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CHAPTER SIX ▪▫▪▫▪
KIRA LANTSOV WAS A MYSTERY he would like to never uncover. For Kaz Brekker wasn't keen on finding out the reason why she affected him so.
Faith had been a word long erased from his vocabulary until she showed up. The skies were empty for him, but he'd find that the reason why was his Saint wasn't there, she was beside him. His Saint. Since when did Kaz Brekker believe in saints? Since when did he worship a saint like she was gold?
Someday, when you crave something other than revenge—when you find a reason to live that doesn't revolve around destroying Pekka Rollins—I'll be here...
But he had already, hadn't he?
He'd find something—someone—he craved more than revenge. And he hated himself for it. He was losing focus and judgment over some silly feeling inside a heart that wasn't even beating in his chest. Dirtyhands was heartless. He didn't feel regret, remorse, or anything that could train him away from getting revenge for Jordie.
Brick by brick.
But Pekka Rollins was getting more powerful, more bricks for him to destroy, and Kaz was getting distracted by a sin-covered saint.
He'd held her hand, gripping it tight, when they were in the wagon off to Hellgate. At that moment, holding her hand had saved him from the nightmares as if she was pulling him out of the gelid waters from his past trying to drown him. Her touch had diverted his attention from the bodies sitting around him.
Don't go soft on me now, Dirtyhands, she had said. And he had released her hand. Because he knew she believed he was more powerful than he was damaged, and at that moment he believed her.
But he was jaded. Damaged goods, if he could even call himself good. Kira wasn't trying to fix him, she loved Dirtyhands, but neither he nor Kaz needed her love. Not when he was trying to focus his head on shattering Pekka's empire and the hold the man had over his head every time Jordie's name made an appearance in his mind. He didn't need it. But what if he craved it?
"Looks, Pekka made a move on more than just the Crow Club while we were away," he said, distracting himself from his thoughts as he flipped through the papers he'd brought to the cemetery of Black Veil. "He bought out all of Fifth Harbor.'
Jesper scoffed behind him. "You know, Inej took some serious damage and Kira a hell of a beating. The novice nearly lost his head and the Heartrender took a bullet, but no worries. At least you're on top of Pekka's corporate holdings."
Kaz clenched his jaw. Everyone knew the risks and no one was dead. "You don't take down a lion by cutting off his tail."
"You've been on safari when?" asked Jesper incredulously. "We're putting our lives on the line—"
