*** She’s lying on her stomach in an empty room on the top floor of a half abandoned building with holes in the ceiling and a freezing draft blowing through. Inej makes no complaints as she watches the window across the way, for hours and hours, as disciplined as a soldier; no as a Wraith. He makes his way over to lie down beside her, cane punctuating each step before he lowers himself to the floor. “You weren’t supposed to be here for another two hours.” “I finished early.” “I can stay.” “No...get back to the slat. Get some rest.” He can hear her hesitation, the argument on the tip of her tongue, and if he were a weaker man he’d ask her to stay here, to stay with him. “I’ll be back in a few hours.”He nods and bites back the urge to tell her to hurry back. “Take your time.” *** “Send the Wraith.” Per Haskell waves his hand dismissively as if that ends the discussion, but Kaz doesn’t need to have eyes on Inej to see the way she stiffens, how her breathing shallows, how the planes of her face become taught in the way that only happens when someone is truly distressed. She’d go, of course she would. If he ordered her, told her he needed her to just this once. She’d go for him, but he would never ask that of her. “I have business for her elsewhere.” he replies smoothly, picking invisible lint from him perfectly tailored jacket. “She knows the Menagerie better than anyone here, she can get in and out unseen.” “I said no.” Per Haskell considers him for a moment, weighing how much of a power struggle he’s willing to enter into, but eventually nods. “Very well, just get it done.” he snaps. “And Brekker,” he calls as Kaz turns to leave, eyes catching Inej’s as he pauses, “If whoever you send gets caught, it’ll be on your head.” Kaz gives no response other than the clanking of his cane as he and his Wraith make their way down the stairs and out onto the busy street.