𝐉𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 ━━ Kaz Brekker

𝐈𝐗.

CHAPTER IX.
a prey and a predator

    There, their first test—the forefront guardhouse. In true Fjerdan pride, the grand white arch of the guardhouse had two stone statues of white wolves by each side. One iron gate, it was all that separated the Fjerdan commoners and the Ice Court. And their way out.

After the tavern and its suspicious food yesterday, Nina and Wylan had formed some sort of alliance, harnessed by their refined taste buds. Though they said refined, Kaz said picky. Still, Kaz had no interest in an unwinnable battle. Now, they nursed in the warm air of a bustling bakery, accompanied by hot coffee, butter rolls and cookies while Nina was out doing what she did best, being distracting.

Inej shifted on her chair, already looking better after her recent scrap of death. "Never thought I'll be thinking of the Slat."

Kaz scoffed, "Trust me, Inej, they're thinking of us too. Old man should be turning the Slat upside down by now, if not today, then tomorrow." His words didn't sound much like a disagreement to Inej's. Kaz missed Ketterdam too, being out of the throne unsettled him.

Leia sipped her hot coffee gratefully. "That reminds me, how is my room still standing? Surely that old man loves money too much to be sentimental."

Across the table, Wylan shot a quick glance at Kaz, and Jesper said what he didn't dare to say. "How awfully familiar." Wylan thoughtfully sipped his cup.

"We're not monsters, some of us have reserving bits of sentiment," the other money face jumped to his own defence, arching a brow. "Just enough as leverage."

Inej had almost laughed right then. She met Leia's gaze, "Per Haskell wanted to lease, even Kaz couldn't stop him. But we twisted his weak arm."

Jesper butted in, "More like he twisted ours. Did you see the way his eyes shone while taking our money? Like he's not doing that every day?"

They never forgot about me. Leia's vision blurred, and she prayed they didn't see her glossy eyes. "Thank you. That place is as much of a home as it could ever be."

A chain reaction started, echoing homesickness. Though nobody more so than Matthias. His initial excitement Matthias had dimmed, if not completely snuffed out.

"This must be hard for you. To be here but not really homed," Inej said quietly.

"You have no idea," Matthias' response was lightning quick. On edge, perhaps. So was Leia. The thought of Matthias' betraying them shadowed her mind since they left the schooner. Matthias' dark circles were almost as haunting as his glacier cold eyes. It was full of longing, how he gazed upon the Ice Court.