𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 — nina's disappearance

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 𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐊𝐒𝐀 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐊𝐀𝐙 had finalised their bickering once they had finally approached the other half of their rag-tag group of thieves and fools; Jesper had immediately swung his arm over Aleksa's shoulders and grinned merrily as she leaned into him still blinking away the daze her short bout of sleep had brought on.

 Now, Aleksa prided herself in always being the smartest — and prettiest — person in the room at any and all times, even if a certain Bastard of the Barrel would like to dispute such a fact. Thus even though Aleksa was ready to topple out of Jesper's hold and find a comfy home on the ground to slumber, she did catch the rough-looking man at the counter of the Inn grinning at a wad of foreign money within his hands.

 She couldn't get quite a close enough look at the symbol dusting the very corner of the papers, but she knew for certain that the man was not counting Kruge.

 The stairs of the Inn were piled high with dust and creaked with even the lightest of steps; each noise made Aleksa blossom at the thought of slamming her head into a wall — though she dutifully refrained from damaging her wondrous face.

 It was made incredibly obvious from the moment Aleksa, her adorably sketchy crows and Arken arrived before the very door that was supposedly concealing this Nina from their view, that the Heartrender would not be joining them.

 The door to the room was askew, a sliver of light escaping from the crack between the oak wood. The rusted silver handle was still tugged down, as though somebody with abnormal strength had burst through at a moment's notice.

 Aleksa was the one to push the door open; the toe of her boot bumped against the oak door and with a shrill creak that split through the tense silence, the state of the room was revealed to them.

 Nina's suitcase was still spread upon the bed and overflowing with various silks, velvets and other decorated fabrics; clearly a woman who prized her looks too. There was shattered glass by the side of the bed, and whilst the Heartrender could have knocked it over, there was a sprinkling of sharp glass on the side table too; it had likely been used as a weapon.

 Aleksa parted herself from Jesper and entered the room a pace behind Kaz. His eyes scanned each piece of old furniture and glossed over every detail that could aid him in cracking the safe and picking the lock.

 Aleksa slumped on the bed, wishing for nothing more than this Nina to miraculously appear before their eyes so that the Shadow Summoner could get another wink of sleep in an actual bed, rather than a carriage that was certainly going to blister her spine and bruise her ass. 

 She watched the others potter around; Arken was busy huffing and puffing to himself as he mindlessly looked around the room... It was almost as though he was forcing himself to seem disappointed at Nina's disappearance.

 Kaz and Inej scoured the room, eyes darting to and fro as they assessed each and every exit, every item left strewn on the floor... All while Jesper picked at an already half-emptied plate of waffles that had been left on the side table.

 Aleksa caught his eye and shook her head silently. He placed the half-eaten waffle back down.

 "She knew to expect us..." Arken muttered beneath his breath.

 Aleksa rolled her eyes at the man, no restraint left within her tired body to keep such a reaction at bay; she had no idea what it was, but everything about the man seemed to irritate her. A huff slipped through her lips as she teetered backwards, her back colliding with the creaky bed.

 As her hair sprawled around her and the bed groaned beneath her weight, Aleksa looked to the side and towards the suitcase overflowing with various fabrics; something was glistening just beneath a sliver of crimson velvet.

 Her fingers reached out and plucked the shining item up, twirling it between her fingers to look at the carving within the metal. A divot formed between Aleksa's brows as she shot upright, "Druskelle."

 The venom that encased her words was enough for even Kaz Brekker himself to turn and scowl at the broach clutched between Aleksa's fingertips.

 "Clearly our dear Nina won't be joining us." Aleksa spat, her knuckles growing a stark white as she clutched the broach within her palm, ignoring the sting of skin being torn by its pointed edges, "The Grisha hunters have likely carted her off, ready to burn her at the stake for her mere existence."

 Aleksa had but one instance of interaction with a Druskelle and it hadn't been pretty. Aleksander could be calm and collected, he could easily shift from General to brother with a snap of his shadow glossed fingers... But there were times where even he struggled to reign his anger and hatred.

 One such day had occurred when Aleksa had been just nine years old. Aleksander and his band of loyal Grisha; Ivan the Heartrender and Vlakk the Inferni had trailed into her cornered off home, the door locked tightly behind them.

 There had been a man behind them with silver shackles binding his wrists and ankles; his hair was a light shade of blond, almost white and his eyes a striking blue. He had lifted his head and the trail of blood seeping from his nose shone like a beacon to Aleksa who stumbled back.

 Aleksander needed no words for his fellow Grisha to throw the man before her and depart the room; leaving the two SShadow Summoners and beaten man alone. Aleksander had taken that moment to tell Aleksa what, and who, the Druskelle were. He had drilled in the fact that they killed without hesitation, that their prejudice against Grisha would never be overcome.

 He had grabbed the man by his collar, ignoring the Fjerdan curses that were flung from bloodied lips. The man had murdered a Tidemaker with his bare hands that had coiled around their neck, and then Aleksander had looked Aleksa in the eye and told her to repeat the man's actions. She was told to kill him, and she did so without hesitation.

 It was quiet, for nobody knew what else to say, though as Aleksa finally tore her hardened sights from the broach; she caught Jesper looking at her with a facet of shielded fear.

 "Explains the Fjerdan Krydda the innkeeper was counting when we arrived." Kaz trailed off as his own steps carried him around the ruffled bed and closer to Aleksa. His gloved fingers plucked the broach from her, black leather just barely skimming the skin of her hands as he rose it higher, narrowing his eyes, "It's likely they ratted her out."

 It was no surprise really, Aleksa thought, for there were so few people that could be trusted with the lives of Grisha. It was the exact reason Aleksa kept her own talents concealed and only allowed the shadows to play when she knew only the crows would be around to watch... that, or if she knew her enemies wouldn't be making it out alive.

 It was one thing for a Tidemaker or Heartrender to galavant around and showcase their talents like a burst of confetti, but for Aleksa, the consequences would be far more dire.

 Arken hardly looked shocked at the revelation, nor did he really seem to care for his tone was entirely nonchalant as he addressed the crows, "She's probably captive on a ship halfway to Fjerda by now."

 Kaz didn't spare him a glance, "They had a clear line of attack." His attention diverted to Inej as he nodded to the open doors behind him, "Take a look, make sure there aren't any surprises."

 The Wraith dipped her head silently as she pulled her dark hood atop her head; she spared a look at Aleksa before creeping out onto the balcony and disappearing over the rusted railing.

 A heavy sigh forced its way out of Aleksa's pursed lips and though she garnered the attention of Kaz, Jesper and Arken, she spared them no mind as she hauled herself to her feet and padded over to the cluttered vanity. Empty jars and small metal trays littered the chipped oak wood and though Aleksa would have pottered throughout what was left behind, she simply flattened the frizz of her hair and brought her nose to a bottle of perfume.

 She sniffed once, hummed, and spritzed a pump or two over her chest before placing it back and heading through the door they'd entered through.

 The tell-tale sound of Kaz's cane erupted behind her, each clunk heavy and dull against the matte wood that had been thoroughly scuffed over time. Each stair creaked and shuddered as Aleksa hopped down and she spared a hostile look towards the innkeeper who was still fingering through the stack of money with an infatuated look on his face.

 "Have a lovely day." The innkeeper called, though his voice was distant in his daze of Fjerdan notes.

 "I hope you don't." Aleksa sang with a honeyed voice, one that could rot an entire jaw.

 Still, her skin burned at the thought of the damn innkeeper selling out a Grisha for an extra handful of notes; Aleksa wasn't a naive woman, no, she had grown out of believing in hope and kindness. She knew people were nothing more than hosts of greed and desire... Yet even despite that, she had hoped that there could be some people left who would choose humanity over hunger.

 The Shadow Summoner didn't even blink as a flurry of darkness landed before her, hardly making a sound for she was far too used to Inej sneaking through her own window to be caught off guard these days.

 "All clear." The Wraith spoke, her voice muffled from the fabric that obscured half of her face. Still, even with her lips and nose blocked from sight, it was easy to see the divot between the Wraiths brows, a deep line settled into her head as she observed Aleksa tapping her foot away on the blades of grass that already seemed to be struggling to grow.

 Kaz bypassed them all, his mind running a mile a minute... Or at least it was until Arken spoke again, "This seems like a reasonable juncture to abandon this whole Sun Summoner plan."

 Kaz paused and Aleksa rolled her eyes as she faced Arken; if there was anything to know about Kaz it was... Well, that he loved Kruge more than breathing, other than that, he was as stubborn as a mule and would see out their 'Sun Summoner plan' until the very end.

 And to be completely honest, Aleksa didn't quite like the thought of returning to Ketterdam empty-handed. She had already bruised her backside, expended her energy by flirting with her darling Dirtyhands, and mentally prepared herself for the likelihood of death and despair. What on earth would have been the point if they gave up now?

 Kaz was of the same mind, though not completely the same, of course. The hunger in his gut begged for Kruge, and begged even more for revenge on Pekka Rollins himself... But revenge always came at a steep price, one that the Bastard of the Barrel couldn't afford unless this job, and many more heists were completed.

 He clicked his tongue and threw a dark look over his shoulder, "Abandon? We're in this now and I know what a million Kruge means to me. What does it mean to you?"

 His eyes had shifted from Arken to Aleksa as he voiced his question; he could have thrown guesses as to what her answer would have been. For inej. For Jesper. For you... Perhaps that last one was just the stray thoughts of the young Rietvield within him making his resurgence once more.

 But Aleksa didn't answer.

 She didn't answer because she truly didn't know.

 The Grisha plucked the lapels of her coat between deft fingers and tugged the snug woollen material closer, breathing in that sharp scent Kaz always sported. She thought and she pondered for a moment. She was there for Inej, for Jesper and for Kaz. She knew the importance of the job and couldn't bring herself to stay behind whilst her darling crows threw themselves into the Fold... But what did she get out of it?

 The silence stretched on and became rather awkward as Kaz's hardened stare remained.

 "Freedom." inej piped up, her elbow jutting out to lightly hit Aleksa's arm.

 Jesper followed the Wraith's lead, a dazzling, if not dazed grin on his plump lips, "Fun... For at least a few months."

 "Retirement," Arken added, though none of the crows really spared him their attention.

 "Well?" Kaz prodded further, his eyes unrelenting against Aleksa's.

 She huffed and banished the thought within her mind, swatting away the fact that she had no idea what she was truly doing, nor what she wanted from the life she was living. It was like watching somebody turn the pages of a book, one page held one picture and the next an entirely different one.

 The frown on Aleksa's face erupted into a smile that displayed her pearly teeth, her eyes narrowed as her cheeks rose higher, flushed with pink, and by the light look of disdain that had graced Kaz's handsome face, he was very much able to pull apart her facade this time.

 Aleksa dropped her hold on the coat she donned and one hand waved in the air whilst the other twirled a strand of curled hair, "And if I said I'm coming along only to flirt with you, pretty boy?"

 Jesper's cheeks puffed out with contained laughter and Inej tucked her face further into the fabric that concealed her.

 Kaz only blinked, "I'd believe you."

 Even despite the fact that Kaz knew the answer he received from Aleksa was nothing more than a cover-up for whatever else she had been pondering throughout their conversation, he let it drop when he met her gaze and she averted her eyes; something she scarcely did.

 Instead, he brought his attention back to Arken, bitter coffee burning through the Conductor, "So it's settled then. We press on. You get us across the Fold and I'll handle the rest on the other side."

 "Fine," Arken's chubby fingers curled around the handle of his briefcase whilst his other hand dug around in his pocket. He looked almost apprehensive to share whatever contents were contained on the crumbled and torn paper, yet as he met Kaz's hardened stare once more, he sighed, "To cross the Fold I'll need twenty pounds of Alabaster coal, a pack of Majdaloun Jurda — not the kind from Kerch. It's too weak — and uh," Arken paused and his eyes slid to Jesper's gangly form.

 The Sharpshooter's hands were drifting too and fro over his pearly pistols, a gentle caress as though they were the most delicate things in the world; he was completely unaware of the look Areken had given him.

 The Conductor shook his head, "And a goat." The silence stewed for a second as the crows shared a minute look; both Jesper and Inej seemed somewhat baffled whilst Kaz paused, blinked, and settled again. Aleksa had grinned. "Now, we meet in the dead of night. There's a wreckage of a Skiff northeast on the edge of town. So," He looked at Kaz, "Who gets what?"

 "Inej," Kaz began, his eyes flicking to the wraith though he remained entirely still, "Jurda. I'll get the goat —"

 "— I wanna get the goat." Aleksa interrupted with a whine, her lips tugging into a perfect frown whilst her eyes glistened beneath the sun. Kaz perfectly well knew that she was prompting him towards a trap, yet couldn't bring himself to skirt around it.

 He rolled those beautifully bitter eyes, "We'll get the goat. And Jesper..." Kaz stepped forth, twigs and leaves creaking and cracking beneath his heavy and uneven gait. A shadow passed over his face, "Just the coal, no detours."

 Jesper, as ever unafraid within the face of danger, just smiled and swiped the money from Kaz's gloved finger, sure to avoid touching him. He pocketed the notes and bounced on the balls of his feet, long and slender fingers tapping at his forehead in a salute, "Got it, boss."

 Aleksa almost grimaced at the sight of money between Jesper's greedy little fingers; there was absolutely no doubt within her mind that the money would soon be spent over rolling dice and crumpled cards. She loved her Sharpshooter, she really did, but handing him money and telling him not to gamble was like handing a lollipop to a child and telling them not to slobber all over it. A recipe for disaster, really.

 Though on Kaz's part, perhaps it was yet another test. Kaz Brekker was not known to be a trusting man and even his Crows knew that well. There were small details in his heists that might not have made sense; such as telling Inej to do something morally wrong, telling Jesper not to waste his funds on an hour of fun, or even telling Aleksa not to flirt with somebody... Each point was something that Kaz knew neither of his Crows could accomplish... But he'd ask it of them anyway only to make a point.

 Aleksa, while knowing they'd likely meet Jesper hours later with a lack of Alabaster coal in his hands, brushed the thought aside. They'd find some way to make it work, or Kaz would... He was a slimy thing and always got his way, though so did she.

 She bounced on the tips of her toes and teetered towards Kaz, "Can we go and get the goat now?"

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11-05-2022

don't forget to let me know what you think; and remember that i now require a particular number of comments and feedback before i consider releasing the next part (this is just to ensure people remain engaged and supportive, as well as to allow me to see what you all enjoyed most!)