CHAPTER FOUR
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KIRA AND DEATH WERE NOT FRIENDS. They were acquaintances at best and she would like for them to remain as such.

And yet she went with Kaz, Jesper, and Inej, to look for a way across the Fold. She caved into Kaz's request that she help him, and made the three of them follow her around the Barrel as she met with anyone she knew to have a hint of information about crossing the fold. She knew someone around Ketterdam knew how, she heard whispers of a man that helped people cross it, but she still didn't know who it was.

To say it was a fruitless pursuit would be an understatement. Everyone said the same thing in different words. Crossing the Fold was nearly impossible. How Kira hated that word.

She was now sitting in a booth at the club, between Jesper and Kaz discussing the job. She was nearly certain she wasn't going to go, but Kaz had asked her to. We need you. They didn't. Not really, she was sure Kaz could figure something out, he always did. But when he said that, Kira believed him. Besides, she had a hard time saying no to Kaz Brekker.

"Here's what I don't get," Jesper said.

"We're going to be here all night," Inej drawled and Kira snorted into her shot glass before downing the whole thing, choking on the drink when Jesper elbowed her ribs in retaliation.

"Rude." Jesper took his legs from the chair where they were leaning on and sat up straight, after ducking from Kira's hand as she tried to whack him in the back of the head. "Why haven't they tried going under it? Just dig a tunnel."

"Tried that. More than a century ago," Kaz muttered. "Something... heard them digging."

"Volcra," Kira added, her voice dripping with bitterness. She pulled her shirt to the side, showing the scar near her collarbone where a volcra had tried to grab her. It was a circular scar, full of bumps and impossible to heal even at the hands of a Healer. "Nasty things."

Jesper grimaced but kept going with his speech, "It was made hundreds of years ago by that crazy Grisha..."

"The Black Heretic," Inej said.

"Yeah, the one who controls shadow. They've got one in their army now, don't they?"

"General Kirigan," Kira muttered from her chair.

Inej asked, "Your point, Jes?"

"If one of his kind made it, can't he unmake it?" Jesper asked and Kira rolled her eyes, leaning further into her chair, memories of the Black General reeling in her mind. She nearly shuddered.

"Have you ever put out fire by adding more fire?" Inej asked him incredulously and Jesper shrugged.

"Then what's the opposite?"

"A Sun Summoner."

"A Sun Summoner is a legend," Kira cut into the conversation.

"Doesn't exist," Kaz agreed.

"Doesn't exist yet," said Inej.

"Dreesen comes into town, doesn't waste a minute," Kaz interrupted swiftly, leaning on his cane, his tone brisk and hurried. "Sends out for a crew to steal something but doesn't specify what. Is it heavy, large, worth more than a million on the black market?... Maybe he doesn't know."

"We can let this one go, Kaz," Inej said and Jesper nodded saying, "Sounds like a trap, anyway."

"A trap would sound easy," Kaz countered.

"It sounds to me like whoever Dreesen has as a prisoner has valuable information," Kira said leaning against Jesper's shoulder as she thought. 

"Oh yeah? Tell us then, oh wise one," Jesper taunted her as he poked her in the cheek. Kira batted his hand away.

"The sailormen said he was trembling, in shock. He probably can't utter a word with how frightened he is. Or is holding back out of spite from being kidnapped. My guess: Dreesen will need someone to make him talk, only then will he know just what he needs to be stolen."

"A Heartrender?" Inej asked.

Kira nodded, "Probably."

"Boss, boss." Bollinger came scurrying towards them, turning to Kaz with an ominous look. "We intercepted a note from Dreesen."

"Did you, now?"

"It's for the owner of the Orchid. Says they require the services of a Heartrender. Tonight," the man finished and Kira laughed when Jesper's jaw slackened as he looked down at her with wide eyes.

Kira pointed at herself mouthing, 'Wise One', and Jesper shoved her off him and back into her chair, just as Kaz asked, "Why?"

"Doesn't say. Just they need it before midnight."

"I told you he needs an answer from someone unwilling to talk," Kira said and Kaz looked at her, the corners of his lips twitching up into a barely visible smile.

"That's how we get this job before anyone else. Bring Dreesen a Heartrender," Kaz said as he stood up.

"Boss, just one problem. Pekka Rollins knows."

"Pekka Rollins," Kaz muttered. He did not even try to hide the anger that was rolling off him in waves, or at least Kira was observant enough to pick up on it. She glanced at Inej and saw the Wraith had seen it too/

Kira wanted to kill Pekka Rollins, but it was merely because he wanted to kill her. Rollins hadn't sent people after her since it was made public that the Whisperer had joined the Crows. At least not directly. There was always someone waiting for her in a dark and bloodied alleyway. Always someone she had to run from, or kill. Always someone who forced her to loosen her grip on her consciousness a bit more.

Kaz though, he wanted to destroy Pekka Rollins beyond recognition. Kira saw it in his eyes. Revenge. It was the reason he woke up in the morning the reason he didn't sleep at night. He wanted Pekka Rollins to mean less than dust. He wanted to make him suffer.

Brick by brick, that's what he had told her when they first met. After a few months, Kira was beginning to realize he wasn't even talking to her when he had said that.

•••

Kira walked into the humid cellar of the Dreesen Estate with a grimace—the smell of old wine and blood wasn't the most pleasant. Her eyes immediately spotted the man tied to a chair with a bag over his head. He looked like a scare crow if it wasn't by the fact he was trembling.

The crows had gotten the Heartrender, they had gotten to Dreesen and they were about to find out what exactly was included in the job. The variable that would decide if she stayed or not.

"Who's this?" Kaz asked, gesturing to the prisoner.

"So you don't know everything after all," Dreesen muttered amused, far too amused for a man who had just been given no choice in the matter from Kaz. He walked over to the prisoner, taking the bag off his head, to reveal a disheveled little man, full of bruises and cuts. "This... is Alexei Stepanov. Two weeks ago, young Alexei here crossed through the Fold on foot. Alone."

Kira's brows drew together, her eyes narrowing at the man who was looking around the room in a panic, his eyes spotted her for a few moments and Kira looked away.

"How?" Inej asked as Dreesen walked over to a table and began pouring wine into his glass.

"Oh. They're keeping it quiet, but allegedly he was one of a few witnesses to...an event."

"Water," Alexei croaked and Kira made her way to the table, giving Inej a look as the latter tried to step into the job too. If she wanted to do her job Kira would have to get Alexei to like her. She poured a glass and made her way to Alexei, making him drink the water.

"What kind of event?" asked Kaz.

"I know an expedition was swarmed by volcra. Should've been a total loss, but something happened." Dreesen gulped some of his wine. "Some device detonated. Obliterated the volcra, lit up the dark like a forest fire. I know it wasn't a fire or else no one would have survived. This was some invention no one had seen before."

"He knows," Dreesen continued, "But he doesn't seem to be able to articulate his account of events. Some form of traumatic lapse. So..." He gestured at Kira.

Kira was the Heartrender. Well, "Heartrender".

Milana, the actual Heartrender, had been paid for an hour and was waiting upstairs as a backup in case the Whisperer's charms did not work.

Turning to Alexei, Kira took his hand in hers with a small smile, drawing his gaze toward her face.

She could practically hear his heart beating fast, and because she wasn't that exact type of Grisha she couldn't do much in that regard but she had her ways.

"Alexei, honey, you can calm down. I'm not going to hurt you."

Alexei gripped her hand tighter, did not calm down, but did nod.

Kira looked up at him through her lashes and gave him a soft smile as she reached up to brush the hair out of his face. "It's awful, isn't it? The Fold?"

Alexei nodded lamely, trembling under her gaze.

She hummed in agreement, "You're very lucky, you survived, Alexei. It's a rare thing... To be able to escape the Fold by foot nonetheless."

His body started shaking, and Kira shushed him calmly, brushing her fingers against his cheek, where a particular nasty cut was. "Scars make good reminders," she muttered, "you shouldn't be scared anymore, Alexei. Just remember you did what many couldn't, you should be proud."

Alexei's shoulders shook and he leaned into the touch of her hand. Kira gave an exaggerated sigh. "I used to live in East Ravka. I loved the sunsets there. Always full of color and so delicate..." She held his hand with both hands, looking up at him again with overly nostalgic eyes. "I wish I could see a sunset in Ravka again."

He nodded again, his eyes not wavering from hers, as if he was in a trance. His hand wasn't gripping hers as tight anymore and she could hear his breathing calming.

"How did you do it, Alexei?" Kira asked him softly. "How did you cross the Fold? I'd like to know how. Perhaps then I could see the sunset in Ravka again..."

She glanced back at the group, and caught Kaz's eyes. He was looking at her with a glint on his eyes, the corner of his mouth twitching up into a smirk. Kira bit back a smile as she turned back to Alexei. 

"We could go together," she told him, as she grazed a finger on the back of his hand, seeing as goosebumps covered his arms. "You can show me what you did for the First Army. I'm sure the Royal Family is glad for your job."

"You won't believe me, but..." Alexei finally croaked. Kira raised her eyebrows expectantly and Alexei muttered something under his breath.

"I couldn't hear, Alexei, you have to speak louder," Kira urged him.

"It was a Sun Summoner."

Kira's eyes widened a fraction and she glanced at Kaz. It was clear he didn't believe Alexei. But as she turned her gaze to Inej, she saw the Suli girl, holding her stitched necklace and all that she could see on her face was faith. Kira turned to Alexei again.

"Who was it?" Dreesen asked Alexei.

"If I tell you, you'll set me free?"

"You have my word. I'll set you free." You'll kill him you mean. Kira internally rolled her eyes at the man. "You're in Ketterdam now, Alexei. You can go anywhere in the world from here. Just imagine. Come on."

Alexei looked at Kira for assurance and she could only nod. I lie in everything but words.

"Her name is... Alina Starkov."

"Thank you, Alexei," Kira said with a smile.

She stood up and walked over to Jesper's side, in between him and Kaz. The former threw his arm around her shoulder, handing her his wine glass that she accepted thankfully, downing the contents of it. Dreesen went to look at the manifest of the people on the skiff, a greedy smile making its way onto his tattered face.

"You'll set me free now?" Alexei asked.

"Of course," Dreesen said and Kira flinched as the gunshot rang through the room and Alexei fell backward, her hand shot to Inej's and gripped it tightly.

"Hmm. We are now the only people west of the Fold with this information. My ship sails for West Ravka at dawn. If you can prove that you have a way through the Fold and back, I'll put you on that ship with an advance," Dreesen said as he began to leave the room. "If you don't, I'm giving this job to Pekka Rollins."

"Give me a day. I'll have a plan," Kaz said.

"You have until sunrise, then your ship will have sailed, Mr. Brekker." Dreesen's mustache raised slightly, hinting at a smile. "The prize is one million kruge. Now bring me Alina Starkov."

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