Chapter one: Leaving home.

--♤--

Zaria Isla ran, as fast as she could while holding her case, the two stopped and looked around hoping that he wasn't following them.

She grabbed her step mother's cheeks feeling the tears that raced down touch her hand, wiping them repeatedly trying so hard to stop her from crying.

"I'm sorry, my darling, I couldn't protect you-" she was cut off my Zaria shaking her head in response.

"Don't say that mother, I failed you, I was supposed to keep you safe but I couldn't and it is my fault, now please I need to go back home and don't speak a word about me, I will be fine. Besides i'm meeting Jesper anyways. Now, take care of yourself and especially May and erase my name."

Her step mother nodded and pulled her into a tight hug, leaving home was the worst thing to ever happen, leaving your family behind, your friends, your whole life.

And Zaria hated leaving Novyi Zem.

"Tell Jesper hi from me, now stay safe, my dear daughter." Nodding, she grabbed her case before walking away to have her own little trip to Ketterdam.

She had a beautiful peaceful life, where she danced in the festivals making a lot of money, the way she would sit in the balcony facing the huge field reading until the sun sets, the way she would write letters to Jesper every month.

Oh, how she will miss this life.

But she never thought she would be in a situation between life and death because of a man, and is currently travelling to one of the most dangerous city.

Being born in Novyi Zem and growing there was the most happiest years, surrounded by people like her who speaks the same language, it is a nation bordered by the Wandering Isle to the north, the True Sea to the east and the Southern Colonies to the south.

Colourful buildings with every single colour existed some you rarely see, flowers from every kind on people's windows, plants growing up the walls, everything.

Warm wind laden the sents of flowers and spice used in the delicious meals, sharp yet flowery that goes up your nostrils heavenly -the smell of home.

The scent she will very much miss.

--♤--

Zaria always hated travelling especially in a boat.

The travel was long, her money was gone but she managed to sneak inside a restaurant to steal some food and went to find Jesper.

Posters of a circus coming up everywhere on every wall, as soon as she stepped in Kerch it was as if a hidden side inside of her has finally emerged.

Jesper talked about the Crow Club in every letter he wrote to her and about a guy named Kaz Brekker, about every crime and the cruel thing he had committed, how rude, cold and heartless he can be, and how he isn't afraid of anything.

Speaking of Jesper, he loved his best friend so much to the point where he missed her more than his own father, he hoped to see her in front of him, he never thought that she will be here in Ketterdam.

Whenever he isn't talking about gambling, his revolvers, or good looks then he's talking about Zaria, how glad he is to have her, how talented and beautiful she is (he even gave a speech about her when he was drunk sobbing in Inej's arms exclaiming how much he misses her and wants to see her) he would ramble about her for hours and never get tired until the sun was coming up.

Kaz soon found himself hoping to meet her one day since Jesper wouldn't shut up about her.

Ketterdam one of the deadliest city and was nothing like Novyi Zem, with no fields, no flowers of all kinds, no scents, and colors, instead ships of every kind in the harbor, dark yet dirty streets, smoggy sky, and criminals roaming in every corner.

Criminals home.

Zaria was starting to lose hope, the city was huge and she had walked a lot of streets, her knees hurt but she didn't give up.

She had a very annoyed look on her face and anyone that tried stealing her bag immediately gave up at the sight of a very sharp dagger taller than her arm by a few inches on her waist.

soon she stopped in front of a building, in front of her was a silver crow with its wings spread above the entrance; the Crow Club, she finally found it.

She pushed the door open after paying a man who refused to let her in, chattering and yelling of people greeted her as she looked around, unlike the bright colors and gaudy flash of most gambling halls, everything was black.

Lights yellow and orange, it was nothing like Ravka or Novyi Zem, the smell of alcohol and tobacco burned her nostrils and the girl looked around watching people drink, gamble, laugh, and dance.

She hoped to find Jesper at one of the gambling tables but he was nowhere to be found.

Zaria brushed past the tables as she strolled past, the gamblers' attention went on her, the smell of peach, vanilla, and a small hint of cinnamon brainwashed them completely like a rug as they watched in awe as she spoke to Rotty.

"Do you know someone by the name of Jesper Fahey? I heard he's quite famous here?" she spoke, her words weren't perfectly spoken, she never had the opportunity to learn Kerch fluently but she did learn however to talk.

What seemed to be a scarf covered half her face leaving only her dark borwn eyes exposed that looked very much annoyed, those eyes were beautiful that even Rotty melted in them until she snapped her finger in front of him.

"Helloo? Snap out of it man."

"I'll see what I can do." with that he walked away towards an office leaving her sit on one of the chairs waiting alone, taking off her scarf she breathed out a loud exhausted sigh.

"Boss." called Rotty for Kaz Brekker who grumbled in annoyance at whoever interrupted his peaceful time, "come in." he groaned putting down the papers he was studying on the desk and his face immediately went back to how it always was.

"There is this girl about your age wanting to see Jesper, she doesn't look from here and has an accent." Kaz grabbed his cane and got up.

--♤--

"what are you doing here at the Crow club?"

Spoke a voice behind her, and the whole club fell silent she turned around eyes meeting cold dark brown ones that reminded her of the morning coffee her father used to take.

His voice was raspy and calm, very dark also, a narrow face, a sharp jaw that can cut anything, and dark brown hair trimmed to the sides, he was handsome, very.

"Oh, you're not Jesper." she replied back to his question with crossed arms.

Kaz raised an eyebrow at her clearly never seeing her roaming around the streets of Ketterdam, "Ah...you don't look from here." he spoke once again making her roll her eyes.

"Isn't it obvious? listen, I don't have time for an interview, do you know someone by the name of Jesper Fahey?" she asked Kaz once again, 'what has he done again?' he thought in annoyance.

"Who are you to him?" she groaned in annoyance and got up from the chair grabbing her bag. "it's personal, if you see him just tell him that Zaria came to see him." with that she walked away brushing past him. 'Zaria? the girl he can't stop talking about?' just as he turned around to call her back, she was already gone.

Inej frowned and watched him as he gestured her to follow the girl who walked away without a glance.

She nodded.

--♤--

It is said that a group from the circus are looking for a dancer, she stopped dead in her track before walking in.

"Hi, I heard that you need a dancer, am I right?" The woman nodded with a smile, "right."

She needed the money, "I'll do it, i used to be a dancer in... Ravka, right, yeah Ravka." The woman grinned brightly and nodded.

"Would you like to practice with us or alone? i'm sure you already know in such thing and very talented." The dark haired nodded with a small grin, "i'll do it alone, if that's fine?"

"Of course, sweetheart, it will be totally fine. The next show is this Friday at night, around 11 to midnight? Is that okay?"

She nodded once again having quite difficulty trying to find the right word due to the language, "Yes, i'm Zaria, by the way."

The woman nodded with a bright grin, "well nice to meet you Zaria, I'm Karina." Both the girls shook hands.

"Now you better go home, it's getting dark." Nodding she grabbed her case before walking out of the place, 'friday? That's tomorrow, ugh.' She thought walking down the streets, the feeling of someone watching her ever since she got out of that Club was getting stronger.

Zaria looked up and around with a frown in hope of finding someone but nothing, not once single person.

Weird.

She could still feel it?

But what she was worried about was where she's staying tonight.