The exception ° Six of crows

Chapter six

I met him at a time in my life when I was scared, alone. - Hayley Marshall, The originals "A Spirit Here That Won't Be Broken" (4x11)

Once they were on deck, Inej squeezed his arm to get him to halt. She tilted her head back, breathing deeply. It was a stone grey day, the sea a bleak slate broken up by whitecaps, the sky pleated with thick ripples of cloud. A hard wind filled the sails, carrying the little boat over the waves.

"It feels good to be this kind of cold," she murmured.

"This kind?"

"Wind in your hair, sea spray on your skin. The cold of the living."

"Two turns around the deck," Nina warned. "Then back to bed." She went to join Wylan at the stern. It didn't escape Jesper that she'd moved to the point on the ship furthest from Matthias.

"Have they been like that the whole time?" Inej asked, looking between Nina and the Fjerdan.

Jesper nodded. "It's like watching two bobcats circle each other."

Inej made a little humming noise. "But what do they mean to do when they pounce?"

"Claw each other to death?"

Inej rolled her eyes. "No wonder you do so badly at the tables."

Jesper steered her towards the rail, where they could make an approximation of a promenade without getting in anyone's way. "I'd threaten to toss you into the drink, but Adelaine is watching and Kaz is watching her. She'd get upset and then he'd kill me."

Inej nodded. She didn't look up to where Kaz stood beside Specht at the wheel. But Jesper did and gave him a cheery wave. Kaz's expression didn't change.

"Would it kill him to smile every once in a while?" Jesper asked.

Just after the words passed his lips Adelaine said something that caused Kaz lips to twitch and a chuckled escaped his throat.

"Appearntly not," said Inej.

"Inej is back on her feet," Adelaine told Kaz with a happy smile on her face. "Isn't that great?"

Kaz nodded, his face stoic as always. "Yes, now the mission can go on as planned."

A disbelieving look crossed her face, mouth opening slightly. "Is that all you care about? The mission?"

"And you." His response was instant.

The disbelieving look that had been on the blonde's face turned into a face of pure adoration, eyes practically turning into hearts.

"You are so sweet," she cooed.

Kaz chuckled, his lips twitching upward. "I think you're the only person in the world that believes that."

Adelaine took a step closer, face only inches away from his as a teasing grin appeared on her face. "Well, that is because you act like an angry kitten to everyone else."

"I don't behave like an angry kitten."

"Well, right now you look like a grumpy kitten."

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It took two days after she emerged from the surgeon's cabin for Kaz to make himself approach Inej. She was sitting by herself, legs crossed, back to the hull of the ship, sipping a cup of tea.

Kaz limped over to her. "I want to show you something."

"I'm well, thank you for asking," she said, looking up at him. "How are you?"