Chapter Text
The reputation was everything in Katterdam. Rumors and whispers were what locals strifed upon, and Kaz used it to his best ability. He was way too young for some rumors to stick, so he had to do a lot of unspeakable things, so that whispers would get true. He wasn't the one to think of Dirtihands, but he liked the ring to it.
That was supposed to be a big job. Robbing a bank with Dregs. Kaz didn't choose these ones, and despite it all being his plan, he had to go under lieutenant Ulrich. He was almost sixteen and thought like he was an adult and just knew better. Usually Kaz would turn the tables and just show this adult that he was basically nothing, but Kaz needed this job to go well, so he obliged.
He should've killed Ulrich or gone to job himself without telling Per Haskell.
Or he shouldn't have jumped from that roof. He couldn't run because of pain and nobody in the group even stopped to help him. Rotty tried to, but Ulrich hit him and told to fucking run.
As soon as Kaz was out of jail, he would find and make Ulrich pay.
He knew how, he was the best spider Dregs had, broken leg or no.
Rumors about the new urchins law weren't a secret, of course. Everyone under the age of fourteen, according to it, were not to roam the street. They were to be registered and sent to orphanages, and out of Ketterdam. One more way for the Merchant Council to get rid of a Barrel, as a lot of smaller jobs, like pickpocketing or getting messages, was done by such urchins in gangs. They actually opposed this law, the amount of bribes and threats that went against it was, frankly, not worth it.
It wasn't like they couldn't just find a way around it. Some paperwork, and vola, an urchin is actually a younger sibling of some gang member, if anything, it just tied them to the gang even closer, and would allow them to hold it over the kid.
But the Darklings, a very prominent figures in Kerch history for the last four or so centuries, wanted this law applied. Most likely to find their dear Grishas within the urchins and send them to Pecu-homes, glorified boarding schools that taught Grishas who then worked everywhere in Kerch and abroad. Not only as soldiers, but all other professions as well. If anything, they were taking roles no otkazat'sya could, or were pushed away from something in fear of losing them.
Kaz was twelve, he was tested enough times on the card tables to know for sure he was otkazat'sya, and he just hoped he could leave this place before this law would pass. He was to end up in some working houses near Katterdam, some manual labor, and he couldn't afford to lose any time there.
He had a vengeance to fulfill.
He was also one of the least lucky people, that was why he always had a bunch of plans, so the law did come in power like a week before his trial.
Also his leg mended wrong, great. Well, it was somehow ironic. No part of him was broken and didn't heal wrongly. Maybe he would incorporate that into his story.
He only half-heartedly listened to the judge, who seemed way too sleepy and just wanted to be done with it, and was just annoyed about the new procedure. Kaz wasn't the first person to go through it, but he was somehow… surprised there were so many people present. Most of them were criminal affiliated, that's for sure.
Per Haskell wasn't there, none of Dregs were, and Kaz felt spiteful. What, if he broke his leg, he became useless or something? Old fool. Kaz will destroy Ulrich first, and he will need Per Haskell till his fourteenth birthday, and after that the old fool will surface in one of Katterdam's canales with his fucking boats in the bottles being shoved deep into his throat.
The trial itself was short, it would've been over with a long time ago if Kaz didn't break his leg. They didn't have any evidence to prove Kaz even was in the Bank and didn't just end up near it with an injury. His tattoo did show he was a part of a gang, but these idiots — according to Rotty — threw money away as soon as it became clear they were chased. Rotty salvaged some of it and hid it in Black Veil, waiting for Kaz's return. At least one loyal face. Rotty also was older, about fifteen, but recognised Kaz as someone who could be trusted and followed to some extent. He needed more loyal people before this job, and needed to be the leader. Kaz made his fingers relax around the cane.
He also needed an appropriate fighting cane.
"Kaz Brekker is not guilty in the Bank Robbery," the judge said something more over the top, but that was the meaning, and hit her hammer on the table. "Now, to the adoption process."
That made Kaz shoot his head up. What adoption process? He was to get into the system. And not straight to adoption. He went through enough drafts of the law to know the procedure. There were different versions, but before any adoptions were to take place he was to become a child of an orphanage, and he even knew for sure which one. The working home is just south of Katterdam, because it's too expensive to have children transported far.
And the judge mentioned all his thoughts, that somehow he was already a part of the orphanage — he wasn't, somebody forged his signature, for this to happen right away. And the amount of people… was there to be a goddamn auction for him? Because after the news about the urchin law came to be, Kaz did think of how some people he crossed would die laughing because Kaz fucking Brekker, Dirtihands, the best lockpick and pickpocket was set for adoption. And how some of them would grab into this chance to get him as their member, who they could do everything they would want to.
Well shit.
That was just his luck. Honestly, he wasn't even surprised. Now he just needed time to think of a way out.
"Judge Grind, I don't want to get adopted," Kaz said, as he raised his hand, when the judge finished explaining a goddamn auction procedure. "According to chapter 2 point 3 or 5, every urchin can choose whether they are to go to adoption, so I'm against it."
"Mr Brekker," the judge said, her voice somewhat surprised. "That's true, urchins can choose not to be adopted, but you signed the paper when you got into the orphanage."
Well of fucking course.
"I changed my mind."
He didn't sound pathetic, but he knew how fruitless that was. The judge watched him with something akin to pity in her eyes, and Kaz wondered if she also was bribed.
She probably was.
People like her don't really have any warm feelings towards children they judge and this whole adoption process wasn't what would change that.
"You needed to contact your orphanage before the trial. Now it is too late. But I believe that your adopted parents will teach you responsibility."
More likely beat it into him. Kaz clenched his cane even stronger. He didn't recognise "parents" and their clothes colors didn't even hint him on what sort of gang they were part of. There also was this weird gentleman in black, that eyed Kaz like he was some sort of delicious meal. Kaz met and held his gaze, managing not to flinch. He saw his face somewhere in the Merchant Council, but couldn't put a name to him.
Merchants and law abiding people, rarely wore black here in Kerch. They preferred colored clothes.
The man raised his hand and the judge nodded to him.
"I will take him."
"There is going to be an auction," some lady in green and pink said.
"He isn't Grisha, Mr Darkling," the judge said, and Kaz wholeheartedly agreed. Now he connected the dots, and it just weirded him out. Why was Darkling even here?
He noted the low murmur, people also wondered about it.
"Isn't he?"
"We tested him, when he got into our care," and now the judge used careful words.
"When he had his leg broken, I presume?" Darkling shook his head. "Children must be healthy to be truly checked. Will you allow me?"
Oh fuck no. If there is even a rumor of Kaz being a goddamn Grisha it will make his life insufferable. And Kaz had a feeling that Darkling would forge a test to make it look like Kaz was Grisha. If there were ways to go around the tests, there were certainly ways to make some pigeons believe they were Grishas. A very nice way to take their money, actually, he’ll need to find a way to do just that, but now he needed to concentrate on currend circumstances.
"Sir, I was tested before quite a few times. I'm otkazat'sya," Kaz said in the most polite voice he could master. And Darkling eyed him, like he was some riddle to solve.
"Darkling's Homes are for peculiar children, you are peculiar enough, even without being Grisha."
Rude, but Kaz didn't allow himself to roll his eyes or even look sideways.
"We all agree that the urchin law is to steer young lost souls to a better, more prosperous future," Darkling stood up. "Some youth need more guidance and education than a normal family has any chance to provide them with. I believe young Mr Brekker here is one of these peculiar children, and that our boarding school will be in his best interests."
Nobody fucking cared about Kaz's best interests in this room, not even Darkling. He had some agenda about Kaz, but for Saints sake, what was it Kaz had no idea.
"The boy needs a family," the same lady from before said, clearly not aware when to shut up. Fabric other skirt rustled as she stood up.
The judge was pale and looked at Darkling in obvious fear. That part wasn't planned, to the point that when the lady started saying how she raised a few children of her own, judge Grind didn't call to silence. Just as she didn't say anything when other people started standing up and trying to prove how they'll become the best parents poor crippling will need.
What a bazar.
Kaz sighed and knocked the table with his cane, it sounded pretty much like the judge's hammer. So at least people shut up. Kaz had his other hand raised.
Judge Grind frowned at her hammer, when she understood the sound wasn't from it, and then nodded to Kaz.
"According to chapter three, point five, if there is more than one adoptive family, and also if the urchin for adoption is older than ten, they can choose who they would be adopted by."
Judge frowned and went to the papers, to check his wordings. He was sort of afraid they took out this point, as some of the drafts he got his hands on didn't even have one. But he was going to fake it and take all the time he has to stretch whatever is going on to think of a way out.
Mind came awfully blank. And he will do something desperate just about now.
"That's point three, and the age is above twelve, but otherwise you're correct," the judge nodded.
Kaz needed time, he needed research on who the people behind him were working for, he also knew that according to the law he was to be given all their files, and he was pretty sure the judge had his signature on how he watched them all through.
"I am twelve," Kaz said, he wanted to lie that he was older, but that was just impossible, as he already had a record. "And I want to go with Mr Darkling."
"You don't know what you're talking about!" the same green and pink lady screamed.
"I do, actually, before the trial I was given all your files, right, judge Grind?"
She looked perplexed for a moment. The assistant next to her looked through the documents, and Kaz's hunch was correct, they did make a paper that said he went through all these files. He was somehow sure Darkling's Home wasn't in any of them, but they won't check for now. And later, Darkling won’t give him to anyone, just like he never gave his precious Grishas away. The thought was actually jittering. But that was a bet Kaz trusted somewhat more. Something unexpected enough to throw others off. It was like a Joker appeared from the deck, while all other cards were stack against him.
"So, I choose Mr. Darkling." Kaz looked at him and felt shiver run down his spine.
The man was somehow pleased and even more hungry. Kaz regretted his choice instantly, but he operated on too little information here, out of depth, old drafts of urchin law and his sense that if he ends up with someone behind he'd be indentured for life.
Or one of the families could even be from Pekka Rollins. Destroying his empire from inside might have been fun, but not a route he wanted to go for.
The judge seemed lost, just like everyone else. But it was all according to the law, as well as the fact that Darkling was actually part of the Merchant Council, so going against his world would mean repercussions.
Saints, what did Kaz get himself into?