GHOSTS • ⟨Inej Ghafa⟩

Chapter Eight

The crowd continued to boo as guards entered the arena to remove the prisoner’s remains, the skin that had been touched by the poison was a smokey black. "Why are they complaining? Isn’t this what they came here for?" Nina asked, the anger and disgust evident in her voice "They wanted a fight. They were expecting him to last longer" Kaz said "This is disgusting" Nina said. "Only disgusting thing about it is that I didn’t think of it first" Kaz shrugged "These men aren’t slaves, Kaz. They’re prisoners" The heartrender said "They’re murderers and rapists" Kaz reminded.

"And thieves and con artists. Your people" Nina retorted "Nina, sweet, they aren’t forced to fight. They line up for the chance. They earn better food, private cells, liquor, jurda, conjugals with girls from West Stave" Kaz said. Muzzen cracked his knucks "Sounds better than we got it at the Slat" Niklaus didn't agree. He was only sort of immortal because Shadow Summoners (who just so happened to be human amplifiers as well) like him had their lives extended by their powers. Any of these beasts could kill him if he didn't use his powers and if he did... That would start a whole other thing. Atleast in the barrel he could keep his powers secret.

"Helvar doesn’t… Helvar doesn’t fight in the arena, does he?" Nina asked, he heard the tingle of desperation in her voice "We aren’t here for the ambiance" Kaz said. Nina looked like she would like nothing more than to slap him "Are you aware that I could waggle my fingers and make you wet your trousers?"

"Easy, Heartrender. I like these trousers. And if you start messing with my vital organs, Matthias Helvar will never see sunshine again" Kaz threatened. That seemed to make her rethink it and she settled for glowering at no one. They sat through the next fight in silence. Niklaus may have tried to make a bet or joke around Jesper to lighten the mood but he wasn't here and Nina might have killed him if he tried. Then finally came Helvar. He couldn't really see what Nina saw in the man or what about him made Nina want to stay in Ketterdam to free him.

Then again it could just be because of the prison. He spun the wheel as hard as he could until it finally landed on 'Wolf' "No" Nina said "It could be worse. Could have landed on the desert lizard again" Muzzen pointed out. "You have to stop this." Nina grabbed Kaz's arm. And that is what Niklaus would call a death wish. "Let go of me, Nina" Kaz growled lowly. She dropped her hand, "Please, you don’t understand. He—" The lieutenant cut her off "If he survives, I’ll take Matthias Helvar out of this place tonight, but this part is up to him." Nina shook her head in frustration "You don’t get it."

Niklaus did get it. He knew all about the Drüskelle and how they believed that wolves were scared to Djel. It only made the fight somewhat more entertaining, because now Helvar would have to fight against both his belief and the wolf. It was that or his life. The guard unbolted Helvar's shackles, and as soon as the chains dropped into the sand, the guard leaped onto the ladder with the announcer to be lifted to safety. The Drüskelle stood firmly in place, even when the gate opened and the three wolves charged out of the tunnel, tumbling clumsily over each other to get to him.

As the first wolf leaped at him, Matthias dropped into a crouch, knocking it. into the dirt then rolling right to pick up the red stained knife that the previous prisoner had left in the sand. As he stood upright the two other wolves began to circle him. Before the wolf on the right lunged. Helvar crouched low and stuck his knife in the wolf’s belly.

It gave a miserable yelp when the sharp object made contact with its soft belly. The third wolf successfully managed to knock him to the sand. Its teeth sank into his shoulder. Helvar rolled, taking the wolf with him. He caught the wolf's jaws and wrenched them apart, shortly followed by a sickening crack and the roar of the crowd. The Drüskelle kneeled over the wolf who lay on the ground, jaw broken and twitching with main. Niklaus would be lying if he said he didn't feel some form of pity for the poor creature.

Helvar harshly struck the wolf's head with a rock, ending its misery. The people cheered even louder. The first wolf had recovered and was circling him. He got to his feet slowly. He no longer had a knife only the rock in his hand, red with the blood of the third wolf. The remaining wolf prowled the arena between him and the pile of weapons, lowering its head and baring its teeth. Helvar dove left. The wolf lunged, sinking its teeth into his side. He grunted and hit the ground hard. From where he was Niklaus could see his hand scrabbling through the sand, searching for something. Managing to get a hold of the shackles used to bind his hands together, he looped the chain across the wolf’s throat, and pulled.

The wolf let out a final whine before its dead body collapsed over Matthias.
The ladder was lowered, and the announcer sprang down, hauling Drüskelle to his feet and grabbing his wrist to raise his hand in victory. As Helvar raised his head Niklaus could see the tears that stained his dirt streaked face. The guards took hold of Matthias again, removing the shackles from around the wolf’s throat and clapping them back on his wrists.

He was led back into the prison while the crowd chanted for more. "Who will see to his injuries?" Nina asked "They have mediks. We’ll wait to make sure he’s alone" Kaz murmured back. They say through a few more fights until finally, it was time. Kaz gave the heartrender a nudge. "Ready, Nina? The guard first" he whispered. "How down?" She asked. Which, in the barrel was a way of asking how badly you wanted somebody hurt. "Shut eye" Kaz responded, which meant knock him out, but don’t actually hurt him.

They made their way to the arch through which they'd entered. The rest of the crowd didn't notice or didn't care, too busy watching the fighters down in the arena. "Need your escort?" the guard asked when he saw them approaching. "I had a question. About your mother and whether the rumors are true" Kaz said. "Never can make it easy, can you, Kaz?" Nina muttered.

The guard stepped forward, lifting his gun. "What did you say? I- You don't-" he toppled forward as Nina lowered his pulse, sending him into an unconscious state. Muzzen grabbed him before he could fall and Inej swept him into the cloak Kaz had been wearing just moments before.

While he didn't know Niklaus wasn't entirely surprised to see that Kaz had a guard uniform under his costume, there was always something or the other with him. "Couldn’t you have just asked him the time or something? And where did you get that uniform?" Nina asked. Inej moved the Madman’s mask to cover the guard’s face, while Muzzen held him up as if the guard had had too much to drink. They left him on one of the benches pressed against the back wall.

Kaz tugged on the sleeves of his uniform. "Nina, people love to give up authority to men in nice clothes. I have uniforms for the stadwatch, the harbor police, and the livery of every merch mansion on the Geldstraat" he said "Now. Let’s go."

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