Chapter Text
“I have a job for you.”
Kaz had never actually said “I need your help” before. At least, never in so many words. Still, the prospect of a job was enough to get Jesper’s attention. He looked up from his hand of cards at once.
It was a late night at the Crow Club, so late that most of the pigeons had cleared out for the evening, leaving the Dregs to play a few friendly hands themselves. (Friendly by Dregs standards, anyway. No one had been shot or stabbed, but Jesper was, notably, down quite a few Kruge.)
Kaz stood before Jesper, his pale skin sharply contrasting the harsh lines of his dark suit. He had both hands resting on his crow’s head cane, and there, behind Kaz, stood a girl.
Jesper raised his eyebrows at the site of her. So this must be the Suli girl Kaz had convinced Per Haskell to buy out of her contract at the Menagerie. She had bronze skin and a lean build, her dark hair arranged in a tight coil at the nape of her neck. Jesper couldn’t begin to imagine why Kaz had been so insistent on recruiting her, but then again Kaz always had his reasons. Reasons he doesn’t care to disclose, Jesper thought bitterly.
“A job, huh? What is it?” Jesper asked, laying down his cards to peer curiously at the girl. She stood so silently, none of the other Dregs at the table seemed to have noticed her presence, but Jesper did take note of one thing about her: although she stood behind Kaz, this girl did not cower. She stood tall, despite her slight frame, apparently unperturbed by the horde of Barrel thugs surrounding her.
Kaz’s eyes flickered disdainfully to the rowdy Dregs at the table, playing cards and slopping beer down their fronts.
“Not here,” he rasped. “My office. Tomorrow, 8 bells.” Jesper almost released a groan at the idea of climbing all those stairs, but one look from Kaz and he shut his mouth tight. Kaz offered Jesper a single, stiff nod and turned to go, when the Suli girl cleared her throat.
“Ahem.”
Kaz paused, staring at her with his cruel shark’s eyes. Jesper watched with bated breath. He himself would’ve been running for the hills if Kaz glared at him like that, but not this girl. Her chin was jutting out defiantly, a challenging glint in her eyes.
Jesper decided he liked her.
There was a beat, then Kaz released a small breath. He ran a gloved hand through his hair.
“Jesper, this is Inej. Inej, meet Jesper,” he said, as if the introduction was the greatest waste of time imaginable.
The girl called Inej stepped around Kaz and held out her small hand. Jesper slapped his hand into hers gladly.
“Good to meet you. Welcome to the Dregs,” he said jovially. Kaz eyed them with a look of distaste.
“Tomorrow. 8 bells,” he repeated once Inej had returned to his side.
“Sure thing, Kaz,” Jesper agreed with a two finger salute. He winked at Inej, who offered him a small smile before following Kaz out of the club.