𝕾𝖍𝖗𝖔𝖚𝖉𝖘 - 𝙺𝚊𝚣 𝙱𝚛𝚎𝚔𝚔𝚎𝚛

XVI

By the time they bid their farewells to the ship's crew, the sky had turned from pink to gold as the sun steadily rose.

"See you in Djerholm harbor," Specht calls to them as they unmoor the Ferolind. "No mourners."

"No funerals," the group responds. Well, Mira mutters it under her breath and Matthias says nothing. She swirls her fingers to move the tide, easing the waves in time with the ship so Specht and Rotty could save their energy for the difficult parts of the trip to Djerholm harbor. She stands on the shore as the others begin their march up the cliffside, the wind tearing her hair out from the braid she put it in that morning.

That ship would be their escape. It had all the papers saying the fees were paid and it was registered under a company that traded furs and goods from Fjerda to the port city of Zierfoort, in southern Kerch.

She looks around to see the others already halfway up the cliff path. She sighs and starts her trek up, catching up to them about ten feet away from the top. When they stop at the peak of the cliff and look out to see the Ferolind, sails full and moving away from them, Mira is filled with a sense of worry. It feels the same as when she gets home from a night of work and doesn't see Ran at the bar.

"Saints," she hears Inej say. "We're actually doing this."

"I've spent every minute of every miserable day wishing to be off that ship," says Jesper. "So why do I suddenly miss it?"

"Because we're in a land that hates Grisha, with Grisha in our group, on our way to steal a high-profile prisoner." Mira comments, offhandedly, but she feels the tension after her words. She drags her eyes from the boat to the group. "It's also really fucking cold."

Wylan stamps his boots, shoving his gloved hands into his pockets. "It already feels like our feet are going to freeze off."

"When we get our money, you can burn kruge to keep you warm." Kaz keeps his gaze focused on Mira, who notices, but elects to ignore him after his actions on the boat. "Let's go."

Mira fell in at the back of the group, keeping them all in her sight. She still didn't trust Matthias, but figures she just has to trust the leverage Kaz has on him. Even if she didn't trust the Bastard himself. Speaking of, her eyes drop to the plain cane he has at his side. He left his crow-headed one on the ship, as did Inej with her extraordinary knives. Everyone only kept what they could bear to part with once they were in prison. She was convinced to keep her blades on the boat, but her crossbow bounced against her leg every step she took.

Mira swirls the snowflakes that are bunching around her ankles. They responded like her power was only a slight breeze, barely moving. She drops her hand and quickens her step so she can hear the conversation that's been going on.

"I'm going to pay someone to burn my kruge for me." Jesper says, Kaz falling in step with him.

"Why don't you pay someone else to pay someone to burn your kruge for you? That's what the big players do."

"You know what the really big bosses do? They pay someone to pay someone to..."

They trail off and Mira smiles a little bit, looking down at her feet to avoid falling in the snow. It was relieving to know that despite being a crime boss at seventeen, Kaz was still just a teen. So was Jesper, and Inej and Wylan are the youngest.

"Put your..." Matthias pauses, gesturing to Wylan. "Keep your eyes covered, or you could damage them permanently." Everyone lowers their goggles, and Mira has to press her lips together to not laugh at how they all look.