The Deadly Nightshade

Chapter 10: I'm already attached

As they walked out from the Inn, Inej jumped down from somewhere above, it seemed like from the sky.

'All clear.' She said as she stood next to Talia.

'This seems like a reasonable juncture to abandon this whole Sun Summoner plan.' The Conductor stated as everyone stopped walking. Kaz turned to look at the man, almost fully raising one eyebrow.

'Abandon?' He asked. Inej looked at the Conductor as Talia shrugged her shoulders. 'We're in this now.' Kaz said. 'And I know what a million kruge means to me.' He looked at Inej. 'What does it mean to you?'

'Freedom.' Inej stated and Talia grasped her hand.

'Fun. Like at least a few months.' Jesper stated with a smirk as he looked at Talia. She shook her head at him with a smile. Kaz's eyes followed each person as they spoke.

'Retirement.' The Conductor said. Kaz's eyes landed on Talia as she was the only person who didn't say anything. Talia was thinking about her answer the whole time.

'What about you?' Jesper asked her with a small nudge.

'Weapons and dresses.' She paused and then her eyes lit up. 'Oh, and waffles.' Kaz narrowed his eyes at her.

'Interesting choices, but I get it.' Jesper said with a wink. Talia had a child-like sparkle in her eyes at the thought of the rewards.

'Right. So we press on.' Kaz looked at the Conductor. 'You get us across the Fold and I'll figure out the rest on the other side.'

'Fine.' The Conductor replied. Talia clapped her hands and did a small, happy jump.

'Adventure through the Fold.' She said with a huge smile. Jesper put an arm around her shoulder and nodded. The Conductor placed his bag down as he got a small notebook and a pen out of his pocket.

'To cross, I need 20 pounds of alabaster coal.' The four of them looked at him. 'A peck of Majdaloun jurda. Uh, not the kind from Kerch. It's too weak. And uh...' The Conductor looked Jesper up and down. 'A goat.' He said, nodding to himself. Jesper looked at him weirdly, then looked at Kaz.

'Oh my god. An adventure through the Fold AND a goat. This is going to be amazing.' Talia stated, a bigger smile on her face.

'Well, I'm glad someone's excited.' Jesper said with a smirk. She quickly nodded at his words.

'Now, we meet in the dead of night. There's a wreckage of a sciff northeast, on the edge of town.' The Conductor said as he looked at each of them. 'So, who gets what?' He said, pointing the paper between them.

'Inej, jurda. Me and Nightshade will get the goat.' Kaz said as Inej and Talia nodded. 'And Jesper...' Kaz stepped towards him 'just the coal, no detours.' He warned as he handed him the note. Jesper smiled and took the note. Kaz and Talia walked off to get the goat.

'So,' Talia started once they were away from the others 'why am I coming with you to get a goat? Seems like a simple job, unless you can't touch goats as well as people, then it wouldn't be too easy.'

'To keep you out of trouble.' He said as he glanced at her.

'Me?' She asked with a hand on her chest. 'I would never.' She smirked. 'Jesper's the one who always finds trouble. I should've gone with him instead.'

'You wouldn't be able to pull Jesper away from trouble, he'll just drag you with him.'

'So, you were protecting me then?' She asked with a raised eyebrow. Kaz cleared his throat as he looked away from her.