No Mourners | Kaz Brekker x Oc

02. The million Kruge job

—Crow Club, Ketterdam—

The sound of the door being locked made Valencia look up from her nails a moment before Kaz strolled into the room.

"So, what'd you tell him?" the girl broke the silence from her place on his bed, while he began to take off his jacket.

"The usual,"with that a silence settled between the two, which was disrupted by Valencia once again speaking up.

"Do you remember, what I told you that night, when I came back?" Kaz perked up at her words turning so his body was facing her, while her eyes remained fixed on his gloveless hands which shook slightly.

Of course he remembered the day that Valencia showed up in the crow club an hour after closing, drenched to the bone by Ketterdam's downpour. Kaz couldn't send her away, even if he had wanted to. His heart hadn't let him. That night a lot of things were revealed between the two of them and a lot of things remained secret.

"I meant it. I'll help you if you. I won't fix you but I'll be there every step of the way,"Valencia added her eyes moving to his face. Fighting the urge to reach out and hug him, she crossed her legs and began playing with the fabric of her dress.

"I'd like to try it some time... but I can't promise you anything," Kaz answered her after a bit of hesitation. His voice shook slightly at he thought of touching another human and he could feel his hands begin to tremble.

That night a few years ago the young woman had offered Kaz to help him overcome his fear of touch, as she was the person he was most comfortable with when it came to contact. Maybe it was because she had always been there or maybe it was because she seemed to be the only thing that hadn't died with Kaz Ritveld in that harbor. And it brought him some sense of comfort that even if she had been gone for a few years, she seemed unable to be erased from his life. 

The bastard of the barrel turned back to the mirror, not wanting Valencia to notice his fear. Showing fear meant weakness and even though he had known the brunette all his life, he couldn't bring himself to show her weakness in that moment. 

"Hello Inej," Valencia called in a cheery tone, when she sensed the new arrival. Not a second later the Suli girl walked into the room, pulling down the mask to reveal her radiant caramel skin. Valencia stood from her seat and pulled the other girl into a hug, raindrops meeting her upon contact with the wraith.

"What information do you have for me tonight?" Kaz questioned, his back turned to the girls while he washed his hands.

"A lead on a job. A big one. Enough money to change lives,"

"It doesn't take much to change someone's life in the Barrel,"

"Unless you're us," Valencia mumbled looking at her expensive dress.

She wasn't wrong. Most people in the barrel were either beggars, worked at the pleasure houses or criminals and as a criminal you could only make a lot of money if you were good at your job. And the crows were exceptional in their line of work, Valencia's power giving them somewhat of an advantage.

After realizing that the others were staring at her she said, "Not the point, moving on!"

"A million kruge?", Inej smirked. Kaz posture straightened as he asked Inej for the name.

"Dreesen. A wealthy merchant," The bastard repeated the name, while Valencia searched her mind for the name and any information on it.

"I've heard of him,"Kaz nodded, "He could afford it."