Signs of the Hringkralla celebration were everywhere, Fjerdan symbols of pride covered the place; there were shops decorated with wolves, ribbon sown into trees to honour Djel, and one of the bridges was covered in Silver ribbon. If I didn't remember being used so ruthlessly on the night of Hringkralla then I would think all of this was lovely.
The place Kaz brought us wasn't so lovely, it was a run down tavern which smelled like shit, the food was probably the reason. "If I don't want to eat, you know there's a problem." Nina wretched, "We're not here for the food, we're here for the view." And what a view it was, we had a clear, albeit distant, view of the outer gate to the Ice Court and we'd been watching people leaving and entering for about an hour. "We're going to look conspicuous if we don't leave soon."
"Oh, really? I thought this was the place to be." Nina scowled at my remark, "Maybe they don't have anyone to take to jail." Oh, please, this was normal for Fjerdans, I wonder how many arrests they make a day. I also wonder how many of them get acquitted. "There's always someone to take to jail." Then Kaz threw a book to me, "Hey, what is this for?"
"Just flip it open to the back." I gave him a questioning look, I thought we were meant to be looking for ways to get in, not read. I went to the last page and saw the writing of what looked to be a sermon, "Have you found religion, Kaz?"
"In you, probably." I ignored the flirting and hid the red that went to my face by lifting up the book, I saw what he wanted me to see. I could see clearly to the outside gate. "Oh, yes, I see my legend right here."
"An excellent read, isn't it?" He smirked at me and I couldn't help but smirk back but probably for a different reason. I found it ironic that he thought that, if he knew the part that people thought he played in it he would not be smirking. "What does it say?" Jesper asked, I passed it to him and he saw it too. "Where did you get this?"
"It's called a backless book." and it was fucking awesome, I had to admit it. The pages were filled with sermons but there were two looking glasses which could be used in your secret, "You're brilliant." I exclaimed, he truly was. He never ceased to amaze me.
~
Kaz was insane, he was genuinely crazy. He planned for us to go into one of the criminal wagons, swap us out for 7 other criminals, I would say we were fucked but I had faith in Kaz Brekker. This would go well, we'd get our money, leave, and then - I have no fucking clue. On one hand, I wanted to stay here, stay with my friends, the people I love. On the other hand, I wanted to go to Ravka, to serve and protect my people under Zoya, maybe I could help rebuild and repent for my own sins and clear my name. I could clear my name and make myself not a monster in the eyes of the majority, it was something I wanted more than anything. If I did leave I would truly miss these people though. I suppose I could come back and see them, Zoya wouldn't keep me trapped in Ravka, she seemed fair, ruthless but fair. "Are you alright?" I looked up at Inej and smiled, "Of course, I'm just wondering what I'd do after all this was done."
"What are you're options?"
"Ravka, serving under Zoya, or here, with my friends, with you." She sat beside me and I squeezed her hand, "Well, don't worry about staying for me if you want to go to Ravka. I plan to find my family after this, and then stop slavers." Of course she would do the good thing and the thing she deserved. "Captain Ghafa? It has a nice ring to it."
"Serving under Zoya also sounds good for you too. If you want to clear your name, from what I've heard she sounds like the key." She really did, I no longer wanted to be a monster in the populations eyes, I wanted to be the ember rather than the phoenix. "Then it's settled then, have fun under Zoya. I can't wait to hear about all the good things you'd do." She smiled at me then left to Matthias. Yes I would go to Ravka, but I would return, one day.
~
It had taken Nina less than an hour to return from discovering where the prisoners passed through on the way to the ice court, a place known as the Warden's waystation. We ended up having to trek a few miles to a collection of trees as the tavern had become far too crowded to become useful, it would've also roused suspicion for our little 'book' club to be continuing for so long in that run down tavern. I was glad to have left it, it reminded me so much of the barrel, it smelled and looked so similar. Jesper had gone to signal when the wagon would go by and send a flare then return to us after. Nina had took a moment before hand to tailor his forearm and hid his dregs tattoo of the cup and crow, she'd tailor to Kaz's later. "No mourners." Jesper called as he went off to his own mission, "No funerals." We replied, and with that he left.
We found and camped in a dry gully and I couldn't sleep so I decided to take watch, at the moment it was difficult considering I was distracted by Nina's tailoring. She'd been working on my eyes for half an hour now. "Are you done?"
"If I was done I would have gone to sleep, but alas I have not." I groaned, but continued to just watch Nina make funny frustrated faces. "It didn't take you this long before."
"It's like they're resisting my magic. I've got them to blue mostly but there's still this golden rim around them, I feel like it would give you away."
"It can't be that bad, can it?" she shook her head, "I don't know blue eyes with golden rims aren't common in Fjerda."
"Can't we ask Matthias? He's meant to be the expert on all this." We heard the explosions which had woken up Inej, "What was that?"
"Wylan, they're working on explosives." We all started to hurry to where Kaz, Matthias, and Wylan. We watched as red smoke came out then white smoke from beneath a tree and the roots started curling inwards. "Matthias, are my eyes good enough to get through? Nina was struggling." He turned to face me from where he was praying, "Why is it not working now?" Kaz asked, "I don't know, maybe her eyes are the way they are to store what seems an endless amount of fire power, but no one apart from the Phoenix himself could say." I rolled my eyes, "It worked last time." Kaz remarked, "Yes, but now they must be used to my magic and would like to resist it."
"They'll probably be alright. If not, then I won't say I'll be complaining if they do catch you. You're still a danger to all of humanity." I made sure to resist my usual outburst of anger but I couldn't stop my hands from clenching, I also watched as Kaz's jaw clenched, "Watch your mouth, Helvar." He didn't say another word and I forced my head down to hide the red spread across my cheeks and I forced myself not to think about the fact that he came to my defence. We moved to lay the tree across the road. With the roots intact it just looked like it was natural, felled by disease. "Once the wagon stops we'll only have about 15 minutes to get inside so move quickly. The prisoners will be hooded but they can still hear so don't make a sound. For all they know this is a routine check so don't arouse suspicion, got it?" I nodded, it was nice he was ensuring our safety. It would be better if I didn't know it was because if we fail, he doesn't get his kruge. I wished it was that he cared, that we weren't just 'investments'. It's a shame his insults and apathy doesn't stop my face from turning red and my heart beating faster whenever he looks in my direction or says my - "[N]!" Oh, look at that, same symptoms. "Do you want to focus on this death-defying mission or do you want to continue staring into space?"
"Sorry, I was just thinking about said death-defying mission." Nina looked at me and smirked, "Yeah, what's on your mind, [N}?" everyone's eyes went to me and I scowled at her, signalling a silent 'fuck you' and then said "That we're all probably going to die."
"Not if I can help it." Kaz smirked and his dark eyes glowed, "Scheming face?" Nina asked, I nodded, "definitely."
~
Inej went to go through and almost landed her hand on Kaz's soldier but I was fast enough to catch it, I glared at her in warning and she understood. I released her hand and instructed Kaz to go through. He looked at me and we held eachother's gaze for a second, I knew about the touch aversion, I understood it from the menagerie, so did Inej but we weren't as bad. I would protect him from anyone that tried to do what I did on the night we came back from Ravka, I would always protect him, like he has done for me albeit in a way I hate.
We all climbed in one after the other and I saw how many were in there, there were so much more people than we saw get on. My head went straight to Kaz but he wouldn't show his discomfort, but I could tell. I wanted to tell him it'd be okay that we were there in anyway we needed but I couldn't, I couldn't open my mouth or we'd all be caught out. "What's happening?" One of the prisoners called out, "Tig!" Matthias' voice radiated so much command and authority that I felt the urge to run, the voice of a druskelle, a witch-hunter. Kaz unlocked seven sets of binds and I knew I wouldn't like what came next. "What's happening?" another said, his voice frightened, "Tig!" Matthias repeated, the seven prisoners left and then Nina forced them asleep. "Are we going to leave them there?" Wylan asked, "We're doing them a favour, they'll wake up and run for it." Inej stated, "Quiet!" I commanded, my tone harsh, I didn't mean for it to be as harsh as I had it but I was still concerned about this mission and there was so much that could go wrong.
Matthias locked Wylan first, then Nina. He froze as he placed the bag over her neck and they exchanged a look hotter than my own fire. Saints, I knew they had become better after they prepared the rites for those grisha but I didn't know they were as good as this. Jesper was next, still panting after he ran back from the crossroads. Inej locked Matthias in place and when she was about to pull Nina's bag over her head she indicated to something behind us, murmurs. Kaz started on the hinges to ensure it wouldn't open, good for faking suicides apparently. It seemed a thing he'd be serious about but I wasn't sure. I could see him agitated, probably as he was in close contact, people around him, and it was dark and with his gloves he would have trouble. I lit a small flame, the size of a candle flame near where he was working. The flame, as it was for the anchor, lit up a beautiful blue and I could see Inej smirking behind me. I paid her no mind, if Kaz didn't pull this off then the Fjerdans would find us and we'd be in deep shit.
The guards outside tried the lock and it was fine, we were safe. I locked Inej in and threw the bag over her head after giving her a comforting smile, and then Kaz did the same for me, I gave him a look that told him I am here but I don't know if he got it, his face was as hard as stone and as unreadable as if a two year old had just started. I heard him lock himself in and I heard his breathing become shallow, rapid, and I was unfortunately close enough to notice Kaz Brekker, most feared man in the barrel, faint.
~
I tried my best not to light up this entire wagon and then every other person on this plane for what I had to witness. So I tried to wake him up instead with kicks to his good leg, we needed him after all. "Kaz!" I hissed, no response. "Kaz!", no response, I kicked him again "Kaz!" I heard his breathing start again, it was rapid but different from what it was when he fainted. "Keep talking." We couldn't, could we? "I said, keep talking."
"We've just passed the second gate, we're entering now." He breathed a sigh of relief and his breathing became normal. After a moment, we were all forcefully grabbed one by one and led into the prison. When my hood was yanked off I squinted and I took in the sight of the Ice Court, what used to be my yearly hell.
A/n - Sorry this took a while had a trip to another country and some emotional stuff to handle but I'm fine now and hopefully I've come back in full force to deliver you what is hopefully an enjoyable chapter :)