𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐍 | Kaz Brekker

「the river returns to the ocean」

The barn the Crows found themselves taking refuge in was rundown and abandoned, just far enough from the Darkling and anyone else for them to feel safe.  Inej helped Valeria into the room as the Zemini woman hissed in pain. Jesper and Kaz glanced at one another, it had been long since they had heard her be hurt. Not since the incident last year.

"It's not healing on it's own." Valeria said through gritted teeth as Inej set her down on some hay in the corner. "I need to stitch it."

"I can stitch it for you-" Inej said before Valeria shushed her as gently as she could in her current infuriating predicament.

"Inej, let me do this." Val said, pulling a needle from her hair to the Crows surprise. She merely raised an eyebrow at them. "You never know."

"Valeria you're not doing this yourself, I know you can do it. You taught me but I'm not letting you do this yourself." Inej said, grabbing the needle from Valeria who made a sound of protest. Kaz nodded at her as their eyes met as though to silence her, her lips tightened into a line but said nothing more.

"How long before she can travel?" Kaz said, urgency evident in his voice as Inej began to stitch the wound. He could not take his eyes off of the wound on her sepia skin and his jaw tensed in fury. If the Inferni weren't already dead he would be able to fantasise about how many of those wounds he could place on their skin and smile.

"Not long." Inej replied, rifling through the bag Jesper had handed her as he gagged at the sight of Valeria's wound. Val glared at the Zemini before turning her eyes back to Kaz.

Kaz moved forward at Valeria's questioning gaze so he was beside Inej, in front of her tense body. The pain was obviously great and Kaz's stomach squirmed at the sight of her in pain again, he was transported back to her on the floor of her room in a pool of blood.

"You promised Kaz, you said you'd make sure this didn't happen again."

He had let it happen again, she had gotten hurt and it was his fault. His hand found it's way to her covered thigh, not truly caring that Jesper and Inej's eyes had widened considerably at that. His gloved thumb rubbed circles and felt the tension in her body loosen slightly.

"Where are we going? We don't have Alina." Val hissed out and Kaz shook his head as she bit down on her lip in pain.

"Ketterdam." Kaz said, his thumb not stopping it's aimless circles. Kaz felt the gazes on his back become questioning rather than shocked and felt the need to respond. He could smell her sandalwood scent and he was close enough to smell the drink she had had the night before. Cherry and an unnecessary amount of alcohol. "Between our dwindling funds, and lack of time, and conflicting interests, it's time we cut our losses."

Kaz met Valeria's eyes dark eyes. They were so much older than her body, her soul had survived memories of past like a solider of some cruel king. He was himself was a house of memories but she was the only thing he wanted to remember.

"Come find me." Kaz said, his touch lingering for a moment before he turned to leave the barn that once smelled of farm animal and now smelt of blood.

"I guess the bastard misses the Barrel." Jesper said, watching Kaz's back as he strode away. Valeria let out a slight chuckle at that before wincing in pain. Jesper's eyes went back to Val as Inej began to properly stitch the girl up and he groaned in disgust, looking away once more.

 "You can watch a bullet tear through a man but a needle is too much?" Valeria scoffed in disbelief as she tried to distract herself from the sharp pains in her side.

"Yeah, well, you see bullets are bam, in and out." Jesper said, wincing in disgust as he looked back at the girls. "Thats... that's just." And he gagged once more, looking away. "Where did you guys even learn to do that? Val taught you?"