𝐉𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 ━━ Kaz Brekker

𝐕.

CHAPTER V.
the pride before the fall

    Leia took years to mourn her family. Afraid that the day would come when she would forget how Selma sounded, her father's warm hugs or the benevolent smile in her mother's eyes. Eventually, her fears came true.

So she clung onto physical relics. But even then, no such luck. Her mother, father and her escaped Ravka without baggage, and the pendant that held their only family portrait was tossed in fear of somebody recognising them. Being a horrible baker and a dangerous woodworker, she clearly didn't impart their skills too.

In truth, the memoirs of her family were empty. All that remained was a daughter lingering in one of the most godforsaken parts of the world.

The Barrel was every bit as wretched as it was, but one corner past the West Stave held this bakery she frequented. Somehow, they managed to nail a recipe that she couldn't.

And if it wasn't for Kaz, she would have successfully begged for a job here. The poor baker was about to break when Kaz stumbled into the shop, all bravado even for a young boy back then. It was the week after she passed by his beaten up self in the alley. Somehow, she felt obligated to ask if he was okay.

The rest was history.

Looking back, what didn't Kaz ruin for her? Perhaps she was just a fool to look past his devious charms and those soulless eyes. Then again, he looked past hers too.

Carefully, Leia peeled the layers off her pastry roll. A wave of buttery goodness hit her, thoroughly welcomed. Everyone knew she treated her pastries like how Kaz would handle a gold coin—smell and make loving eyes at it.

This was all she thought about in Hellgate—the memoirs of the Bennetts. She dreamt of the Central Fountain at the university district. It reminded her of the one back home in Ravka, and before she was arrested, she'd often sit there in solitude at night. Never in daylight.

Rumours were the young Nikolai Lanstov once studied there. And if he had made friends there, Leia wouldn't know. And she wouldn't risk it.

No fountain, fine. At least if she closed her eyes, this bread smelled like it was baked by her mother. Maybe people were staring because she was making doe eyes at a butter bread, or maybe because Leia Bennett supposedly rose from the dead.

Leia got Elias to undo his work. What was the point? Rollins already knew. He bested her, again. Story of her damn life. She surprised the Tailor in Kooperom during breakfast.

"I'm in trouble," Leia said in Ravkan, a dead language around Kerch.

"And I thought you didn't know Ravkan," he stabbed his eggs with a growing grin.

An hour before sunrise, Leia headed down the East Stave for the Emerald Palace. It was one street away from the harbour. A small group had gathered there. From the brief flash of their tattoos, she knew it was the Black Tips and the Razorgulls.