Chapter Text
Kaz Brekker didn't need a reason, but he always had one, and that was the only Saint he would ever believe in.
Kaz sat at his desk, hunched over reviewing papers, maps and a letter he last received from the ghost at sea, his Wraith. The letter had been tucked inside a black top hat. Kaz never wore it outside the Slat or the club. But sometimes he thought about wearing it as a disguise.
He kept the letter a secret, hidden behind a false board in his desk drawer.
It was simple,
-Kaz
The waters are calm today, we have taken care of 2 more slave ships in the past couple days.
I worry, they have been more frequent, and more prepared, and maybe it's the sea air and salt water making my head spin- but I can't help but be paranoid about the ships.
I know what you'll say, I am making a reputation for myself, and I should be happy I'm making myself well known around the waters. Well, you should be proud to know that part of me is, especially since I've started going by a new name among the people I save, “Saint of the sea” imagine that, a Saint.
I should be able to get a visit in Kerch soon. It won't be for another month probably, however If you have any ideas on where in Kerch I should visit, I would be happy to know.
-Wraith, Saint of the sea
Kaz stuck it back in the drawer, he had written back that day he got that letter, which was a couple days over a month ago. He hated to admit that he was anxious about Inej coming back to Ketterdam. In the past three years without her, he had done well. Of course that was from the letters, which gave him confirmation she was doing well. Of course the others were very excited to hear from their letters that she was coming back to Ketterdam. He was expecting a dreg or even Jesper to burst into his room any day and say she was here, but he figured she would be at his window sill faster than any Dreg, especially Jesper.
“BOSS!” Kaz flinched, Rotty had burst into his room and was breathing sharp and fast, his skin was shiny, was he sweating?
“Rotty what the hell?” Kaz exclaimed.
“Boss-” He began before sucking in air and coughing, bending over catching his breath. “There’s a man downstairs we brought in.”
“And why does this concern me?” He asked angrily. Glaring into Rotty’s sick expression.
“Sir- he was caught coming from West Stave boasting about how the Wraith was destroyed at sea.” Kaz’s fists clenched his cane, and the bottom rasped the floor boards as he stood quickly and stormed out.
~~~
-Captain Ghafa
I see the sea has come to recognize your wrath. Anyone would be a fool to mess with a Wraith such as yourself, I have no doubt in my mind that no one can bring down The Wraith.
As for the Saint of the Sea, I am not sure that the other Saints would appreciate a many knife wielding saint. But I suppose you know more about Saints than I ever could.
And I have heard horrible things about Ketterdam, best to avoid that wretched city and their wretched Barrel, horrible people really, but I am sure you can survive the gangs if you decide to go there.
-The Largest Barrel Boss in Ketterdam
~~~
The door slammed open and Kaz stormed inside. His cane tapped furiously with his steps. The man was tied to the chair, his brow bloodied and right eye swollen and purple. Jesper stood beside him, cleaning off his knuckles. His brows knitted together in concentrated anger while he wiped off the blood.
“Jesper” Kaz hissed. Jesper shot up, his anger dissolved in a second. “What happened?”
“Pim was walking down East stave with someone who ran off when he got there, spotted him coming back from West- Go on, tell him.” Jesper growled. Kaz let him be, he needed information one way or another.
The man groaned, his eyes went from Jesper to Kaz.
“There was a storm, a friend of a friend was on a ship out at sea, he told me he saw the Wraith go down.” Kaz arched an eyebrow at him.
“How do you know that the ship was the Wraith?”
The man sighed.
“Untie my arms, I have something.” Kaz looked at Jesper, he gave a questioning look to Kaz.
Kaz nodded. Jesper untied the ropes not too gently and stood near Kaz, resting his arm on his revolver that was resting on his belt. The man reached into the pocket of his trousers and pulled out a knife. Kaz's heart sank ever so slightly, but used every Muscle not to let it show.
“Sankt Petyr,” Jesper muttered, horrified. Kaz's eyes shot daggers into the man, he stepped closer, taking a closer look at the knife, its gold features, the name engraved into the end, it was Inej's. Kaz took it, turning it over in his leather grip. This didn’t belong to the man, it was Inej’s, and he would make sure it would be kept safe until she got it back.
“There's one more thing.” He said, Kaz snapped his gaze to him.
“He recovered a letter, I stole it from him, was gonna sell it to anyone who wanted to know the Wraith’s secrets.” He took out a near perfect condition wax paper letter, sealed with her usual teal candle wax with a crow feather stamp.
Kaz snatched the letter, and looked at it closer, it had a red stain on its corner, a small drip that was almost completely watered down. The picture of Inej writing back to Kaz peacefully before an accident happened that caused her to be injured and drowned flooded his mind like the flood that took Inej away from him. Or maybe it wasn't the storm, maybe this mystery person attacked Inej and murdered her.
“Kaz?” Jesper whispered, just enough to pull him out of the sea of thoughts.
He stuffed the letter in his pocket.
“Who is the person you stole this off of?” The man hesitated.
“What will I get if I tell you? You already stole my knife and letter.” Kaz swung his cane up in a rapid fluid motion, it hit his right shoulder and his arm dropped completely limp. He yelled in pain for a quick second before biting back the rest of the wailing. Kaz brought the can back to him, centering himself.
“What you get is to not end up dead and make my crew clean the floors. We work hard on making sure they stay spotless. So give me the name,” He leaned down. “Please.” The man swallowed hard.
“Valdez- Valdez Demir. He works for Tantee Haleen.” Kaz tensed, and he heard Jesper stifle a groan from behind him. “He comes here once a month, stays a night or two and leaves. He came back today, he’s leaving tomorrow.”
“Where?” Kaz hissed.
“At a motel, right near the Menagerie.” The man said, Kaz stood straight again, before turning to Jesper.
“Jesper, send Anika and Pim to find the motel, tell them to do whatever they need to get the information out of Valdez. I still need to ask a few more questions. Go.” He barked. Jesper nodded and left quickly. Kaz turned back to the man.
“Why were you coming East?”
“I was told by Valdez people from East Stave would pay up good for the letter, so I came here with a buddy, but he turned on me and left when we saw the Dreg.”
“Who?”
“He said he knew someone who would take me to a gang boss who had the money. He looked dinged up, said he was listening in to my conversation with Valdez.” Kaz hooked the beak of his cane in his shirt and pulled, his face was a few inches away from Kaz’s. His eyes burned into the Man.
“You still haven’t answered my question, Who brought you here?”
“I don’t know his name! I swear! I swear on the Saints.”
“Then you better swear on the Saint of the Sea that I won't kill you now.”
“I swear- Please-” The man begged. Kaz unhooked the cane and stood back.
“However, That Saint would counsel mercy, but thanks to Valdez, My Wraith isn’t here to plead your case.” He whipped out his hand and Sankt Petyr flew out in a wisp. It landed in the man's chest. He gasped and tried to grip the knife and pull it out- but his eyes rolled back and he fell out of the chair, limbs flopping slightly. Kaz closed his eyes, pushing out the sight of a dead man with his eyes open with Inej’s knife in him. He gripped the knife and reclaimed Sankt Petyr. He would need it cleaned and sharpened to return to Inej.