Natasha Van Doren is a shadow summoner. She bides her time and resides in darkness, feared and esteemed by Ketterdam's civilians, a ghost . She cons Kaz Brekker into joining a heist he can't refuse and with thirty million kruge on the line, the crow...
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NATASHA SMIRKED, the sun feeling exceptionally brighter. The wind faded into a teasing whisper, slithering against Kaz's skin. He was frustrated, betrayed and even exasperated. Kaz couldn't believe he had left Natasha to dupe him like that.
All over again, he was nine, sitting by Jordie's side. They hadn't shared a word, a forced smile. Jordie and Kaz sat on the threadbare rug doing their best to hold themselves together. The brothers had lost their money, their happiness, all to the welcoming arms of greed.
He was a fool.
Kaz scowled, pushing past Matthias. A hill was sloping forward. He wanted to push, someone off. Matthias had frozen in his step, stumbling back in the snow. "Don't look," Natasha was already peering over the ridge.
Her brows furrowed in disgust before her pleased smirk dropped into a horrified gasp. The other crossed to her side.
Alessia swore, clamping a hand over her mouth - before steering Inej out the way. Jesper turned away. Natasha heard Wylen vomiting in the corner. Kaz hadn't bothered to look over, his face rock hard. Nina cried out, the sparkle in her eyes gone like a fused spark.
Three iron stakes were buried beneath the snow, bloodied and rusted. Jesper moaned as he pointed out the three skewered bodies. They were charred like coals, the skin still bleeding with smoked embers.
"Who would do this?" Wylen croaked, rubbing his sleeve across his lips. His body was shaking, the clasp of his cloak falling undone.
"That is what Frejdans do to Grisha," Nina said quietly. Natasha watched as Kaz looked over the edge, a vein in his jaw clenching. The white snow painted with a canvas of blood. It was horrifying.
Nina's and Matthias argument fell silent in Natasha's ears. She was watching the bodies. Their shapes were unidentifiable. Their skin had been burnt to ash, their organs peeking through layers of pink flesh.
"Na," One body moaned. Kaz froze, looking towards Natasha.
"It's still alive," Jesper said, biting down hard on his knuckles.
The body was struggling, crawling towards Natasha. It knew her. "Ta,"
"What is it saying?" A sob ripped through Nina's throat as she fell onto her knees. "Someone please, put it out of its misery," Jesper reached towards his belt for a gun, but Kaz shook his head. "Someone will hear us," He rasped.
"Sha,"
"I'll go," Natasha slipped silently over the ledge, kneeling beside the body. She rested a single hand across their eyes. The person was short, the clothes unrecognisable through the ash.
