(GIF ISN'T MINE, CREDITS TO THE MAKER!)
~~~
It was night when they finally neared Ketterdam. They weren't entering the harbor but they were splitting up on two small boats.
Sabo, Matthias, Nina, and Kuwei would go back to Ketterdam and hide and Specht would wait for a signal to get Kaz, Jesper, Inej, and Wylan.
Sabo was in no way looking forward to being on a small boat with Matthias, however, Matthias was refusing to leave Nina's side.
It was nighttime as Sabo's boat prepared to depart. Jesper and the others were still sleeping as Sabo was about to step into the small boat located next to the Ferolind, but before she could Kaz seized her wrist.
'Did you know?' Kaz asked as he gave her a cold stare.
Sabo frowned as she sized him up. 'Know what?' she asked.
'That it was Jesper who talked?'
'Where did you hear that?' Sabo asked.
'Answer the question, Sabo. Did you know?' he asked as he clenched his jaw.
'Kaz-' Sabo tried.
Kaz let out a cold laugh, 'I thought you said that your loyalty lay with me,' he breathed.
'He didn't do it on purpose-' Sabo attempted.
Kaz let go of her wrist and took a step back from her. 'Stay with Kuwei,' he barked.
Now it was Sabo's turn to seize his wrist.
'Jesper was cornered.' she said. 'That could've happened to any of us.'
'Too bad that it happened to Jesper,' Kaz replied as he looked at her sideways. 'And too bad it was you who kept that information from me.'
Kaz hissed. 'I need to know that I can trust my crew.'
'You really want to talk about trust?' Sabo hissed as she released his wrist. 'Fine, let's talk about trust. Before we left for Fjerda, you and I made a deal; a deal that you would leave me behind and flee with the others-'
'I didn't betray our deal,' Kaz interrupted. 'The deal was ludicrous in the first place-'
'The deal we made would save my life if I got captured,' Sabo hissed before lowering her voice as she looked at the others boarding the tiny ship. 'We made a deal that if something went wrong, you'll gather the others and leave. Yet, you didn't. Next time you will.'
Kaz scoffed. 'Since when did you start deciding what I do?'
Sabo observed him. 'If one of you gets caught with me, I'll be a slave for the drüskelle for the rest of my life and you guys would be tortured when I disobey one of their orders.' Sabo said. 'I'd rather die than for that to happen.'
'You care for them,' Kaz said.
'I care for all of you,' Sabo replied. 'The drüskelle know who I am, and now they know that I have people that I will die for. This is serious, Kaz. If I get captured, you won't follow me. I need to know that I can trust you if something like this happens again. '
Kaz didn't respond.
'A deal is a deal, Kaz.' Sabo's tone was desperate as she spoke. 'I need you to promise me.'
'Don't worry,' Kaz barked as he looked away from her. 'Next time you decide to get yourself captured, you're on your own.'
Kaz gave her one last glance before he stormed away. Sabo sighed contemplating if she should follow him. She decided against it and stepped into the small boat. Not yet knowing that this might be the last time they would see each other.
---
Nina was shivering as they left the Ferolind, she pulled the blanket tighter around herself.
'Nina, do you want my help?' Sabo asked as she laid her hand on Nina's shoulder, just before she could Matthias grabbed her wrist.
'I told you to stay away from her.' he fumed.
Sabo's gaze snapped towards him. 'Let go of my wrist or I reduce you to ash,' she hissed. Matthias clenched his jaw as he returned her stare.
'It's okay, Matthias.' Nina shushed as she laid her trembling hand on his shoulder.
Nina glanced at Sabo. 'I'm not cold, Sabo. It's the parem.' Nina shivered. Matthias released Sabo's wrist as he started to row again.
'I can help-' Sabo said to Nina.
'You will attract attention,' Nina replied as she looked at the harbor of Ketterdam behind her. 'We can't be seen.'
'You're Inferni.' Kuwei stated.
Sabo looked back at him. 'Yes,' she replied. 'Why?'
'I'm one too,' he said with a thick accent.
'Good to know,' Sabo replied annoyed before she pulled her cloak tighter around her.
Why was it so cold tonight?
--------
When they finally reached their destination, Kuwei started pacing the room as Nina lay down to sleep. Matthias laid another blanket over her before he gently stroked her hair.
'What do you want from her?' Matthias hissed as he met Sabo's gaze.
'I don't want anything from her, I want her to be okay.' she replied.
Matthias scoffed. 'Sure.'
'When are the others getting back?' Kuwei asked as he started pacing the room.
'Midnight,' Sabo replied as she looked out of the small window. 'Four hours.'
'I want to go to Ravka,' Kuwei spoke.
Sabo turned to him. 'You don't have to. Ravka is coming to you,' she replied. 'How close did you get to making an antidote?'
'The drüskelle didn't want me to make one,' Kuwei replied with a thick accent. 'They just wanted me to make more.'
'Of course, they did,' Sabo replied as she looked at Matthias.
'Has she eaten anything?'
Matthias didn't look at her as he replied. 'The only thing she could keep down was broth.'
Sabo grabbed her jacket. 'Then I'm going to get some more.'
Matthias stood up. 'She's not eating anything you bought.'
Sabo raised her brow. 'I don't see you volunteering to leave her side and go to the market.' She turned to Kuwei. 'You're coming?'
Kuwei nodded as he grabbed his jacket.
'Don't,' Matthias said to Kuwei. 'I'll go.'
'How nice, both of us going to the market!' Sabo said sarcastically before she looked at Kuwei. 'If I don't come back it's Helvar's fault.'
-----
As they left their hiding spot Matthias shoved Sabo against the wall in one of Ketterdam's many alleys.
'I saw you die,' he growled. 'How are you still alive?'
'I don't answer to you,' Sabo growled back.
'It seems like you don't answer to anyone,' Matthias replied as he placed pressure on her throat. He could see her eyes light up, reflecting the power of the blue flames she bore.
Sabo just smiled at him. 'You're gonna kill me?' she breathed. 'Like I supposedly killed your parents?'
Matthias looked at his hands before looking back at her. He seemed to think about it before he loosened his grip. Sabo moved her head forward and she heard a satisfying crack. Sabo shoved him off as she looked at the blood spilling from his nose.
'You told me yourself,' Matthias breathed. 'You killed my family; my father, my mother, my sister.'
Sabo let out a bitter laugh as she straightened her jacket.
'They were nice to you! They treated you like their own.' Matthias continued. 'How could you kill them?'
How could he be so blind?
'You let me rot in the Ice Court over a lie, Matthias.' Sabo breathed. 'I lied to you to keep you alive.'
'You lied?' Matthias laughed, clearly not believing her. 'You didn't lie, I saw the flames, Sabo. You burned down my house, and the only thing I have left of my family is this.' Matthias held up his hand, displaying his father's ring.
Sabo looked at the ring before looking at Matthias with scorn. 'Believe what you want to believe, Matthias. You had no problem in doing that before.'
'What does that mean?'
'You know what it means,' Sabo replied angrily as she pulled up her hood.
Sabo was about to walk away from him when a group of Dime Lions appeared at the end of the alley.
'Helvar,' Sabo whispered.
'What?' Matthias raged.
'Go back to Nina and Kuwei and tell them that they need to go to Black Veil, Nina will know where it is.'
'Why? What's happening?' Matthias asked as he followed her gaze.
'I think we've been betrayed,' Sabo said as she looked into the eyes of the Dime Lions, they knew who she was.
Sabo shoved Matthias against the wall and held a knife against his neck. 'Did you talk?'
Matthias breathed slowly as he looked at the knife. 'I did not.' his gaze met hers.
Sabo's breathing accelerated, not knowing if he was speaking the truth.
'Get them to Black Veil,' Sabo said as she holstered her knife. 'Make sure you don't get followed.'
Matthias seemed to doubt what to do, standing behind her as he looked at the Dime Lions.
'Go!' Sabo hissed. 'Get Nina and Kuwei.'
Matthias looked at her one last time before he disappeared into the crowd as the Dime Lions neared her.
'Sabo,' one of the Dime Lions said. She recognized him; he was one of the Dime Lions who tried to recruit her when she was new in town, his name was Daryn. 'My boss wants to see you.'
Pekka was back in Ketterdam?
'Do I know you?' Sabo asked with a thick accent. 'I don't think we've met.'
'We have,' Daryn replied as he stepped toward her. 'Pekka has put a bounty on your head for 2 million kruge.'
Sabo raised her brow. Inej had told her that Pekka's business had been slow ever since Kaz and he clashed a year ago. Pekka didn't have 2 million.
'Why?' Sabo asked. 'And why should I know you?'
Daryn grabbed her wrist. Sabo spun her hand around his wrist and moved his arm behind his back. She kicked him in the back of his knees, and he fell to the floor. Another Dime Lion came toward her.
She grabbed her knife and jabbed it into the soft space between his thigh and his knee. He cried out but quickly stood up while leaning on the wall.
Sabo looked behind the Dime Lion and saw multiple men run toward her, she was seriously outnumbered. It would be a tiring battle, but she was going to fight her way out of this, she was the best damn fighter in the Barrel, and she would not go down without a fight.
Suddenly she felt someone hook an arm around her throat, Sabo stabbed the man in his side and his grip weakened. She got out of his reach before pushing the man toward the other Dime Lion, and both of them fell to the ground.
She ran into the small alley beside her, her heart beating fast.
Then an explosion erupted before her. Blue powder blew in her face and she cried out in pain.
Verdom, she realized.
As Sabo lay on the floor she felt a sharp pain in her neck, Sabo's hand shot towards it and she felt a small needle.
She had practiced for this with Ohval, all she needed to do was burn the drug out, but as Sabo reached for her abilities, nothing happened.
Sabo reached for her powers again and again, but she couldn't use them.
The drug was already spreading and Sabo could feel herself growing weak.
----
As Sabo slowly regained consciousness, she felt as if she was on fire. Her head jerked back as she opened her eyes and observed the room.
She tried to move but she couldn't. She looked down and saw that she was shackled to a chair. Her hands were trapped in the shackles that the drüskelle made for her. Her arms were covered in Verdom and she could feel it burn.
She was trapped.
'I knew the boy would store his weakness somewhere,' Van Eck sneered as he appeared before her.
'Do I know you?' Sabo asked with a thick accent.
'Drop the act of innocent Fjerdan woman, Sabo. Disguise or not, you and I both know what you are.' a familiar voice spoke.
Sabo tilted her head and saw Pekka Rollins. 'I'm afraid you're mistaken.' she replied.
'I don't think I am,' Pekka replied as he crouched down in front of her.
'You were betrayed, Sabo.' Van Eck said. 'Or do you prefer the name Arabella?'
Her cover was blown, she realized, Matthias.
'What the hell do you want?' Sabo asked as she leaned back in the chair.
'We want you to know the truth,' Van Eck said.
'Then start talking, I don't have all day.'
Pekka and Van Eck shared a look before laughing. 'You're not getting out of here, Sabo. Kaz Brekker made sure of that.'
Now that caught her attention.
Sabo laughed as she looked at Pekka. 'You want me to believe that Kaz sold me out to... you? The man who is responsible for the death of his brother?'
Pekka cocked his head. 'No, you and I both know that we have too much history.'
'He sold you out to me,' Van Eck replied as he grabbed a chair and leaned back in it. 'Kaz Brekker made a deal with me to receive the bounty for 100 million kruge.' Pekka grabbed a small flyer out of his pocket and Sabo saw a drawing of herself.
'He wouldn't do that,' Sabo replied as she looked away from the paper.
'Wouldn't he?' Pekka challenged as he leaned in. 'Didn't he hunt for a Saint a year ago to sell her to the highest bidder? What makes you any different?'
Sabo bit her tongue, she was not going to talk to Pekka anymore, he was probably enjoying it.
'You must've done something to really piss him off, Sabo.' Pekka said as he tried to catch her gaze. 'I always thought that he had a soft spot for you, but apparently, he loves his kruge more.'
Pekka grabbed her chin to make her look at him. 'Too bad if you ask me,' he said as he looked her up and down.
Sabo returned his gaze. 'I don't believe you.'
'Kaz's been showing you who he is for the past few years, Sabo.' Van Eck replied. 'When are you going to face the truth?'
Sabo swallowed.
Kaz wouldn't betray her, would he?
He was Kaz Brekker, Dirtyhands, there was no sin he would not commit for the right price.
'I'll tell you what's different this time, the bounty,' Pekka said. 'For Alina Starkov he could've gotten one million and for the scientist thirty-five. Now that your bounty has gone up, you're valuable enough to sell, even if he did have a soft spot for you.'
'Saints aren't that different from any normal Grisha.' Sabo had once said to Kaz.
'You're right.' Kaz had replied. 'A Saint is worth more.'
Pekka must've seen the slimmer of doubt in her eyes.
She scoffed. 'If you really think I'm the woman on the flyer, why wouldn't I have burned every single one of your men when I was being cornered?' Sabo asked.
Pekka took a step closer and smiled. 'Coming back from the dead messes with the abilities of the Grisha. So does being betrayed.' Pekka said. 'Do you remember what he said to me before? How I let someone in, a person I would sacrifice everything for? You revealed yourself and sacrificed your whole life for him. What would the man they call Dirtyhands think of you now?' Pekka smiled. 'He has betrayed you.'
Van Eck looked at his watch. 'I need to leave to meet your little crew,' he said as he stood up. 'Rollins, make sure she doesn't escape.'
Pekka sat down on the chair Van Eck had been occupying. 'I will,' Pekka replied but Sabo saw he had an ulterior motive.
'Van Eck,' Sabo called.
Van Eck turned to her. 'Yes?'
'Are you really sure you want to leave me here with Rollins?' she asked.
'Sometimes you need to hire a criminal, Sabo.' Van Eck replied as he nodded at Pekka before he left the room.
Sabo observed Pekka. 'You've already sold me to the Fjerdans, haven't you?'
'A mercher hired a criminal and thinks he can trust him,' Pekka's shoulders shook as he laughed. 'Yes, I've already sold you.'
'And how will you cover it up?'
Pekka grabbed a small blue powder from his pocket.
Sabo recognized it. 'Redder.'
Pekka nodded. 'Once it touches fire, it turns blue.' Pekka said as he observed the powder.
Kaz had once given it to her because, combined with her abilities, it did the opposite.
If Pekka placed this powder around the room they were in and burned it down, he could tell Van Eck that she escaped.
His plan would work, Sabo realized.
Sabo pushed her head forward and hit Pekka in the face. She heard a satisfying crack as blood dripped from his nose.
Sabo laughed before a familiar voice spoke.
'Are you done?'
Sabo froze as she looked beside her. Her smile fell.
Next to her stood a very bald-looking Jarl Brum with Cecilia Opjer.
'Van Eck wants me to keep you captive as leverage for Brekker, in case he might change his mind.' Pekka said as he stood up from his chair and put on his coat. 'But a hundred million kruge? That's retirement for me. So, I thought why not take the bounty for myself?'
Pekka pushed a needle into her leg. An overwhelming sensation of dread filled her as she felt her body go limp. She could still feel the drugs move through her veins.
'Just remember, love.' Pekka said. 'It was Kaz Brekker who sold you out. What's a scientist worth against a Saint?'
Sabo's head fell back against her chair as she was unable to move.
Her mother appeared above her. 'The poison will not put you to sleep, Kriska.' she said as she moved her hair away from her neck. 'You will remember every second of our journey back to Fjerda, I'll make sure of it.'
----
'Where's the real Kuwei?' Van Eck asked Kaz.
'Let us safely off this island with our payment, and I'll gladly tell you.'
'You have no way out of this, Brekker.'
Kaz shrugged. 'Kill us, and you'll never find Kuwei.'
Van Eck smiled. 'But that's where you're wrong, Mr. Brekker. I don't have to kill you all, because I know you will bring me the real Kuwei,' Van Eck said.
'Yeah right,' Jesper scoffed. Inej stood frozen beside him, not liking the smug expression on Van Eck's face.
Kaz raised his brow. 'And why would I do that?'
'You will bring me Kuwei in one week,' Van Eck said as he looked at a boat leaving the harbor of Ketterdam, a small frown appeared on his face before he looked back at Kaz. 'Or else I will sell your girl to the highest bidder.' Van Eck replied.
Kaz froze before he took in a small breath. 'What are you talking about, Van Eck?' he asked with a controlled tone.
'I had Sabo, oh sorry Arabella Opjer, cornered at the small market a few hours ago. Did you know that there's a bounty on her head for 100 million kruge?' Van Eck said as he showed them a small flyer. 'It made me wonder why you even agreed to this job for 35 million when you had a hundred million kruge right next to you.' Van Eck said as he looked at Kaz with a smug expression. 'Maybe because she's worth more to you.'
Kaz narrowed his eyes as he laid both hands on his cane.
Van Eck beamed as he realized that he'd won this round.
'For now, she believes that you betrayed her. Maybe in a week you can tell her on your knees that you didn't and beg her for her forgiveness, that is if you give me the real Kuwei.'
Van Eck looked at Wylan one last time before he departed.
'I'll be seeing you in a week, Mr. Brekker.' Van Eck said as he left the island.
Kaz's eyes didn't leave Van Eck as he departed. Kaz was rooted to the floor as he thought about the last conversation he had with Sabo.
If Van Eck got to her, it was his fault, Kaz realized, he had let her become his weakness and now she was paying the price.
'What the hell are we going to do now?' Jesper cursed.
For the first time in his life, Kaz didn't have an answer. No clever plan, no loophole they could jump through, nothing. The only thing he had was the thought of Sabo thinking he betrayed her.
Kaz wanted to explode in anger, he wanted to fight someone but knew that Van Eck's eyes were still on him as his ship departed.
Van Eck was going to pay for this and he would not rest until the job was done.