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The Slat was quiet. It was unusual really, you had gotten used to laughter, drunken singing, banging on walls and barrels rolling downstairs. But now it felt like even everyone passing the building were trying their best to stay silent.
What happened after you got back to Ketterdam after the Ice Court rolled in your mind over and over. How Jan Van Eck had tried to fool you, but Kaz was quicker. But it still resulted into Inej being snatched away and Van Eck looking as punchable as always. If Kaz hadn’t made you run, you would have attacked Inej’s captor personally right there. Knife through his heart for Inej.
When Kaz had hired Inej to work for the Crows, she had immediately taken a liking to you and grew out to be like a sister. She listened to you, made you feel important for the first time in your life. So knowing she was somewhere tied up was an unbearable though, one that gnawed you through your chest.
And maybe that was why you were always pestering Kaz, pacing back and forth his office and your room, wordlessly hurrying him up.
“What if she’s dying as we speak?” you whispered, looking out from the window while Kaz was browsing through papers he had managed to snatch during his “morning walk”.
“She’s not, Van Eck wants to use her as a leverage and her being dead would make him lose her as a leverage,” Kaz replied, which made you turn from the window and walk up to him, staring at the blueprint in front of him.
You pursed your lips and tapped your fingers against his desk. Once. Twice. “This is taking days, too much time, we don’t have this much time.”
“Planning takes time. We can’t just barge in and risk her life,” Kaz muttered, clearly frustrated by you hovering around him.
You sat in front of him, laying your hands on the blueprint. “Kaz, she might not even have hours. We need to make a move. I have a horrible feeling that we’re already too late.”
Kaz’s lips turned into a scowl and he barked, “you can either trust me and wait and not give in to foolish rushing. But I won’t stand in your way if you want to play a hero. Then I’d have two to save, or I’d have one who’s dead and one who’s living, or maybe even two bodies. And it would be on you.”
You scoffed at his bark. “Oh, always nagging, aren’t you? Every time I hear your voice, it’s in a language called nag.”
Kaz froze, staring at you for a moment and then closing his eyes. He let out a groan. “I’m trying to get her back from Van Eck.”
You stared at him back for a moment, and then shook your head. “I’m sorry. You’re right, I should not rush you. I’m just… she’s the only family I have, Kaz. Even when she’s not actually my sister, she feels like one. I just… I can’t bear the thought of losing her.”
Kaz was quiet for a moment again, but then he spoke again. “We will get her back. I have a plan, but I need to perfect it before we can move on it. There are people we must find and interrogate. It all takes time.”
You nodded slowly. “I understand.”
Kaz grunted. “Get some sleep.”
You nodded again before standing up and making your way to the door. But just before you pushed the door open, you turned around again. “Kaz?” He stopped writing and raised his gaze. You offered him a small smile. “Thank you.”
And then you were out before you even gave him a chance to reply, descending the stairs towards your room. You knew Kaz would craft a perfect plan like he always did, and until that, you’d need to rest and trust him.