Show Wesper meet

Part 23

Wylan's POV:

"Is that the Lantsov family crest?" Wylan leaned in to get a better look at the paper in Nina's hand. He couldn't make out the scrawl of lettering across the sheet but the emblem was one he recognised for its lavish arched wings.

"You know it is, 'cause it's hideous." Nina said, with a pointed look at the scowling Zoya across the table.

Tension in the room was high. Kaz sat there in his usual glaring silence. Nina had clear history with the woman before her. Inej was nowhere to be found. 

Tolya tried to cut through the unease, "Prince Nikolai requests your services to retrieve and deliver the Nisheyenya to Alina Starkov, in East Ravka."

"She's returned?"

Zoya nodded, "As has the Darkling, with an indestructible army of shadow monsters."

Suddenly, everything seemed too real, and the nagging thought in the back of Wylan's head resurfaced. What am I doing here?

Taking down Pekka Rollins was one thing, but the Darkling? Every day felt like a step further into the world of the dregs. His head began to swim as the doubt slowly crept further through him. What am I doing here?

Jesper didn't seem particularly fond of the idea either. "I do not like the sound of that."

 He took a large swig of a drink he was holding, and Wylan wished he has something similar to steady his hands, but Kaz was already looking off into the distance, already plotting something, and at the same time, Wylan found himself curious to find out what he was thinking.

"She needs the blade to kill them," Zoya continued, "it's the only thing that might work."

Tolya nodded in agreement, "Retrieve the blade and the prince will pay you whatever you ask."

Whatever they ask. With Kaz that was sure to be no small price. Wylan let himself imagine it for a moment- a life he could finally make for himself. Honest and free of past. A fresh start. But wasn't he already in far too deep to back out of this life now? His acceptance into the world dregs was already a debt he would struggle to repay- and besides, the company, he decided, wasn't half bad. 

His gaze flitted to Jesper, who drained his glass with a grin.

" I do like the sound of that." There was a small twinkling in his eye.

Zoya gave a half-nod "and I assume same goes for you?" and looked to Kaz, his face still bruised and red from the previous night. Nina could have fixed the scarring quite easily, but it seemedto Kaz to be a factor of intimidation, only adding to his usual callous exterior.

"I'd welcome the chance to help your prince spend his countries money." he said, the ghost of a smirk flickering across his face.

"I don't need Kruge, I need to get someone out of Hellgate." Nina cut in, "the Lantsovs, they must be able to pull strings with the Kerch government."

At this, Zoya gave a coy smile. "for a certain Fjerdan?"

Nina's gaze shot to the floor.

"He must be quite the slab of fur." Zoya said.

"The offer is the offer," Tolya looked back at Kaz. "And prince Nikolai is a man of his word."

"But we need to go now." Zoya warned, her tone icy.

Wylan could see the cogs turning in Kaz's mind as he weighed the situation. He was uneasy about it, yes, but in the end, it was Kaz's decision, and Wylan couldn't fight the small burst of intrigue at the prospect, despite  the danger it presented. Ghezen, maybe he was going mad.

"It's settled." Kaz finally decided.

"We're in."

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Author's note:

Sorry this is so late, i've been dealing with a mix of stress and a bit of burnout with my writing at the minute but I'll try to keep updating.