CHAPTER SEVEN
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IT WAS DEFINITELY THE SEA. It was the ship that they were on that rocked in the waves that stirred something inside of him, a fear bigger than the one of touch and skin, one that clawed in his insides, nearly overshadowing the ghost in his ear. Perhaps that was what allowed him that moment of vulnerability with Kira. Yes. That was it. The sea had muddled his mind and Kaz could not focus properly.

Which was why he was grateful they were back on land, in Ravkan soil. Away from slithering ghosts brought upon by the scent of the sea. Away from the flashes he saw as he closed his eyes. Hammering against him as the boat rocked. Ghosts. Cold, lifeless. Dead. All around him, suffocating him. He made his best to push them down, but it was useless. The only true moment of peace he had was on that second day of the trip and then not even Kira's smile and flushed face were able to drive his fears away completely.

After their moment though, Kaz had made the smart decision to ignore her for the rest of the trip. She had been avoiding him as well, even though he could feel her stare when he walked onto the deck of the ship.

Just as she was now, looking at him with narrowed eyes and a frown hinting on her lips, as she put out a hand for him. He rolled his eyes and passed her an envelope full of Ravkan money. "Thank you."

She started walking down the street, before stopping and glancing back at him. "Come along, Brekker, I need you for my ruse."

Kaz's jaw clenched but he nodded. He didn't have another choice, considering Jesper was with Inej and the Conductor getting some supplies for their trip. He began limping her way.

They walked in silence to the streets of Os Kervo. Kaz had never seen Ravka, only in the DeKappel that hung in his office; so to say he was enthralled by the sight of a city that wasn't filled with smog and blood was an understatement.

West Ravka, Os Kervo, was a sunny city even in the cold. There were trees on the streets and it was on rare the occasion when he saw a kid begging for scraps or men and women searching frantically for their wallets. There were Grisha parading around in keftas and aside from some dirty looks they didn't seem to care about other people. Kaz had even seen a statue in the middle of a little square; a statue of the lost princess of Ravka. There were no statues in Ketterdam—not complete ones, anyway.

Unlike Kaz though, who had been relieved as his feet touched steady land after the torturous see trip, Kira's face, as she had set foot in Ravka, was daring. It was a face he had seen on her face some times before. Try me, it said. And she was talking to the whole country.

She had said Kaz would figure out what she was hiding as soon as they got to Ravka. He had not. Yet. He knew it was something important, something that she was afraid would even change the way he looked at her.

How could he look at her any differently?

They arrived at a stall near a park, where there were big posters advertising a carriage sale. How Kira had gotten here Kaz didn't ask. Behind the stall a bunch of carriages were lined up, horses attached to each of them, waiting to be sold.

"Kaz!"

Kaz's eyes snapped to Kira who beckoned him forward. She looked up at him and carefully reached for his hat, making Kaz's breath hitch. She hesitated but as she saw he didn't move away she was careful not to touch him as she shifted it on his head so it wasn't covering his face so much.

"You'll scare off the poor woman with your hat like that," she told him promptly and let her arms fall to her side, taking a step back.

A small part of him wished she could keep adjusting his hat forever just so she could stand close to him. But the other part of him was fighting down tremors, and shoving the ghosts back into their shallow graves. He hated both; they were both weak.

"Now, try and smile," Kira said before turning around and walking next to him over to the stall where an older woman was sitting, hunched over some papers.

"Hello, there!" Kira said cheerily, a grin on her face, and Kaz's lips twitched up involuntarily. She had told him to smile. He was doing just that.

The woman looked up at Kira, a small polite smile on her face. "Good morning. Are you perhaps interested in purchasing one of our lovely transports?"

Kaz fought the urge to roll his eyes because obviously, that's why they approached the stall; but Kira nodded, the smile on her face still as innocent as he had ever seen—and it matched with her soft blue dress; she looked every bit innocent and yet, Kaz's mouth tugged into a smirk knowing she could kill any men in less than a moment and pout if blood spilled on her dress.

"Oh yes," she said with a dreamy sigh, "We're taking a trip to Novo-Kribirsk. And we're in dire need of transport."

"That would be two hundred sovereigns," the woman said and pointed at a carriage next to her. It looked simple and bare of any flair that could raise the price so high.

Kira's eyes were suddenly full of concern, and she hesitated as she looked up at him. When the woman couldn't see her eyes anymore, she gave him a pointed look. Lie, it said. Kaz sighed.

He turned to the woman with a solemn face, a small hesitant smile appearing on his face. "Ma'am, my wife and I are newlyweds. We're to meet her family in Novo-Kribirsk but transport is scarce and money scarcer. Can't you spare a few sovereigns?"

The woman's eyes softened. Kaz turned to look at Kira, whose cheeks were burning as she avoided his gaze. Kaz nearly smirked at the sight.

"It would be a huge favor," Kira told the woman, putting her hand over the lady's hand, showing a golden band on full display on her ring finger—she had stolen a ring from Jesper. "I would honestly not mind staying here with him, enjoying the sightings, and away from the retched Fold, but... My family is East of the country and I haven't seen them in quite a long while."

The woman seemed to avert her gaze from Kira's eyes as if she looked at them too much she would kneel down and give every carriage she had for free. Kaz looked in awe as he realized once more why they called her the Whisperer. He wasn't the only one having a hard time refusing her—it made him feel both relieved and not (she probably put on a show for him too).

Kira wasn't even trying that hard, she wasn't even lying, and the woman behind the stall was nervously looking around as if hoping permission to lower the price was anywhere near.

Kira pressed on. "Do you have a brother?"

"What?" the woman asked, turning her face and falling into Kira's gaze again. Rookie mistake, Kaz thought, Kira's eyes were hypnotizing.

"I have two," Kira said and blinked a few times as if getting rid of unshed tears. She looked back at the woman, her lips tugging downwards in a frown that could make a statue weep.

"I've been away from my old home. I haven't seen my brothers in years and it pains me to say... I miss them dearly. I always wished that they would meet the man I marry, and... I don't even know if they're alright." As she reached the end of the sentence, Kira's voice cracked, and she let out a sob.

Kaz saw, thunderstruck, as the woman immediately reached a hand to Kira's shoulder, looking at her sympathetically and shooting Kaz a dirty look for not comforting his 'wife'.

He honestly couldn't blame her. He too was urging to throw his arms around Kira even if he knew it was all an act. But he couldn't. Because, at the end of the day, he wasn't her husband. He was Dirtyhands. He was a man who trembled at the prospect of human touch. He couldn't comfort her, at all. Even for the sake of a ruse.

"It's alright, deary," the woman said her focus back on Kira. "I'll make you a deal. A carriage for a mere fifty sovereigns. All I need in return is for you to wipe your tears and smile. You'll be with your brothers soon."

Kira sighed in relief and placed her hand atop the woman's hand on her shoulder. "Thank you."

Then she proceeded to turn her back on the woman, looking up at Kaz with a small beautiful evil smile as she made herself tremble as if smothering a sob.

"Don't cry, love," Kaz said softly, glancing behind Kira at the woman who was watching them closely. "Everything's alright."

"A little bit left too, I'd hope," Kira said with a grin, though her cheeks were faintly flushed. "Otherwise the world would tip over."

Kaz's amused smirk grew even wider as she blushed again and he didn't know whether they were still putting on an act.

She reached for her pocket where the envelope was, with more than the two hundred sovereigns the woman had asked for, and took the fifty. Then she closed the envelope and slipped it into the pocket of his coat. She turned back to the woman and paid her, thanking her endlessly as they were led over to the carriages.

Kira had even managed to choose which one she wanted.

Kaz sat down on the bench, taking over the reins to steer the carriage as Kira slipped in the back. Kaz watched, annoyed, as she chatted with the woman.

"Oh he can be a bit uptight sometimes," Kira said with a laugh and he knew she was talking about him. "But he's so handsome... I think it makes up for it."

Kaz felt a blush rise up to his cheeks. Because Kira didn't lie. That meant she thought of him as handsome. How she could, he didn't know, but it sure boosted his ego. He would never admit it though.

"Oh, young love," the woman said with a sigh and closed the carriage door. "Have a nice trip, deary."

"Thank you, Svetlana, it was a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Make sure to tell your husband how lucky of a man he is."

"Not as lucky as yours."

The woman let out a laugh just as Kaz made the carriage go forward and the horse started strutting through the streets of Os Kervo. Ignoring the fluttering inside his stomach as he glared ahead.

•••

"I didn't hire you simply to get us across the Fold," Kaz told the Conductor as they rode to Novo-Kribirsk.

They were all sitting inside the carriage—after Kira had convinced a man to drive them to the city for less than a few sovereigns and a promise of a bottle of kvas. The Conductor, Jesper, and Inej were cramped on one side of the carriage and Kaz and Kira sat on the other side. The latter was leaning against the wall, making sure to give him his space. Kaz, for once, was thankful. At least he could breathe in the tiny space cramped with bodies.

"You're with us because you smuggle Grisha out of the Little Palace," Kaz told Arken, "and that's the location of our target."

"Sun Summoner," Inej muttered.

"Alleged," Kaz countered.

"They wouldn't keep a fraud in the most secure location in all of Ravka," the Wraith argued and Kaz saw in disappointment as Kira nodded.

"It's a myth. But if General Kirigan has her that means it's a myth come true," Kira said knowingly. "That man would not dare make a fool of himself in front of—the King of Ravka. He has old pride. It's hard to vanquish."

Kaz frowned at the familiarity in her voice. The tone she used was one that Kaz often heard from her when she was talking about things she already knew.

"You said you have a contact who can get us inside," Kaz said, snapping himself out of his thoughts of the golden-haired girl. "A Heartrender."

The Conductor hummed as he gave Kira a side glance. Kaz scowled at him.

"How do I know we can trust her?" he asked.

"Nina grew up there," Arken said.

"Most Grisha grew up in the Little Palace," Kaz said promptly. "Very few would betray their general, and fewer still would help foreigners kidnap their most prized possession."

"Nina's a radical. Thinks Grisha should get to choose if they serve the Crown."

"That's fair. Most of the Lantsovs are right pricks," Kira said and the Conductor scowled at her and proceeded to ignore her.

"Have you met them?" Jesper asked amused, and Kaz saw the Conductor's face bristle as Kira let out a laugh.

"Met who? The Lantsovs?" she asked. "Jesper darling do you honestly think I had sufficient manners to meet the Royal Family?"

She didn't say no.

That was all it took for the pieces to fall in place.

The people I could blame for who I am are quite important, Kaz Brekker. . . . I'd have to destroy a palace. . . .  In Os Alta. Where the king lives. . . .

He had seen the statue. He had read the name. He blinded himself to the answer because as he remembered what he'd read, Kaz's jaw clenched and he looked over at Kira, laughing at Jesper's joke and didn't understand why she would think he would look at her differently.

Faina Kira Lantsov.

That was the name on the statue. And he was still looking at her for who she was. Not who she had been. Why was she so afraid of his reaction?

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