𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

Ⅷ 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔

INEJ HUNG FROM THE SILK ROPES ATTACHED TO THE CEILING. They wrapped around her body and she spun, her arms outstretched as she leaned back. Jesper, Arken, Brey and Marko watched closely as she performed, though Marko was more in awe of her skill. Kaz however, stood to the side, watching his crows instead of Inej.

Inej wrapped the silk further up her body, holding herself up for a moment before letting her fall towards the floor, just catching herself before she hit the ground. The crowd exclaimed in excitement and Inej grabbed the silk, throwing it outwards.

Brey smiled with everyone else as Inej pulled herself back up. Inej created a loop with the silk, scooping her arm through and letting herself fall, the silk catching her on its own. Inej posed on the silk and the crowd erupted in cheers and claps. Inej slid herself from the silk and posed one final time, with a bow.

Kaz finally looked towards Inej as Marko walked to her, an impressed smile on his face. "The Saints must have sent you," Marko praised. "Yes. The show will go on. Now." Marko snapped his fingers, turning around. A woman behind Jesper and Brey spun, and picked up a bright yellow and orange outfit, handing it to Marko. "Can you... fit into this?"

Inej paused, not knowing how to answer. "Of course she can," Jesper answered instead, taking Marko by his shoulder. "Those are her colors, but the thing is, Inej..." Jesper paused and nudged Marko out of the way, pointing to himself as he spoke."...comes as part of a package deal." Brey's gaze snapped up to Jesper, her stomach flipping by itself but she didn't quite know why.

"No free rides," Marko discouraged. "What are your talents?"

.

Inej wrapped herself in the silk again, a playing card between her teeth as she spun slowly. Jesper sat on a stool, a mirror in his hand and his gun in the other. Jesper smiled in the mirror, clicking the gun's safety off and pressing a kiss to the barrel.

Jesper watched through the mirror as Inej finally lined up with Jesper's shot. The crack ran through the air as the bullet whizzed towards Inej. The crowd jumped in shock but the crows stayed still, knowing Jesper could've hit the shot with his eyes closed.

As Inej started to spin out of the silk, the crowd started to clap again. Jesper stood up with a proud smile, resting his gun on his shoulder. Inej smiled at Jesper as she posed before making her way to Marko, presenting the card; which was cut completely down the center.

Marko chuckled and he pulled Jesper in a hug. Marko turned, smiling at Kaz and Brey. "Stage is yours, sir," Marko encouraged.

"I'll make my own way," Kaz announced in a calm tone.

"Darling?" Marko questioned turning his gaze to Brey.

"As will she," Kaz cut in, his voice staying the same. Normally Brey would furrow her eyebrows and challenge Kaz, but from his tone and the look on his face; just a small difference only the crows would notice, meant he had a plan for her.

"I wouldn't know what to perform anyway," Brey agreed, shrugging her shoulders. "If you'll excuse me for a moment." Brey smiled and weaved through the crowd until she got outside.

Brey paused and looked around the building, spotting a crate of glass beer bottles. Brey walked to the fence line, a little ways away from the tavern and lined up the bottles on the wood before stepping back a few meters. Brey took her gun out and lined up the shot to the middle bottle. Taking a breath Brey pulled the trigger and the bullet whizzed past.

Bey sighed and lined up the shot again, closing one eye.

"What are you doing?" Jesper called walking up to Brey.

"Trying to shoot, but..." Brey pulled the trigger and missed again. "I'm not having much luck."

"You are never going to hit something with your eyes closed," Jesper noted and chuckled. Jesper paused as he stood beside her. "Why are you so obsessed with becoming a marksman now?" Jesper questioned, his hands resting on his hips. "I saw you shooting, well, missing, last night."

"Kaz needed me to shoot when we were on the train," Brey sighed, her hand hanging by her side. "If you didn't have that stupid goat, we would all be dead."

"Ignoring the insult towards Milo," Jesper scoffed, pulling his coat off and dropping it beside the crate. "You're still worried Kaz is going to replace you, aren't you?" Brey didn't say anything, just turning back to line up the next shot. Jesper rolled his eyes and placed his hand on Brey's gun, pointing it towards the ground. "Take your coat off," Jesper ordered.

Brey raised her eyebrow at Jesper, a teasing smile forming on her face. "Here? In public?" Brey teased, tilting her chin up at Jesper.

Jesper smirked at her and took a small step closer, his chest inches from hers . "If you want," Jesper shrugged, noticing the small pink hue on Brey's cheeks. Jesper laughed softly and took a step back. "I'm serious, lose the coat." Brey rolled her eyes and shrugged her jacket off, tossing it on top of his.

"What now?" Brey questioned.

Jesper hummed and moved to stand behind her. Jesper placed his right hand on hers, lifting the gun again, his other hand resting on her side. "Something else is annoying you," Jesper figured, nudging her shoulder with his to square up her posture. "If you think too hard you'll miss anyway, but you'll just embarrass yourself if you're annoyed. And by my guess, and correct me if I'm wrong. It's when I said Inej and I were a package deal." Brey didn't answer, knowing lying to Jesper worked as well as she was shooting right now. "Ahh, so I'm right."

"Shut it, Fahey," Brey mumbled. Jesper smiled and moved his thumb atop hers, dragging it back and clicking the safety off.

"Jealous much," Jesper teased, leaning down slightly to match her sight line. "I don't know why you are, I mean you basically took my last name, Foley."

"I didn't," Brey snapped, shaking her head slightly, looking over her shoulder at him.

Jesper moved his hand off her side, moving two fingers under her chin to center her face again. "You changed two letters," Jesper pointed out.

"It means something," Brey countered.

"Pirate, I know. We did meet on a ship," Jesper recalled. "Stowaway."

"You disturbed my sleep, Butterfingers," Brey shot back, a small chuckle leaving her lips.

Jesper hummed softly, looking over aim once more. "Pull the trigger," Jesper ordered his hand on her side again. Brey did as she was ordered and squeezed the trigger, and the bullet was sent through the glass. Brey smiled softly, slightly shocked she made the shot. "That's my girl," Jesper hummed. Brey stuttered slightly and she didn't need a Heartrender to tell her heart was beating far too fast.

Jesper laughed softly and moved her hand to line up with another bottle, "Do it again. Just don't think and focus only on me."

𓅨

❝ 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 is a funny thing. ❞