A Coin Has Two Sides (Season One) || Kaz Brekker x OC

14. She's Gone

"Not long. Hopefully as quickly as possible so we can get to Winnie before her father can do too much damage", Inej replied. "Where are we going?"

"Ketterdam", Kaz said, avoiding eye contact, knowing what his answer will be responded with.

"What?" Inej and Jesper both said at the same time.

"Between out dwindling funds, lack of time, conflicting interests, and no Winnie it's about time we cut our losses", he said before limping out of the barn to be on his own, leaving Inej and Jesper in shock.

"He isn't serious. Right?" Jesper said.

"He sounded pretty serious to me", Inej replied as she pulled out a needle and thread from her bag.

"We can't just leave Winnie here whilst she's with that monster", Jesper said.

"I know", Inej said, threading her needle through her skin.

Jesper gagged again causing Inej to mock him.

"Where did you even learn to do that?" he asked.

"When I was at the Menagerie. Winnie also taught me a few tips", Inej responded.

"Yeh, but why would you ..." he stopped as he realized what she was insinuating. "Oh, that's dark."

Inej nodded her head slightly.

"I think if you told Winnie that story, she'd murder Tante Heleen herself", Jesper said to ease the tension.

"Believe me, she's offered to. Which is why I won't leave her here", Inej said as the sewed her wound shut.

"But what can we do? The boss said –", Jesper started before Inej cut him off.

"Jesper, you're not hearing me. I'm not leaving her here", Inej said sternly.

Jesper gave her a knowing look.

Winnie had become Inej's closest friend during her time in the Barrel. Considering Inej's attraction to women and annoyance when she had learnt of Jesper and Winnie's one night stand, he had theorized that Inej may see her as more than just a friend.

But however Inej saw her, it didn't matter. She cared about her more than herself and so if she needed to stay here on her own to help her. She would.

"Not to mention I can't go back."

Jesper cleared his throat.

"What?" Inej asked.

"Well I would tell you to trust Kaz and Winnie. That they'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."

"You sound just like Winnie with the whole freedom thing", Inej said with a small laugh as she pictured her friend in her mind.

"She always promised me that as soon as she could she would get me out of there. I heard whispers around about her attempts that had failed, even though she never told me about them herself. We spent almost every night on the rooftop at the exchange looking up at the stars and talking about different ways we would murder Heleen", Inej smiled softly.

"She gave up her shot at freedom to come here and help me get mine. I will do the same for her."

"It's not me that needs convincing to go on a suicide mission to save that girl. I'm already in. It's him you need to get through to", Jesper replied as he pointed in the direction Kaz had walked out in.

__________<>__________

As darkness fell, Kaz had started a fire and began roasting a small animal Jesper had shot for their dinner.