A Coin Has Two Sides (Season Two) || Kaz Brekker x OC

18. The Removal

Kaz had indeed known a place.

It was a large, abandoned barn sat on the opposite side of town, away from any other houses or markets.

There were holes rotted into the roof and walls leaving an unsteady wooden structure.

There were also still hay bales tucked onto one side which Tolya and Wylan chose to sit on knowing they were going to be of little help during this entire process.

Nina and Zoya were standing to either side of Winnie behind her shoulders, their hands ready to come to her aid.

Kaz and Jesper were standing to either side of her in line with her shoulders, Kaz to her right and Jesper to her left.

Inej had taken her own place directly in front of her, the Neshyenyer unsheathed and ready to be used.

Winnie stood in the centre of the large room, quite far away from the others in case her shadows would attempt to harm any of them.

She would be too preoccupied to have total control.

A part of her wanted everyone out except for Inej, but someone needed to be there to protect her too and eventually it was just best to have the entire crew on site.

There was the other obvious reason she wanted no one to be there.

She didn't know how the darkness would interact with each of them.

Would they be able to hear what it would say to her?

Would it begin taunting them too?

Would it threaten them?

She would just have to find out.

And time was tight, this needed to happen.

And she couldn't fail.

Not this time.

"There are a few things you should all know before I do this", Winnie said to everyone in the room.

"This isn't going to be pleasant to witness. I'll be in pain, a lot of it, but it's vital that none of you step in. No matter what I do or what I say you will all stay exactly where you are, and you will not make a sound", she continued sternly.

She saw looks of concern begin to wash over each of their faces.

"Another thing, I don't know how the darkness will involve any of you. But if I had to make a guess it will keep its focus on me. That is only if you don't intervene. I'll be too preoccupied to help any of you. Getting this out of me is my first priority. And the only two people in here who have the capability of controlling whatever will appear is me and Inej. Both of us can't shift our focus. So again, I'll stress to you all now how crucial it is that you stay out of it."

"Could it kill you?" Wylan asked from the side of the room.

"No. It needs me as a vessel. My grandmother once told me that it will do anything, say anything to keep me that way. It doesn't want to leave. It sees me as its home. So, I'll be alive at the end of all this no matter what."

"Any more questions?" Winnie added.

Silence.

"Great. Then let's do this", she said in a hushed tone as she tried to steady her breathing.

She hoped the valdrien she had smoked earlier would play some form of role in keeping it slightly calmer.

But before she could do anything, she needed to know the others would do as she said.

This was too important.

"I need you all to swear. Swear to me that you won't do anything, no matter what happens", she said out loud.