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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" I'm too young to die, "
- W.V.E
"RELEASE THE PRISONER, Kuwei Yul-Bo. Put down your weapons and step away from the tank." The pair shared tortured glances through exhausted eyes.
"We hold the fort," Natasha said, looking at Kaz's tranquil face. He was playing with the slits in his gloves, ostensibly amused by the situation playing out in front of them.
The others nodded through distressed expressions. "I'm too young to die," Wylen sobbed from beside Jesper. The Zemeni still had his thumb coaxed into the trigger of the tank's guns.
Matthias turned towards Wylen with a scowl, looking to hit him across the back of the head. "Stop crying," Matthias hissed. "They won't risk hurting, Kuwei,"
Natasha nodded, her fixed smile falling. "Never mind," She said glumly. "They won't need to,"
Through the crowd, a heartrender was shifting forward. His hair was buzzed against his forehead like Kuwei, his brown eyes dilated and swelling in its socket. His red kefta was torn down the front, the embroidery peeling.
He was being kept away from the eyes of the Ravkan soldiers, forced towards the left. "He's a heartrender," Wylen moaned, digging his forehead into Jesper's chest. Jesper tucked his arms around Wylen, giving him a good shake.
"You won't die, Merchling," Jesper said with a wink. He thumbed the waistband of his trousers, presenting an arsenal of small guns and bullets. "I'll promise you that,"
"He's far away," Nina spoke. She watched the Ravkan guards, advancing from the opposite side. "The Frejdans don't want them to see that they've got a heartrender. It would break their reconciliation,"
"Just because we show them whoever the hell that poor man is, doesn't mean they're any less willing to fill us with bullets," Alessia snapped. She wriggled free from beneath the dome, kicking her legs across the side of the tank.
"But you're Grisha," Matthias pointed out. "Don't they like preserving their kind,"
Natasha sniffed, knuckling her eyelids. "You make it sound like we're animals, Helvar. Besides, the king is here," Nina craned her neck through the top of the crowd. "To him, we are traitors of the country, and that's just professional terms,"
"The Ferolind," Inej mumbled, looking towards the schooner. Rotty was below deck, a small light shimmering through the circular window. He was fast asleep in his coat, oblivious of the party roaring outside. "It's so close," The Wraith looked close to tears.
With the help of Nina, Natasha climbed up to sit beside Alessia and Inej. "I haven't got a plan," Natasha said modestly. She ignored Wylen and Nina's expectant gaze, looking into her lap. "We're going to die and it's all my fault,"
