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Niklaus stared at the Drüskelle. He wasn't entirely surprised, having heard stories about how they loathed Grisha more than anything, their violent and barbaric tendencies, their backward nature. Matthias Helvar was certainly doing a horrible job of proving him wrong. Saints know what Nina saw in him that made her think he was worth staying behind in Ketterdam for.
Inej let out a sound of disgust, sharing in his contempt for the Fjerdan. Wylan stopped doodling, his mouth falling open. Kaz on the other hand didn't seem surprised at all. In fact he looked rather pleased if anything.
"I can give you something better" Kaz said. "There's nothing else I want" Matthias responded. "I can make you a drüskelle again" Kaz said. "Are you a magician, then? A wej sprite who grants wishes? I'm superstitious, not stupid" The former Drüskelle scoffed.
"You can be both, you know, but that's hardly the point" Kaz slipped a hand into his dark coat. "Here" he gave a piece of paper to Inej who brought the paper up to his face for him to read. Niklaus didn't have the faintest clue what it said. It was written in both Kerch and Fjerdan but he'd never learned to read or write either of them. The closest he could get was a few words in Ravkan and old Ravkan.
But based on Kaz's words and Matthias's expression he had a good guess on what it said. "What new evidence?" Matthias asked. Kaz leaned back in his chair. "It seems Nina Zenik has recanted her statements. She will face charges of perjury."
The Fjerdan looked back at Nina "Perjury? How long will you serve for that, Zenik?" He asked "Two months" she responded quietly. "Two months?" Matthias laughed. "Just how crazy is he?" Jesper asked, fingers drumming on the handles of his revolvers. Niklaus shrugged. "He's not what I'd call reliable, but he's all we've got" Kaz pointed out.
"She can't be trusted, you know. Whatever secrets you hope to gain from Bo Yul-Bayur, she'll turn them over to Ravka" Matthias said. "Let me worry about that, Helvar. You do your part, and the secrets of Yul-Bayur and jurda parem will be in the hands of the people best equipped to make sure they stay rumors" Kaz responded. The Drüskelle seemed to consider their words "What if Bo Yul-Bayur is dead?" he asked. "Van Eck insists he isn't" Kaz responded. "But what if he is, Brekker?" Matthias asked. "You still get your pardon" Kaz said.
"I'll do it" The Fjerdan said finally. Kaz winked at Nina causing Matthias to look borderline murderous, much to Niklaus's amusement. Inej folded up the document and handed it back to Kaz. "We're going to untie you. I hope prison hasn't robbed you of all your manners or good sense" He said. Matthias nodded, and Inej took a knife to the ropes binding him.
"I believe you know Nina" Kaz continued. "The lovely girl freeing you is Inej, our thief of secrets and the best in the trade. The boy with the burn marks is Klaus Petrov, our best assassin. Jesper Fahey is our sharpshooter, Zemeni-born but try not to hold it against him, and this is Wylan, best demolitions expert in the Barrel"
"Raske is better" Inej said. "And has more experience" Niklaus agreed. "He's not better. He's reckless" Wylan said, speaking for the first time. "He knows his trade" The Shadow Summoner pointed out. "So do I" Wylan insisted. "Barely" Jesper said. "Wylan is new to the scene" Kaz admitted. "Of course he's new, he looks like he's about twelve" Matthias retorted. "I'm sixteen" Wylan said sullenly. "We should be using Raske,” Jesper said. "He’s good under pressure" Niklaus stated. "I don’t like it" Inej agreed.
