Magic Without Direction

Chapter Nineteen

I think about it. I think about promising Kaz what he was asking of me, but I couldn't. I knew that if that time came, I would stay by his side no matter what. I would die with him. Die fighting.

'I can promise you only that Pekka will beg for his death,' I whisper. 'But I can't, and I won't, promise anything else.'

I walk off before he can stop me or say anything else. I walked out to where Jesper and Wylan were weirdly staring at each other.

'If you two stare any harder your eyes will pop out of their sockets,' I say, walking around them to sit at the table.

Jesper clears his throat as Inej comes walking up to us. She was in a very eccentric outfit, and I smirked at her.

'Well, look at you,' I joke.

'Smells like these haven't been washed since last year,' Inej complains.

Jesper winces and I chuckle. Kaz comes charging into the room, opening the container with a bunch of powders. Kaz stared at it for a second before glancing up at Wylan.

'It'll mimic it in every way?' Kaz asks.

'Mm-hmm,' Wylan nods.

Kaz closes the lid. 'Good.'

Kaz turns to look at Jesper.

'You're gonna say you can't do this without me, yeah?' Jesper says, an arrogant look on his face. 'And that you hate it when we're angry at each other, but sometimes brothers fight. And that when all of this is over, you'll open a tab for me at the club of my choosing, cause when Pekka's gone, you're gonna take it all. That's what you were gonna say. Yes?'

I scoff. 'What the hell?'

'There's a cap on the tab,' Kaz said slowly. 'But otherwise, yes. To all of that.'

I feel myself smile. 'That was adorable. Your black heart is thawing.'

'Let's go take down the king,' Jesper said, pinching my arm.

'The plan is this,' Kaz said. 'Jesper and Wylan, you're gonna hand out Komedie Brute costumes and vials of the compound to all of the Dregs. Per Haskell's gang, our gang now. By sunset, the streets will be crawling with Sankt Emerens revelers. They'll provide us with the cover we need. Hit all of Pekka's businesses, the clubs, the brothels. All to destroy Pekka's reputation. Inej will cover Fifth Harbor, and when the chaos begins, she'll hand the note to Pekka's driver.'

Nina walks up to the table and both me and Kaz straighten. She gives me a slight nod.

'Nina, Natalia, and I will handle the Emerald Palace. See you there.'

'No mourners,' Jesper said.

'No funerals,' we all repeat back.

Kaz looks at Nina. 'You've been quiet. You ready?'

Before we can say anything, else Nina is punching Kaz right in the face. I try not to burst out laughing. But then her fist is connecting with my cheek and I'm slamming into the ground with a groan. I could almost feel her messing around in my body before my heart rate slowed and the world turned black.

---

Being slammed onto the floor of the Emerald Palace was not a highlight of this job. Kaz was right next to me, and I could feel his arm brush against mine as Nina keeps us down. My inside felt like they're being squeezed, and I was having trouble not writhing on the floor. I can hear Kaz wheezing. I wish we had any other plan than this. I was entirely seized up and I could barely breathe. I can just barely make out the brush of Kaz's arm. It pressed harder against mine and I knew I wasn't doing a good job not wheezing and writhing on the floor.