𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐬 ⎜𝘬. 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘬𝘬𝘦𝘳 ━━ UNDER MAJOR EDITING

xviii. 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴

"Dara?"

"Hm?"

When Jesper doesn't answer, she opens her eyes, finding Jesper glancing between Kaz, Inej, and her. Dara glances back, finding Inej studying her papers as Kaz gets his belongings ready.

"You knew about Inej and I...looking into you, correct?"

Dara nods, "what about it?"

"You found a file, didn't you?"

Dara never shared that detail. It was a redacted file, mostly all Dara already knew about her father and mother.

Jesper shifts, lowering his voice, "Kaz told me to put it there. I asked him why due to the fact that you could have easily found it since he trusts you in his desk. He didn't give me an answer. I did what I was told, and then Kaz never spoke to me about your history again."

Dara confusion laces, "Jesper, what are you getting at?"

"I don't think Kaz and Inej ever stopped looking. I think they found something. And...they kept it from you..."

Dara looks back to Inej and Kaz, both speaking about the papers, as she looks back to Jesper, "how do you know this?"

"I overheard them talking the night Inej was supposed to leave. Inej made him swear too, um, tell you the truth."

Dara feels that sense of deflating hope enter her once more, trying to grasp a concept as to why they would keep this from her. She slightly understood, for if they had more questions than answers, Dara would drive herself mad, but if they had something solid shouldn't she know too?

Dara nods to Jesper, "thank you for telling me. I promise not to get you into trouble."

"I think I know why Kaz took me off."

"Why?"

Jesper looks to her, tilting his head with a soft smile, "as if I could ever keep anything from you."

Dara hugs Jesper, Jesper hugging her back as they do a sort of starfish dance, Dara giggling as Jesper chuckles. It turns into a dance, Jesper being dramatic about it as Dara joins in their playful game.

Inej looks to them, smiling before she glances to Kaz with a worried look, but all she sees is the man being soft about the experience. The only man Kaz Brekker trusts with Dara Leovolt is Jesper Fahey.

Jesper finishes with a twirl, kissing Dara's hand as she curtsey's, laughing softly as they both turn to the table, Inej applauding...and Kaz nodding to them both.

Dara goes back, grabbing her papers from the desk as Kaz rises from his seat, a little close as Dara holds her breath, swallowing hard, "didn't know you could dance."

"You mean dance properly." Dara takes the paper softly from Kaz's hand. "Of course not. This is the only time I ever danced sober."

Kaz shakes his head, Dara winking to him until she sees the sadden features laced onto his face, Dara's eyes following Kaz's hand onto his knee, Dara's heart growing soft for his current state.

Dara then smiles again, "would you teach me more? In the future?"

"I didn't think you were blind to forget I support a cane."