#gvbbcreation22

The sky started deepening into a deeper twilight. In the distance, there were the discordant sounds of music spilling out of full clubs and pleasure houses. The overlapping waves crashed on the shores and the creaking of resting ships added to the harmony of Ketterdam’s evening song.

The night would have been peaceful, if Inej could just drown out the sobs of the broken men around her.

It had taken her the better part of the day to trail after the Razorgulls that were most likely to know the most and have the looser tongues. Her intel on the gang was outdated, but it didn’t take long to piece together just who might have the information she was looking for. She just needed to isolate and interrogate. Things she could have done in her sleep.

Unfortunately, she was not accounting for her mark to have friends. And for those friends to be a little trigger happy when they saw the dark shadow that was her descend upon their comrade.

When Inej started out in her war against the slavers, she hadn’t fully anticipated the adjustment it took to fight on the water. It was one thing to maneuver around men and their fists on uneven cobble stones, and quite another to dodge around swords on the rocking waves. It was a new routine with a new style. And like with everything, Inej adapted and she won.

But as the men drew their weapons and descended upon her, the rhythms of Barrel fighting slipped back into Inej’s bones as if it had never left.

She dodged and punched when she needed to. She threw her knives with little thought, and she kept her eye on the man that was cowering behind an overturned barrel.

Before Inej knew it, her assailants were down, her knives covered in their blood, and a sobbing man right under the blade of her favorite knife.

“I just need a few questions answered.” Inej spoke softly.

“I-I-I swear! I don’t k-know nuthin’! Just pl-please!”

“Kaz Brekker.” Like a magic word, the sobs silenced. The air almost stilled. The man’s eyes widened even more. And Inej was convinced he knew something. “Where is he?”

“Why would I know where that bastard is?” His reply was a bare whisper, fear making his breath tremble.

“You’ve been encroaching on Dregs territory.” Inej replied slowly. “I hear that they have been making it harder for you gulls to get paid. So, where is Kaz Brekker?”

The knife against his throat dug a little deeper and the sobs that were trapped there almost started again.

“Y-you’re mad! I-I don’t know where he is! I got orders to put some fear into those dirty crows. But the boss ain’t lost his mind enough to take a hit on Brekker!”

Inej’s grip on her knife tightened. He had to know something. He had to. If this man had been tasked with making trouble for the Dregs then she was back with no clues and still no answers.

The man’s breath hitched as Inej unknowingly nicked his neck, and Inej was just about to draw back until he started speaking faster.

“I did hear of some men, down by the docks,” He breathed out, “They were properly smashed and they talked about getting revenge on some bloke or another.”

“What does that have to do with Brekker?”

“Who doesn’t want revenge on Brekker nowadays? Ever since the newer plague and the auction, there's been whisperings that it was time Brekker had it coming for him.”

I suppose it was going to happen eventually. Inej thought. He had always told her that life was an unfair game and he was bound to be on the wrong side of it eventually. That Kaz would someday be too slow to catch the one knife to his back. Inej had always rolled her eyes at that, because if someone was going to stab him in the back, she was going to be there to catch the knife.

“Who were these men?” She said.

“I-I don’t know. But they came from that boat that had just came from Ravka. Pl-please–just let me go.” The man closed his eyes. His pleas still trembling on his lip. Inej could tell that he knew that begging for mercy was about as useful as begging for scraps on rich mercher’s street corners. But Inej wasn’t a woman that was born out of the stones and grit of Ketterdam. She slipped her knife back into her sheath and melted back into the shadows.

Leaving the frightened man still on his knees, praying for mercy.

//

Inej found herself at Van Eck Manor, more perplexed than ever. She was pouring over the dock reports that Wylan had–something most merchers get in Ketterdam–and there was nothing about Ravkan ships being docked in the last few weeks.

She even ventured to take another look at the reports Kaz had in his office, and even he had no record.

Maybe the lead from the Razorgull was just a coincidence. This was Ketterdam. Everyone wanted revenge on someone. For all she knew, those sailors could have been talking about their captain.

“Any luck?” Jesper’s dark head popped into the study, and Inej shook her head and brought her finger tips to her sore eyes.

“I just can’t make anything out of this. Kaz would have the shipping manifests for all the ships on the harbor, and Wylan should have records of any merchandise that he has bought stock for. Why can’t I find anything?”

Jesper gave her a sympathizing look and dropped to the seat next to her. His hands drumming against the side of his thighs.

“It makes it harder because everyone and their mothers are looking for blood against Kaz.” He sighed loudly then rolled his eyes in her direction. “And from what I’ve been hearing about the Wraith, you’re on your way to being a competitor in that area.”

Inej tilted her head towards her friend, “What do you mean?”

Jesper shrugged, “I mean, I know you don’t make it to shore often these days, but the tales of the pirate ship that sinks slaver boats are legendary. Kaz has made the most profit out of them–as to be expected–but even more merchers around here are looking for blood. We’re talking about the sinking of hundreds and thousands of Kruge. According to some of the Dregs, The Wraith is getting more and more targets on her back.” At this Jesper gave a little smile. “Kaz should be jealous.”

Inej chewed on her lower lip. It was no mystery to her that she was starting to collect animosity with all the rich and powerful in Ketterdam. Even before she took her own crew, she had become notorious. But this was the first time she had ever considered an actual plot against her. She didn’t stay long in Ketterdam every time she did dock.

She had no time to keep her ear to the ground or to hear plots in the wind.

But what does her enemies have anything to do with Kaz?

“Jes…” Inej tested the words against her mouth. The strange question leaving an odd flavor, “How many people…know…about me and Kaz?”

Jesper’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “It depends.” He tilted his head. “What is happening between you and Kaz?”

Inej shot him a look, which earned her a playful smile. It’s not like her and Kaz had ever talked about whatever they were. There didn’t seem to be quite the right word for them–even when she was still one of the Dregs. But it had been clear since the first time she had set sail, her and Kaz had the kind of bond that was born out of blood–and those things are rarely made weak.

“Oh, don’t give me that look, Inej. I’m just teasing. Kaz isn’t around to give me his usual threats, and given that he is at an unknown location, I just missed him. Anyway, not many people really know anything outside of you being a former Dregs. Even fewer people outside of the Slat, actually. But rumors are rumors and they travel like rats carrying plagues. For example,  last I heard you had taken to bruning whole fleets of slave ships instead of sinking them and then you use the ships ashes in your own gun powder.”

In an instant, Inej remembered the feeling of gunpowder on her hands. She tasted the bitter taste of blood in the air, and more than anything, she felt the burn of rage at the base of her belly as she glared down at the man whose hands were tied behind his back.

She had been on her way to the Zemeni coast for a supply run. Her crew was exhausted. Their food stocks are low, and the girls they had just saved are ready to be on steady land with safe blankets.

But another ship had attacked. Another pirate ship with the Ravkan flagged was torn up and flapping in the wind. Their captain’s orders snatching in the wind, calling his men to arms. The battle that ensued was drawn out, and bloody. She had lost some crew members that day, but even then, they won.

Those who had not been slain by her men were brought before her, and she could feel the dark storm of anger clouding her judgment. They were a slaver ship, that was of no doubt. But as the rest of her crew brought the girls onto The Wraith, she had noticed that all of them had been Suli. Each young girl trembling with fear, confusion, and hunger were an exact mirror to the girl Inej had been. One of her crewmen came back with the ship’s logs, and found out that this particular company’s targets were Suli camps that were still recovering from the war in Ravka.

It wasn’t uncommon for Inej to set fire to enemy pirate ships, but for the first time in her pirate career, she didn’t feel satisfied with just one ship.

So for the next three months, she used that same ledger to track down every single one of the ships associated with the Broken Ravka flag and personally watch every single damned piece of wood turn to ash.

When her and her crew found every single ship they could, Inej thought that that was the last of the Broke Ravka fleet. She hadn’t even considered that maybe the commodore of scum like that could still be alive.

“Jesper,” Inej said suddenly. “I think I have an idea of where we can finally get some answers.”

//

“Did you do it?” The gruff voice was back. His whispers carried through the echoes of the room that Kaz was being held captive in.

“Just sent word to The Wraith. They should be scrambling now.” The second of Kaz’s captors replied with glee.

The Wraith?

Kaz’s world was starting to come back to him bit by bit, but he struggled to continue to breathe deeply as if he was still passed out. These bastards were after Inej, and as far as he knew, that basically signed their death sentence.

“How long do you think it would take them to get our money?” The second voice asked.

“It better be soon, or that bitch is going to have a very dead Barrel rat on her ship.” The gruff voice said.

“How do we even know she cares enough about this bastard to pay up?” A third, much reedier voice responded.

There was a beat of silence and it was the first man who answered the question, “I used to be a Dime Lions before the false plague swept through Ketterdam. Brekker found the girl in a pleasure house, and rumor has it that the girl was foolish enough to fall in love with the bastard. From where I see it, she only left Ketterdam because Brekker didn’t want her services anymore, if you know what I mean. If I know anything about women, that girl will pay.”

The other two men laughed at the insinuation, and Kaz’s breaths were trapped in his chest. His rage and anger battling with his will to keep quiet. He was going to get out of the weak ties they had him in, and when he did that he was going to rip them apart.

//

“You’re sure?” Inej said breathlessly.

Specht nodded grimly. “Broken Ravka has been in the business of pirating for a while, but when the Ravkan war was over they took more interest in indentures. It looks like they got new leadership recently, and it looks like they used to be Dime Lions.”

Jesper exchanged looks with Wylan while Inej looked out the window in thought.

Once Inej had narrowed the potential culprits to being part of the Broken Ravka fleet, it had taken Specht almost no time at all to find out who was running that crew and where they stood on all their accounts.

It came to no surprise to her that they were almost bankrupt. Inej had sent warnings to all the Suli camps after that first ship, and ever since then no other potential sellers wanted to associate with the profit risk they posed. Inej had single-handedly dismantled their entire business. Which would explain the thirty million kruge ransom demand that arrived at her ship almost an hour ago.

“What makes them think that Inej would pay that?” Jesper scoffed. “That’s not even worth the business they were doing previous to Inej using them for pyrotechnic practice.”

Inej cut a look to Specht. The other man shrugged indifferently, “Is it really any surprise that rumor spreads that the Wraith wouldn’t do anything for the devil of Ketterdam? They were practically glued at the hip.”

An overstatement, that was for sure, but Inej hadn’t been impervious to the talk that she generated around the Slat.

She waved a hand in the air, “It doesn’t matter. What matters is we know who they are, we know what they want, and we’re going to find them.”

“How?” Wylan asked. His eyes wide with anticipation.

Specht, Jesper, and Wylan looked at her expectantly. Inej fidgeted with her knives in a sudden flutter of nerves.

Is this how Kaz feels?

As soon as the question came, Inej almost laughed. No, Kaz was never nervous. And she shouldn’t be either.

There was going to be no doubt about it, she was going to save Kaz Brekker.

“Here’s what we’re going to do.” Inej started.

//

The sack that they had tied to his head itched. He could feel the rough fabric scratch against his skin, and the overwhelming smell of onions was threatening to choke him. At least it was distracting enough to take the pain out of the stiffness of his leg.

His captors had barged in so suddenly, Kaz had barely enough time to feign unconsciousness as he had just found a nail that was just close enough to snag on his bindings.

They released him only to put iron chains on his wrists and throw a bag over his head. They marched him outside and the smell of the harbor instantly caught his nose, but what was lacking was the dirt and grime that he associated with Fifth Harbor. The night air was quiet except for his captors’ silent whispers, and even more than that the sound of creaking ships was almost nonexistent. They must have been somewhere in Third Harbor.

This used to be under Pekka Rollins’s care, and Kaz wondered about the connection. It couldn’t have been a coincidence. Was Pekka finally getting the revenge he wanted? Was he using Inej to get to him?

A sudden jerk stopped Kaz and then the sack was unceremoniously ripped from his head.

He felt as if he had lived the moment before. Inej standing at the end of a bridge looking at him with concern with men standing at either side of her. He was brought back to the moment where it felt like his entire world had stopped spinning and as soon as he saw her a piece of him had settled into place, even if she was Van Eck’s prisoner at the time.

Except this wasn’t the bridge, Inej wasn’t the one being held captive, and as soon as Kaz locked eyes with Inej instead of relief, all he saw was pure calculation.

Scheming face.

Kaz couldn’t help but smile.

“You have my money?” The man who Kaz had decided was the leader growled.

Inej lifted her chin up, “And he comes unharmed?”

The captor that was holding Kaz’s left arm jostled him a little, “More or less. Can’t be too careful around the Barrel these days.”

His companion laughed, and Kaz waited patiently. Inej hadn’t broken eye contact with him. Jesper played with the holsters at his side, and looked around while Specht lurked just slightly in front of Inej, his thick arms crossed. She looked unarmed, for the most part. They looked like they were following standard parlay rules, but Inej’s hand was tapping restlessly against her side.

He turned his attention to the motion immediately.

“Where’s the money, Ghafa?”

“You’re bold to attack me, Velend.” Inej ignored his question completely, “Even bolder to steal the Bastard of the Barrel from his own home.”

He laughed gruffly, “I have never been known to be a coward, girl. Again, my money, where is it? If you are wasting my time, I promise you the death of this son of a bitch is the last thing you will have to worry about.”

Inej didn’t move an inch. Her voice was cold when she said, “Your money is probably right where it belongs.” She moved three of her fingers in an upward motion, and Kaz tensed his legs. “Burnt to ashes like the rest of your dirty ships.”

The faint rumble was the first sign. Then it took no time at all for Kaz to sweep his attackers legs and dodge to the side as a terrifyingly loud explosion went off to the left.

Fire started to rain down from the sky and while his captors were caught off guard, it took no time at all for Jesper and Specht to tackle the men that had been holding onto Kaz, and Inej immediately launched three knives towards the man she called Velend.

Kaz’s body was weak from the drugs, his mind still a little slow, so all he could do was watch as Inej danced in front of a man who was twice her size with the strength and power of a full storm. It was beautiful. She was beautiful.

Wylan suddenly ran over to where Kaz lay, gunpowder coated on his hands. He made quick work of the cuffs that were binding his wrists, and Kaz had never been more grateful that he had forced Wylan to learn how to pick locks.

“I thought you retired.” Kaz grunted as Wylan very carefully helped him up off the ground.

“Inej asked for a favor.” Wylan said in reply as he deposited Kaz safely in the cover of some barrels. “Besides, if you had died, I’m not sure how I can keep affording to keep my father in prison.”

Kaz laughed, “I’m sure you would have found a way, merchling. Types like you always do.”

Wylan grinned and then rushed off to the other side of the harbor, probably setting ablaze his next round of tricks.

Kaz looked over from his hiding spot, and his heart almost stopped as he saw that Inej had lost the knives she was fighting with. Her hands were empty as Velend charged at her. Her reflexes the only thing that was keeping her alive. Without thinking about the utter exhaustion that was freezing his bones, he started to crawl to her.

She needed his help. She needed him. She–

In a flash of lightning, Inej materialized another knife from her inner sleeve and cut a large gash in Velend’s neck. Blood splattered carelessly, droplets hitting Kaz’s face and staining Inej’s clothes. Piercing scream rang through the already busy night air and all Inej did was stand over the body, her knife dripping from her attacker’s wound.

“Inej–” Kaz called.

And instantly the coldness that had settled in her eyes melted into warmth. Blood coated a part of her face, some of her hairs coming out of her usually perfect braid, but Kaz had never seen her more beautiful.

Sheathing her knife, she came to him and held him up. The closeness of her body brought in more comfort than nausea and Kaz did his best to remain upright.

“Are you alright?”

Kaz smirked, “Doing just fine. Now that you’ve saved me. Does that make us even?”

Inej rolled her eyes, but Kaz could see a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. “We will never be even Brekker. I’ve saved your life more times than you can count.”

He couldn’t have agreed more, and for a man who was obsessed with money, this was a debt he was more than happy to pay over and over again.

A gurgling sound interrupted their moment, and Kaz glanced down at the dying man at their feet.

“They used to be Dime Lions.” Inej said in explanation. “When Pekka Rollins dissolved his gang, a lot of his men took to slave trading. I ran into their company a few months back and destroyed it all. They were ransoming you for how much I stole from them.”

This time Kaz couldn’t hold back his laughter, “They thought I was worth that much to you? I should be flattered.”

She lifted her shoulders in an indifferent shrug, “They had never been very smart to begin with.”

Velend reached up and weakly grabbed a hold of Inej’s ankle. She didn’t shake him off as he breathed his last breaths, and the night was silent once more.

Jesper and Specht had tied up and taken the other two pirates away from the fires, and Kaz looked on. His own plans started to form in his mind.

“I had Wylan take care of the ship they took to Ketterdam.” Inej said as she followed his line of sight.

Kaz nodded in approval.

“Anything else you wanted to do?” Inej said.

Kaz looked back at her. Yes, there were things he wanted to do. Some of them involved getting retribution for the night he had endured. Some of it was to make sure that he refortified the Slat so whatever happened tonight would never happen again. But as he looked at Inej in the bright light of the moon. Her skin glowing with utter radiance, everything else seemed to fade. At least for now.

He reached his free hand up and cupped her cheek. Breathing through the initial flutter of panic, and then relishing in the warmth of her skin, “Yes. I would like to go find my cane and then drink until I see the sun. Do you think your saints would approve of that?”

For the first time this evening, Inej smiled then laughed. Her arms gripped him tighter as they began to walk.

“I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if I celebrated the evening. After all, I did save your life today.”