ninajarts

“Has his plane landed yet? I wanted to be here when his plane landed,” she asked.

“It’s fine,” Tamar sighed. “We’re like a half hour early.”

“What are we going to do until then?!” Nadia said.

Tamar shrugged. “Oh you know. Park, get a coffee, like a normal person.”

Nadia glared over at Tamar, who had a cheeky grin on her face. “You’re lucky you’re so hot,” she grumbled.

“That’s why you’re marrying me,” Tamar said. “My dashing good looks, wit, and charm.” She paused for a moment before flexing her arm. “And my biceps.”

“You’re going to make a perfect wife,” Nadia said, and there was no sarcasm in her voice.

And here is final piece for the @grishaversebigbang , illustrating the adorably wholesome A Confectionary Tale, by @zemenipearls ! If you want a pick-me-up with a cute bakery AU Adreoni, a Tamardia wedding, and a lot of lesbians, treat yourself to this lovely fic! 

Beta read by @darklesmychuckles , and be sure to check out the works of the other amazing artists who worked on this:

Have a little bit of angst, as a treat.

____________________________________

Here's my piece for the @grishaversebigbang !!

This is based on an awesome fic by @amethystnightsky that you can read here

The beta reader was @nomattertheoceans

And for more beautiful art based on this fic check out these artists-

My piece for @grishaversebigbang, for a fic by @amethystnightsky called “broken crown”, it’s really good

Fic link by @amethystnightsky here

The beta reader was @nomattertheoceans

The other materialki and their beautiful artwork:

@pijoshi here

@teetowelk

@verdiris

@the-grisha-artist here

@milo-the-goat here

Another piece for @grishaversebigbang​! This ones for a  rad fanfic by @amethystnightsky​ called “ Broken Crown”!  Was super funky to work with y’all’s and see your processes making stuff! Please go check out the fic and everyone else’s amazing work :D

Etherealki (writer): @amethystnightsky (🌞)

Corporalki (beta reader): @nomattertheoceans

Oh, you speak of power. Where is that power now? Where are your allies? Where’s your little spider? You’re alone, Mr. Brekker. There’s no one coming for you.

I’m so excited to have participated in the @grishaversebigbang this year! This edit goes along with Lu @amethystnightsky‘s fic “Broken Crown,” which you can read here (tumblr) or here (ao3)! Special thanks to Lisa @nomattertheoceans for beta reading!

I’d also like to give a shout out to my fellow materialki, you should really check out their pieces as well! They’ll be linked below as they’re posted.

Lilo @verdiris (x)

Allie @the-grisha-artist (x)

Oshi @pijoshi (x)

here's the link to the fic <3

Materialki:

@ninajarts

@verdiris

@pijoshi

@milo-the-goat

This is the first chapter of the story that I did for the @grishaversebigbang

It was quite an experience and I hope you’ll enjoy.

Corporalki: Lisa @nomattertheoceans

Materialki: Lilo @verdiris , Allie @the-grisha-artist , Opal @milo-the-goat , Oshi @pijoshi , Nina @ninajarts and Milena @definitely-not-procrastinating . (Their fanart is linked under the name. Some fanart may contain minor spoilers)

Honestly I’m so happy I had the amazing artists that I did for this fic. All of you did amazing and I’m so happy and honored you decided to be apart of this project!

Also BIG thanks to my savior and Corporalki, aka Lisa (Sankta Lisa, if you will) who was (and still is, lol) there whenever I have concocted what I call a decent chapter. I don’t know what i would’ve done without you!!

Here‘s the link to the story on Archive of our Own!

Summary:

After several months at sea, Inej returns to Ketterdam only to find that Kaz has gone missing.

While looking for clues to figure out what happened to him, she learns that Pekka Rollins’s family was killed in an accident only months before and he is now looking for the one responsible. She is sure that he had something to do with Kaz’ disappearance and that he’s hell-bent on revenge, but she also knows that she won’t be able to find him on her own – some old friends are needed.

Chapter 1: This land means less and less

-Pekka-

Pekka Rollins had never thought of himself as a cruel man. A disciplined man, yes. A man with principles, who took what he felt he deserved and gave what he could spare. A man who did what he had to do to survive, even if it meant getting his hands dirty every once in a while. Even if it meant killing. He'd found that he could live with another dead kid if it meant that his own had everything he needed, that he was safe, and cared for. He'd learned that ruthlessness equaled power and in this world, he couldn't afford to lose either.

He had considered himself to be a decent father. A dutiful husband. And when his wife's eyes would settle on his and a smile would spread on her lips and the words "I love you" rolled over her tongue, he almost wanted to be a good man.

But those times were gone. They had been destroyed the moment his eyes had set upon the ruins of his old life and the soot flecked remains of his family. His heart had hardened when he had held his wife's bones in his hands, and something completely new had taken up residence inside him when he'd found his son's. The words that his wife had once said to him had faded, blown away like ashes in the wind, stolen by time and grief. Now, he could no longer recall the sound of his son's laugh or the way his son's arms felt wrapped around his shoulders. He couldn't recall the softness of his wife's skin against his fingertips or the light in her bright green eyes or the way his heart would soften every time she said his name. The way she said it, like it belonged to her, and only her.

And it had. He had.

That was all done for now. Instead of his son's arms, pain had him enveloped in its tight embrace. And in the place where his heart had once been, there now was a gaping wound that throbbed and festered every minute that he spent awake. If he could have cut the damn thing out and be done with it, he would have.

But there was still business. A score to settle.

Pekka Rollins wasn't a good man. He wasn't a father at all. He was a void, filled with darkness, he was a sharpened blade ready for the kill.

The only thing left to do was claim his prey.

OOO

-Inej-

Inej never would've expected it, but in a strange and unexpected way, Ketterdam felt like home.

Not like the home she'd grown up in. It didn't smell like Cardamom-scented childhood memories, didn't remind her of golden mornings spent listening to her mother humming in the kitchen, didn't ever feel truly safe. No, instead it reeked of danger, of violence and there seemed to be a thrum constantly running through the rough cobblestones like they were calling out to her to hide, to run and do the thing she did best; vanish. A few years ago, maybe she would've listened. She would've turned around without sparing the city another glance and left to try her luck elsewhere. But those times were gone. She was no longer the young naive girl she'd once been. Now, she was one of the most dangerous creatures roaming the barrel.

She was the Wraith. And she was home.

The air was filled with the familiar sound of waves sloshing against stone and the acidic tang of cheap watered-down alcohol from a nearby tavern. Inej grimaced as it hit her, but she couldn't suppress the smile that crept onto her lips as she hopped off The Wraith and set foot into Ketterdam for the first time in five months.

It was a strange feeling to have solid stone under her feet again. She'd gotten used to the constant motion of the ship and the way the wood creaked and whispered. Some nights, when sleep had evaded her, she'd lain in her cabin and stared into the darkness, imagining that the floorboards told her stories of the people who'd walked them. Of kings in deep red velvet coats proudly striding across the deck, their steps slow and determined - or of pirates, fast as blades, dancing around in circled fight.

She made her way quickly towards the Slat, falling back into her old ways of clinging to the shadows as if she were a part of them, seeing yet unseen. A weird, pleasant tingling sensation had filled her stomach, like having had one too many glasses of champagne, and her steps lightened.

Being away for five months had given her something back that nothing else could have; a sense of freedom, of autonomy. The things she'd thought were lost forever the moment the slavers had put a blindfold over her eyes and tossed her into the belly of a ship. Just the thought of that cursed day made her look around, the memories of it still haunting her nightmares every once in a while.

But Inej couldn't deny that every day that she'd been gone, she'd felt the pull towards Ketterdam, towards her friends, towards him. It was as if there'd been a string inside of her that was pulled taut, the tension of it becoming stronger the further she was away. It was the day that she thought it might snap that she gave the order to turn around and come back.

It didn't take long until she'd reached the Crow Club, the crooked sign gently swaying in the wind, looking just as worn down as it always had. She watched as the Club's door opened and a man staggered onto the alley, drops of alcohol still clinging to his yellow beard. He kept laughing as he stumbled down the street towards the harbor, but Inej didn't wait to watch.

She kept on walking, her swift steps soundless, until she eventually reached the Slat and came to a halt. Instead of taking the door she went around the building and scaled up the wall to the third floor. Even the bricks felt familiar and her hands and feet found purchase easily - she'd lost count of the amount of times she'd made that climb and her body seemed to remember even faster than her mind did.

Inej reached the sill of the attic window that led to Kaz' office and peered into the room, eyes searching and expectant. A heavy wave of disappointment rushed through her when she found it dark. Over the course of the past two weeks, she'd imagined coming back more times than she could count. She'd imagined Kaz sitting at his desk, his sharp face illuminated by the golden glow of the oil lamp, his eyes dancing over the papers.

His hands would've been bare.

In her mind, he would've cocked his head the moment that she clung to the shadows outside his window and his lips would've tightened before a small smile spread on them. And then he would've said her name. That was the only part that she could never get quite right. She knew what his voice sounded like, had heard it a million times before, but she could still never imagine the exact way that he would say her name.

Now, looking into the room, none of it mattered anyway. While the pane was dirty, it was clear that the room was vacant. No light burned and the books and papers scattered on Kaz's makeshift desk were covered in a thin sheen of white dust. The cot that Kaz had used to rest on looked as though no one had lain down on it in weeks.

Inej hesitated for a second before she carefully opened the window and entered, barely making a sound. The room smelled faintly of alcohol and as she looked around, Inej managed to make out a silver flask and an empty glass standing on the desk, only illuminated by the moonlight falling through the window. Everything looked like it hadn't been touched in weeks and a tight feeling settled in her chest, the giddy sensation she'd felt earlier vanishing.

She took a deep breath and let her fingers trail over some of Kaz papers, her fingertips coming away white, and then picked up the glass, which left a brown and sticky circle on the wooden surface.

Inej's nose crinkled as the sharp scent of whiskey hit her, but there was an underlying smell that she didn't recognize, something heavy and sweet.

Inej scanned the room once more, this time paying special attention to any possible signs of a fight, but aside from the mess, nothing seemed particularly out of the ordinary. Kaz didn't care for many things, but he was meticulous when it came to his space- she'd never seen him leave without stacking all of his documents in a neat pile and he never would've left a used glass for more than a few hours. Looking at his desk now, she didn't know what to make of it. He had either been too distracted to notice or in too much of a hurry to care. And none of that sounded like Kaz to her.

"Where are you?", Inej whispered into the darkness. She knew he hadn't been taken - after all, his cane and coat were gone, too. But she also couldn't shake the shiver that creeped down her spine, the certain and unsettling knowledge that something wasn't quite right.

Eventually, she opened the window again. With a heavy heart and the used glass still in hand, the Wraith vanished into the night.

OOO

Inej was so lost in thought that she was surprised at how quickly she'd reached the Geldstraat. She was surrounded by some of the most expensive mansions in Ketterdam, the white buildings lining the street like a row of saluting soldiers. There were no drunk men staggering about in this part of the city and while she could still taste the salt of sea wind on her lips, the smell of alcohol that always lingered in the barrel was gone. Taking a deep breath, Inej slowed her steps and turned the glass with shaking hands.

The Van Eck mansion was only a few metres away now. Golden light was falling onto the cobblestones through huge arching windows and music distantly sounded from within. With a pang, Inej remembered the evening when she had sat and listened as Wylan had accompanied one of Jespers dirty sea shanties on the piano. She could still recall the moment she'd sent a silent prayer to her Saints, thanking them that her friends were still there with her, healthy and alive and finally happy - even though all of their hearts had been heavy after Matthias's loss.

Kaz hadn't been with them that night, but she had felt his presence within the city.

Looking ahead, Inej couldn't help but hope that he was there now, even though the voice inside of her already told her that he wasn't.

She crossed the last meters metres with nimble steps and only faltered once before knocking on the heavy door. Almost instantly the music faded and steps sounded from inside. A moment later she found herself staring into Jesper's grey eyes. It only took him a second to look at her - then she was in his arms and his deep laugh reverberated through her.

"Inej", he said, "Saints, it's so good to see you!"

Warmth filled her chest at the familiar way Jesper's arms felt around her body and the smell of coffee and gunpowder clinging to his clothes.

"I've missed you, too", she said into his chest, and stayed there for another few seconds before he released her and stepped back.

Wylan was next and she was surprised to find that he looked like he'd grown a few centimetres since the time she had last seen him. His embrace was gentler than Jesper's, but not any less comforting and a wide smile had settled on Inej's face by the time they ushered her inside and made her sit on one of the velvet sofas in the main room - the glass from Kaz's room still in hand.

"I heard you're still playing the piano", Inej remarked as her gaze fell onto the huge thing that would've taken up way too much space in any room that was normal sized. Wylan's cheeks reddened, but he nodded.

"I try my best", he said.

"Now now, no smalltalk." Jesper waved Wylan forward and then fell back into the sofa opposite Inej before fixing his gaze on her. "How have you been? We got your last letter three weeks ago. We were getting worried."

"Sorry about that", Inej said. "I planned on coming back to Ketterdam a few days after I sent it and didn't want to ruin the surprise by telling you."

"Well, you certainly did surprise us", Wylan said. He said the next words a bit more quickly, as if to get them out before he changed his mind. "I'm really glad that you're back, though. Ketterdam isn't the same without you."

Inej smiled warmly at him and was surprised at the emotion that welled in her eyes.

Jesper nodded and put an arm around Wylan.

"So, Wraith. Tell us about your adventures. Did you hunt slavers? Battle pirates? See some sirens maybe?" He winked at that.

"Only one of those", Inej chuckled. Then she grew serious. "And I'll tell you all about it eventually, but first I need to know where Kaz is. I visited the Slat earlier and he wasn't there. I was hoping I'd find him here."

She didn't know what it was, but her words left the room feeling colder than it had before. The glint left Jesper's eyes and Inej noticed Wylan shooting him a worried glance.

"What is it?"

"Kaz is away, doing business,"Jesper said, but his voice had a hard edge to it. "I haven't seen him in a while.

"But you know where he is?"

"Of course I don't. Did he ever tell me anything?" Jesper scoffed and stood, grabbing one of the cups standing on top of the piano and taking a big gulp. He grimaced slightly as the amber fluid went down his throat. "I have no idea where he is. But he also didn't want me to know, so that's that.

"Jes-"

"No, Wylan", Jesper shot back. "It's fine. He made his choice and this is it. I'm not going to keep running after him like some lost puppy."

There was a moment where it seemed like a million words passed between the boys, but Inej couldn't decipher any of them. She tried to catch Wylan's eyes, but he only shrugged and shook his head.

"Jesper, I don't know what happened between you and Kaz", Inej started, "but I don't think he's just gone away for business. We've been sending letters. He would've told me."

She bit her tongue as soon as the words had left her mouth, wishing she could take them back. Jesper was turned away from her so she couldn't see his face, but she'd caught the way he'd flinched. Barely a movement, but it had been there.

His voice was icy. "That's my point. He would've told you. Just you."

"That's not-"

"It's late, I'm going to bed," Jesper interrupted. There was a pause before he looked at her once. "Good to have you back."

we’ll make flowers bloom from ruins -

there would be other battles to be fought, as there were still hardships to sort through. at the center of it, though, they stood. stood as the sunlight turned the sky into blazing flames, as the damp air of the evening filled with the sweet scent of the jasmine. the one they had planted, that grew stronger with every breath they shared. nikolai had known he wanted zoya when she had first laughed in front of him, had known he loved her when they had battled saints and legends. this, though, was where he had known he would spend this life and the next one building their future. on the terrace of their home overlooking the sea, as she stared through him with those fierce eyes and the sunset shone on her golden brown skin, on the quiet happiness simmering in her gaze. on the challenge before him, the one adventure he would never tire of seeking.

etherealnik (writer): @laurore-stormwitch (x, read on ao3)

corporalki (betas): @romancefantasynerd, @wafflesandkruge

materialki (artists): @yourpancakefulness (x), @gold-shades-of-a-lioness (x), @hhartes (x), @sartagos (x), @purns-art (x)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/32925583

Captain Ghafa, Boss of the Barrel by @zemenipearls

it was amazing working with you! Your piece is incredible✨❤️

Kaz has a plan to infiltrate and take down the Council of Tides. Inej hates the plan.

Done for the 2021 @grishaversebigbang Mini Reverse Bang (isn’t that a mouthful?). Fantastic art by @ninajarts that you can find HERE!

“Don’t drown,” Genya called as Zoya flounced off, then said conspiratorially, “Maybe she’ll do it just to be contrary.”

Crooked Kingdom Ch 28

https://archiveofourown.org/works/32925583

Captain Ghafa, Boss of the Barrel by @zemenipearls

it was amazing working with you! Your piece is incredible✨❤️