Kaz Brekker and his crew - criminals, thugs, murderers, the scum of the Barrel - they'd heard it all. But wanted by the Black Heretic was one they were eager to avoid at all costs.
It was a deal gone bad and now the Dregs are wanted by the most pow...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Kaz Brekker had stuffed up. It had been a spur of the moment decision, a word spoken in haste that drifted away on the wind, an agreement that had been settled in passing, but it had changed everything.
Kaz Brekker, the bastard of the Barrel, leader of the Dregs, most fearsome gang leader of Ketterdam, the one they called Dirtyhands, was currently on his knees with his hands behind his back and his own cane shoved beneath his chin, forcing him to look up at the man who had started it all.
General Kirigan.
Kaz strained so hard against the metal chains wrapped around his wrists that the veins in his neck popped out and his whole body shook. His eyes were glinting pools of black, reflecting the angry aura within that threatened to explode at any moment.
But his fighting only seemed to make Kirigan all the more amused. A smirk found it's way to Kirigan's face and a mocking guffaw to his lips.
"Oh dear, has the bastard finally found his match?" he tutted insincerely.
Kaz didn't move his eyes from Kirigan's for even one second. He dared not stand down, he dared not show any sign of weakness. For if it was Kaz's turn to die that night, he determined he would die with his head held high and his hands around the general's throat.
Kirigan seemed to know this was Kaz's thinking, however, for he removed the cane from beneath Kaz's chin with one fine flick and stepped away.
Kaz tried to hold in a grunt of pain as he swallowed. For the first time since he had obtained that cane years ago, he regretted bringing it that night. The sharp beak of the crow's head that crowned the top had already caused a deep, dark bruise to blossom across his skin.
Kaz narrowed his eyes in annoyance. He hated his men walking around looking like thugs, even worse, he hated looking like a thug. Now, after this, he would have to go see Nina and make sure no one, especially Inej, saw the bruises.
He steeled his jaw as he glowered at Kirigan. This man was going to pay for putting Kaz Brekker in chains and making him bow at his feet. One of these days, he would use that same cane to put a hole in the back of Kirigan's head and watch him bleed out on the floor.
Ever so slowly and tauntingly, Kirigan circled his prisoner, tapping the cane against the wooden floorboards. Almost uninterestingly he examined his gloved fingers and flexed them in front of his face as he walked.
"Kaz Brekker," he murmured with a shake of his head. "When are you ever going to learn? You can't outsmart the Black Heretic." A deep chuckle resounded throughout the room as the two men came face-to-face once more. "So, I'm going to ask you only once...did you or did you not kill Arken Visser this afternoon?"
"What is the point in me answering that if you already know?" Kaz hissed, spit flying with every word. "That man was worse than a traitor! He deserved what he got."
