𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐞

Ⅸ 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒔, 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒍𝒅

IRA WAITED UNTIL THE SUN SHONE DOWN. She walked through the quiet streets of the small Ravkan town. No one had dared to leave their homes nor open their business. The fights between the Grisha and the criminals on the street had cowered everyone into hiding.

Elvira had managed to clean most of the blood from her boots and the bottom of her tight trousers, but the liquor had changed the color of her sash making it slightly splotchy.

As Ira drew closer to the fountain she could see the boys standing in nervousness. Jesper switched from flicking his cuff and gripping his guns, his eyes darting around in nervousness. Kaz impatiently tapped his cane and let his eyes wander around, slower, more calculated.

Once Jesper's jittering eyes landed on Ira he immediately kicked himself up. Jesper flung himself off the wall and rushed to Elvira. "Ira, Saint's are you okay?" Jesper questioned in a rush his hands finding a place on her shoulders.

"I'm fine, but I pity whatever bar owner has the misfortune of finding a Tidemaker with no head and the frozen Inferni," Elvira said nonchalantly as she and Jesper walked back to Kaz.

Jesper's eyebrows shot up and he stared down at the Fjerdan girl, even Kaz's gaze seemed to falter for a moment. Jesper raised his hand, chasing after Ira, "A Tidemaker with what now?"

The sudden sound of a body dropping cut the conversation immediately. Inej let out a painful grunt as she steadied herself on the cobblestone wall. "Inej," Kaz called, his jaw clenching as he watched her.

"Djel," Elvira cursed as she rushed to Inej and held her steady. Her hand moved to hold the wound that had stained her dark blue clothes a deep red. "Steady her," Elvira ordered, nodding at Jesper.

Jesper grasped under Inej's arm as Ira knelt by Inej, her hand starting to weave small flecks of ice across the injury. "The Inferni, she's dead," Inej relayed, her voice strained as she spoke. She looked up at Kaz who seemed unable to tear his gaze from the gash in her side, his jaw still tight but he managed to give a small nod of acknowledgement.

Inej cursed under her breath as the ice started to numb the swelling. "Well, you can't manage a horse," Jesper thought aloud as he observed Inej's state, his eyes flickering between Inej and Kaz. "Not even riding double."

Ira shook her head and spared a glance at Kaz. "Come on blodig kråka, come up with a plan," Elvira muttered, her focus still on the bleeding girl that lay half dead in her hands. The three had heard Ira call each crow a Fjerdan name but none of them had discovered what each one meant.

Inej cursed again as Ira moved her hand to press against the wound once again, however, the chill did numb part of the pain. Kaz's eyes drifted around the courtyard before pausing on the matte black carriage. "That's a pretty nice ride," Kaz offered.

Jesper and Elvira looked up, their eyes catching the carriage. "Yes, indeed it is," Jesper agreed with a mischievous smile. Jesper's eyes moved to Ira a smiled. "Go have some fun, I've got her."

Ira nodded and stood. Kaz motioned her on and Ira made her way around the carriage as Kaz snuck to the guard. Kaz tossed his broken cane up and struck across the back of the guard's head. Ira walked to the side doors and tugged the doors open by the silver handles.

The Durast inside looked up from his leather book, his eyes widening at the sight of a new person. "Åh, god eftermiddag," Ira smiled widely, almost comically. He tossed his book at Ira and it bounced off her shoulder. He scrambled to the other doors and stumbled out, his head spinning erratically. Kaz stepped up and as the Grisha turned Kaz smacked the head of the golden crow across his temple.

Ira grabbed the book and walked around to stand by Kaz. "Too bad I can't read Ravkan," Ira muttered before tossing the book away. Kaz motioned her on and the crows pulled themselves into the carriage.

❅

THIS CAN'T BE IT. Kaz laid out his broken cane, the map of The Little Palace and whatever loose change he had stashed on top of the tipped wagon. They had stashed themselves in a farmhouse a few hour's walks away from the fold.

Ira walked closer and tossed the broken cane in her hand before dropping it once again, making a small cluttering noise. "This can't be it," Ira muttered.

"Well, it is," Kaz huffed, not bothering to lift his head.

Inej groaned as she finally removed the last of her constricting articles of clothing and rested against a separate wagon. "Jesper, my bag," Inej requested as she undid the last couple of buttons of her light blue dress shirt.

Jesper walked the bag to Inej but gagged when Inej lifted the makeshift gauze she had covering the wound. "Mother of Saints," Jesper gagged. Inej tossed the bloody rag aside and grabbed her bag. Kaz's eyes lingered on the red tear once again, a guilty look in his eyes.

Inej noticed his eyes and lifted her shit as she grabbed the cotton and needle. "It's not healing on its own. I need to stitch it," Inej explained, her hands fumbling slightly.

"How long before you can travel?" Kaz questioned, his eyes finally leaving her figure.

"Not long. Where?"

"Ketterdam."

The single word seemed to shake Inej to her core. Jesper was equally shocked as he whispered a small 'what', his brows creased completely. Ira shot a look between all three before speaking up, "Why?"

Kaz refused to meet any of their eyes as he started speaking. "Between our dwindling funds, lack of time and..." Kaz's eyes finally lifted to spare a glance at the bleeding Suli girl. "...conflicting interests, it's time we cut our losses."

Kaz shook his head and pushed himself off the table, limping his way out of the barn. "I guess the Bastard misses the Barrel," Jesper thought aloud, his hands on his hips.

"You can miss that place?" Ira said slyly. She wouldn't admit that sleeping in the slat, the small echo of the rain and the caws of the crows reverberating around the walls was the most enticing thing she had thought of the second they landed in Ravka.

Jesper's eyes drifted from the door of the barn and down to Inej where he made a physical sound of discomfort. Elvira glanced between the two, furrowing her eyes at Jesper. "This is what disgusts you? All you do is shoot people," Elvira pointed out and Inej let out a pained chuckle.

Jesper started to fiddle with his hands, landing on Kaz's broken cane. "It- Yeah, well, you see, bullets are bam, in and out," Jesper shrugged, his hands twisting around the crow's head. "That's- That's just-" Jesper gagged and Elvira pat his shoulder. "Where'd you learn to do that?"

"When I was at the Menagerie," Inej answered quickly, her hands still working stitches into the gash.

"Yeah, but why would you..." Jesper trailed off as the words clicked in his mind. "Oh, that's dark."

"Which is why I can't go back," Inej stated firmly.

"If you told Kaz that story, I think he'd murder Heleen himself," Jesper offered.

"Jesper," Elvira sighed. Jesper shot a glance at Ira before spinning the cane again. "Inej, part of me says trust Kaz. That he somehow has a plan," Ira paused and grabbed the other half of Kaz's cane. "But I know what a shot at freedom feels like. And if that's what you want, I'm not here to stop you."

Inej's hands faltered as she looked up at the two. "You two make this a lot harder, you know," Inej said in a shaky voice.

"I know. I'd miss me, too," Jesper said with a smile and Inej laughed softly. "I'm fantastic."

"And you ruined it," Ira teased, sending a smile towards Jesper.

.

"Inej," Elvira said softly, her voice cutting through the silence of the night. Kaz sat outside at the fire he had set up and Jesper somehow slept, his hat covering his face. "Can I borrow your needle?"

"Of course," Inej nodded. She dropped from the pile of hay she rested comfortably on and moved to Ira's side, who rested against the wagon. "Do you need me to stitch anything?"

"No, no, I just-" Elvira pulled her shirt up, revealing small splatters of dried blood against the skin. "There's glass, it's twisting funny beneath the skin. I tried to get it earlier, but I didn't have anything slim enough to pull it out."

Inej nodded and handed Ira the small needle. "What about the others? The scars on your side?" Inej questioned, looking at the slightly raised skin on Elvira's side. Elvira glanced down at the long scar. It ran completely across her side, deepest towards her back.

"My price to get to Ketterdam," Elvira said with a dry chuckle. She plucked out small shards of glass, just a few center meters beneath the large scar.

"But how?" Inej pressed, watching Elvira's hands work.

"A bullet," Elvira shrugged. "A one-inch bullet from a shoulder-mounted rifle, to be exact." Inej tilted her head and watched Elvira's movements closely. "I got it when I was in Fjerda, during my dashing escape. You don't leave that place without a price."

Inej nodded. "Will you tell me? One day at least, how you left?"

"A boat docked at Djerholm, the sun had barely risen over the ice," Elvira relayed, handing the needle back to Inej. "Maybe you'll get the before, later."

Inej nodded and smiled softly, "I'll take that."

❅

❝ swim to deep and the 𝒊𝒄𝒆 will claim you ❞