𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐍 | Kaz Brekker

「little bambi eyes」

As the two split up, Kaz back to his office and Valeria down to the Crow Club with the phantom hands disappeared and replaced with the much more ideal feeling of Kaz's thumb, softened by years of hiding in his gloves, on her lip. She didn't even have to fake her signature grin as she slid into a bar stool beside Jesper. Arriving just in time to see Inej knock back a shot.

"He's obsessed with taking down Pekka Rollins." She heard Inej say as the barmaid slid over her cherry kvas and the other two finally took note of her.

"Of course he's obsessed with the one villain in town who's paid off the stadwatch to get away with literal murder." Jesper said, sliding his arm around Val's shoulders.

"Oh to be rich." Valeria said, looking up at Jesper who smiled down playfully at her.

"No it's more than that." Inej said and Valeria couldn't say she didn't agree with her. "I've seen the way Kaz looks when he says Pekka's name. Kaz wants revenge."

A tall lanky man came up behind Inej and looked pointedly at Valeria, this was a message for her as well. The note in Inej's hands was a caged peacock feather. Just when she was feeling slightly better about whatever this life held for her and then Heleen has to but her opulent head through the door.

"Of course she calls on us now." Inej said, pulling Valeria out of Jesper's hold and they made their way reluctantly to the entrance of the Crow Club.

"Off to the menagerie? Want company?" Jesper asked in his usual playful tone and Val walked him over the head before Inej dragged her away briefly hearing Jesper call after them as they left the bar.

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Kaz watched Valeria leave from the top of the stairs, from Inej's irritated expression and Valeria's practically funeral like walk he had a good idea of where they were going. He would burn that pleasure house to the ground one day.

Approaching Jesper as the Zemini man watched the two girls go, he, like Inej had but moments ago, knocked back a drink. Vipers poison.

"I hate Heleen." Jesper said, almost like a kicked puppy as he slid in beside Kaz.

"As do I." Kaz grumbled, wishing Valeria had still been here. It felt wrong to not have his viper with him at all times like usual. "We were warned off the job."

"I guessed so." Jesper said in his usual content voice that carried now an undertone of malice. Kaz raised an eyebrow at him. "A cut lip on our viper is hard to miss, who was it."

"Who do you think?" Kaz asked, spinning on his heel to retrieve a pocket watch from his person. Five hours left.

"Did he remember you?" Jesper asked, he was always careful when the subject of Pekka Rollins came up. Tiptoeing around Kaz wasn't easy but if they didn't he would be left in a sour mood, more so than usual.

"If he had, I'd be dead and Valeria would be somewhere worse." Kaz said bitterly as Jesper's brow creased with anger. You cross Valeria you cross the crows. "Sunrise is in five hours."

"Yeah but we're off the job now, right?" Jesper asked, following after Kaz. Jesper did not want himself in trouble with the bloody Dime Lions let alone Valeria. She was like a sister to him. A hot headed, sarcastic thunderstorm who could drink him under the table and had a batter poker face than Bolliger.

Kaz stopped. He knew what he should say to keep his crows safe, to keep himself safe and most importantly Valeria. But he remembered meeting her that first night in his office, the way she watched him carefully like he was a chess match. How every minute with her was a game he never wanted to stop playing. She never was the first to falter in their games, he wouldn't be this time.