Lily Geel
Lily Geel had spent so many years surviving Pekka Rollins that she hadn’t dared to dream about what might come after. Now, sitting in the corner of the dimly lit kitchen in the Crows’ hideout, she wasn’t sure if she’d escaped into something better—or something even more dangerous.
The mismatched group of people surrounding her seemed to defy logic. They bickered like siblings but moved with a sharpness that spoke of unspoken trust, forged in blood and chaos. These weren’t just any criminals—they were the Crows, the stuff of Barrel legend.
And now, apparently, they were her new family.
“You’ve been staring at that tea for five minutes,” said Jesper Fahey, lounging in his chair with his boots kicked up on the table. His grin was wide and unrepentant. “Are you waiting for it to spill its secrets, or is this a staring contest?”
Lily blinked, startled out of her thoughts. “I—uh—”
“She’s overwhelmed,” said Nina Zenik, leaning back in her chair as she inspected her nails. The Heartrender was clad in crimson, her demeanor so confident it could knock down walls. “Give her a moment, Jesper. Not everyone is born with your ability to talk their way out of discomfort.”
Jesper feigned a wounded look. “Nina, that almost sounded like a compliment. Don’t ruin your brand.”
Nina rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched with amusement. “You’d think after being around me so long, you’d understand sarcasm. Alas, here we are.”
Across the room, Matthias Helvar, a towering Fjerdan with shoulders like a mountain range, let out a long-suffering sigh. “Is it always like this?” he muttered under his breath, his arms crossed like a shield.
“Every hour of every day,” Inej Ghafa replied. She was perched on the windowsill, her small frame almost blending into the shadows. But her tone was soft, and her dark eyes held the faintest glimmer of amusement. “It’s how they show they care.”
“Care?” Matthias echoed, his expression skeptical. “It sounds like chaos.”
“Sometimes it’s both,” Wylan Van Eck piped up from his spot at the table. His curls were tousled, his face smudged with soot from whatever explosives he’d been tinkering with. He looked like a boy lost in a world too big for him—until you saw the steely determination in his eyes.
“Chaos is the closest thing we have to normal,” Wylan added with a small, shy smile.
“Speak for yourself,” Jesper said, tossing a wink in Wylan’s direction. “I thrive in chaos. It’s where I’m at my most charming.”
“You’re always at your most something,” Nina quipped, reaching for a waffle she’d pulled out of nowhere.
“I’m not even going to dignify that with a response,” Jesper replied, though he clearly enjoyed the attention.
“You just did,” Matthias pointed out.
Jesper grinned. “See, Matthias is learning. Soon he’ll be cracking jokes with the best of us.”
“That will never happen,” Matthias grumbled, though the corners of his mouth twitched.
Lily couldn’t help but watch the exchange in awe. For a group of criminals, they seemed more like a family—albeit a dysfunctional one.
“Well,” Kaz Brekker’s voice cut through the chatter like a blade, and the room instantly fell silent. He entered the kitchen with the precision of a predator, his cane tapping against the floor. “Nice to see everyone so hard at work.”
Jesper straightened but didn’t lose his grin. “Hard work requires energy. Energy requires snacks. We’re refueling.”
Kaz’s expression didn’t change. “We don’t have time for your excuses. There’s work to be done, and you’re all needed.”
“What about Lily?” Nina asked, tilting her head toward the newcomer. “Are we inducting her into the madness officially?”
Kaz’s gaze turned to Lily, and she felt like a mouse under the watchful eye of a hawk.
“She’s still alive,” Kaz said simply. “That’s a good start.”
“High praise,” Jesper said, clapping his hands. “You’re practically family now, Lily. Next thing you know, you’ll be dodging bullets and stealing from the rich.”
“Not until she proves she can survive,” Kaz said. His tone was even, but there was no mistaking the steel beneath it. “The Barrel doesn’t care about good intentions. If she can’t keep up, she’ll get eaten alive.”
Lily swallowed hard, the weight of his words settling over her like a lead cloak.
“Give her a chance, Kaz,” Inej said softly, her voice carrying more weight than it seemed it should. “We all started somewhere.”
Kaz didn’t respond, but something in his gaze softened—just a fraction—as he turned and left the room.
---
As the group dispersed, Jesper lingered, his ever-present grin replaced with something gentler.
“Don’t let him scare you too much,” he said, leaning against the table. “Kaz has a way of making you feel like you’re drowning. But trust me, he’s already decided to let you swim.”
Lily looked at him, searching for the truth in his words.
“And if I can’t swim?” she asked quietly.
Jesper’s grin returned, brighter this time. “Then we’ll teach you.”
---
A/N
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𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 || Jesper Fahey
Azione𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 in a nightmare under Pekka Rollins' cruelty, Lily Geel finally escapes into the orbit of the notorious Kaz Brekker and his band of misfits. As she bonds with the charming sharpshooter Jesper amidst a treacherous heist, Lily must summo...
