No Mourners, No Funerals

43.✓

Wylan made a quiet distressed noise. And looked up at Inej. He didn't think any further discussion of Jesper would help him feel any better. "I'm sorry I'm just going to go...to the office," he finished lamely and started to walk out.

Inej chuckled a bit when Vlam called Kaz a butt. Although she didn't like the language, it was new to see someone who didn't agree or help Kaz just because they feared him. 

But the laugh died shortly as she saw the depressed look on Wylan's face. She moved closer towards him and hugged him tightly. With her arms around her friend, she said, "It's okay, Wylan. He is safe. He'll be with us soon."

Vlam actually facepalmed when he mentioned Jesper, running his hands over his face and into his hair. He lifted his head and offered an apologetic smile.

"I should probably stop talking before I screw something else up." Vlam said with a self-deprecating laugh, laying his head back down, sighing deeply. 

"I'm sorry Deartháir..." He muttered.

He hugged her tight. He'd missed her calming presence while she'd been away. "Thank you Inej," he said quietly. Then he pulled away, "It's fine, it's not your fault. I'm just being stupid."

Kwet didn't follow the rest of the Crows into the dead of night. Instead, she went to her new room, carrying her small belongings, falcon following behind. 

She entered the dusty room. Whoever had lived here must have died a while ago, it was filthy, but at least it didn't have the stench of old blood. 

She laid out her quilt, a few blood stains decorating its once vibrant colors. It was old and looked the part, but it provided comfort. Comfort that was rarely provided from other things, people, much of anything really. 

She sighed as she flopped onto her bed, tending to her many scratches as her bird nested up for the night. 

Or not. Kwet groaned when she saw the first rays of sun peeking over the horizon. 

"A new day huh, Idgeka?" She forced herself up onto aching legs.
"Come on, let's go find some breakfast." She exited through her window, talking to the roofs as always. 

She wondered if Jason of Jan were alive, she doubted Van Eck was still breathing, but Kaz had given Jason his life back.

Kaz underestimated his tiredness and the coziness of the manor's beds. But even exhaustion and plush bedding couldn't keep demons away. Within six hours of sleeping, the demons came. Pulling Kaz back into the torturous place he'd crawled from, calling him back. 

Demanding for the piece, he stole from it back. His skin became numb and dead, blisters and bruises, rotting bodies and water, the unmistakable sickly sweet scent of burning flesh as he drowned in the memory. 

He was out of the bed in a flash of movement, relieved to be alone, unseen in such a weak state as he gasped for his breath, shaking as he leaned against the wall when his leg protested. 

Jesper's corpse still seared in his vision. 

His hands shook, his shoulders bunched. Settling his frayed nerves, Kaz pressed his gloved fingers into his eyes squeezed shut, trying to scrub away the image. The tension.

Inej was on the way to her room when she heard distinct sounds from the other side of the door. She realized Kaz must have been up. It's been a while, so she couldn't force him to sleep more. 

Though she knew it would be better if he slept a bit longer, he needed that. But like a lot of things, he couldn't get that too. Inej chose to wait outside a bit after a while, but she knocked softly when he didn't come out.