The Devil's in the Wind

Chapter Thirty-Four

              Natalia knew how much pain Kaz had to be in, but she couldn't find it in herself to try and help him clean up his face. She had to get to Inej before she left for the embassy. She found her in one of the bedrooms getting prepared for her trek to the embassy.

   'Here,' Nat said, handing Inej her contract.

   Inej took the paper hesitantly and her face morphed to disbelief the second she read it. Natalia couldn't help but smile as Inej pulled her into a tight hug.

   'How?' Inej asked.

   'Kaz,' Nat said. 'I think he did it for me, though. Selfish man and everything.'

   'Did something happen?' Inej asked. 'Between you two?'

   Natalia felt herself smile. 'He tried. We both tried. Too broken for each other, too addicted to leave.'

   Inej smiled. 'I thought I had the Suli proverbs.'

   'It's annoying,' Natalia scoffed. 'Life is annoying. Let's get the plan in motion so we can get our ship, yeah?'

   Inej smiled and nodded.

---

   When Natalia went back to the sitting room, she went towards the bathroom Kaz was in. His nose was broken, he had a split lip, one eye swollen shut. At least one rib was broken, and Natalia was sure there was probably something else in his body that was messed up. Natalia leaned on the doorway and Kaz looked at her through the mirror.

   'Why did you follow me?' he asked.

   Natalia rolled her eyes. 'You would've followed me just the same. I didn't get in the way, I just observed.'

   Kaz sighed. 'You were a distraction.'

   'Oh, yeah, maybe if I hadn't been there, you would've only broken your ribs instead of them and your nose.'

   'I don't need your criticism right now.'

   'It's not criticism it's worry, you prick.'

   Kaz turned around fast, and Natalia could just see his wince. 'It worked, alright? That makes this a good day. Go bother Jesper with your worry but I don't want it.'

   Natalia was quiet for a second. 'Do you need any help?'

   Kaz looked taken aback by the words. 'No, I don't. I—I can't.'

   'Okay,' Nat whispered. 'Inej just left, she'll be back in an hour or so.'

   Kaz nodded and slowly turned back toward the sink. Natalia stood there for a second before sighing and turning back toward the sitting room. She sat down next to Jesper with another sigh. Jesper looked at her and then threw his arm around her. She relaxed into his embrace.

   'How is our guy?' Jesper asked.

   Natalia huffed. 'He's Kaz Brekker. He's a pain in the ass and I hate him.'

   Jesper laughed. 'Right, of course. And I hate Wylan.'

   Natalia shared a smile with Jesper before listening to Nina drill Colm on his cover story. Everyone sat there waiting for Inej. Kaz came out of the bathroom at some point but still looked beaten up and tired. A little more than an hour later, Inej slipped into the room and handed Kaz a note. It was late afternoon by this point and the windows of the suite were ablaze with buttery gold light.

   'Are they coming?' asked Nina.

   Inej nodded. 'I gave your letter to the guard at the door, and it did the trick. They brought me directly to two members of the Triumvirate.'