RIBBONS • SIX OF CROWS

14

Kaz Brekker left his sister bleeding out in the hands of a heartrender playing pretend at being healer, in the prayers of the Suli girl who's Saints he didn't believe in. He prised her rigid fingers off of his bloodstained jacket like ridding himself of another corpse, like he had done all those years ago with death hanging in the air as tangible as the fog settling over the waters.

Death, as it was, lingered heavy in every dark corner of the schooner like a shadow, waiting, and every person aboard could feel its looming presence.

Kaz could not get the horrific feeling of her ice cold, rigid fingers clinging to him out of his mind, off of his skin, just as he could not get his sisters blood off of him. It would stain him forever, he thought. He'd never get rid of it. He was sure.

The sight of her lying there, the sound of her voice calling after him, the feeling of her cold skin against his. Something inside his chest felt frayed and raw. It was a similar feeling he'd had as a child, those first few days after Jordie had died.

She had wanted him to stay, afraid, clinging to the only comfort she knew and he had walked away.

Though Kaz Brekker did not need a reason nor justification for what he did, the guilt gnawed at him like a wild dog to a bone.

And though he did not need one, Kaz Brekker had left for a reason.

And as he stormed above deck with murderous intent, everyone who gazed his way could see it.

Jesper stood with Wylan, pupils dilated and hair ruffled, fingers twitching with adrenaline from the fight. Matthias was paler than usual, hunched over the rail a few feet away, but each lifted their heads and straightened at the sight of him on a warpath.

"What happened?" Asked Jesper.

"We were ambushed."

The sound of him and Wylan arguing, both bristling and high strung, faded into the background.

Kaz met the wary gaze of Matthias, knowing at once what he was thinking as he stared at the blood coating his clothing. Not his own.

Will you drag her into this death trap as well?

"Maybe Big Bolliger wasn't the only Black Tip spy in the Dregs."

Kaz responded immediately, his voice rougher than usual. "Geels doesn't have the brains or the resources to bite back this fast or this hard alone."

"You sure? Because it felt like a pretty big bite."

"Let's ask." Kaz limped heavily over to where Rotty had helped him stash Oomen.

His taunting and laughter rang in his ears. His vile words about his sister, about how he'd got lucky with catching her.

But Kaz had heard the raspy breathing, the guttural sounds as he spoke. Seen the way his chest only rose and fell in short abrupt movements, then the way he cradled the stab wound at the side of his ribs. Standard signs of a punctured lung.

Violet had slashed him just beneath the eye too. Shame she hadn't gotten him any higher.

Now, Helvar and Jesper dragged Oomen over to the rail, his hands bound.

"Stand him up."

Helvar did as the demon said, wary of his icy stare and clenched jaw. Everyone had seen him bring the girl on board, the gruesome sight even churning his own stomach, purely for its senseless savagery.  So he hauled Oomen up, unable to shake off the sight of the girls blood staining the deck.

Oomen was grinning with blood stained teeth.

"Why don't out tell me what brought so many Black Tips out in force tonight?" He demanded, keeping his voice level as he adjusted one of his gloves at the wrist.