𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞

Ⅻ 𝒈𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒂

JESPER FLICKED THE REINS AND THE HORSED SLOWED TO A STOP. The crows jumped from the carriage, back in their regular clothes, of course Kaz and Brey in fitted black suits. Kaz nodded and Brey reached for the trunk lid when suddenly the lock started to melt. "Oh, she's smart," Brey mumbled, taking a step back. A harsh jab sounded and the lock was pushed out of place, landing on the floor. 

Alina pushed the trunk lid up, staring down the crows. Jesper slowly placed his hand on his gun and Brey's rested on her daggers. Jesper motioned his hand out and Alina jumped from the carriage, holding her hands up.

"We don't want any trouble," Jesper spoke up, looking down at Alina.

"Neither do I, so I'll just be on my way," Alina bargained, her hands still outstretched and trying to step aside.

Kaz's cane shot out, hitting the wood of the carriage, effectively blocking Alina's path. "Clearly, you want out of East Ravka," Jesper spoke softly, but still harsh enough to make a point. "But we can help you." Alina's eyes moved across the crows to Inej who nodded slightly. "We have a secure route through the Fold."

"I prefer to travel alone," Alina stated.

"Don't be rash," Jesper pressed. "You stick with us, everybody gets what they want."

"I'm not being anyone's captive ever again," Alina jabbed and her eyes moved to Kaz again. "So step aside and let me pass."

"I'm afraid we can't let that happen," Kaz reinstated and Jesper's hand flexed on his gun again. Alina threw her hands up, summoning a large flash of light. Inej ducked away, saving her eyes but the others looked into the bright flare. Inej bowed slightly and Alina ran.

"Saints," Brey cursed ducking away. She rubbed her eyes, trying to rid herself of the light flash. Kaz and Jesper straightened up, rubbing their eyes as well.

"We have to find her," Kaz insisted, resting on his cane. The crows split, wandering through the town. Brey looked down different alleys. Brey rushed down a flight of stairs just a few steps behind a girl wrapped in a blanket.

A man walked out of the tavern, smacking shoulders with the woman. "So far from Shu Han, aren't you?" He jabbed.

"Alina," Brey mumbled. Brey rested her dagger and rushed to them. Brey grabbed Alina's hand, gripping tight and swinging her behind her. "Leave, before this gets messy," Brey ordered the man.

"Really girl?" The man scoffed. Brey gripped her dagger and sliced upwards through his throat. Brey grabbed him before anyone inside could see walked them around a corner and tossed him away, out of sight.

Once the man hit the floor, Alina pulled herself from Brey's grip. "Really? Not even a thank you?" Brey scoffed, slotting her dagger back. Alina stayed silent, eyeing Brey. Alina's eyes jumped from the bronze daggers, to the tough corset. Brey quickly pulled her hands together and made her clock and Alina sent another flare at her. Brey's hand shot out, holding the power and Alina's arm in place.

Alina's eyes widened as she watched the green clock-like rings spin around Brey's arms. "You're a-"

"It's dangerous for one of us to be showing our abilities, two is a death sentence," Brey started in a calm voice, not giving Alina the time to finish her thought. "I'm going to let go and we are going to talk. If you try to run..." Brey's other hand bushed her long coat back, ghosting over the brown handle of her gun and looked up at Alina again. "I'm a fast draw."

Alina nodded and Brey slowly let go of her hold, and Alina let the light disappear. "I'm not being someone's captive," Alina repeated, her tone wavering as she tried to be harsh.

"I heard," Brey spoke softly, covering her weapons by tugging her jacket tighter around her.

"I need to go," Alina said sternly. "One of my friends, Mal, I need to find him. He is the only person I have left." Alina stopped and let her voice flow out in a lighter tone. "Don't you have someone? Someone you'd do anything for?"

Brey clicked her jaw in annoyance and sighed through her nose, Alina was picking at one of Brey's soft spot, one that she through she had sealed. But the tall Zemeni boy had seemed to pry it back open. "Leave, get a head start. Just..." Brey paused, pulling at her hair. "If I find you again, I won't be so generous," Brey huffed and turned around. "Go!" Alina nodded and spun around, running down another alley. "Fuck, Kaz is gonna to kill me."

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BREY DOWNED HER SEVENTH SHOT IN THE PAST FIVE MINUTES. The Kaelish girl barely pausing enough to taste it before trying to raise her hand for another. However, Kaz slammed her hand down against the table with the head of his cane before the barmaid could notice her. Brey winced slightly as the beak of the crow dug into her skin, although not hard enough to draw blood.

"If you have any more, you're going to poison yourself," Kaz warned, taking his cane back and placing both his hands on the gold crow.

"Maybe that's the point," Brey mumbled as Jesper walked in and set his bag on top of the table. "Hey, dirre, another please," Brey called waving her last note. The barmaid walked over, took the money and set a shot at the table.

Jesper squinted slightly and sat beside her, nudging his knee against hers lightly. "Do you have the money for that?" Jesper asked, leaning back slightly.

"Not after this one," Brey admitted.

Jesper shook his head softly before moving his attention to Kaz, "The alarm trigger is set. Horses are ready and I've stashed the rest of our gear."

"If we don't move soon, the Black General will be on top of us," Kaz relayed, the faint clicks of his pocket watch sounding from his palm. "We can't waste any more time looking for the girl."

Inej joined them, moving her sash to the side to sit properly and Kaz pocketed his watch. "I just settled our tab with the last of our coin," Inej spoke up, her arms folded on the table.

"We're really gonna leave empty-handed, then?" Jesper questioned, looking up at Kaz. Kaz didn't reply, simply looking down at the table.

Brey shook her head and took the shot. "Gártha," Brey raised her glass, nodding  before downing it, the burn sweet on her throat.

An explosion sounded outside and the crow's heads snapped up. "What was that?" A man at the bar questioned loudly.

"Our alarm," Jesper explained to his friends.

"Split up, much easier to take a Grisha one-on-one than a whole squad of them," Kaz ordered. Jesper pulled on his hat and flipped his guns. "Rendezvous at the fountain." Brey and Inej stood and Kaz pushed himself up with his cane. People exclaimed, their cries melding with each other as they rushed from the club, the crows moving in with the crowd.

They barely made it from the club when they were cut off by five Grisha. Two male Heartrenders, one female and male Inferni and one female Squaller, Zoya. The female Inferni looked over Inej's knives and her jaw shook. A broken scream ripped from her throat, "No!"

"Move!" Kaz ordered, stepping back into an alley. Brey and Jesper dived to the left side as Inej ran back, dodging the female Inferni's shot. The two Heartrenders and other Inferni following Brey and Jesper

A flame followed Brey and Jesper, effectively splitting them up, sending them in opposite directions. One of the Heartrenders followed Jesper and the others chased Brey. Brey ducked and rounded a corner as another flame shot at her. Brey slammed her body against the locked door to the old, rusty chruch, stumbling inside and slamming the door closed.

Brey looked at the stairs, hoping to get a quick running start upstairs but the first few meters of steps were too corroded, broken and had started to break away. Brey huffed slightly and run to the wall using it as a launching pad to pull herself onto the more stable part of the stairs. Brey brought her hands up, summoning a small clock but it reflected off of every piece of bronze and metal that covered the walls that would have housed flags and prays on cloths. Brey dropped her hands just as the door was kicked open.

Brey could hear their steps, their breathing, the brush of their keftas against their pants echoing through the church. "We are not here to hurt you, Time Manipulator," The Heartrender spoke, his voice bounding through the abandoned building. Brey's eyes widened slightly and panic coursed through her veins at the mention of her Grisha abilities. "But before you think of getting any ideas, I will crush your heart before you even get the chance to raise your hands."

"Very comforting," Brey spoke her voice reverberating off the walls. "I know you're listing to my heart, but when I keep talkin'," Brey pulled out her gun, covering it as she clicked the safety off. "The echo makes it nearly impossible to find me." Brey fired across the tower, the bullet bouncing against the concrete next to the Heartrender's feet. Brey pushed a tower housing an old matte painting of a Saint and the Inferni jumped back, barley missing the threat.

The Inferni stumbled back, and Brey rushed to the second landing "Smart move," He hummed. "You seem to know a lot about Grisha, so you must know about our keftas." Brey lined her shot up to the Heartrender.

"Of course," Brey hummed, remembering Jesper's advice and kept her breathing as slow as possible. "And you know I manipulate time, so you must know..." Brey took a long breath. "Well... It doesn't matter with what I'm about to do." The shot rang out, piercing the Heartrender's skull. He stumbled for a moment before falling to the ground with a thud.

The Inferni screamed looking up, trying to pin point Brey's location. "You! You Kaelish fou!" The Inferni yelled, pacing slightly. "Come down and face me! Face me you coward!"

Brey walked to the edge of the landing and sat on top as she slotted her gun away. "That wouldn't be fair," Brey hummed. She grasped one of the red sashes and slid down, her boots kicking up a small cloud of dust as she landed. Brey stepped back slightly and took a stance in front of the man.

"If you'd prefer, I can hand you my kefta," The man spat with venom, his anger clouding his mind.

"Oh no, dirre," Brey hummed, cracking her knuckles. "I meant for you." The man clicked his fingers and Brey circled her hands faster and shot the green power at him. Brey slowed the man as she did with the volcra, her ability even slowing his flame shot that didn't make it from his hand.

Brey grabbed her gun again, pressing it two his skull. "I'm not usually this mean, but... The boss's ways always seem to work," Brey whispered, a small amused smile forming on her face. She squeezed the trigger and shoot him, the blood splashing across her face. Brey let go of her power and he crashed to the floor, a pool of blood forming under his body.

.

Kaz stepped around the corner, coming to a harsh stop as he came face to face with General Kirigan who stepped from the shadows. "I know you kidnapped my Sun Summoner," Kirigan started, taking small confident steps forward. "And now you're going to tell me where you stashed her."

"We didn't take her," Kaz denied with a small shake of her head, taking quick small steps backwards. "She fled on her own." At his words, Kirigan came to stop.

"Where is she?... I won't ask you again."

"I don't know," Kaz snapped harshly. "It was pretty clear she wasn't interested in being a captive anymore. She's probably halfway to Novyi Zem by now."

Kirigan cast a dark look that rivalled Kaz's as shadows grew behind him. Kaz stumbled slightly and reached into his satchel, pulling a small bag of gunpowder mixed with Flint. "You should have stayed in Ketterdam, Mr Brekker," Kirigan warned. "But for now, I'll settle with taking your Time Manipulator. Brey, isn't it?" Kaz stopped, panic running through him. Saints don't. Kaz took a deep breath and tried his best to not let it show.

Kirigan brought his hands up, his shadow sharpening into a slim blade. Kaz tossed his cane up further in his grip and slammed the gunpowder to the floor as the cut raced towards him. The gunpowder sent the blade to the left wall behind him and Kaz ducked to the right. The bright flash from the explosion made Kirigan cover his eyes, giving Kaz ample time to run, but not without the cut slicing his cane.

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❝ 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 is a funny thing ❞