𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰 𝐎𝐟 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬

~Chapter 4~

Arch Nemesis
Soleil

Kaz, Inej, Jesper, and I were all sitting in the lounge area of the bar. We weren't talking. We were all just thinking.

We had spent the beginning of the night trying to find a way through the Fold. We spoke to several different sources. All of which either lied, or offered to long of a route. It was absolutely maddening.

"Here's what I don't get," Jesper said suddenly.

"We're going to be here all night," Inej sighed. I snickered, picking up my drink.

He looked between the two of us. "Rude."
He swung his feet off the table and leaned towards us. "Why haven't they tried going under it? Just dig a tunnel."

"Tried that. More than a century ago," Kaz said. "Something...heard them digging."

Jesper reached toward me, took my glass out of my hand, and took a sip of my drink.
"So it was made hundreds of years ago by that crazy Grisha..."

"The Black Heretic," Inej cut Jesper off.

"Yeah, the one who controls shadow, right? They've got one in their army now, don't they? General Kirigan?"

I raised a brow. "Your point?"

"If one of his kind made it, can't he unmake it?"

"Have you ever put out fire by adding more fire?" I asked, an expectant look on my face.

"Then what's the opposite of this?" he asked, looking to Inej.

"A Sun Summoner."

"Right, then, one of those."

"Doesn't exist," Kaz interrupted. "Doesn't exist yet," Inej shot back.

Kaz sat forward in his seat. "Dreesen comes into town, doesn't waste a minute. Sends out for a crew to steal something but doesn't specify what. What, is it heavy, is it large, is it worth more than a million on the black market?"

I shrugged. "Maybe he doesn't know. We can let this one go, Kaz."

"Sounds like a trap anyway," Jesper said, taking another sip of my drink. "You owe me another drink, by the way," I said, narrowing my eyes at him. He smiled. "Anything you want, princess." Saints, I hated when he called me that.

"A trap would sound easy," Kaz interjected. "This is something else."

All of a sudden, one of the security men came up the stairs. "Boss, boss. I intercepted a note from Dreesen."

All four of us seemed to perk up.

"Did you now?" Kaz asked, sitting up straighter.

"It's for the owner of the Orchid. Says they require the service of a Heartrender. Tonight."

Inej's eyes widened.

"A Heartrender?" Kaz repeated. "Why?"

The man shook his head. "Doesn't say. Just they need it before midnight."

"You don't bring in a Heartrender unless you need an answer out of someone who isn't willing to talk."

Kaz stood up. "That's how we get this job before anyone else. Bring Dreesen a Heartrender."

Kaz started away, but the man stopped him. "Boss, just one problem. Pekka Rollins knows."

"Pekka Rollins," he muttered.

My head snapped at Kaz, who was already looking at me. I immediately stood up. "Come on guys, let's go find ourselves a Heartrender."