The Fox and The Crow [Kaz Brekker]

chapter 44

AN: Sorry not sorry. Y'all should know by now that I don't play nice.

~

Daemon was tired. She hadn't had any time to sleep more than an hour before having to head to the docks. She stayed in the shadows on the roofs, none of the passersby below even noticing her presence.

A yawn passed her lips as she slunk onto the hidden schooner at berth 22. Kaz was already on board, talking to the crew members and preparing them for a hasty getaway.

Once he spotted her, he strode over, "Daemon."

"Sorry. I know I'm a little late."

"No, you aren't. We need to get to the pier and rally up the others."

Daemon blinked in surprise, "You didn't tell them about the decoy?"

"No. Only you and Inej."

Daemon didn't even question it, knowing how Kaz's mind worked, "Ok. I'll get Inej."

"Fine by me."

The two walked off the Ferolind and Daemon practically skipped along, her eyes focused on the floor as she made a game of not stepping on a single crack. Her tongue poked out of the side of her mouth as she did this, counting every step she took.

Kaz's lips twitched up in amusement at her as they strode along. He kept close beside her, ready to steady her if she accidentally tripped in her intense focus. Some part of him wished they could stay just like this for a little while longer. With Daemon in her own little world while he just observed. If he could preserve that smile on her face, he would.

Before they could reach the docks of the Fifth Harbor, they felt the heat of the flames that rose high. The destruction of the decoy right before their eyes.

Daemon held her breath. She could only hope that none of the crows were too close.

"Go. Get Inej," Kaz nudged her to the side.

Daemon nodded and darted into the shadows, feeling comfort in the way the light of the fire could not touch her here.

She felt her voice caught in her throat as it demanded to call out to Inej to see if she was alright. Her heart was pounding as she searched and searched until she spotted the figure of her friend standing back and searching just as frantically.

Daemon nearly tripped over herself in her scramble through the chaos towards Inej.

"Dae!" Inej called out to her, meeting her halfway in a brief embrace, "You're ok. Where's everyone else?"

"Kaz is rallying them up to get them to the new ship."

People from all over Ketterdam were taking over the docks, overpowering the Dregs that Kaz had stationed here.

Shots fired from the masts of the new Ferolind and both girls let out a small sigh of relief. At least Jesper and Wylan had made it there safe.

Daemon spotted Nina, two men firing at her from close by. She was too occupied by other attackers to be able to turn to them. Daemon shot forward with a blade in hand, jumping onto one man's back. The man let out a yell of surprise that was quieted by her blade being stuck into his throat.

She dropped off of him as he fell, seeing that Inej had made quick work of the other man.

"Black Tips?" Inej whispered, noting the tattoos on one man's hand.

"It's everyone, Inej. Someone talked. Razorgulls, Black Tips. Even some of the leftover Dime Lions."

Inej moved towards the cargo containers, motioning for Daemon to follow after her. She sheathed her knives and scaled the nearest one. Daemon wiped her palms on her pants before running up. Her hand had barely scraped the top before she felt a searing pain in her side.