𝐀 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃//𝐊𝐚𝐳 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐤𝐤𝐞𝐫

𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐕. (𝐑𝐨𝐖 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐨)

Heist

     They emerged from the tunnel in an unfamiliar part of the city, and Zoya wondered if Brekker was deliberately trying to disorient them. Brynn talked sometimes, mostly about random stuff. If she was telling them all Brekker's secrets, maybe Zoya would have been more interested.

"Kaz had the tunnels from the Crow Club installed to connect with the ones under the Crow Cafe not too long ago," she said, hand moving with her words. "When we found out about the ones under the Cafe, it was a coincidence, then we realized that tunnels leading to anywhere in the city was a genius idea. So we expanded them."

"This is the Geldin District," Nikolai murmured. "The favored neighborhood of wealthy merchants."

Leave it to Nikolai to have an accurate map in his head. It was as if they'd traveled to a different country, not a different part of town. The streets were tidy and lovely, all neat cobblestones and clean brick facades. Zoya noted the curtains in the windows, a woman walking home with her groceries, a housekeeper sweeping a stoop. Ordinary people, living ordinary lives. They did their shopping, ate their meals, lay down at night thinking of the health of their children or the work waiting to be done in the morning. Could they find a way to give this peace, this ease, to Ravka? Would there ever be a time when Grisha were free to choose their paths instead of living as soldiers. This girl seemed to be fighting for it just as much as they were.

They arrived at an elegant mansion with red tulips painted over the entry. Brekker rapped twice on the front door with the head of his cane.

Zoya recognized the young man who popped his head out—Jesper Fahey. They'd met him when they'd last been forced to work with Brekker's crew. He was brown-skinned and grey-eyed and wore his hair shaved close to the scalp. If memory served, he was some kind of expert sharpshooter.

"I'm not supposed to let you in," Jesper said.

Brekker seemed unperturbed. "Why not?"

"Because every time I do, you ask me to break the law."

A voice from behind Jesper said, "The problem isn't that he asks, it's that you always say yes."

Brynn frowned. "I'm allowed in, right?"

The same voice came again. "No. You always eat our food."

"I can't help myself, it's just so good."

"Don't you own a bakery?" asked Jesper.

"Exactly," said Brynn. "Good tastes recognize good tastes. And look who we brought!"

Jesper gazed at Nikolai. "The man with the flying ships. Come in! Come in!"

Jesper threw open the door, revealing a grand entryway and his shockingly bright combination of turquoise waistcoat and houndstooth trousers. The ensemble shouldn't have worked, but Zoya was forced to admit it did.