The exception ° Six of crows

Chapter thirteen

Inej knew his secret, but Nina was gaping at him. "You're a Fabrikator?"

"Would you believe me if I said no?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You never asked?" he said lamely.

"Jesper—"

"Just leave it alone, Nina." She pressed her lips together, but he knew this wasn't the last he'd hear of it. He made himself refocus on Inej's feet. "Saints," he said.

Inej grimaced. "That bad?"

"No, you just have really ugly feet."

"Ugly feet that got you on this roof."

"But are we stuck here?" asked Nina. The Elderclock ceased its ringing, and in the silence that followed, she shut her eyes in relief. "Finally."

"What happened at the prison?" Wylan said, that panicked crackle back in his voice. Adelaide made eye contact with Kaz, the boy shook his head slightly. "What triggered the alarm?"

"I ran into two guards," said Nina.

Jesper glanced up from his work. "You didn't put them down?"

"I did. But one of them got off a few shots. Another guard came running. That was when the bells started."

"Damn. So that's what set off the alarm?"

"Maybe," said Nina. "Where were you, Kaz? I wouldn't have been in the stairwell if I hadn't wasted time looking for you. Why didn't you meet me on the landing?"

Kaz was peering down through the glass of the dome. "I decided to search the cells on the fifth floor, too."

They all stared at him, glances flickering briefly over to Adelaide but she was staring determinedly at the floor. Jesper felt his temper beginning to fray.

"What the hell is this?" he said. "You take off before Matthias and I get back, then you just decide to expand your search and leave Nina thinking you're in trouble?"

"There was something I needed to take care of."

"Not good enough."

"I had a hunch," Kaz said. "I followed it."

Nina's expression was pure disbelief. "A hunch?"

"I made a mistake," growled Kaz. "All right?"

"No," said Inej calmly. "You owe us an explanation. On this and on what it is that Adelaide can do."

After a moment it was clear that Kaz would not speak up so Adelaide did it instead.

"We went looking for Pekka Rollins."

A look passed between Kaz and Inej that Jesper didn't understand; there was knowledge in it that he'd been locked out of.

"For Saints' sake, why?" asked Nina.

"I wanted to know who in the Dregs leaked information to him," Kaz said.

Jesper waited. "And?"

"I couldn't find him." Adelaide let out a small sigh at his lies.

"What about the blood on your shirt?" Matthias asked.

"Run in with a guard."

Jesper didn't believe it. One glance at Adelaide and he knew that it was all lies.

Kaz ran a hand over his eyes. "I screwed up. I made a bad call, and I deserve the blame for it. But that doesn't change our situation."

"What is our situation?" Nina asked Matthias. "What will they do now?"