Our Fractured Souls | Kaz Brekker

[18]

18

Viktorya

Everything hurt.

A searing sort of pain that travelled endlessly up and down Viktorya's body.

And why? Why did it feel like her bed was moving?

Viktorya felt as though her entire body was coming awake. Slowly. But surely. Her fingers twitched, then her toes. And with them, awoke an endless aching pain that struck her.

Her thoughts were jumbled.

She remembered very little. But she remembered the thrust of Oomen's knife. Climbing the crates. The agony, the red hot pulses of pain as she laid atop that last crate. The voices of Oomen and his men shouting up at her.

She'd been ready to take her life. End it all and with it her suffering.

No more running and hiding. No more pushing down her feelings in lieu of others' interest.

People shouting as she lay, squirming, weeping, and a knife aimed to her chest. Prepared for peace and silence.

Come out, come out, Reaper! We have secrets to tell!

She'd been dangling, trying to get away. They hadn't tried to kill her, they wanted her alive.

Come on down, Reaper.

Kaz had come and gotten her. He'd found her with her blade in her hands, ready to end the suffering, and stopped her. He saved her, yet again.

She'd meant to say something to him then. Get him to apologise, and tell him what she felt. But she didn't remember anything after that.

Her vision had gone black, and the world had been swallowed by shadows. Something she hated almost more than the men on the West Stave.

Pure, abysmal darkness had dragged her down into a pit of nothing.

But Kaz had returned for her. She felt warmth blossom in her chest for a moment.

Then a pang of cold. No, he'd returned for his investment.

Right, that's what he'd meant to apologise for.

Viktorya assumed they had made it onto the Ferolind. Perhaps that was why she could feel the barest hint of the motion of the waves, laying down wherever she was.

She tried to roll over, groaning softly, but the pain that ate away at her was far too intense. So she settled for simply turning her head as her eyes flickered open.

She was in a little storage room below the deck of the ship. Soft warm lantern light filled the dilapidated space. And beside her, Nina was drowsing quietly on a stool, tucked into the corner of the room.

Inej's head was resting on her lap, and Zahra was slumped against the wall beside her sister. Viktorya's hand was nestled in Nina's warm one.

"Nina," Viktorya croaked.

Her throat felt like it was coated in wool.

Nina jolted awake, shocking the Ghafa's up as well. "I'm up!" she blurted, then peered blearily at Viktorya.

"You're awake." She sat up straighter. "Oh saints, she's awake!" And then Nina burst out crying, as the two Ghafa girls held her and rocked, and laughed and cried.

Viktorya tried to sit up, but could barely lift her head.

"No, no." Inej scolded, "Don't move, just rest."