𝐖𝐀𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒 ↦ Kaz Brekker

xxiii. leather gloves

"Malkus will have told them," Stasiaj replied sitting in the boat as they pushed out onto the sea and began back to the port. "He was following us."

"Was he?" Kaz huffed, rowing them back towards the shore. "The tunnels. You use them to get around?"

"Yes," Stasiaj murmured, happy to have her mind off of her current unfortunate state. "It's safer and gets my vipers everywhere under the city."

Kaz hummed, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"That's a scheming face if ever I saw one," Stasiaj murmured. "What's on your mind?"

"We could use it when we get Inej," He replied. "Inej will be with me..."

"You go to an alleyway, hop into the tunnels and you're gone," She nodded. "That could work."

"It would keep Inej safe and then we could meet up at another point," Kaz replied, before nodding at her. "It's a plan."

They fell into silence, before a thought occurred to Stasiaj, causing the girl to snort.

"What?"

"I had an idea. A stupid idea," Kaz raised an eyebrow. "If I am a royal, surely there's a reward for sending me back to Ravka."

"You're not going back," Kaz replied as Stasiaj waved her hand.

"No, no. What happens if you took me back, got the money and then picked me up that night so that we could go back to Ketterdam?" Stasiaj replied, leaning her head into the leather gloves, a smile forming on her face. "You'd probably get a royal reward."

"You'd be up for stealing from your own family?" Kaz asked, holding back laughter as he watched her.

"They didn't look for me," She shrugged. "If they are royal, surely they'd have enough resources to find me. But they didn't, so I don't care anymore. Plus, I can't think of anything worse than being stuck in Ravka as a princess, not when I've got you and the vipers back here. Who needs to be a princess when you're already queen?"

Kaz chuckled, shaking his head as they moored and climbed out of the boat.

"Ask me again after we've taken down Van Eck and I might say yes," He replied, as Stasiaj opened a manhole cover and dropped down into it, Kaz following her. "But it sounds like the start of a half decent plan."

"Half-decent?" She asked, a grin slowly forming back on her face. "Excuse me, Crow Man, that plan is far better than half-decent. It's a great plan."

"I'll think of something better," He replied, as they appeared back in the basement. The vipers were mostly asleep, curled up in their beds. Some were hugging teddy bears, others hugging siblings as Stasiaj and Kaz crept through them silently, heading up the stairs back into the den. "Are you going to be alright if I leave you here?"

"Hopefully," She murmured in response, before quickly pulling his gloves back off, looking at her hands. They were pale, with raised scratches from her nails. "I'll sleep down with the vipers."

"But you'll be there tomorrow?"

"I'll send Malkus to come and fetch you," Stasiaj smiled at him. "But I'll be in position in the tunnels. I want to see Inej back with us."

"Good," Kaz turned to walk out, his cane clicking on the tiles. 

"Wait, Kaz," The boy turned, his eyes wide as Stasiaj held the gloves out to him. "Thank you for everything. For helping me with Hardy, for keeping me somewhat sane, for stopping me from scratching my skin off, for..."

"Maybe I should charge for my services," He joked gently, his words hushed as he looked at Stasiaj's sincere expression. "Get some of my money back off you."

"You have to give me the money first,"

"And the snake,"

"And the snake," Stasiaj replied, placing the gloves in his pale hands and watching as he did them up swiftly. "See you tomorrow, Crow Man."

"Goodnight, Princess," He teased, a glint in his eyes as Stasiaj shooed him from her home, watching his disappear into the shadows with a small smile on her face. Closing the door, Stasiaj leant against it before pressing her hand to her mouth and letting out a muffled scream.

She wasn't sure whether it was from annoyance about the bizarre answers she had gotten from Hardy, or whether it was due to Kaz. But the smile that appeared on her face after told Stasiaj that it was due to her Crow Man.

Shaking her head, Stasiaj pulled her fangs from her hair, before disappearing upstairs to rid herself of the sand ridden dress and the brine that coated her skin, all the while her brain drifted back to Kaz and her unknown family.

∘☽༓☾∘

Hiya,

Kas and Stasiaj are both sweethearts and if anyone ever wants to edit them, Getaway Car by Taylor Swift is their ship song in my opinion (if there are other ship songs that you think fit them, let me know). Also, he gave her his gloves and I'm squealing about.

Funny story, didn't realize that people hadn't seen that plot twist last chapter coming, which is kind of funny, but glad everyone enjoyed it and your comments made me laugh.

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx