WHISPER- shadow and bone

Chapter 14

Ezra saw the blood before he saw the bodies. A massacre of soldiers appeared before the Crows as they survived the battlefield from the roof of an adjoining building. As Ezra poked his head nervously over the rooftop, he viewed the charred ground, laden with bodies cloaked in First Army uniforms, the uniform that once was his. Closing his eyes he realised that could have been him down there. 

As the remaining soldiers and Grisha crouched behind barricades, Ezra surveyed the group, not recognising any of them. His attention quickly switched to an Inferni who stalked towards the cowering survivors, uttering 'This one's for the King.'

"Wylan now," Kaz hissed to the boy who nodded and promptly threw a flash bomb over the gate and at the Inferni's feet. The woman paused, her eyes widening as she saw the fuse burn down, murmuring a world of shock before Wylan's bomb flung her backwards, dead. 

"That wasn't a normal flash bomb was it?" Ezra whispered in horror. Wylan nodded his head meekly, confirming his suspicions. 

As the three remaining of Kirigan's Grisha rushed over to the Inferni, the group of survivors whipped their heads around frantically, searching for what or who had saved them. 

"Where did that come from?" a blonde soldier yelled furiously, confusion etched across his face.

Like some strange boyband, Jesper, Wylan, Kaz and Ezra rose from their hiding place, the latter almost tripping as he stood up too fast. Kaz glared at him and Jesper stifled a laugh.

"My demolitions expert," Kaz replied roughly.

"Expert?" Wylan furrowed his brow in confusion. The trio of boys beside him, looked with a raised eyebrow. "I mean, yes. Expert," Wylan nodded confidently.

As Ezra and Jesper simultaneously melted the hinges on the pack locked gate, they crouched down behind the barricades and made their introductions. Ezra and Kaz moved behind the blonde man while Jesper and Wylan crouched behind a woman who looked vaguely familiar. 

"What nightmare have we gotten ourselves into?" Kaz sighed tiredly.

"Why is Sturmhond here?" Jesper asked in confusion. Ezra, not even knowing who 'Sturmhond' was, felt extremely out of the loop. 

"Around here he goes by Nikolai," the woman bit back.

"Nikolai Lantsov. All this time, close personal friend," Jesper grinned in recognition, flipping his pistols in excitement. 

Ezra slowly turned his head in shock to the man beside him who lifted a hand in greeting, a tight lipped smile across his face. 

"Holy shit," Ezra whispered in disbelief as he shook his head, laughing. 

"And... And you are?" the woman raised an eyebrow at Jesper.

"You must be Tamar. We came with your brother," Wylan deduced brilliantly, trying to ensure the woman they were all on the same side. 

"We know Alina and Ada," Ezra added, eliciting a nod of approval from the woman.  

The group focused their attention to the remaining Grisha who were beginning to rouse again. Tidemaker, Squaller and Alkemi stalked towards the group. The Tidemaker, a tear rolling down her cheek, summoned streams of ice as the Squaller propelled them in the air.

"They're amplified," Ezra whispered in horror. 

Jesper looked back towards Wylan and then to Ezra. Spinning the barrel of his pistol, he leapt up, firing shots towards the oncoming Grisha as the Squallers on their side followed him in support.