Present
Fuck. The scheming scum holding the reigns of the menagerie was, loathe as she was to admit it, as intelligent as she were cruel. For, who else was the spider's target other than the conductor himself? Fuck indeed.
"Inej. You are sure this is what you want, da?"
The suli girl almost growled out her response.
"Heleen says he traffics in children to the brothels, the white orchid. He is a slaver. "
"I'm well aware that those are the rumours. You know I want your freedom and on your terms Inej, but Heleen plans ahead. The last thing I want is to cause some lover's spat between you and Crow Boy."
Slightly cowed, the shadow eased her stance just a touch. If Vieder felt Inej was threatening her position, her secrets- then she would hurt her - even with their affinity. No one would know that Vieder was the younger of the two with how heavily Inej trusted her advice.
"Probably," She begrudged, "but I will not take that chance. Anyway, you can take Brekker easily if you so wished. And lovers' spats don't exist here, you know that." Ghafa did not believe in pretty lies, only ugly truths- the foundation of their camaraderie.
"I'm not yours to command Inej."
It was a statement ringing with a bedrock of warning. She did this for her friend's consideration. Never get complacent with another persons' worst fear; that is the path to a grim death indeed.
The Suli smiled grimly, accepting the burden she would weigh down his disposal with on her conscience, a burden of stones sunk into an inky pool of not quite regret but neither satisfaction.
"You know, I sometimes wonder if I signed my death teaching you, Ghafa."
A warm ringing laugh of choral bells in rural worship houses.
"Fair assassin, you are too good for that. And I, too charming. Besides, you didn't teach me everything."
Vieder just rolled her eyes. "spoilsport."
Inej wasn't charming, not in her eyes anyway, but rather an amalgation of uncertain draughts swirled together into a brew of potent want. Sheer, brazen want. Not broken, Vieder told her - never broken, for to be broken is to let your narrative be writ as a victim, an inferior. Truth be told, Inej wondered if she would ever discover the true motive of the lion woman that day she was drawn to the bedroom of the lynx. However, confidence was everything in this godforsaken city. The second you faltered, you were rewarded with a dagger decorating the ribs.
The conductor's apartment was compact but cosy. A learned man with railroaded bookcases embedded into the walls - but for interest or business? The latter made the most sense. This was kerch after all.
Aforesaid traveller was average height, bronze skinned, and rugged in appearance. More importantly, he was pitifully lacking in self-defense. On Sankta Elizabeta's life, Inej and Ileska wondered how the fool was still alive, not lying guts out on the cobbled streets.
"Conductor."
He turned.
Two young women grew from the shade of the evening, appearing like spectral projections side by side.
Silence follows the shorter woman's greeting, a formal precedence to set affairs in motion. One quick elbow jab to the neck to incapacitate and one to the nose, for spite. Down and out, hand over hand, he was secured to one of his own chairs in an ironic jibe. Inej Ghafa takes the few minutes gained to rummage through the parchments, once categorised alphabetically, now strewn across the floor. Leaning against a door jamb, the devil of Ketterdam watches with an unforseen mirth in her deep eyes. An easy job for once, it may as well be a night off for the mafioso, though not a proper one until alcohol entered the equation.
YOU ARE READING
Better The Devil You Know (Zoya Nazyalensky)
Fanfiction"Isn't it funny. I'm enjoying my hatred so much more than I ever enjoyed love...hatred, now that's something you can use." - White Oleander, Janet Finch If Kaz Brekker was a demon, then she was the Devil incarnate. On that, all of Kerch agreed. Il...
