𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐍 | Kaz Brekker

「unwelcome grisha dramatics」

Valeria awoke the moment she felt the carriage jolt to a stop. Her head was in Inej's lap as the Suli girl's fingers played with her dark hair. They did not say a word to one another, merely a nod of the head before they jumped from the top of the carriage, Inej from the left and Val from the right.

Kaz met her eyes as she met his and she gave him a soft smile. That was enough confirmation for him that she had heard what he had said the night before and had heeded it. He was glad. Valeria then felt a stab in her heart. They didn't have Alina Starkov.

As if he had read her mind, Kaz motioned the Crows to the trunk at the back of the carriage. Val's eyes narrowed as she studied the navy trunk and after years of experience slipping between cracks and mutating her body to fit the smallest of spaces, she knew it was big enough for someone to fit in. For a Sun Summoner to fit in.

She took her position beside Kaz as always but her eyes did not lift from the trunk until a faint hissing like river water falling onto stone on a hot summers day was heard. The lock that kept whatever was within trapped burned lily white warm until it melted off. Valeria's hands found her knives at her hips as the trunk's top popped open and Alina Starkov's ebony head appeared, polished amber eyes stared back at them.

Jesper gestured for her to step down and she did so, hands raised not in submission but as though she was ready to burn them from the face of the earth.

"We don't want any trouble." Jesper said, his voice low as he recognised a fighting stance better than anyone.

"Neither do I." Alina said still not lowering her hands. Her eyes studied all their faces for any sign of attack. "So I'll just be on my way."

She went to move, dark hair swinging behind her, but was stopped by Kaz's cane trapping her with the carriage. Alina's eyes flicked to him, the ever present fire in her eyes cooling slightly at his stony face.

"Clearly, you want out of East Ravka. But we can help you." Jesper explained to the doe eyed girl whose nerves were showing more and more. Inej nodded to her Saint and Valeria allowed a soft smile slip to the girl who bit her lip. "We have a secure route through the Fold."

"I prefer to travel alone." The Sun Summoner said, her eyes flicking back to the two girls who had the aura of comfort she had once found in Genya.

"Don't be rash. You stick with us, everybody gets what they want." Jesper said, having chosen to take control of the situation since if Kaz had spoken, he wouldn't have been as soft.

"I'm not being anyones captive again, so step aside and let me pass." Alina snarled, turning to Kaz and something in Valeria snapped. She knew that longing that had festered between her skin and bone for years, she knew the feeling of your blood hardening and head spinning at the idea of freedom. Alina was a Saint but she was also a girl as she was. And girls were not meant to be kept in a cage.

"I'm afraid we can't let that happen." Kaz said, seeing Valeria go to protest. Valeria couldn't stand biting her lip at this request from the girl but the metaphorical blood that she could taste in her mouth was the guilt that pooled in her stomach like acid.

Alina however, was not about to bite her lip. She pulled her arm back to summon a golden ray of light that reduced dirty hands and the sharpshooter to whimpering boys, briefly blinded. Inej and Valeria had had the sense to block their eyes. But just as quickly they lowered their arms.

Alina gazed back at them and a look of understanding passed between three girls, captive in both the ideas of body and soul. Alina nodded to them as she slipped away from the Crows. Valeria felt mournful as the realisation that the Darkling would never give this girl up appeared in her mind but she knew Alina Starkov would not go down without a fight.