Bound Together

IV

Once outside, she went to the door of the crow club finding Jesper twirling his guns and admiring himself in the mirror.

"Back at it again Jesper?" Lanying asked

"Woah! How did you--"

"Where's Inej?" Lanying asked 

"Summoned by the Menagerie." Jesper said

"What about me?" Lanying asked

"Inej told me to tell you that Tante Heleen asked for you too."

"Well then, I should go see if Tante Heleen wants anything from me." Lanying walked off towards the West Stave towards the place she never wanted to set foot in again.

When Lanying reached the door of the Menagerie, there was a girl standing at the door, "If you're back for work, get changed."

Lanying rolled her eyes. She did not want to be back for work.  As Lanying walked in, she was spotted and escorted to Tante Heleen's parlour. Tante Heleen looked up from her papers, "Serpent, there you are." Tante Heleen stood up, her signature diamond choker and her hair piece shaped like a peacock glittering in the light. A cigarette between her fingers. "Go on." She demanded gesturing to the tray

Lanying moved towards the tray pulling out her throwing knife from a hidden holster in her skirt. Then from the other, her dagger. This particular dagger had been a gift from Kasper when he took her out from the Menagerie.

"Come, come. Sit." Heleen waved her hand as soon as Lanying placed the dagger onto the tray.

Lanying sat down in the chair, memories of her first night here flooded back.

"Let us talk business." Tante Heleen began.

"I work for Kasper Brekker now." Lanying cut her off

"That's not entirely true." Tante Heleen quipped. "Mr. Brekker still owes fifteen more installments on you."

"Regardless. I'm on a job." Lanying insisted.

"So I hear. A little bird. Some business across the water. Far east, yes? Inej was here not too long ago as well. Same job, yes?"

Lanying remained silent.

"I've a got an important question for you. Do you want to go with him?" Lanying looked up at Tante Heleen. "Because you know you can't leave town without my permission, so...If you want to leave, you must be paid in full."

"That's too much. Kasper doesn't have that." Lanying said

"I'm not concerned with what he has, but like I told Inej, I like what the two of you have." Tante Heleen said. "She has her blades and the shadows. You have your powers and must I say, a very good dancer." Lanying still started at Tante Heleen. "Inej is off on a job for me paying off her indenture. But you, still owe me quite a bit before you may leave."

"What must I do to break my indenture?"

"Become my serpent again. Just for tonight. Draw in the patrons and I will set you free."

"just like that?"

"Just like that."

Lanying nodded and stood up

"Oh, Serpent?" Tante Heleen's voice rang out once more.

Lanying turned around to face her once more.

"There's a couple girls on the second floor in the big lounge that would require your services to let's say... stitch them back up."

Lanying said nothing and turned around making her way out of the parlour and to the lounge on the second floor where she fixed the cuts and lashes on three girls. Lanying was unsure of what they had done to provoke Tante Heleen's anger nor did she want to know.