𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒅 || 𝐊𝐚𝐳 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐤𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐗 𝐎𝐂

𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝑺𝒐𝒏

The scientist's lab is a large circular room with chemical mixtures displayed atop the desk. Scribbled equations and notes are scribbled over the chalkboard walls. The scientist is hunched over a table. He spins and he looks young. Too young.

His hair is black and his eyes hold no wrinkles. Smile lines indent his mouth from a once happy little boy. Now he looks tired. Purple circles bloom over the bags under his golden eyes. Fear looms over him like an unwelcome storm cloud.

"Bo YulBayur?" I ask, slowly coming to his side.

"Bo YulBar was my father. He died in a battle between Kerch and the Fyerdans. I am his son, Kewei YulBo." The boy says in very slowly spoken Kerch. I look back at Nina and Matthias who converse quietly.

"We have to kill him," Matthias mutters as I come up to them.

"What?" I gape at him. "He's just a boy, we can't kill him."

"We have to," Matthias says.

"Why? Death isn't always the answer, Helvar."

"Can you recreate Jurda Parem?" Nina asks the boy. He slowly nods.

"Yes, I think so."

"Well, that's all we got," I say, sighing. "We aren't killing him. We will take him back to Ketterdam and see if he is still valuable to Vanek. If not I'm sure his country will pay for a missing scientist's son."

"Destroy the lab." The boy's face lights up as Matthias's order.

"With pleasure." The boy lights a small fire and tells it to run. With a wave of his hands, the fire spreads over his papers and scientific machinery. He's Grisha. I smile as I run, enjoying the light heat ticketing the back of my exposed legs. Grinning, I spot Kaz. I quicken my pace when an explosion goes off and I'm flung forward.

Cold water bites my bones. My limbs flail around me as I feel my scars burn. My eyes try to open and push against the strong current. When my nerves calm a bit I feel my chest burn for oxygen. I dislodge the Belen pellet from behind my teeth and bite. An icy film covers my mouth and I feel it spread through my nose and lungs. I gulp oxygen from the water and continue to flail around.

My fingers brush a coat and I grip the fabric and pull it towards me. In the haze a barely feel a pair of strong arms hold me close. I feel the Belen turn gummy in my mouth and that's when I feel the arms around me go limp and my chest begins to burn again as the water comes flooding in.

AN

Sorry, it's a shorter chapter. I figured this was a good place to let off.