The FlameKeeper - Kaz Brekker

CH.02 - Marren Bergkvist

(THE GIF ISN'T MINE, CREDITS TO THE MAKER!)

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'Why are we still here?' Nina asked as she walked onto the main deck. An hour ago, their ship had stilled near an abandoned small island a few kilometers away from Fjerda. 'Why aren't we moving?'

'We're here to pick someone up.' Kaz replied as he looked at the island. Najla and a man Nina didn't recognize were rowing a small boat toward the ship the crows were currently standing on. The drüskelle on the small boat waved at them.

Matthias squinted. 'Is that-'

'That is Marren Bergkvist,' Nina breathed. 'He is one of the most feared lieutenants of the drüskelle.'

'Is he our prisoner?' Wylan frowned.

'No,' Kaz said as he observed the man. 'He's our ticket to Sabo.'

Najla and Marren got on board the ship.

'Ian,' Marren spoke as he shook Kaz's hand.

Jesper frowned. 'Ian?'

'This is Ian Ghiand,' Najla said. 'He is undercover for the resistance.'

'Where's the real Marren?' Matthias asked as he crossed his arms.

'Dead,' Najla said casually, clearly not caring. 'Sabo killed him.'

Matthias rolled his eyes as he leaned against the railing.

'You know where she is?' Najla asked Ian.

Ian placed his long blond hair into a low bun. 'Even better,' Ian replied. 'I've seen her.'

Kaz's grip on his cane tightened as he observed the spy before him. Kaz clenched his jaw as he observed Ian's bound knuckles.

'How is she?' Inej asked after she let out a breath of relief.

'Not well,' Ian replied grimly. 'but she's alive.'

'Where is she?' Kaz asked as he tried to control his breathing.

'She's being guarded by the Old Commands,' Ian said.

'Who are the Old Commands?' Inej asked.

'Legends,' Nina explained. 'They're unknown drüskelle who are the best of the best.' Nina looked at Kaz with a wary gaze. 'It will be hard to get past them.'

Kaz returned Nina's look before he turned to Ian again.

'Did Sabo choose you to go undercover as Marren?' Kaz asked.

'Yes,' Ian replied. 'When Sabo asked me to go undercover as the son of late Lieutenant Bergkvist, I was surprised.'

'Why?' Wylan asked.

'Marren doesn't have a lot of clearance from the higher-ups. They don't trust him because he likes to drink a lot, which makes him talk a lot. His security clearance is basically non-existent. But I went anyway because she asked me to.'

'Where's she being held?' Kaz asked impatiently.

'Near the river Djan.' Ian replied as he placed his hands in his pockets.

Matthias frowned. 'That's holy ground.'

'Holy ground?' Jesper frowned.

'It's the most holy place beside the Ice Court.' Nina explained. 'They say it's where the first person prayed to Djel and received an answer.'

'Because that's not vague at all,' Jesper murmured.

'Why would they keep her there?' Matthias asked.