𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

Ⅷ 𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆

IRA WALKED TO THE STABLED WHERE SHE HEARD JESPER SPEAKING WITH ANOTHER BOY. Ira hit her fist against a the metal side, creating a large clanging sound. "Put your clothes on," Ira called and she could hear Jesper curse to himself. "Now." The flicking of clothes echoed and then a blonde stable boy ran out, limping slightly.

Ira turned to look at Jesper who still have his pants unbuckled and his dark green undershirt still unbuttoned and it loosely hung off his shoulders. "Do you have any Fjerdan provinces to yell at me?" Jesper scoffed, starting to fix his pants and shirt.

"You have no decency and you stand too tall," Ira said in a low voice. "However you make me laugh and have saved my life." Jesper's lips curved into a smile at her words. "Now get your horses, I'll get you a carriage."

❅

JESPER AND IRA STOOD SHOULDER TO SHOULDER IN ABSOLUTE ASTONISHMENT. The Saint herself, the Sun Summoner, Alina Starkov had pulled herself into the luggage box of the crow's carriage. Jesper started to laugh and Ira couldn't help but stare in shock, as she leant on Kaz's cane.

Footsteps echoed behind them and the two turned. Kaz and Inej grew closer, something obviously wrong. Inej was shaken and tears seemed to swell in her eyes. Kaz gritted his teeth as the pain in his leg worsened with every step.

"What happened? You okay?" Jesper questioned, his eyes shooting between the two.

"She's real, Jesper. She made the light sing," Inej answered in utter breathless wonder.

Kaz's eyes moved to Ira, his hair disheveled to accompany his deadly stare. "We lost her," Kaz relayed, his gaze dropping.

Jesper couldn't help but chuckle softly, "Did we?"

Ira tossed the cane to Kaz and the three followed Jesper to the carriage. "We don't know where she is," Kaz huffed, relieved and the extra support from his cane.

"Don't we?" Jesper laughed again. "Just ask."

"Jesper..." Kaz drawled in a warning tone.

"Just ask," Jesper insisted. Jesper pulled himself onto the carriage, the girls following quickly after. Jesper nodded and Kaz pulled himself up, straining on his bad leg. "Just ask," Jesper insisted a final time.

Kaz took a deep breath and flicked his hair, "Fine. Do we have a fix on where the target is?" Jesper laughed and spared a glance to Ira before sending the horses on.

❅

JESPER AND IRA HAD FINALLY INFORMED KAZ AND INEJ OF THE SAINT IN STORAGE. They stopped the carriage and hurriedly changed before waiting at the end of the carriage. The metal lock started to melt from the inside and then violently shot out. The Shu girl opened the storage box with her foot and she paused as she caught the sight of the crows standing before her.

An overly tall Zemeni man who rested his hand on his pearl guns; A Kerch man dressed like death with a cane made for pain; A small Suli girl who carried more knives than necessary for anyone and a Fjerdan Grisha that used her talents to kill.

Jesper motioned in front of him and Alina cautiously jumped from the carriage. She landed on her feet and held her hands up in defense. "We don't want any trouble," Jesper stated in a soft voice.

"Neither do I, so I'll just be on my way," Alina said in an equally soft voice. She tried to step to the side but Kaz's can shot out with complete precision effectively cutting off Alina's path.

"Clearly, you want out of East Ravka," Jesper continued. "But we can help you." Alina's eyes jumped around the group and landed on Inej who nodded softly. "We have a secure route through the Fold."

"I prefer to travel alone," Alina bit back.

"And it has gotten you so far," Elvira spoke up, and Alina's eyes darted towards her. "Don't be foolish. Stay by us and we all get what we want."

"I'm not being anyone's captive ever again," Alina said with purpose. She turned to meet Kaz's eyes and tilted her head slightly higher. "So step aside and let me pass."

"I'm afraid we can't let that happen," Kaz said, his voice harsher than either Jesper's or Ira's. Alina shot her hand out, a bright ray of light burning at Kaz and Jesper's eyes. Ira spun on her heel, the light catching the edge of Ira's eyes. Inej ducked and covered her face, shielding herself from the sun.

❅

AS THE NIGHT SETTLED IN, KAZ AND IRA SAT AT A SMALL TABLE IN THE CORNER OF A SMALL TAVERN. Kaz rested his hands on his cane and his empty pint glass rested by Ira's hand as she smoked. Kaz turned his nose away and rolled his eyes. "Those smell horrid," Kaz murmured.

Ira blew the smoke away and gave Kaz a side-eyed glance. "You run the Barrel, and you think cigarettes are disgusting?" Ira questioned. Kaz sighed to himself and consulted his pocket watch.

Jesper slid into the seat beside Ira and slung his arm over the back of her chair. He set his satchel on the table and held his hat. "The alarm trigger is set. Horses are ready and I've stashed the rest of our gear," Jesper relayed.

Kaz nodded and slid his pocket watch away. "If we don't move soon, the Black General will be on top of us," Kaz recognized.

Ira blew the smoke away and took a breath. "I hate to suggest this, but we can't stay and continue searching for the Shu girl."

Inej slid into the seat across from Ira and rested her hands on the table, "I just settled our tab with the last of our coin."

Jesper looked around and shook his head softly. "We're really gonna leave empty-handed, then?" Jesper questioned.

"What other option do we have?" Ira questioned. A large boom sounded outside the Tavern and people screamed. Kaz and Ira jumped slightly and Inej flinched.

People clamored around, trying to run from the tavern but Jesper brought the crow's attention back, "Our alarm."

The three jumped to their feet as Kaz fixed his hold on his cane. "Split up, much easier to take a Grisha one-on-one than a whole squad of them," Kaz ordered. He stood and Jesper pulled out his guns. "Rendezvous at the fountain."

They rushed from the building but were cut off by a group of Grisha. Two Inferni, a Heartrender, A Squaller and Garagh. The two groups paused as they stared down at each other waiting for someone to make the first move.

It came when one of the Inferni screamed and sent a flame racing toward them. Kaz yelled an order to move and the group split. Inej ran backwards, Kaz down a left-side alley, Jesper to the far right and Ira down the right alley.

Ira's feet carried her quickly down stone alleyways. She brushed past and knocked shoulders with people as sprinted quickly. Elvira took a harsh right and ran to a closed club. Elvira kicked the door in and threw herself over the counter, trying to catch her breath.

The door swung open again with a harsh kick and Elvira straightened instinctively. "Where are you little Fjerdan?" A voice cooed. It didn't belong to Caragh and it didn't take long for Ira to realize Caragh had sold her out. Commendable was Elvira's only thought.

Elvira surveyed the bottles of liquor in front of her. Kaz had quickly informed her that nearly every bar in the country had watered-down liquor the second after he sipped his kvas after they had crossed the fold. If she could break the bottles, Elvira wouldn't need a lake.

"Come on little one," Caragh cooed. Elvira could hear her footsteps growing closer to the side entrance of the bar. Ira tore her sash off and slid closer.

Caragh's shoe appeared in her view and Elvira pulled her by her ankles making the Tidemaker slam back against the floor. Elvira grabbed her by the center of her Kefta and threw her into the glass shelves of bottles.

Elvira shot the red wine at the approaching Inferni, making her stumble. Ira stomped on Caragh's chest before spinning to face the Inferni.

Elvira's hands shot out and the Inferni coughed immediately. Elvia pulled at her bloodstream, bending it to her will. It was true Tidemakers couldn't summon blood to their ways, but Elvira was stronger, and with the help of her amplifier Ira could manipulate the smallest atom of water beneath the skin and down to the bone.

The Inferni dropped to her knees, trying to pull the Kefta coat tighter. "Little one?" Ira laughed in broken Ravkan, her accent clear. "Little Fjerdan?" Elvira continued walking forward. The Inferni whined, the blood in their body starting to clot and bunch together as the water in the red liquid started to freeze.

The Inferni tried to reach out but Elvira grabbed their wrist and bent to back harshly, the bone snapping up and threatening to tear through the skin.

The Inferni screamed, falling forward on her broken hand. Pained tears fell over her cheeks and froze on their skin. Elvira crouched, turning the ring on her finger to act like a claw. "Do you know Fjerdan?" Elvira questioned, running the claw down their face. Elvira pierced the Inferni's skin with the claw and knelt down to whisper in her ear. "Jag kommer att få dig att brinna utan att en låga rör vid."

The Inferni's blood finally froze, and the eyes glazed over as their heart slowed to a stop. A final shaky breath left the Inferni as they died and Elvira stood.

Elvira stood and turned to face Caragh who had lifted herself onto shakey legs. Elvira sent the liquid from the shattered alcohol to slam Caragh against the wall. "I will spare you, I believe that you stopped the drüsje from following me," Elvira started stalking the bar. She rested her hands on the bar top and looked down at the redhead on the floor. "Tell me I'm wrong and your life may take a different course."

"The Black general wanted to know who took the Sum Summoner," Caragh choked. "I couldn't lie to him. A Fjerdan, A Suli and I saw you leave with a Zemeni and the boy that spoke Kerch."

Elvira nodded and pulled herself to sit on the bar top. "It's a shame... You truly did entice me." The liquor lifted from the floor once again and froze into sharp fragments.

"Wait-"

The shards shot through Caragh's face and neck and through to the wall behind her. Caragh started to bleed and fell into a pool of liquor and blood.

Elvira slid off the counter, her boots landing next to Caragh's face. She picked up her black sash and shook it out. Elvira looked closer and she could see Caragh's soft breath making soft ripples in the liquid. Elvira sighed and tied the slash around one of her shoulders and looped it through her belt. She gripped one of the wooden beams and pressed her boot against the side of Caragh's face. She lifted her foot before bringing it down with a harsh force, repeatedly.

Elvira only stopped when the flesh, bone and blood mixed with the liquor, glass and ice surrounding her. Ira shook her boot off and walked from the club in hopes of finding a more secure location.

❅

❝ swim to deep and the 𝒊𝒄𝒆 will claim you ❞