Natasha Van Doren is a shadow summoner. She bides her time and resides in darkness, feared and esteemed by Ketterdam's civilians, a ghost . She cons Kaz Brekker into joining a heist he can't refuse and with thirty million kruge on the line, the crow...
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"THE PLAN'S SIMPLE ENOUGH,"
Night had swept across the bruised skies of Fjerda, a nacreous moon entertaining home on the horizon. The darkness bled from stars, an inky canvas of blotted ink pale and grey.
The crows squatted tiredly in their chairs, knuckling their eyes with weak fingers. None of them had slept - since camp on the ice.
Alessia's head collapsed on Inej's shoulder, her eyelids heavy. "You've been bickering about the bloody plan for four hours," Alessia moaned, her fingertips scraped Natasha's cheek. "When are you going to let us go to bed?"
"This is important," Natasha hissed, kneeling to trace routes with Kaz. "You're going to need this information when we're inside tomorrow," Head down, eyes lost in thought - his gloved hands roamed across the length of storm-battered parchments.
"She has a point," Inej yawned. "I feel like I might fall asleep," Alessia encircled her arms around Inej's waist - tugging her closer. Inej caressed her chin on Alessia's shoulder, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek.
Natasha and Kaz shared pouts. "Fine," Kaz scoffed. He placed a copper ring of keys in the centre of the table. "But we need to decide who's sharing what rooms. I only had enough for four,"
"I'm with Inej," Alessia blurted immediately. Natasha glanced despairingly around the room - knowing there was no chance she'd be sharing with Nina. She looked over to Jesper, who already had his arm crooked possessively around Wylen's neck.
"Well then, I'll be with Wylen," Jesper said nonchalantly.
"Me and Matthias," Nina huffed, slinging her key off the ring and shadowing in the direction of her room. She was gone in a sashay of red silks, her lusty steps fading into the distance. The Frejdan sighed, trailing after the Heartrender.
Natasha refused to meet Kaz's eye. "I've got money. I'll get myself a room," Natasha said unconcernedly. She tugged a leather purse from her pouch, setting it on the desk. "I'll go talk to Aaliyah and ask her to arrange me a room,"
"No,"
She turned on her heel, staring down at the gloved hand on her elbow.
"It's just one night," Kaz's cheek was crimson, his teeth nipping hard into the flesh of his lips. Stop being foolish. Let her go. "We've slept in the same bed before,"
Natasha ran a thoughtful hand through her hair, swallowing back a grin. "I'd have to consider,"
Kaz scoffed loudly, pulling her into his chest. She yelped back a muffled gasp, feeling her cheek nestle into the heart of his velvet jacket. "Shut up we're sharing,"
He kicked the door closed, leading Natasha down a snarl of boarded passageways. The doors creaked menacingly, lanterns swaying above their heads. Ominous oil paints trailed down the soot-lined walls - extending from oils to crayon-like sketches.
He pulled his cane beneath his elbow. The floorboards squeaked beneath their light-footed steps. "This is us,"
Kaz clicked the lock open effortlessly, striding into the room with graceful steps. He dropped his cane onto the floor, sinking onto the bed with a groan. Kaz flexed his leg, shutting his eyes wearily as he fell back onto the sheets.
"I asked that woman for two singles,"
"It's fine," Natasha's voice was merely louder than a whisper. "I can sleep on the settee," She tended to the lime rocker and its lumpy filling.
Natasha groaned through gritted teeth, perching down inelegantly on the chair. It was as stubborn as a rock. "Not as comfortable as I hoped,"
"Take the bed, and I'll take the chair," Kaz proposed.
"But your leg," Natasha retorted. "It'll get all stiff, and you won't be able to walk,"
"Your powers," He hissed. Kaz was on his feet - saturating the distance between them. "When you used the cut, you fainted - we can't take that chance, especially when surrounded by druskelle.
"And what if they get you?" Natasha said fiercely. "Am I supposed to leave you for those wolves?" She scowled up at Kaz through eclipsed silver rings.
"Yes," He responded dryly. "You leave me, and you run,"
He didn't meet Natasha's eyes - he couldn't. The drop in her voice was enough to outline the pained edge. Natasha cleared her throat, thumbing the welling tears in her ducts.
"Would you run if it was me?" She blinked several times - watching him. "Would you leave me for the pyre?"
"I would come for you," he said, and when he saw the doubtful look she shot him, he reiterated. "I would come for you. And if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we'd fight our way out together-- heads high, pistols blazing. I wouldn't leave you, Natasha - Not for anything."
Kaz smiled a defeated smile, his eyes burning with intensity. "Promise me, Natasha," He tugged off his gloves, placing his hands in hers with a subtle flinch. "Promise me you would run,"
"No,"
"Promise me," His voice was an abandoned plead, devouring the sticky silence smothering them both. Natasha wouldn't promise such a horrible thing. Natasha wouldn't leave Kaz's side - unless death herself dragged her away.
"You won't die," Natasha said desperately. She scorned the strain of lies in her throat, shaking back her shoulders. "I'd melt the Ice Palace into a puddle before I let anything happen to you,"
She clasped his hands gingerly in his, tracing a thumb across the tangle of scar tissue. "Remember," she hummed. "The glass from the bank,"
Natasha turned her palm to reveal the nettle of scars on her skin. "I tried to pull them out, but they never healed," her voice was syrupy with contempt.
"I like it," he said quietly. "Mine's shaped like a moon,"
Kaz tilted her hand onto its side, observing the scars with a stinging eye. "I'd say yours is shaped, like a rose," He traced each petal with the tip of his forefinger. "A dead rose," he added with an amusing quip. "But just as beautiful,"
"We survived," Natasha grinned. She held his hands in hers, not daring to let go."And we will survive this night, and then the next - because it is you and me against the world,"
Her smile was pure, fiercer than the ravaging howls of wolves but softer than an ember of smoke.
"No matter how many scars," Kaz said softly.
"No matter how many scars."
A/N
- this chapter is so soppy and sweet, it's cringe. Anyways, SHADOW AND BONE CAME OUT! If you guys want to talk spoilers feel free, but please put some sort of warning as not everyone has finished watching the show yet. Sorry this chapter is so short I just wanted a filler before the big heist chapter tommorow! Anyways, if you enjoyed please vote and comment - I love hearing from you guys!
