The Phoenix Summoner (ON HOLD)

41

"Is this all we have left?" Inej asked in astonishment. The 3 Crows plus Anya all stood around an old cart in the barn. Anya furrowed her eyebrows with her arms crossed over her chest as she examined the belongings which consisted of the few coins they had left and both halves of Kaz's broken Kane. Inej groans softly beside Anya, pressing her hand against her throbbing wound.

Anya steady's Inej and leads her to sit against one of the heigh bails. They all looked at Inej worryingly as Anya gently lifts the fabric of Inej's shirt up, inspecting the deep gash.

"Jesper, hand me Inej's bag." Anya said. As the young man in question handed Anya the bag his gaze caught a glimpse of the cut causing him to gag in disgust.

"It's not healing on its own. I need to stitch it." Anya announces taking a needle and thread out of Inej's bag. The almond haired girl shot Inej a sympathetic glance before pinching her skin together and inserting the needle.

"How long before she can travel?" Kaz asked.

"Not long." Inej states squinting her eyes in pain while Anya threads her skin. "Where?"

"Ketterdam." They all looked at him in surprise. Though Anya had just reconcile with him, she could tell he wasn't the type of person to just give up. His eyes flickered between his fellow Dregs and Anya, a sorrowful look on his face.

"Between our dwindling funds, lack of time and conflicting interests, it's time we cut our losses." Kaz turns on his heel and exits the barn leaving Jesper and Inej to ponder his words.

"I guess the Bastard misses the Barrel." Jesper sighs. His gaze falls back on the two girls in front of him. Anya inserts the needle again causing Jesper to groan in repugnance.

"You can watch a bullet tear through a man, but a needle's too much?" Inej asks .

"It...Yeah, well, you see, bullets are bam, in and out. That's...That's just..." He gulps at the sight of some of the dried blood around her wound. Inej grunts in pain, focusing on Anya's attentive expression.

"Thank you. You didn't have to this, but I am grateful. I'm use to having to take care of it myself, it feels weird to have someone who's willing to do it for me." Anya smiles gently to which Inej returns the gesture.

"Where'd you learn?" Inej asked curiously.

"It was mandatory in the Little Palace for all Grisha to learn, just in case there was no healer around. What about you?"

"When I was at the Menagerie." She replies with a heavy breath.

"Why would you...Oh, that's dark." Inej looks back up at Jesper.

"Which is why I can't go back."

"If you told Kaz that story, I think he'd murder Heleen himself." He jokes lightly. Anya, knowing exactly what Inej was trying to explain looks over her shoulder to address him.

"Jesper, you don't understand. She can't go back." Anya knew exactly what the young Suli girl was going through. She had spent countless nights consulting and comforting Genya to know why Inej can't go back. A look of realization washes onto his face as he looked at Inej with a solemn expression. Anya finishes up Inej's stitches and begins to cover the wound with a bandage.

"Well, I was... I was going to tell you to trust Kaz and that he'd never let you go back, but... I don't have the right to tell you what you should do with your shot at freedom." Anya finished and helped Inej to her feet. Inej smiles sadly, though truly touched by his words.

"You make this a lot harder, you know." Jesper shrugs sending Inej a sweet smile in return.

"I know. I'd miss me, too." Both girls chuckled. Anya was glad that Inej had someone like Jesper in her life. Though it may not seem like it on the exterior, it was obvious that Jesper cared for Inej like a sister.

"I'm fantastic."