Her Monster's Wraith

From one whore to another

I had a dream my life would be, so different than this hell I'm living! – Fantine, I Dreamed a Dream, Les Miserables

(The two days after Kaz died, Inej and her crew have just burnt a slaver's ship, and saved the people. it was only a young girl, around sixteen, and a middle-aged man, they're near Ketterdam, like eight hours away)

Inej was in her cabin, polishing the crow's wing on her necklace, smiling, thinking about Kaz, what they would do when she got back. Only three or so more months. Someone knocked on her door.

"Come in," she called. Raoul stepped in.

"The girl wants to speak with you."

"Let her in." Raoul dipped his head, and let the girl in, leaving them alone.

"Come sit," Inej offered, patting the bed beside her.

"I know who you are," the girl spilled. Inej re-clasped her necklace, setting down the polishing rag.

"Right."

"You were a Suli Lynx at the Menagrie five or six years ago." Inej looked at her differently.

"Why do you think so?"

"I know so. I was one to. But I know you became the Wraith, and are now taking down slavers."

"Right," Inej followed. She leaned back on her pillows and the girl, who was in a simple brown dress with a rope belt, kept sitting up.

"Well, there have been rumors that you and Kaz Brekker got close. Is that true?"

"What are you getting at?" snapped Inej. The girl leaned in, as if telling one of her girlfriends a big secret.

"From one whore to another, Kaz Brekker is dead. Felled down by some maid... uh, her name–oh! Angelique Fasge." Inej's heart stopped for a long moment, and when it re-started it was beating erratically.

"What?" she rasped. Then she stood up on shaking legs, not really seeing anything, not really comprehending what was going on. She slowly made her way outside her cabin and to the railing before she hurled up the food she had eaten earlier that day. Kaz was dead. Her Kaz. The only person she'd ever loved. She put a hand on her stomach and threw up again. Raoul came over and tapped her shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

"We need to get back to Ketterdam."

"But–"

"Don't question your captain, just do it." Inej went to the wheel, ordering away the steerer, and started turning towards the direction of Ketterdam. Why hadn't she listened to her heart? Kaz was dead, and she hadn't been there. She never got to say so much to him. Suddenly she started crying. She dropped in a heap on the floor, holding her head. Raoul grabbed the wheel, and called up the man. He dragged her out from under the wheel and then let go of her. She sobbed, her body shaking violently. Why? Why was the universe so cruel to her, she had just gotten her parents back, only to have Kaz taken from her. And that maid, she should have plucked her eyes out. When she got her hands on that maid, she would make sure she suffered. She would peel her flesh from her muscle then stitch it back on, over and over.

Then she would stick white hot irons into the girl's eyes, then she would carve out her cheekbones, and her teeth. And pull off each of her fingers. She would suffer. But Inej wouldn't let her die, oh no, she would let her live. Looking like a monster, what she called Kaz. Her Kaz, her imperfect lover that had cheated death one to many times.

(Late at night, berth twenty two)

Inej stumbled tiredly out of her ship, and then she started running, running as fast as she could. She ran all the way the Wylan's mansion. She scaled the iron gate, and then ran up to the door. She banged on it again and again.

"Damn it, open the door!" she screamed, and just then the door opened.

"Where is he?" she asked Jesper, who had opened the door tiredly.

"In the parlor. Inej–" She barreled past him and into the parlor. A coffin was set up, and Kaz lay in it, white flowers at his feet. She stopped cold. So it was true, he was dead. She walked over to him. What the hell had happened to the future he'd promised her, the promise that he wouldn't die. She wasn't sad anymore, she was mad. She went over to a wall and punched it, again and again, until her knuckles split open on the marble. She went over to his corpse.

"Why? Why would you leave me? You prom–" her voice cracked, "You promised me we would grow old together. I can't live without you Kaz. Come back. I hate you so much. How could you do this to me? I told you, I told you one of these days someone would get you." tears fell off her cheeks and she wiped at them furiously. She walked out of the room, and to Jesper and Wylan, who were in the doorway.

"Where is she?"

"I–"

"I know she's here, I feel it. Don't lie to me Wylan Van Eck," she seethed. Her hands itched for her knives, but she'd keep them hidden for now. He swallowed hard.

"The second master bedroom. We're waiting for people to come for her to take her to Hellgate." Inej hardly heard the last of his words. She vaulted up the stairs and found the room. She opened it calmly, and locked it calmly. Angelique sat at the window chair.

"What do you want, Wylan?"

"I'm not Wylan." Angelique turned to look at her and her face paled.

"What do you want then?"

"Revenge. Vengeance. So make it easy on me and don't scream to loud." Inej crept over and Angelique raised her chin, which was wobbling.

"If you're going to kill me, get it over with."

"I'm not going to kill you. I'm going to turn you into a monster, just as you claimed Kaz was."

"Just kill me. Please."

"I won't give you the satisfaction of being dead." Inej flicked her wrist and a knife was in her hand. She held it to the woman's forearm flesh like you would when you were going to skin a fish or any animal.

"From one mother to another..." Inej looked at her.

"You wouldn't disfigure a soon to be mother. My child would hate me."

"What do you mean one mother to another."

"I can tell... Inej? Was that your name? You're showing slightly." Inej stabbed her.

"I do pity your child for having a mother such as you. But I do not know what you're talking about. I'm not with child." The woman smiled slightly.

"I tried to convince myself that too."

"I am nothing like you. I have a heart." Inej sheathed her knife, and sufficed with a sufficient beating to the woman's head and face. When she left, the white couch cushion was dyed red. She started to walk out but stopped, throwing one last look at Jesper and Wylan.

"There's a little bit of a mess in her room." She kept walking but Jesper relayed a message to her,

"He wanted us to tell you he was sorry, for everything. That he lied to you, that he pushed you away. He loves you and he's sorry." As she shut the door she said,

"Yeah? Well, it's a little late for me to give him my forgiveness."

Hello peeps! I know, it was bad, but I try. I hope you liked it, Inej is harder for me, I don't know why. This is my last update of the night, so... yeah. Please pardon any mistakes and my horrid writing. Comment!

–MOJ