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CHAPTER FIVE ▪▫▪▫▪
KIRA'S PART IN THE JOB WAS SIMPLE: go to the Emerald Palace and listen for whispers.
Simple? Yes. Easy? Fuck no.
Kaz wanted her to go to the Emerald Palace and try and get to Pekka's office (if he even had one at the establishment). He wanted her as a backup plan in case they didn't find anything at Henrik's office. He wanted her to go into the lion's den with nothing except her quick tongue and ability to turn men's jewelry and greed against them. It wasn't an unmanageable task, but surely the staff at the Emerald Palace would be warned against her.
Yet, first, she had been summoned to the roof. Kira opened the door to the roof of the workshop and saw Kaz standing there, overlooking the city.
"Let me guess? Did you plan another explosion?"
She could imagine him rolling his eyes at her. Kaz didn't turn to look at her. So Kira didn't make a move to get any closer—she had taken the time to come up here at his request (poor Wylan had to be the one to give her the message and apparently Kaz was in a mood), she wouldn't do anything more than stand in the doorway and wait for him to acknowledge her.
At last, Kaz's head turned to the side. "Sturmhond," he said. Kira raised an eyebrow his way and Kaz turned on his heel to face her, scowling at her. "He's your brother."
"That's not a question, Brekker. Is that why you called me up here? To inform me I have a brother?"
"You didn't tell me," he said after a long pause, as if he was searching for something in his head—anything at all—so she wouldn't leave him on the roof and go back to preparing her ruse for the Emerald Palace.
"I didn't know I had to."
"You didn't think I would like to know that we're making deals with royalty?"
"Sturmhond isn't royalty," replied Kira with a shrug. "He's a privateer."
"Well—" He cut himself off and Kira glanced to the side to see Inej standing beside her. The Wraith gave her a smile before it fell off her face as Kaz asked, "What did you find?"
"There's a doorman even after hours, and a pair of roving guards in the halls. But I can get you in through a window if Nina watches the front."
Kaz nodded. "If this goes sideways, tell the others to regroup at Black Veil. Get the Heartrender. We leave in ten."
"No," replied Inej and Kira smiled. "Not until you tell me what happened between you and Pekka."
"All you need to know is that I have a reason."
"There's enough secrecy in this crew as is."
"Secrecy is the only way to survive the Barrel."
"So why did I have to tell you about Sturmhond?" challenged Kira. Kaz glared at her. "You can't expect us to follow you blindly, Kaz. Because at some point we won't be following you anymore. We'll get lost."
