(malakai is partially non-verbal, so when dialogue is in italics it means that she or another character is using sign language.)
"my twisted knife, my sleepless night. my winless fight."
hoax by taylor swift
The four Crows watched in anticipation as the lock of the box began glowing a bright orange. Then, it popped out, clinking as it rolled against the cobblestone. Kaz and Inej's eyes widened as the Shu girl sat up from the open lid. Malakai and Jesper weren't lying. Jumping down, Alina looked between the teens with her hands out in surrender, she eyed the gun in Jesper's holster and the blade tucked against Malakai's hip.
"We don't want any trouble." Jesper shook his head.
Alina's shoulders hunched as she slowly inched away. "Neither do I, so I'll just be on my way." But before she could make it far, a wall of dark mist stopped her. She turned warily to the blonde girl, who only tilted her head. The Sun Summoner felt a jolt of fear in her chest. Another Shadow Summoner?
As if she could read the Sun Summoner's brain, Malakai spoke quietly. Her airy voice calmed Alina immediately. "I'm not here to hurt you."
"Clearly, you want out of East Ravka. We can help you." The Gunslinger held his hand out, Inej nodded in agreement. "We have a secure route through the Fold."
Alina's eyes flicked quickly between the mismatched crew. She breathed heavily. "I prefer to travel alone."
"Don't be rash. You stick with us, everybody gets what they want."
The Sun Summoner's face darkened as she grit her teeth. "I'm not being anyone's captive ever again. Especially not to a Shadow Summoner." She stared Malakai down. "So step aside and let me pass."
"I'm afraid we can't let that happen." Kaz stepped forward.
The shadows inched closer to Alina, reaching out to her. "I'm not like my father, Alina Starkov."
Then the Sun Summoner threw her hand forward, a burst of light searing the air. Malakai's wall retreated immediately, the girl turning to look away. When they turned back, Alina Starkov was gone. The Wraith stared dumbfounded down the street.
Night had fallen over the town and the Crows separated to look for the Sun Summoner. She couldn't have made it far. But as the Phantom climbed from roof to roof, she sighed in defeat after finding no leads. Dropping down, she entered the tavern through the front door, accepting the warm air against her icy cheeks. Quickly climbing up the stairs she quietly approached the open door, warm orange light flowed onto the dark wood. Kaz, sat at the desk in deep thought, snapped his head around at the creak of a floorboard. Sighing in relief at the sight of the Phantom in the doorway.
Pulling her makeshift hood made from a scarf off, she sat down on the edge of the bed to face him.
"You really need to start closing the door behind you."
Malakai shoots up straight in her bed, the image of a man on top of her still seared into her brain. She fell to the floor, tangled in her sheets, she kicked furiously against them like they were ravenous animals dragging her away. Feeling the grip loosen she scrambled up to her feet and paced the length of her room. Flashes of light, of memories bursted behind her eyelids. She pushed her hands into her hair, tugging harshly against the roots. Her lungs heaved for air. It felt like she was drowning. Stumbling to her door in the dark, she yanked it open and winced at the sudden burst of light in the hallway. Stepping forward she leaned her hands against Kaz's doorframe, breathing in and out before knocking on the door.
"Who is it?" His voice was muffled. The silence that followed confirmed to him who was behind the door. Standing from his bed he pulled his door open. His tired eyes were met by Malakai's frantic ones.
She stepped back, signing to him. "I'm sorry."
He watched her carefully. Kaz saw himself in her panic. She looked scared, as if she couldn't tell the difference between what was a trick of her mind and what was reality.
"Come on. You can stay in here tonight."
Malakai curled herself under his blankets, savouring the warmth. Cold tears soaked into the sheets. She breathed in the smell of dark amber and leather. It smelled like peace.
When Kaz climbed into bed the next night he inhaled the smell of warm rain and lavender. It smelled like home.
He kept his door open.
Studying the frown on his face, one creeped onto her own. "What's wrong?"
"She let her go." He looked down at his cane. "And you could've stopped her from going."
Malakai stayed silent for a minute, thinking carefully. "She was scared. She's may be a Saint but... she's also just a girl, Kaz."
"And we have everything to lose, Malakai. If we go back to Ketterdam without her, we won't have a home to go back to. Tante Heleen would own the club."
"Why would Heleen own the Crow Club?" Malakai moved closer to him.
Kaz didn't answer.
Leaning back in realisation, Malakai gasped. "Collateral. You used the club as collateral in exchange for Inej. That's a big sacrifice, Kaz."
She watched as he stood abruptly, storming to the door. "Come on, Inej and Jesper should be back."
Malakai sighed watching his back retreat away from her. Looking down at her hand, she twisted the ring her had given her on her finger. She couldn't stay here, she couldn't go home. But she would follow him wherever they would go. She would follow him to the end.
"The alarm trigger is set." Jesper huffed into a seat at the table, looking to Kaz and Malakai. "Horses are ready and I've stashed the rest of our gear."
Inej silently took a seat too. "I just settled our tab with the last of our coin. That room set us back."
Jesper looked to Malakai who sipped at her water. "Where did you get that coin anyway? What unlucky duke did you steal it from?"
The Shadow Summoner laughed, kissing her teeth. "Actually... Good old grandma gave it to me when we left the Little Palace."
"Hmm."
"But she warned me... Kirigan knows I exist. He knows I'm here with you guys."
"I know it's not the most ideal of situations but, don't you want to meet your father?"
"He lied. About the Sun Summoner. About the Fold."
"What do you mean?"
"He's not going to tear down the Fold. He's going to expand it, use it as a weapon. And if he finds me..."
She looks around at her friends. Her family.
"He's going to take me." She said quietly.
Kaz sat up, looking around. "I won't let that happen."
"And if it comes down to life or death?" Malakai raised her eyebrows.
"Then death himself will have to beg me for mercy."
Malakai clutched her chest as she felt her heart tighten. Everything around her muffled, the Crows' voices sounded miles away. She shakily turned her head to the door of the tavern.
"Malakai?" Kaz reached across the table to the girl who remained transfixed on something in the distance, lightly tapping the ring on her finger.
Malakai swallowed the lump forming in her throat, looking through the front window into the night. "He's here."
Then an explosion sounded, everyone in the tavern scrambling out of their seats. Jesper's voice wavered. "Our alarm."
The Crows quickly stood from their seats, adjusting themselves. Jesper flipped his pistols in his hands carelessly. Malakai trembled as she pulled her makeshift hood back over her head, checking her knife was still in its sheath.
"Split up, much easier to a Grisha one-on-one than a whole squad of them. Rendezvous at the fountain." Kaz ordered the crew. "No mourners."
"No funerals."
They all hastily headed to the door. But Kaz's hand stopped Malakai. He carefully draped his black coat over her shoulders, helping her slip her arms in. "Stay in the shadows, Kai."
As soon as they stepped out of the tavern, they were met by the seething faces of the grisha donned in their coloured keftas. They all turned, splitting off into different directions. Malakai pulled herself onto the roof, silently moving from building to building. Her breath became laboured as she kept running. But a familiar voice halted her in her spot, she skidded to a stop at the edge of a building. Crouching against the roof, she peered down into the cobbled alley. Supressing a gasp as she saw Kirigan staring Kaz down.
"Where is my Sun Summoner? I won't ask you again."
Kaz stood his ground, leaning against his cane.
"I don't know. It was pretty clear she wasn't interested in being a captive anymore. She's probably halfway to Novyi Zem by now."
"And what of my daughter?"
Kaz's stoic demeanour faltered for a moment.
"She's not here."
Kirigan laughed, looking around the street. Malakai ducked down quickly, pressing her chest against the roof. "She isn't, is she? Oh well... Such a shame she's not here to save you. I would have loved to see her watch you die."
Malakai gasped as Kirigan produce a sharp, dark line between his hands. The Cut. "You should have stayed in Ketterdam, Mr. Brekker."
Everything seemed to go in slow motion. Malakai pushed herself up, her shadow casting across the ground in between them. She felt a different kind of power course through her bones. Pure, unbridled anger. Pulling her hands apart, the same dark line formed from her fingers. Malakai felt the heavy weight of darkness on her shoulders. Kirigan lurched forward but Malakai lunged faster. Shouting out, she pushed the Cut towards the ground. She watched as it sliced his into two pieces, both narrowly missing Kaz.
Jumping down, her knees almost buckled underneath her as she landed on the cobblestone. She stood between them with her hand outstretched to Kirigan. She ignored the way her head was spinning, the world hummed and blurred at the edges. The action had taken all of the energy out of her, but she wasn't going to let him see that it affected her. She had a job to do. The same job she had since she became a Crow. To protect.
"Nice of you to join us, moya rebe (my daughter)." He laughed. "I must say... That was quite impressive."
"Don't... Don't hurt him."
He scoffed. "You love him, don't you?" The Darkling stepped towards them. Malakai stared him down, unwavering. "Love makes you weak."
"That's where you're wrong." She started backing up slowly. Keeping her hands up in defence. "Love... is not a weakness. Love.. gives you something to lose."
She stopped when she felt Kaz's chest against the back of her head, sighing as a lump formed in her throat. "And when you have something to lose... You have a reason to stay."
Kirigan laughed breathily. "Who are you? What do they call you?"
"Malakai." She spoke quietly.
"Well, Malakai, if you love him so much. Then you'll join me..." Kirigan held his hand out to her.
"Or I'll kill him. And then your little friends too. Then, you won't have anything left to lose."
Malakai turned her head to the boy behind her, who looked down with pleading eyes. Don't go.
Her eyes welled with tears as she took a step away from him. "I'll be okay. I'll come find you when this is all over." She whispered quickly.
She would do anything to keep him alive.
He would rather die than live without her.
"Kai no—"
"Kaz. You promised." She sped her words up as she felt a pair of hands take her shoulders, dragging her backwards. "Get Inej and Jesper! Go home. I'll come find—"
Kaz Brekker's ears rang at the sudden silence, watching as his entire world disappeared into a plume of darkness.
Author's Note
hey guys! i know this part was a little bit shorter than the others but i felt like this part kinda needed to start and end that way. like in terms of the scenes in the show and the scenes that i've added in, it sorta made sense. we're nearing the end of season one now!
Kaz leaving his door open just in case Kai needs him :')
exciting things coming! new update/s every night Australian Eastern Standard time!
hope you're all doing good and if not i hope that your pain will ease soon. this is a safe space. crows take care of one another. reach out.
love from valerie <3