Chapter Text
Dear Inej,
I hope this letter finds you quickly. During the rime I'm writing this Kaz has been missing for three days. I would've contacted you sooner if it was not for our hope of his return. The dregs's spiders are doing all they can, but so far we've not been successful. I ask you, please would you come home? Me and Wylan, we need you here.
Best wishes, Jesper.
That was the letter she'd gotten shortly before dropping everything and setting sail toward Kerch. It's been for days since then and her conscience was eating at her.
Would you please.
Of course she would, to think he thought he'd have to ask. Kaz was missing. On top of the fact that they didn't have any information. Whatsoever. Which may have changed from the time the letter was written, but as the wretched city appeared in the distance, a bad taste still settled on her tongue.
Ketterdam would not take another thing from her. Inej won't let it.
The wind brushed through her hair.
It could technically all be fine now. Kaz could've been back home for nearly a week and everything would be okay once they docked.
He'd wait for her at the docks and later brush and cradle her hair while she told him about the children she'd saved.
Inej glanced back at her crew. Rotty and some of the other members were playing cards, while Liz, a squaller from Novyi Zem who'd joined them a year back worked the sails.
She couldn't help but feel a bit hopeful. They'd saved so many girls, so many little boys. She had saved so many children. She could save Kaz too.
Rotty's eyes met her gaze and he excused himself from the other's, leaning against the railing next to her. There was a small furrow in his brows, close to concern.
"Something happened, didn't it?"
Inej looked back at the water. The surface shining in the sunlight. She'd heard somewhere that there were sharks in these waters. But she didn't remember where. Her mouth felt dry.
"Why do you think so?" She asked.
"We left Ravka so suddenly. And you've been quieter." He answered, staring holes into the side of her face. "What's going on?"
Inej shifted on her feet, gazing at the small waves that hit the walls of the ship and the bubbles forming around them.
"Kaz is missing."
Rotty blinked, arms resting on the railing. He seemed to hesitate, weighing his words carefully. He clicked his tongue. "Oh."
They fell into a silence. Inej could her the crew chattering away behind them, laughing amongst each other. And she could hear the ocean, the soft splashes.
It didn't feel as comforting as usual.
Rotty's brows furrowed. "How'd that happen?"
She shrugged. "I don't know." The words felt almost physically painful. "Jesper said that their spiders haven't found anything."
He seemed more confused at that. "That's.. unusual."
Inej hummed. "It is."
She looked back up at the outline of buildings that slowly came closer, then turned to Rotty.
"Prepare for berthing. Same dock as always."
He nodded slowly, then turned around to the rest of the crew. "Prepare for docking!"
She departed from her crew quickly, hushing over the rooftops with the same ease as always. Even though her heart felt heavy, her feet were not. And that's what mattered.
Docking had gone flawlessly, but the panick that had settled deep into her stomach when she got the letter, crawled up her body and overcame her with a binding nausea.
It was late in the evening, the streets of Ketterdam busy with pidgeons waiting to be swindled out their money and she knew, that somewhere soon, another brothel would be shut down.
But that wasn't what was important currently.
It was quiet when Inej arrived at the Slat. The dregs were doing their jobs per usual, but something felt different. From the way that no one came to greet her to the, normally loud and happy banter, being only a few whispered sentences. Pim only gave her a small wave as hello, before going back to whatever job he was doing.
There was a feeling in the air. The usually, for the leading gang, inviting atmosphere was gone. Inej knew why. Jesper's letter had been brief, but clear.
Kaz was missing. And that hadn't changed in the past week or so. Which meant that A, Kaz couldn't get out himself, B, he was lost, or C he wasn't.. alive anymore.
She rushed up the stairs on quiet feet until she stood in front of Kaz's office door. She knocked once, then twice, until the door opened.
"Ghezen, i thought i told you people I was–" Anika stocked when she saw Inej, face relaxing just slight. "Inej. You came."
She looked past Anika into the room. Jesper was standing next to the table, a small smile on his face and looking straight at her. He looked tired, so did Anika.
"Yeah. 'Course i did." She looked from Anika to Jesper. "So.. want to tell me what the fuck happened?"