for something more familiar, normal. She wished for her home back. Though Ketterdam hadn't been her home since Marya had taken all the joy with her.

Kaz shook his head. "We can't go back."

Elora blinked quickly but said no more. She trusted that Kaz had a plan. As always. Kaz always had a plan.

"I don't know where we're going."

A blow to Elora's gut. Those simple words made her realize how serious the situation really was. "You don't know?" her voice was so quiet it broke. She didn't know either. She just knew that Jan must never find her. Jan must never find Kaz. And Marcus, Dunyasha, and Koralina. Not even Jesper. Jan must never learn what part Wylan had played in the rescue scheme. She didn't even want to think about what would happen to her brother then. By now, she knew that Jan would stop at nothing. This fear suddenly overcame her. "We have to go," she stuttered, "As far away as possible." She turned and stumbled out of the hut. Wide eyes darting back and forth until they landed on Yuji, who was stroking a horse.

The black Friesian was hitched to a covered wagon; she assumed the others were already inside. She whirled around to Kaz, who had followed her outside. "What about Ravka?" she suggested. "Can we go to Ravka? It will be a long journey. We should leave immediately."

"Elora."

"I can waitress," she stumbled toward the wagon, "I could waitress. I don't need a fancy house. Just some money for a small place."

"Elora." Kaz succeeded in interrupting her rambling. At least he thought so. She turned to him again, walking toward him. She was so close but didn't touch him. She clasped her hands together and brought them to her mouth as if praying. "Let's move to Ravka together." She phrased it as if they were just emigrating, unpersecuted, with wishes for something new.

"Elora," Kaz began again. This time she listened. But the expression on his face didn't please her. "I need to think," he made her understand, "I want you to be safe. For that, I need time, and," he swallowed, "we have one more thing to do here."

"But—"

"It's important," he interrupted, "trust me."