The Water's Rising.

Chapter 1-Kaz

Kaz sat at his desk in his office at The Crow Club. It was late, approaching midnight, but even as the gambling halls filled with more rowdy customers and as the moon glittered bright in the dark sky, he looked through his paperwork. His hand had cramped up and his leg was stiff, but he didn't stop. He still had another sheaf of documents to get through.

And then he felt it. The slight shift in the air, the prickle on the back of his neck, the sense that the whole world had stopped to hold its breath. To wait. To watch. To listen.

"What business, Wraith?" He didn't look up.

"No hello, Kaz? No asking how I've been?" 

Only then did the boy turn. He could see the hurt in her dark eyes, hear it in her voice, the hurt that she was trying so hard to conceal. But he only raised an eyebrow. They both knew why Inej had been kidnapped by Van Eck. Because Kaz had let his guard down. And so he'd sworn it would never happen again. Not only that, but Inej had made it abundantly clear that there was no future for them if he couldn't forsake his armour. And he couldn't. So that was where it was left. 

The weight of words unsaid stretched between them.

Finally, Kaz said, "I didn't know you were back in Ketterdam."

"I docked two nights ago."

As much as he hated it, the words stung. Because she'd had plenty of time to visit him, and yet she was only here tonight.

"I see." The rough burn of his gravelly voice was rougher than usual, despite his best efforts. 

Inej moved swiftly on. "There's been whispers in the street about a pigeon making trouble. A nameless girl, who docked at 5th harbour last week. She's asking if anyone knows a Kaz Rietveld, whether they could take her to him. I just thought you should know."

Kaz's face darkened. "I'll get Anika and Pim to jump her. To take her to a warehouse. I bought it to store illegal shipments, but right now its empty. We'll see is she still wants to see Mr Rietveld when I'm done with her!"

"Kaz, she's just a child!"

"Kaz Rietveld's dead, Inej! Killed when he was only a kid! Anyone looking to bring him back is trouble."

"Don't drag Anika and Pim into this. Let me take her. For discretion, at the very least."

Kaz softened, "You don't have to."

Inej's eyebrows shot up.

He shrugged, "You're a free woman now. It's up to you."

She hoisted herself up onto the windowsill. "It's fine, Kaz. Really."

"Do you know where the warehouse is? Where the pigeon's lodgings are?"

"I'm The Wraith. Of course I know."

"I'll be there at 12 and a half bells."

Inej gave a small nod, and then she was gone, as if she'd never been there in the first place.