The Fox and The Crow [Kaz Brekker]

chapter 46

"Got them!" Jesper announced in a sing-song voice, dragging his boyfriend behind him while Matthias stomped behind with a brooding face, "Couldn't find Inej. I think she might be sleeping below deck."

"Thank goodness you're ok, Daemon," Wylan let out a sigh of relief, clutching his sketches to his chest.

"I'm fine!" Daemon smiled brightly, "They can't kill me that easily."

Wylan took little reassurance from that, but nodded anyway.

Daemon turned to the tall Fjerdan and gave a happy wave in his direction before signing, "Hi Matthias!"

Matthias' face scrunched up in confusion as he watched the way her hands moved. Her hand had pulled into a fist, her pointer finger half-raised and tucked over her thumb. Then it had moved just as quick. 8 different symbols had followed, just a bit slower, but nothing he could understand.

Jesper burst out into laughter at the Fjerdan's face, clutching his arm over his stomach, "She only said hello. You look like you're gonna shit yourself."

Matthias glared at the boy before sending a simple nod to Daemon. He didn't hate her, though he couldn't say he liked her either. She was quiet, almost too quiet. She walked oddly. Always on her toes, though sometimes she walked like a normal human too. Her every movement and expression was animated, tilting side to side on her feet, swaying like a flower in the wind.

Kaz stepped in front of Daemon with a deathly glare at Matthias as he noticed the Fjerdan staring for a moment too long, "Let's get on with this."

Wylan nodded and pushed his sketch down on a spare barrel. It had become more detailed since the last Daemon had seen it.

"Why aren't there names on anything?" was the first thing Kaz asked.

"I don't know Fjerdan, and we need the details right. Helvar should do it," he paused at Matthias' expression, "I'm just doing my job. Stop glaring at me."

"No," Matthias snarled at him.

Daemon thought he was much like a wolf or a feral dog. But something about it was charming to her. Not in an attractive way, she was much too caught up in Kaz Brekker to notice such things about any other person. But charming like an angry little ferret or a small puppy that thought he was scary. She knew very well that Matthias could be terrifying, but she didn't feel any fear of him. Kirigan had been much more terrifying.

"Here," Kaz tossed him a small, clear disk.

"What is it?"

"One of Raske's new inventions."

Wylan looked confused, "I thought he did demo work."

"He does everything," Jesper clarified.

Kaz handed one to the rest of them, "Wedge it between your back teeth. But don't bite dow-"

Wylan began to cough violently, wiping at his mouth that was now coated in a transparent film.

Kaz sighed, "I told you not to bite down, Wylan. Breathe through your nose."

Wylan began to breathe in and out roughly, nearly having a panic attack while Daemon reached over to rub his back.

"Easy. You're gonna make yourself pass out," Jesper said, forcing Wylan to calm down.

"What is this?" Matthias asked, flipping the small disk in the palm of his hand.

Kaz inserted his disk deep in his mouth, "Baleen. I'd planned to save these, but after that ambush, I don't know what kind of trouble we may run into on the open sea. If you go over and can't come up for air, wiggle it free and bite down. It will buy you ten minutes of breathing time. Less if you panic."