The five crows went outside the crow club, the first stop was a brothel on the west stave. Inej thought she had a lead there.
"Tell us how to safely cross the Fold." Kaz demanded
"The Fold?" The brothel owner, a lady, said incredulously. "If I knew safe passage through that, I'd be wealthier than the whole Merchant Council."
"You told me you brought in girls from Os Alta. The other side." Inej insisted
"Yeah. The hard way. Lost a few to those damn volcra, too." The lady retorted
Next was Jesper's turn. His stop was to an alleyway and person there.
"Nah, there's no trick to it except how it makes people disappear from time to time." the man said
"I heard you bragging of a way to make a path." Jesper said
"I was taking kruge from a tourist. A little lie." The man revealed. Then said, "The Fold keeps those Ravkan bastards and their Grisha attack dogs in check. Can you imagine how dangerous it would be if it wasn't there?"
Kaz led us to a boxing arena where he met with a Fjerdan right before he was about to enter the ring.
"Just go around." The Fjerdan said
"It stretches all the way north to the Fjerdan border." Kaz said
"Ja. So go to Fjerda. March through the permafrost." the Fjerdan agreed
"How long would that take?" Kaz asked
"From here? Four months. Maybe five." The Fjerdan responded
"We don't have that kind of time." Kaz argued
"Either you take your time or you take your chances." The Fjerdan said as the boxing bell rang, he mimed a few punches and walked off.
Once they got back to the crow club, they took up seats in a booth far away from any prying ears of the gamblers. Jesper had his feet upon on the table as he held a tumbler of kvas, Kaz twirled his cane, Inej twisted one of her knives on the table, Kasper was sharpening his Dirk, and Lanying was tapping her fingers against her ceramic mug filled with tea.
"Here's what I don't get." Jesper said breaking the silence.
"We're going to be here all night." Inej retorted sarcastically
"Rude." Jesper shot back.
"Why haven't they tried going under it? Just dig a tunnel." Jesper continued
"Tried that. More than a century ago." Kasper said looking up from sharpening his blade
"Something... heard them digging." Kaz revealed monotnously
"It was made hundreds of years ago by that crazy Grisha..." Jesper said
"The Black Heretic." Lanying supplied
"The one who controls shadow. They've got one in their army now." Jesper said. "General Kirigan?"
"Your point?" inej pried
"If one of his kind made it, can't he unmake it?" Jesper reasoned
"Have you ever put out fire by adding more fire?" Inej sarcastically queried
"Then what's the opposite?" Jesper inquired
"A Sun Summoner." Inej replied
"Right, then, one of those." Jesper insisted
"Doesn't exist." Kaz and Kasper retorted
"Doesn't exist, yet." Inej insisted looking meaningfully at the brothers.
YOU ARE READING
Bound Together
FanfictionWhat bound them together? Greed? Desperation? Was it just the knowledge that if one or all of them disappeared tonight, no one would come looking? - Leigh Bardugo, Six of Crows In which the crows have two extra members, Lanying Kir-Zhengyi and Kasp...
