Flower of the North [Kaz Brekker; Six of Crows]

chapter 12

"We're done here. I'll send word to each of you after I find us a ship, but be ready to sail by tomorrow night," Kaz finally concluded the meeting.

"So soon?" Inej asked.

"We don't know what kind of weather we'll hit, and there's a long journey ahead of us. Hringkalla is our best shot at Bo Yul-Bayur. I'm not going to risk losing it."

Valan stood up, "Hold on. You made some big deal about Lia and I getting ready 'right now' and being ready with all our stuff by the time you got back from Hellgate or you'll leave us, and we aren't even leaving until tomorrow? Man, you're such-"

Cecilia raised her own voice to cover her brother's before he could say anything stupid, "We'll be ready to leave tomorrow any time you need us to."

Valan glared at his sister but stayed silent. He supposed it would be a good idea not to piss off the man with the plan right before the mission.

"Keep Wylan out of trouble," Kaz told Jesper.

"Why me?"

"You're unlucky enough to be in my line of sight, and I don't want any sudden reconciliations between father and son before we set sail," Kaz explained.

"You don't need to worry about that," Wylan said.

"I worry about everything, merchling. That's why i'm still alive. And you can keep an eye on Jesper too."

"On me?" Jesper put a hand on his chest as if he was offended.

Kaz slid over a black wood panel and unlocked the safe behind it, "Yes, you," he brought out four stacks of kruge and handed one to Jesper, "This is for bullets, not bets. Wylan, make sure his feet don't mysteriously find their way into a gambling den on his way to buy ammunition, understood?"

"I don't need a nursemaid," Jesper snapped.

"More like a chaperone, but if you want him to wash your nappies and tuck you in at night, that's your business," Kaz handed two more stacks to Nina and Wylan, "Stock up for the journey only. If this works the way I think it will, we're going to have to enter the Ice Court empty handed."

Cecilia was uncomfortable with that, and she could tell Inej was too. She supposed she would have to set aside her mother's katana for now. She would keep it for the journey there and try to stash it somewhere she could find it later. Always better to stay prepared.

Kaz handed the last bit of kruge to Inej, "I'll need you to get cold weather gear. There's a shop on the Wijnstraat that supplies trappers. Start there."

"You think to approach from the north?" Matthias asked.

Kaz nodded, "The Djerholm harbor is crawling with custom agents, and i'm going to bet they'll be tightening security during your big party."

"It isn't a part," Matthias argued.

Jesper shrugged, "It sounds like a party."

Matthias' shoulders sagged, "It isn't supposed to be a party."

"What are we supposed to do with him?" Nina nodded in Matthias' direction.

"For the moment, he stays here at the Crow Club. I want you dredging your memory for details, Helvar. Wylan and Jesper will join you later. We'll keep this parlor closed. If anyone playing in the main hall asks, tell them there's a private game going on."

"We have to sleep here? I have things I need to see to at the Slat," Jesper complained.

"You'll manage. Not a word to anyone. No one is to know you're leaving Kerch. You're working with me on a job at a country house outside the city. That's all. Cecilia, Valan, we've invited you to go to investigate an unknown type of herb that's cropped up and been causing issues. Got it?"