Chapter 26: The sharpshooter and the Storm.
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Zaria Isla can be dangerous, so dangerous that even the best assassin wants to hide away from her.
And walking beside Kaz with a frown sharing her thoughts about the plan it felt like she was walking along with the devil himself, planning to control the entire world and make the believers turn into sinners.
She and the Devil, walking side by side, eyes sharp and minds focusing on the heist and nothing else.
Zaria believed in saints but she was a sinner, she killed, manipulated, and hurt people in every way possible, all that to protect her family.
and it seems like Kaz Brekker did the same thing, both their hands were always covered in blood, Kaz killed some people with his cane while she was more of a 'take your anger out' person.
But both she and Kaz are also twin soldiers, striding on, pretending they were fine, hiding their wounds and bruises from the rest of the crew, and walking down the cliffs as if they owned the country, chins up and a stoic face.
Every hint of fear left her body, a Grisha walking proudly on the land of the people that murder her kind, her hand in her pockets and standing beside a scary teenager around 17's holding a stick and eyes cold.
Spring made its appearance, the weather warmed, the ground thawed, the paleness vanished and she looked alive and not like a walking corpse.
Djerholm looked nothing like Ketterdam nor Novyi Zem, its harbor was crowded with ships, but its tidy streets marched to the water in an orderly fashion, and the houses were painted such colors; red, blue, yellow, pink, etc...
as if in defiance of the wild white land and the long winters this far north.
But it looked far more cheerful than she ever thought it would, she looked around in pure awe, "Cannon." Suddenly spoke Jesper snapping her out of thoughts.
Kaz squinted up at the big guns pointed out at the bay,
"I've broken into banks, warehouses, mansions, museums, vaults, a rare book library, and once the bedchamber of a visiting Kaelish diplomat whose wife had a passion for emeralds. But I've never had a cannon shot at me."
"There's something to be said for novelty," offered Jesper. And Inej pressed her lips together, "Hopefully, it won't come to that."
"Those guns are there to stop invading armadas," Jesper said confidently a grin on the corner of his lips, "Good luck hitting a skinny little schooner cutting through the waves bound for fortune and glory."
"I'll quote you on that when a cannonball lands in my lap," said Nina and a sudden whistle caught their attention, Zaria glanced over to the man who watched her with eyes twinkling and a smirk.
He said something to his Fjerdan friend who licked his lip eyeing her up and down, "what did they just say?" She asked Nina who fought the urge to kill them, right here right now.
"He said that you're hot." With that all the Crows turned to glare at them, Kaz on the other hand planned his whole death in a blink of an eye.
'Go there, drag him to an alley, stab his eyes, and drag him down the-' Zaria suddenly spoke snapping him out of thoughts, "Tell them, they can suck it and that I am already taken." She said glaring the men with pure disgust.
"By who?" Asked Matthias and Nina in unison, "by me." Ordered Kaz his eyes never leaving the two men who shrunk under his gaze.
Dark brown eyes staring into their souls and cutting every single vein leading to their hearts, if eyes could kill, they would've been 3 feet under.
Matthias was the first to move, a scowl on his face, Nina was ready to jump on them and kill them, Jesper was ready to punch and shoot them, Inej ready to take her whatever's closez even a shard of glass and slice their necks open, even Wylan was on the verge of throwing one of his explosives.
"Taken by Dirtyhands." She replied with pride and crossed arms, deeo down the teenager was squealing and going off like a firecracker.
With just a few words leaving Matthias Helvar's lips and their grin vanished, placed by a horrified look once noticing ths group of 7 teenagers shooting them their coldest and deadly looks.
With that they started moving down the streets, not after Zaria showed them her ringed middle finger with a sardonic grin.
Zaria's eyes suddenly turned into a worried one, she'd worried that she, Inej and Jes might be conspicuous in the Fjerdan capital's sea of blonds.
But thanks saints they managed to easily slip into the traffic of travellers and traders where the cliff road met the northern one that led to Upper Djerholm.
The crowds were heavy and motley enough that one more group of foreigners could go unnoticed but Zaria made sure to keep an eye on Kaz just in case someone might touch him.
She noticed his hatred of touch.
The way his muscles tensed, hair on his arms went up and the way sweat rushed down his pale skin just at the smallest skin to skin contact.
And she also noticed that not once did she see his hands without their barrier, the leather gloves protected him from everything, even her eyes.
So, that was why she kept her eyes on him just in case, even if there wasn't much to do, she wasn't going to kill anyone who tried to touch him.
Well, she will, but! If someone tried to place their hands on him by force, then she will bury that person alive, drown them, or kill them straight away.
Taken by Dirtyhands? What would that feel like?
Is he the type to buy flowers, clothes, steal jewellery from a wealthy merchant? Back hug you when cooking or washing the dishes (100% no) but Zaria was still a teenager, a girl, let her dream.
"What are they?" Wylan asked, pausing in front of a peddler's cart loaded with wreaths made of the same twisting branches and silver ribbons, "Ash trees," replied Matthias, "sacred to Djel." he resumed his words.
"Djel? one of your gods?" asked Zaria still slightly annoyed by Matthias, but not to the point where she wants to murder him, "There's supposed to be one in the middle of the White Island," said Nina, ignoring the warning look the Fjerdan cast her.
"It's where the drüskelle gather for the listening ceremony." Kaz tapped his walking stick on the ground, "Why is this the first I'm hearing of it?" he asked colly.
Zaria rolled her eyes at his dramatic tap, "The ash is sustained by the spirit of Djel," said Matthias, "It's where we may best hear his voice."
Kaz's eyes flickered. "Not what I asked. Why isn't it on our plans?"
"Because it's the holiest place in all of Fjerda and not essential to our mission." Zaria laughed and immediately covered her mouth, "what he's trying to say, Dirtyhands, is that you can't be anywhere near the holiest place in all Fjerda."
Kaz glared at her and she immediately muttered an apology under her breath trying so hard not to laugh, "I say what's essential. Anything else you decided to leave out in your great wisdom?" asked Kaz.
"The Ice Court is a vast structure," Matthias said, turning away and avoiding his eyes, "I can't label every crack and corner." Kaz fixed his coat and continued moving.
"Then let's hope nothing is lurking in those corners," Kaz replied as he steered them seemingly aimlessly through the streets until he found a run-down tavern called the Gestinge.
Scrunching her nose at the smell of garlic and fish she glanced up at Kaz hoping they will not go in there, "tell me this is not it." she begged him with narrowed eyes and a scowl.
Kaz just gave a significant glance upwards and said, "Terrace." throwing her head back in annoyance she heard Inej ask, "What's a gestinge?"
Even Matthias looked skeptical as he replied, "It means 'paradise'." Nina helped secure them a table on the tavern's rooftop terrace. It was mostly empty, and the weather was still too cold to attract many customers.
Jesper looked down at his plate and whined, "Kaz, if you want me dead, I prefer a bullet to poison."
Nina scrunched her nose same as Zaria who was staring at the food, cringing, "When I don't want to eat, you know there's a problem."
"We're here for the view, not the food." replied Kaz not once glancing at his plate, "the houses are absolutely beautiful while the food, the reason why we are alive, looks like absolute horse shit." pushing the plate away with her finger she shivered.
they had a clear view of the Ice Court and Zaria watched quietly, arms crossed in front of her chest and an anxious frown replacing the grimace.
There was no coffee and Zaria reached for the little glasses of clear brännvin that burned going down, then another, before she could down the 5th Kaz spoke.
"put that down, you will get drunk," ordered Kaz, grabbing the cup before she could place it on her lips, "don't ruin the plan." rolling her eyes at the boy she watched him place his lips right where hers were.
With rosy cheeks, she looked away and towards the Ice Court built like a white arch formed by two monumental stone wolves on their hind legs.
A boxy wagon was rolling to a stop at the guardhouse. Its roof and high sides were covered in black canvas, Kaz reached into his coat pocket and handed Jesper a slender book with an elaborate cover.
"Are we going to read to each other?"
"Just flip it open to the back."
Jesper opened the book and peered at the last page, perplexed. "So?"
"Hold it up so we don't have to look at your ugly face." Jesper death glared his boss at his words and did as told, "you are very pretty, Jes." Said the girl with a smile.
"I love you so much Z, See, My face has character. Besides - oh!"
"An excellent read, isn't it?"
Truth be told Kaz didn't care about her drinking and ruining the heist, he was more worried for her safety, for her health, lots of alcohol on an empty stomach was the definition of death itself.
"Who knew I had a taste for literature?" Jesper passed it to Wylan, "I have been trying to get you to like literature but you always ignored me so.." said Zaria shrugging at him.
Jesper reached out, suddenly grabbing her hand with his ringed one, she looked up weird out by his sudden act, but he only smiled at her.
She smiled back, "I love you too. But keep those words to your future lover." She winked over to Wylan and she swore she coukd see a small dust of pink on his cheeks, especially ears.
Wylan took the book not noticing the two nor her teasing, "What does it say?"
"Just look," said Jesper rolling his eyes playfully at the boy, Wylan frowned and held it up, then he grinned.
Jesper tilted his head to the side to get a better look at his grin, freckles seemed to catch his attention, he didn't notice it until now.
The warm weather seemed to be the reason, and Jesper felt his heart start beating so fast to the point where it almost jumped out of his chest.
"You like him, don't you?" She suddenly asked in a whisper, poor sharpshooter was way too focused and anxious about the plan, he forgot everything, he turned towards his best friend who was watching Kaz the same way he does to Wylan.
"I don't." She raised her eyebrow and Jesper's answer, he expected her to say something back but she turned her head towards the Ice Court.
"You know, Jesper, I grew up with you, I read you like an open book, we pranked teachers, and we fought bullies holding one another's hands and backs pressed together.."
She spoke after pulling her hand away, playing with her ring, "and as far as I know, is that whatever you are currently feeling in your heart, wether it's pain, anger or...love perhaps.." she trailed off while pointing at his heart.
"I feel it too, cause you are my brother, I don't fucking care if it's not by blood but you are, and always will be, Jesper Fahey."
Jesper wanted to cry. His heart warming at her words yet also dropping at the same time, she could see the tears blurr her vision.
"Now, now." She reached over, speaking in zemeni so no one could understand (maybe Nina), "don't get emotional cause I will too."
But Jesper didn't care about anything else not even the tear that landed on her thumb, he wanted to put his head on her shoulder and sob.
But no, he made a deal with the devil himself, and that devil was the deadliest boy in ketterdam.
if Kaz sees him crying then he is a dead meat, an easy target, well he already is anyways ever since he to joined the Dregs (that's what he thought), but no, he was there sharpshooter after all, he didn't want to see me weak.
Even if his precious revolvers are left at the Ferolind, he was Jesper Fahey, the talented sharpshooter with a gambling addiction.
Inej was the only one by his side all his time in Ketterdam and it still felt like Zaria was by his side always.
Zaria wiped the tear away and smiled kindly at him, the smile only for him, a smile that warmed him uo and reminded him that he wasn't alone.
He was never alone, Zaria was him, Inej, and Wylan too, right? Even if he loves to annoy him the pretty boy owned a special spot in his heart.
"Stop crying, Jesper." She spoke wiping his cheek as wuickly as possible with her sleeve, her eyes twinkled and the boy smiled at her.
"You know, I am so glad to have you, sister." She rolled her eyes at his teasing tone, he sniffled and reached for her hand.
"I am so sorry."
The girl frowned, "for what?" What was he sorry for? He never did anything that pissed her off, he can be a pain in the ass sometimes but she loved that for him.
"Everything, not being there in Novyi Zem."
Zaria shook her head at her brother, "shut up, Jesper. I told you to stop apologizing, it's annoying." She rolled her eyes playfully.
He knew that she was trying to tell him that he shouldn't be sorry, nothing is his fault, but still he always wanted to apologize, he can do it thousand times if that's what she wants.
"You love me, I'm fantastic."
The teenager looked him up and down before raising an eyebrow, "I hate that I do love your annoying ass."
She snapped and Jesper grinned brightly at her, smacking his forehead so he focuses on the plan she fought her own grin.
Sorry for what exactly?
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A/N: WYLAN AND JES<3
ZARIA BEING THE SUPPORTIVE SISTER AND GIVING ADVICES<3
JES AND Z!!
ALSO I WAS SQUEALING WHILE WRITING JEALOUS!KAZZLE
Not me uploading for y'all mfs while I have school