hiscrookedsaint

[hiscrookedsaint]

𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

#: 𝐕𝐈

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Kaz x fem!reader

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: Y/N and the crew infiltrate the Little Palace to capture Alina, but the mission goes a different direction. As Y/N's powers grow more darker and secrets from her past emerge, an all-powerful Grisha sets his sights on her.

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 3457

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: Blood, gore, mentions of injury & mentions of death.

𝐀/𝐍: Thank you for taking the time to read this fic I've been working hard on! :)

𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

~Y/N~

After doing the last shows, the time has come. Inej and I had gone through a route that made us unseen in the Little Palace. Using my powers with the most powerful Grisha in the country is a risk I couldn't take; I would've been a prisoner in a heartbeat.

We go to the meeting point where Inej, Arken, and I get our uniforms from Kaz. Inej is first. "Is it my size?" she asks. "You have to ask?"

"Do you remember what happened last time we did this? Got me a man's uniform." Kaz says, "It worked, didn't it?" "Just be happy I'm eager to get out of... this." She says.

Kaz hands me mine, and I look down at it. It looks like it would fit. I gaze at him before joining Inej to wear our regular clothes and the guard uniform. I made sure my eyes were still E/C in a small mirror.

Inej and I get near our positions, where Kaz stands by the doorway where the actual demonstration occurs. But before we go to our spots, we stop by Kaz. "It's reflective glass. You ounce the light into that, and people won't know whether it's coming or going."

The applause dies, and Alina gets on the main stage with General Kirigan. "Her name is Alina Starkov. And she will bring liberation to us all." he says. Kirigan summons shadow all around the room with a clap of his hands.

Alina started with a small ball of light, rotating it in her right hand. She then brought a second light to her left, pushing the two light sources near the glass. The chandelier's colors were gorgeous.

The light then explodes within the center of the room, flashing a tiny bit of darkness before it is restored. Everyone then praises Sankta Alina. The festivities continue, and we realize Alina hasn't been taken to the Fitting Room.

Inej picks up on the lateness and goes up to Kaz. "The lynx flush was to smoke out Arken." She says. "Like I said, our futures depend on this. I saw two identical dresses in the fitting room. The target is wearing one, and an Inferni about the same height and build was measured for the other. They need the target for the demonstration, but afterward at the reception, that's when they'll deploy a double for security reasons. So, I set Arken after the double while we stay on the target."

I realize what he meant. "Arken will get caught, after what he did." I add. Kaz says, "He chose his fate in Novokribirsk when he met with Zlatan."

"What if you're wrong? What if we sand bagged him with a lynx flush, and the meeting had nothing to do with this?" Inej says. "The only two men in the world who profit off the Fold? Doubtful. Now."

The three of us are now proceeding with the next phase. We approach her, and Kaz begins, "Miss Starkov. We are to escort you to dinner. Could you come with us, please?" I whisper something under my breath and make it so Alina won't recognize me.

Her mind now thinks I am someone else, different.

"I thought, um... A-Actually, I am quite hungry." Kaz guides the direction, and we follow her. We are met with Kirigan, saying. "Thank you. I'll take her from here."

He holds out some flowers for her. "For you." The General says. The two walk off together, and we turn to each other. "All right. Plan B." says Kaz.

We see the male Inferni from earlier give us a look. Our cover is blown, and I can't do anything drastic in front of all these people. "Scratch that. Plan F. Y/N, Inej, stay on the target and meet me at the escape route."

"He's an Inferni. Don't take chances."

With that, Inej and I are off on our side mission. I flick off the transformation glamour I used for Alina earlier. From what we saw, nothing so far. "Y/N." I look at Inej. "I can handle tracking the target, make sure Kaz isn't in trouble." I nod and hastily go in the direction Kaz went. I hear a commotion near the church area and make it that way.

I reach a higher seating area and see the Inferni hold up fire at Kaz. He's going to kill him. Using my hands, I channel my powers to hold the Inferni in the air. I feel my eyes glow and turn the Inferni towards me.

I was angry at him that he dared to attempt to kill Kaz. I use both hands to kill his mind, destroy it.

Corrupt it.

I reach the Inferni's breaking point, and all his limbs and fingers snap. After the snap of his jaw, his eyes gush out with blood before his body falls back to the ground with a loud thud. Kaz looks back up at me, and I look down at the body on its side facing away from me, almost in shock.

I gaze at Kaz before using my powers to lower me to the ground, having the aura all around me. After feeling my feet touch, I run over to the Inferni to slowly watch blood come out of his mouth and eyes and then onto the hard floor.

I take a deep breath and realize the horror of what I did. We hear more personnel come our way. "We need to go," Kaz says. I flip over the body to look at his face. His life was just sucked out of him.

I froze in shock, shocked that the extremes of my powers could go this far. "Y/N, look at me. Look at me." I hesitantly looked at him and felt my eyes glow. "You saved my life," he assured me. I nodded in response, and we ran off.

Inej had met us, and after the rest of the Little Palace—I swear it's a maze—we made our way to the final meeting point over by the Stables.

We approached Jesper and he could tell something was off. "What happened? You okay?" "She's real, Jesper. She made the light sing." I looked over at Inej, then over at Kaz. "We lost her." he said.

Jesper gives us a devious smirk and adds, "Did we?" Kaz says, "We don't know where she is."

"Don't we?" Jesper is starting to break, but I'm unsure if it's good. The four of us begin our walk to the carriage, and we follow. "Just ask," says Jesper. "Jesper." "Just ask," he repeats. One by one, we all climb into the carriage, and Inej and I climb up top while Kaz and Jesper are at the lower part of the seating.

"Just ask," Kaz says, getting settled in his seat. "Fine. Do we have a fix on where the target is?" I close my eyes and try to find Alina. My powers tell me that she is in our carriage, the one that is moving—that sneaky Jesper.

The ride was long and dark that night. East Ravka was our next location, and Jesper had explained that Alina had just happened to hop in our carriage storage because it was leaving soon.

That was fate on how we got the Summoner.

By the time sunrise hit, it was almost midday. Jesper had parked the carriage at a hidden spot off the road so it wouldn't be too distracting. Inej had heard some noises from the trunk in the back, and we were on alert.

We removed the guard uniforms since we had our regular clothing underneath. We all went to the trunk, and I closed my eyes quickly. I used my powers to make Alina think I was someone else, not Y/N.

I cannot risk Alina recognizing me. It would jeopardize this mission.

The four of us stand waiting by the trunk, Inej next to Jesper and I between Jesper and Kaz. Suddenly, the lock pops out of the trunk.

Alina opened the lid and immediately saw us waiting. She got onto the ground and held her hands up in defense. "We don't want any trouble," Jesper assured her. "Neither do I, so I'll just be on my way."

Kaz holds up his cane against the trunk so she can't escape. I slightly twirl my hands around and feel the magic in my hands. "Clearly, you want out of East Ravka. But we can help you. We have a secure route through the Fold."

"I prefer to travel alone." Alina says. "Don't be rash. You stick with us, everybody gets what they want." "I'm not being anyone's captive ever again. So step aside and let me pass." Kaz finally adds to the conversation.

He says, "I'm afraid we can't let that happen." Jesper gently places his hand on one of his guns, and Alina blinds us with a wave of light, causing all of us to flinch. Inej looks deep into her eyes. I can't imagine her heart is torn.

Because my heart was torn too, I wanted to explain to her what had happened to me, but I couldn't.

I feel my foot dig in the dirt, ready to run after her. Maybe if I get her alone, I can explain. Kaz puts his cane before me and nods at Inej to go after her. I look up at Kaz, confused.

He says, "I want you to track her from a distance. Know every move she takes."

I nod and sit criss-crossed behind the carriage on the floor. I flick my wrists upwards and feel the warm aura of my indigo power above my hands. I close my eyes and concentrate on her.

Alina Starkov.

Flashes of the Inferni that I killed flood my brain. Something dark is coming. My innocence is fading. I find myself seeing Alina running away and hiding.

I hear a light frequency in my surroundings and see my background change. It wasn't the same as where Alina was. It was the forest surrounding the town. There was someone my age with a shaved head and looked like a First Army soldier.

The closer I walk towards him, the frequency intensifies. I try to touch his hand to see if I can remember anything.

Once I do, I feel a flash of memories of Alina, myself, and me at the orphanage. I realize that the boy who was with Alina and me is Mal.

He was essential to my childhood, but I can't figure out why. My mind is not telling me.

"Malyen," I whisper.

I wake up with my heart beating out of my chest and my breaths heavy. I get up from the ground and then feel a pounding migraine surround my whole head. I wince at the pain it gives, trying to shake off my anxiety.

Blood rushes down my nose, and I get up to try to find Jesper and Kaz. "I couldn't find her..." I lean against the carriage and feel the blood coming out of my nose drip onto my hands.

My vision is hazy, and I try to concentrate on gaining focus again. I remembered another childhood friend.

I see a flash of disappointment on Kaz's face, and I look down in anger. Jesper rubs my shoulders to stop the pain.

"We'll meet at the local pub at the next bell. The carriage will be rigged with the right explosives and timer mechanism, so they'll open it when the other Grisha finds the missing carriage. Jesper, I expect you to set it up later."

I feel a tiny bit at ease, and I sigh. I kick a small rock in anger and use a cloth to wipe away the blood. Kaz walks away to scheme the following plan. Jesper comes over worried. "What happened back there?" he asks.

"Jes, don't tell Kaz... but I knew Alina when I was an orphan." He stops in his trail and looks back and forth. "Wait. Excuse me? But she didn't recognize you earlier." "It's because I used my powers to manipulate her mind so she would not see me. It would have been worse if she recognized me."

Jesper felt a bit bad, and I did, too. I just laid out some past trauma that I only knew of recently. "I was her best friend. The more I use my powers, the more memories emerge from my childhood, my past."

He says, "It almost feels as if something will emerge from you—in a good way, like a rebirth." I nod and shrug. We spent the rest of the day familiarizing ourselves with our routes along the city and visiting the local vendors.

When the time comes, Jesper puts the final touches on the carriage. We go to Kaz's table at the local pub and talk about the plan.

"The alarm trigger is set. Horses are ready and I've stashed the rest of our gear." "If we don't move soon, the Black General will be on top of us. We can't waste any more time looking for the girl."

Inej returns from talking with the barkeeper. "I just settled our tab with the last of our coin." "We're really gonna leave empty-handed, then?" I look at Kaz and ask, "Not to be so upsetting, but the General and his army must be on our trail. Right?"

On cue, we all hear an explosion in the distance. They're here. "Our alarm." Jesper says. "Split up, much easier to take a Grisha one-on-one than a whole squad of them. Rendezvous at the fountain."

We all get up from the table and leave with the crowd. As we reach outside, we are met with some of Kirigan's army staring directly at us. The female Inferni glares me down, anger boiling in her.

"NO!" The other Inferni was her brother, and I killed him. "Move!" Kaz yells. We all split up, and I ducked and rolled to avoid her fire attack.

After running away for a while, I am met with charcoal and other machinery in an industrial room. Inej finds me, and we both hide behind a pillar.

I whisper, "Inej, run. I can take care of her." "Y/N, you can't let me take care of this." I shake my head, and Inej runs off. This causes me to get out of hiding and use my magic to throw my auras at the Inferni charging at me.

Fighting fire like fire, but I have magical aura orbs. She grabs my arm, and I grunt in frustration. "You robbed me of my brother, now I'll rob you of your life."

I successfully get out of her hold and try to concentrate on her mind, but I can't break in. I throw a massive indigo aura ball at her, then try to roll out of the way. The Inferni's fire hits a pipe and bursts, causing me to fly into the air and land on some coal.

I quickly motion my hands to make her not see me. A burst of pain is down in my abdomen, but I try my best to shrug it off. I still hold my hands at her, then reach a better hiding spot.

I let go of my hands and then close my eyes. I have to end this brutally. I sense her mind allowing me to leave my hiding spot and lift her into the air with both hands.

Indigo auras form around both of her wrists, especially keeping them apart. Then, slowly, one is around her neck, choking her. "What I'll do to you is something one of your other Grisha can't fix."

She laughs, being very cocky. "Freak trash. I will track you down, and kill everyone that you love, and then... you." I feel my eyes glow in anger. I slowly bring her closer to me, glaring at her. Then, with a sudden twist of my hands, I did the same thing I had done to her brother.

I broke her.

Her limbs snap one by one, her jaw pops out of place, and then her eyes are reduced to nothing. I let go of her with my powers and saw her body fall to the floor. Blood oozes out of her eye sockets.

The adrenaline ends, causing a burst of pain to erupt from my right abdomen. I look down at it, bleeding immensely. I walk out of there, need to find Jesper, Inej, or even Kaz.

~Kaz~

I hoped my escape route would be flawless, but it was the opposite. I met General Kirigan on the other side of the street, emerging from the darkness.

"I know you kidnapped my Sun Summoner, and now you're going to tell me where you stashed her," he says. "We didn't take her. She fled on her own."

With the Darkling's gaze, I can't predict what he will do next. Calmly, he asks, "Where is she? I won't ask you again."

I reply. "I don't know. It was pretty clear she wasn't interested in being a captive anymore. She's probably halfway to Novyi Zem by now."

The General looks down in disappointment but smirks. "That girl with you. The one who can do unspeakable things. I know she is incredibly powerful after what she did with my Inferni."

Y/N. Why would he want her?

"If you tell me where that girl is, I'll call off my Grisha, and we can go our separate ways." "What girl? I don't know what you're talking about."

He chuckles and slowly paces back and forth. "The girl is a myth, a prophecy. She can help shape Ravka back to how it should be. She would be with me and my Sun Summoner, and she wouldn't have to hide anymore. That girl is rare. Only one exists. Like calls to like, Mr. Brekker. She will find me soon enough."

Of course, Y/N would be in Kirigan's crosshairs, but not in the usual way. An eerie darkness now surrounds General Kirigan. He's going to use The Cut. I grab my powder from my bag, ready to use it.

"You should have stayed in Ketterdam, Mr. Brekker." Once I see him motion his hands, it gives me my cue. I get a better grip on my cane and throw the powder against the ground. I try to run in the opposite direction, away from him.

Now, I need to find the others and ask Y/N if she knows what the Darkling was discussing.

~Y/N~

Today was the day I have felt the most pain in my life. I try my best to run back to everyone but not hurt myself anymore. I see the fountain and quickly run over with a hand over my wound. I stumble against the bricks and see Kaz look at me.

"Y/N."

Jesper and Inej gently grab me to hold me up. "I took care of the Inferni; she's dead." I grunt in pain and lean against Jesper. "Well, you can't manage a horse." Jesper says. "Not even riding double. We'll have to come up with another plan." Inej adds.

I hold my hand up to my eyes and see that it is soaked in blood. I look over at Kaz's gaze and see him eyeing the carriage the Darkling came in on. Kaz says, "That's a pretty nice ride." "Yes, indeed it is."

Jesper and Inej help me lean against a wall, while the rest deal with the carriage situation. Jesper and Kaz take care of the guards and Grisha. Inej approaches me with a cloth and a bucket of clean water.

"I need you to trust me, okay?" I nod, and she motions for me to sit on the ground. She kneels, grabs the cloth, and makes it wet. Then, slowly, she raises my top to reveal the wound. It runs pretty deep, and will definitely scar.

Inej also has a small bag of medical supplies with her. She used the cloth to clean my wound and clean my hand, which had blood on it. "After I put a patch on it, it should stop some pain," she says. "Inej.'

She looks at me worried.

"Thank you for helping me with everything so far." She smiles and does the final blood cleaning. Then she takes out a patch to put over my wound. "I think we will be great friends. The way you care about everyone is one of a kind."

I smile at her compliment and see Kaz look in my direction. I need to talk to him soon. "You're one of a kind, Inej. Don't ever change, please." She nods and finishes patching me up. Jesper runs over and helps me up and into the carriage.

Things must turn around. They have to.

[hiscrookedsaint]

𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

#: 𝐕

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Kaz x fem!reader

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: East Ravka brings many exciting opportunities, and firsts. Y/N's true skill begins to shine─not just in her power, but in the way she thinks, moves, and adapts. With each challenge, she steps further into her own, proving she may have what it takes to be a criminal after all.

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 2377

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: Blood, gore, mentions of injury & mentions of death.

𝐀/𝐍: Thank you for taking the time to read this fic I've been working hard on! :)

𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

~Y/N~

The journey to Kribirsk in East Ravka was a silent one. Kaz wouldn't talk to me after what I did on the train. I'm not sure if that was good or bad, but I was convinced it was terrible from his facial gestures.

Now, just the four of us; Kaz is off somewhere; we are sitting at a local pub, and a show is behind us. Everyone around me is having a drink beside me. "So, that went well." Jesper says. I look at him with a look and reply, "Don't get me started."

Flashbacks of that moment in my head flood my vision. Jesper screaming and holding on tightly, Inej holding on as well, and with Kaz looking at me while I use my powers to push the train forward.

"The Little Palace winter fete. There's just no way he can find a way to the Sun Summoner without Nina. Especially during this ridiculous party. The place will be crawling with Second Army." says Arken. He sets down the flyer and looks behind him.

I turn around to see Kaz coming back. "We're in luck. There's a good chance we can crack on. Now that we're three days travel from the capital, the next play is finding a way inside the Little Palace. It turns out the Kribirsk archives house the Little Palace blueprints. But... they're kept under lock and key. Far from the prying eyes of the masses."

Jesper gets excited and shakes my shoulders. "Yes," he says. I look at Inej and Kaz and ask, "What does that mean?"

"Time for a heist!"

Jesper pays for the drinks, and I wander out of the building and into an alleyway. I feel this wave of warm energy flow through me, and I look down at my hands.

I try to summon my power and see why I feel this way. A feint purple ball of energy comes from my hands and hovers above my palm.

It flickers before Kaz interrupts my concentration. "Are you going to join us?" I nod my head at his response and flick away the energy. He gets Inej and Jesper, and Kaz starts to talk about the plan.

"All right. Royal Archives heist. Here's the game plan. Watchmen are on guard around the clock. We want to get in and get out as quietly as possible. That means the hardware stays in the holster, Jesper."

He rolls his eyes at Kaz. "Ugh, fine."

"Inej, the dome on the roof is directly above the repository where the blueprints to the Little Palace are kept."

"Got it. That's my way in." She says.

"Y/N will be the smokescreen. She will be entering with Inej. If she can make the guards see whatever they want, she'll make it so you're not seen Inej. Y/N, you will also be unlocking or breaking what you need to. I expect high hopes."

Like I have those hopes.

"I'll set a trail of phosphorus that will lead Inej straight to the target. The repository is secured at all times behind a two-part lock mechanism. So, Inej, you have to leave the way you came in. Two hours after sunset is when you'll go in, Jesper. You'll need to blend in." says Kaz.

"Easy."

"The lighting valves are on the second floor."

Inej adds, "Y/N and I will take our cue once we see the lights go out. And then I will follow your trail straight to the blueprints while Y/N keeps watch."

"The archivist has to pull them a number of times a day, so we can't steal them or they'll know something is up."

"So? Make a copy."

"But careful. If you're heavy-handed, you'll bleed the ink." Kaz warns.

"I know what I'm doing."

Thus, this plan proceeded. Everything was going as the others had discussed it—until we thought we were done. Inej and I went back near the rope, and we were about to ascend. "Valve was turned off! I don't know how."

The lights turn back on, and Inej cuts the rope. I grab onto her wrist, and we go behind a bookshelf. I can't do anything since I don't have eyes on the guard. We see him go forward, and I slowly sneak up behind him. I use my purple aura to flick it into his ear.

I concentrate on his mind and tell him he won't see Inej and I—that we are invisible. The guard keeps going his way, and Inej and I hide behind a desk. "Anything?" the second guard asks. "Nothing."

After we hear the two walk off, we approach the door. It's locked. I gaze over at the weird lever mechanism and remember. It's a two lock mechanism, clearly it wasn't built to prevent me.

I raise my hands and summon my powers. I use them to unlock our way out. The doors open, and we hear Jesper whistle from above. We all nod at each other, knowing that the heist is near its end.

As Inej and I approach the doors, she puts a hand out to me and approaches the figure ahead. The figure drops his cane, and we are relieved. It's only just Kaz. I open the door and meet the two outside.

"Bit slow on the draw there." "Or just in time." The four of us leave unscathed, disaster avoided.

The next day, we all meet again at the pub to look at the blueprint. Jesper says, "What about..." pointing to an area, and Inej adds, "No, look. How about this hallway?" "No go. See? Guard tower."

"There's no way in." "And no way out." Kaz finishes. Arken intervenes, "Well, I thought this plan might not work."

We hear a thud behind us and see one of the performers fall from the silk rope onto the hard ground. I shake off an uneasy feeling and drink from the water glass I had asked for earlier. Realizing this might take a while, Kaz, Inej, and Jesper had ordered drinks earlier.

"Got any plans up your sleeve?" Kaz says nothing and looks in my direction. I try to contribute to the conversation, but I don't know anything else outside of Ketterdam. "I mean, Kribrisk isn't the worst. We can open up a bar. Brew East Ravkan beer for the Westerners?"

Kaz and Inej say in unison, "Shut up, Jesper." "I miss Milo," he counters. Arken comes over to us, and I see he's not alone. He says, "Friends." "What are you so cheery about?"

"This is Marko. Marko is the leader of the traveling troupe known as the Pomdrakon Players. They have been invited to perform in this year's winter fete."

Marko exclaims, "A lifelong dream." "Yes, yes. A chance to get inside the Little Palace. But they lost their star performer due to an unfortunate freak accident and another to a bad head cold. They are in desperate need of someone with the skills to replace their star performer and headliner for the demonstration, and as Ketterdam's premier talent manager, I have an idea."

Kaz and Jesper look at Inej, and she sighs. "As a friend once said, 'If I can't crack this, none of us are going anywhere.'" Inej hands off some of her knives to Kaz. I guess she is performing now. A crowd gathers around, and Inej begins.

The way she moves with such grace is phenomenal. She does a few routines before wrapping up and stepping off the silk. Everyone applauds as Marko approaches her. "The Saints must have sent you. Yes. The show will go on. Now. Can you... fit into this?"

He holds up a flashy and vibrant outfit with happy colors. Jesper steps up and tries to sweeten the deal. "Of course she can. Those are her colors, but the thing is, Inej... comes as part of a package deal."

Marko objects, "No free rides. What are your talents?" Now Jesper is in the spotlight, holding a small silver tray for a mirror. Inej is on the silk, holding up a card by her teeth. Jesper puts his pistol over his shoulder and successfully shoots off the top of the card.

He gives a hug to Jesper, then turns to me. "You." He grabs my hands and looks at my face at different angles. "You seem fit for the Sun Summoner role." "Sun Summoner role?" I ask.

"We're doing a demonstration of what her powers would look like. Come on, move your hands."

I flinch before gently moving my hands in small wave motions. I take a deep breath and move in every direction. I feel a sensation of calmness going throughout my body, which almost seems natural.

I go up to the stage, and a tune starts to play. I feel the movement in my feet go along to the music, bringing the light as Alina would. A flash in my head of my younger self dancing this similar routine pushes me more to dance elegantly.

The distant memory keeps flashing in my head, and I realize that when I was younger Alina and I would do it together.

More flashes of my memories make my eyes flicker in lummonisty, and I feel a rise of panic.

The music then stops, and everyone applauds at the pub. Marko gives me a hug, and I half smile. This was my first time showing myself in front of people for a reason. "Stage is yours, sir." I look at Kaz, in need of comfort. Even if he gives me the brutal truth, "I'll make my own way."

Kaz splits off as the rest of us go with Marko to join his group. But I follow him before he makes his plan. I find myself near a small corner of the market nearby.

"Kaz?" He turns around and motions towards the alleyway so we can talk. I follow, and I look into his eyes.

I ask, "How are you going to make your way into the Little Palace? Isn't it one of the most secure places in the country?"

"I'll find a way. But what surprises me is that you put on a little show back there. Seems like you may have been born to be a criminal after all."

I sigh, saying, “Performer or criminal, it seems like I was destined to do more.”

Kaz adds, "Hope is dangerous. It clouds your judgment. We don't have time to search for a backstory or the origin of your power. Whatever lead you have desired from your childhood also interferes with the mission of the Sun Summoner. We may search for your origin once we deliver her and get the job done."

With that, he walks away, and I notice the faint hint he dropped in our conversation. I mentally note it and meet back up with Inej and Jesper.

Now, we are on our way into the Little Palace. Lines of carriages and horses make the entryway busy. Quite busy.

Inej and Jesper could tell I was a bit nervous, seeing as I had not traveled this far into a place so big. We stopped, and Marko handed the guard the official letter of invitation, and we waited while it was being checked.

"That one is our invitation to perform, signed by the Queen." says Marko. The guard looks back at us, the three of us, and Arken. He shrugs it off and hands back the paper.

The guard says, "This writ allows you access to the grounds, the main ballroom and nowhere else. You are being employed by the Queen. You are not her guests. You're to stay together as a group, at all times. No guns, no knives, no weapons of any kind. Punishment for violation of these rules ranges from being fired to being fired upon. Now, do we all understand these ru-"

Out from a distance, commotion is heard. We all turn our heads in the direction in which we came from. "Oh for Saints sake." A man was dragged from underneath a carriage, trying to tag along. "The Sun Summoner! I just want to see her!"

Guards from in front and behind the man punch him in the gut and get a hold of him. "All right, that's enough. Do we really need the entire corps for one man? The rest of you, post up now."

After going through the entrance and finding a spot for the carriage, Marko grabs my arm, separating me from Inej and Jesper. "We need to get you in costume now. I'll have one of the choreographers quickly show you the routine you'll do, along with the small dialogue."

I follow his lead and see that a dress and wig are set up in one of the fitting rooms. "Is this the outfit?" I ask. He nods his head, and I quickly go in there to put the outfit on. It was a beautiful golden dress, reminding me of the sun.

I quickly put it on and gently grab the wig. After the outfit is on, one of the other performers in Marko's crew sits me in a chair as another two put the wig on and do my makeup.

One of the kinder smiling artists comes over to me motions their hands together. I look at her in curiosity and they smile at me.

“I tailored your eyes to a different color, it will last until tomorrow morning. It’s only temporary.”

I nod and thank her for her help. Another artist comes over, she seems very sweet. They apply my makeup to make me appear as if I am glowing.

They finish my hair and makeup, and I look in the mirror. I look so... different.

Makes me wonder, what more can I do?

The choreographer ushers me outside and quickly says, "Just follow my moves for the sequence, and then we will be ready for the show."

They begin moving their arms, and I mirror them. I ask, "In the demonstration, am I supposed to be summoning light?" They shake their head. "There will be others around you demonstrating the shadow of the Fold, so yes. Now, again."

I mirror her once more, and I feel more at ease. They smile and pat my shoulders. "You look beautiful, darling." I smile and nod my head. Marko finds us and takes me to the other performers.

"We will have to do one rehearsal before we go out there." He pushes me to the other performers, and I greet them.

"Whenever you're ready, Y/N," says Marko. I nod my head and get ready for the stance. The music plays, and it gives me the cue. I do everything in order and with no struggle or stuttering at all. We finish the routine, and everyone else applauds.

Marko compliments, "Outstanding performance, everyone!! We will start the first show before the next bell rings!" We all usher off, and I see Jesper waiting for me. He gives me an exciting look and holds my shoulders.

"Look at you! Sun Summoner." I slightly laugh. "Hardly, I don't think the blonde wig is necessary." He laughs and says, "Still, from being the one always hiding to... I guess the star of the show, it's quite the difference."

I nod, and we walk more outside than the small tent we were rehearsing. "At least the Sun Summoner was prophesized. But I have this feeling that there's something here in Ravka that will help. Maybe not now, but soon.”

Jesper slightly frowns and grabs my hands. He says, "Prophecy or not, I think Kaz should let you join the crew. I've seen him act more different since you arrived." "Really?" Jesper nods, and we stop by the main stage.

"I feel like he regrets having me on the job. He's acted towards me in a way I find alarming." Before Jesper could continue, one of the other performers grab my arm and says, "We have to go, we're about to perform." I wave off to Jesper and go where the others are. We get in position, and Marko is ready to begin.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present Alina Starkov!" I look at the crowd as I perform the final motion before the dialogue. It's her—Alina. I try not to lose my focus and make sure she doesn't recognize me.

The smoke rises from behind me, and I realize that this isn't right. "No, no, no! Come here!" Marko sounds angry. Thus, I started doing what I would for hours on end until right before sunset, when our scheduled meet-up was at the carriage.

When the first performance happened, Jesper also saw Alina when I did. He had heard her and a Tailor whispering about not knowing how she looks, because they were gesturing to me the 'Sun Summoner'.

Right now I'm sitting between Kaz and Inej, looking at Jesper. "You're sure it was her?" Kaz asks. "I'm telling you, she's part Shu." Kaz then looks at me, and I look back. "He's right, and I saw her too when I was performing. She was also the exact person I saw when I used my powers to find her a few days ago."

He asks, "When exactly did you both see her?" "Just after midday," Jesper says. Inej points to a room on the blueprints, curious about it. "What's in this room?" She asks.

"Fitting room. It's where she'll go to change for dinner." "And that's where we'll grab her." Arken adds. "Out of the way, clean lines of sight, easily controlled space. I like it." Kaz suggests otherwise. "I'd like it, too, if it had a door."

"It doesn't have a door?" I ask. "Not one that we can use. It's some sort of Grisha lock. It took a Materialnik to open it." Kaz says.

Jesper adds, "Is there no way to pick the lock? Or a way for Y/N to be the lockpick?" Arken says, "Actually, there is, and it doesn't require Y/N. I can get through the door." "How?" "The locking mechanisms are Fabrikator-designed. Iron clogs that slide into place without a latch. But for one of us to open it, we'll need a lodestone. With a minimum 2,000 gauss external strength. Hard to find.”

I shake my head and realize we may not get anywhere. "Well, it's not like we're just walking around with one of those in our pockets, now are we?" Jesper looks over at Arken and sees him grab his bag to pull out a stone, the lodestone.

"You don't want to keep it in your pocket for too long. Not if you're intending on having children someday." Jesper backs away, and I look at Kaz. "All right. Arken grabs the target." Inej doesn't agree, and I don't either. "You want the new guy to grab the million-kruge package?" She counters.

He adds, "The new guy knows his way around Grisha locks. Our futures depend on this. The rest of us will be setting up a lynx flush." I feel my body more tense than ever because Kaz told me about keeping Arken's dirty laundry, which happened in Novokribirsk, on the down low. "We are?" I question.

Arken asks, "What's a lynx flush?" "Lynx are pack hunters. Very smart. They'll clear a path for the prey." "Oh. So I grab the Summoner, and you clear the path?" I look at Inej in worry and fear.

"That's right. We do it before dinner. You grab. Y/N, Inej and I clear, and Jesper, make sure there's a fast way out."

We all disbanded from the carriage, and I fixed my wig in the mirror. "Gosh, I hate this thing," I mutter. I see Kaz walk up behind me, and I turn my focus. "They changed you."

I nod and fix my dress. I look up at Kaz and see he's staring. "Trust me, I don't recognize myself either. Well, back to performing these last two shows." I wave off and go back to the stage.

Now, the next part of the plan comes into play.

[hiscrookedsaint]

𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

#: 𝐈𝐕

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Kaz x fem!reader

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: As the crew nears the Fold, Y/N faces rising tension and uncertainty. With her powers stirring and danger closing in, she begins to question her worth─realizing that survival may depend on believing in herself.

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 3188

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: Blood, gore, mentions of injury & mentions of death.

𝐀/��: Thank you for taking the time to read this fic I've been working hard on! :)

𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

~Y/N~

In the carriage, it felt cramped and uncomfortable. On one side: across from me, Jesper and Arken were sitting. On the other: my side, I was in the middle, with Inej to my left and Kaz on my right.

After hours of silence, most of the time I had zoned out and let my thoughts spin imaginations in my head. Kaz speaks up. "I didn't hire you simply to get us across the Fold. You're with us because you smuggle Grisha out of the Little Palace, and that's the location of our target."

Inej adds, "Sun Summoner." "Alleged." I try to look out the window beyond the small curtain, trying to piece together more lost pieces of my past.

What happened in my early teen years? The First Army or the Second Army's doing may have caused this. It's hard to tell.

"They wouldn't keep a fraud in the most secure location in all of Ravka." I look over at Inej and then back at Arken.

"You said you have a contact who can get us inside. A Heartrender."

He nods, and Kaz voices his concern. "How do I know we can trust her?" "Nina grew up there." says Arken. "Most Grisha grew up in the Little Palace. Very few would betray their general, and fewer still would help foreigners kidnap their most prized possession."

Arken continues. "Nina's a radical. Thinks Grisha should get to choose if they serve the Crown. She despises involuntary service more than she does Fjerdans."

"Sounds about right. With my encounter of Grisha they seem eager like hungry wolves to recruit whoever they need. Even if it's for the crown's cause." I add. A few moments later, we arrive at the Inn. We all get out as Kaz pays for their services.

Kaz leads the rest of us inside, and Jesper asks the Innkeeper, "Nina Zenik's room?" He stops counting the cash in his hand and points upstairs. "Down the hall, to your left, and it is the last room at the end."

I nod, and the innkeeper gives me a dirty look. I glare at him back. I trail behind Jesper as we go up the stairs and into her room. It is opened, and only her suitcase of belongings is left on her bed.

Arken paces around the room and says, "She knew to expect us." "She isn't late. She's gone." I look up at Kaz and try to see where he's coming from.

"Yes, but her things are all." Arken flips the suitcase and spots a small pin. "What is it?" Jesper asks. Arken says, "Drüskelle. They are ruthless Grisha hunters." "Explains the Fjerdan krydda the innkeeper was counting when we arrived. It's likely he ratted her out."

I go over to the bed and look at the pin. I am not familiar with Drüskelle, but from the stories I've heard is that someone like me could be their country's greatest weapon. Arken adds, "She's probably captive on a ship to Fjerda by now."

After Inej inspects the window, she tells Kaz. "They had a clear line of attack." "Take a look. Make sure there aren't any more surprises." Inej disappears in a heartbeat, and I look over at Kaz. "Well, that's that. We've lost our way into the Little Palace."

I am not fond of Arken so far. My senses are telling me that there is something else with him. Something that may lead to our downfall. His attitude is terrible right now. We all exit with Kaz out of the building, and on cue, Inej drops down after her findings. "All clear." she says.

"This seems like a reasonable juncture to abandon this whole Sun Summoner plan." "Abandon?" Kaz asks. "We're in this now. And I know what a million kruge means to me. What does it mean to you?"

"Freedom," says Inej.

"Fun. Like, at least a few months."

"Retirement."

Everyone looked at me like I needed to know what that amount of kruge meant. But the truth is that I don't know what I'll do with it. "Go back to my roots, where I grew up." Kaz continues,"Right, so we press on. You get us across the Fold and I'll figure out the rest on the other side."

"Fine." Arken says. He sets down his suitcase, pulls out a notepad, and uses a writing utensil to create a list. Arken continues, "To cross, I'll need 20 pounds of alabaster coal. A peck of Majdaloun jurda. Uh, not the kind from Kerch. It's too weak. And, uh... a goat."

Jesper makes a face in shock, and I slightly smirk. "Now, we meet in the dead of night. There's a wreckage of a skiff northeast, on the edge of town. So, who gets what?"

"Inej, jurda. Y/N and I will get the goat. And Jesper..." Kaz grabs the list from Arken's hand and walks up to Jesper. "Just the coal, no detours."

We all go our separate ways, and I follow Kaz. "So, where do I stand in your grand plan?" I ponder.

My question definitely surprised him. "Well, considering your work so far, I have been impressed. Threatening one of Pekka's pawns was a bold move. Even for someone who hasn't introduced themselves to the Dime Lions." I smile slightly and keep walking down the market.

"Why is Pekka so important? Did he do something to you?" Kaz stops walking, and I widen my eyes back at him. He gives me a death glare, and I fluster. I say, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know that was a sensitive subject." I walk back to Kaz and stand in front of him.

While looking at him, I examine more of his facial features. Something about Kaz draws me in; it feels like he has a wall built around him. My eyes glow, and my concentration gets distracted by a goat bleating beside me. Yup

I get scared and turn around instantly. A merchant with a herd of goats interrupts our moment, and Kaz looks at all the goats. "We'll take that one." He points his cane at a white goat with a grey face and a stripe on his nose.

Kaz hands the merchant some kruge; then the merchant hands the goat over to Kaz. He takes the goat, and we walk off from the chaos of the market at this time of day.

"Why did you choose Ketterdam out of all the places to live.

I look up at Kaz and let my mind ponder his question. Why did I? "I really... don't remember." "Keramzin was the orphanage you were at, right?" I nod my head and feel embarrassed for something I can't remember.

"How did you—?" I shake off the feeling of him knowing my secrets and sigh. "That's the only thing I remember. Keramzin and figuring out my abilities when I was young. How I ended up in Ketterdam was a decision that was meant to happen, but I have no memory of."

Kaz leads through the crowd. I believe General Zlatan is giving a speech in the background. From the sounds of it, he wants to cause chaos and havoc, not the good kind. We get to the end of the sidewalk and see him continue with his speech.

"It is time to accept that we need to break away from the old country. Now is the time to form our own country, to keep what we make and what we earn, instead of sending it to the East. For the true Ravka!"

As Kaz and I go through the crowd, we notice something different after General Zlatan leaves the stage.

Arken is meeting with him, and he shakes his hand. Kaz's expression doesn't change, and he takes a mental note before turning around and walking in the other direction.

I follow, trying to take in the information I figured out, and Kaz interrupts my thoughts, "Don't tell the others about Arken. I have a plan with him."

I nod, and we see Inej reading names on the wall. I guess the wall is for everyone lost in the Fold over the years. "He's adorable." Inej says. "Don't get attached. I didn't think I'd have to specify no detours to you."

"Even if just a few minutes could end a lifetime of questions?"

Kaz says, "Your parents are Suli. They don't cross the Fold. They go around." I turn my attention towards Inej and the wall behind Inej.

"I know. I just thought... that if I saw their names on there, I could let the idea of them go. This thing? This was all that I had when I was sold to the Menagerie. And if it was worth anything, Heleen would have taken it. But this is just a simple token of faith that my mother stitched. Kaz, this is all that I have left of them. Unless—"

"—Hope is dangerous." says Kaz. I turn toward the two and see him gaze in my direction. "It clouds your judgment. Pray, scream, do whatever you have to do to push this out of your mind and move on. We all have debts to pay."

He walks off, and Inej and I follow. She asks me, "Do you have debts to pay?" I feel my eyes glow, and my breathing harshly stops. "I-I don't have any. I don't have anything or anyone to feel sorrow about." Inej grabs my hand and looks at me.

"With your mind, you can change anything around you." "I do?" Inej nods and pulls out one of her knives. "Once I see you changing the world, Sankta Y/N will be waiting."

As night approaches, we meet Arken to be led into the cold, eerie night. "We're almost there." Arken reassures us. I had been close to Kaz during the walk most of the time, but the complete darkness wasn't my best friend. Kaz had glanced at me a few times to reassure I wasn't lost or falling behind.

But truth be told I was doing the same thing when I looked at Kaz. I was looking for that reassurance.

"Where the hell is Jesper?" Kaz asks. "Just a little further." We're met with a sign, and Inej says, "Landmines." I widen my eyes and cross my arms to keep my warmth. The goat bleats and the three of us stop. "We'll wait." Kaz says.

"Follow the path that you carve."

Arken says, "That sign, that was my idea to keep people away. Can't be too careful. We're fine. Come." Inej marches forward, and I look at the Fold. It's causing fear and anxiety. I feel my eyes glow and illuminate the darkness around me.

Emotions alter my eye glow and with me seeing the Fold for the first time, especially this close, it all hit me at once like a rock being thrown at my head. "Y/N." I look over at Kaz, and he follows Inej into the field. I take a deep breath and follow.

We get to the edge of the tracks, Inej comments. "It's one thing hearing about it, but this is—" "—Nothing compared to what lies within." Arken hands the torch to Inej and brings out the transport.

"There. So, goat, jurda, thank you..." Arken counts everything but the one thing. "Now we're just waiting on... " he says. Gunshots are heard from the distance, hearing Jesper. "Wait for me!"

I widen my eyes and hear the crowd chasing after him. "They can't see the train." Arken panics and tries to hide it. "Jesper, get here now!" "Leave the lantern!"

"Landmines!" he yells. Arken ushers us inside the train, and I look around at the closed and confined space. Of course it had to be a small space, the mechanics most likely take up most of the mass of this train.

"Oh, wait for me! Don't you go without me! Wait!" Jesper runs in at the right time, and Inej closes the door. "Please tell me you have 20 pounds of alabaster coal." Arken asks. "Slight snag in the plan. Turns out that the kid who was helping me buy the coal didn't exactly know how to, uh, buy coal."

Jesper gets flustered and tries to attempt a comeback at his oblivious lie. "I lost a little bit of the money. I lost all of the money. Uh, but, I managed to steal 20 pounds of alabaster coal." he says.

"No, no, no, no, there's 16 pounds." "Sixteen pounds of alabaster coal." Jesper corrects. Kaz asks, "Can we do it on 16?"

"Never been done before."

The crowd from earlier starts shooting at the train, and Arken panics more. He pulls out seats and starts assigning us spots. First, he puts Jesper in a seat. "Sit here. Never shift your weight."

He then looks at Kaz and I standing next to each other. "You two sit here." He pushes me down, and Kaz takes off his overcoat and pays attention to Arken. Inej finds her own spot, not getting a word from Arken. I comment, "I thought you don't like close encounters."

"Now is not the best time." Inej sees Arken roll up his sleeve; marks edged into his skin. "You've crossed that many times?" she asks. "It's a numbers game. Cross this often and you get nightmares."

I hear an explosion and turn my head towards the sound. "Landmines?" I ponder. Kaz asks, "I thought you said they weren't real."

"I said nothing of the sort. I just said I put up the sign myself." Kaz finds his seat next to me, and the train departs. I feel my heartbeat intensely, out of my chest, and my eyes glowing like lightning in the Fold.

A few minutes into the ride, we hear metal cling. "What was that?" Arken replies, "I've erected a system of timers along the line. Bits of metal hung on poles to keep me apprised of the pace we keep."

"How did you know where the put the poles?" Kaz asks. "Physics and engineering account for... most of my success." "And the rest?" asks Inej. He continues. "What we might call divine intervention. What others might call luck. And after all, the Fold is thick with volcra, and tracks are not complete. Coal, please."

My eyes glow immensely, and I ask, "Wait. The tracks weren't complete?" I feel my hands clutch up in my fists and try to give Kaz his personal space. Two small indigo auras are around my hands.

"I said they aren't complete. But no moving." Kaz looks in my direction and down at my hands and the recent stress that arose from me. "We're a tad late. More coal." "Back to the real issue. We're on tracks that don't connect to other tracks?" Jesper asks.

"Yes, there's a gap but-" "-You said you could get us through." says Kaz, and Jesper asks, "How much of a gap!?"

"I built slats on the car. They roll into place under the wheels. The turbine generates enough wind to push us all the way to the eastern track. As long as we don't shift our weight."

Some time passes with all of us on the train. None of us said anything because who knew what would have happened. Another metal chime is heard, and Arken prepares for the next step.

He says, "Now, the noise may attract volcra, but it's the only way across." I feel the train get off its track and close my eyes in fear.

"Now, there's a nest nearby. But we'll be fine. If they haven't attacked us in-" Arken is cut off by a volcra growling in the distance. Clearly the nest was active today, and most likely only today.

"Well, now we've got a problem."

Arken starts messing with things on the train and I finally open my eyes. "How do you fight them off?" Kaz asks. "I outrun them. Open the throttle and toss in all the coal, which works when there's 20 pounds of it."

We all hear something get stuck on top of the train and then notice blood pooling from the top. "Damn it! The stupid thing impaled itself on a spike." Arken looks at the damage, and I close my eyes and concentrate on where it is.

"Well we need to get it off. The others are going to stand on it." Kaz says. "More coal!" Arken yells. "We're down to fumes! We'll never make it with this extra weight."

Arken says, "Give me a second." Jesper says, "This is how we die?" "Jesper, grab the goat."

"I'm not throwing out the out!" I can admit it: the goat is cute. "Grab the damn goat! It's not bait. It's for you! I need you to calm down. Hug the goat. Shut the hell up."

We all hear another metal chime, and Arken says, "We should have hit that 20 seconds ago."

I close my eyes and concentrate on my powers. I only hear muffled voices when I try to think of the best way to survive. For all of us to survive. I must kill all the volcra and move the train closer to the tracks.

I feel the environment around me, the amount of volcra there are, and see what I must do. 5-6 volcra versus myself.

Standing up, I feel my powers flow through my body and walk towards the train's center. "Y/N, what are you doing?" I hear Kaz's concern and open my eyes.

I raise my hands to channel my powers, and I snap the first one in half, and I motion my body to my right to snap their neck to kill them. The third was the one stuck on the train. Using my fingers and hands, I sense where it is and throw it off the train.

The last two thud on the train, and I close my eyes one last time to sense where they are. I clutch my hands, smash their heads in, and motion my arms one last time to finish the blow.

Opening my eyes, I am met with a shocked Arken, prideful Inej, fearful Jesper, and a speechless Kaz. I slightly use my powers to take hold of the train and keep pushing it forward. Inej asks, "Are they all dead?"

One claws the roof open to the train and growls at us. I hold my hands at the volcra and grit my teeth to split the creature in half. I throw it off the train and slowly lower my hands. We hear another metal chime, and I raise my hands in defense.

A few moments later, we are met with the light of morning. We survived.

[hiscrookedsaint]

𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

#: 𝐈𝐈𝐈

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Kaz x fem!reader

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: Back at the Crow Club, tension builds as new threats emerge and uneasy alliances shift. With danger pressing closer, the crew edges further into the heart of Ketterdam's underworld─where every move counts and trust is hard-earned.

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 2377

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: Blood, gore, mentions of injury & mentions of death.

𝐀/𝐍: Thank you for taking the time to read this fic I've been working hard on! :)

𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

~Y/N~

We return to the Crow Club, after our meeting with Dressen. What had happened back there had astonished me but also drove my curiosity to find out more. As we walk into the entrance, the atmosphere consisting of alcohol, cards, and kruge, I look at the stairs knowing what I must do.

I am ahead of Kaz and Inej, but I quickly go up and try to find a quiet room to look for Alina Starkov. I avoid Kaz's office and look into the three other rooms there.

The room at the end of the hall with the cracked door in the center that piques my interest. I slowly go forward and open the door. The room has a small bed, a desk, and a dresser. I gently close the door behind me and go over to the bed and lay on it.

I close my eyes and try to imagine Alina, my childhood—the childhood that seems to be forgotten. My mind draws a blank, and I sigh.

My past had somehow forgotten the crucial details, but how I only remember Keramzin orphanage and nothing else is something that seems odd and unusual.

I sat up from my bed and opened the drawers near the window to see if this room belonged to anyone. All of the drawers were empty except for one. The top had a piece of paper with some nice handwriting—it was about me.

"'Catalyst.' Huh, interesting." I whisper to myself.

I read more into the paper. It was about my abilities and the times I appeared in Ketterdam—not hiding. It must've been something Kaz or Inej had written down. It was a timecard of dates and times I was out in Ketterdam.

I go over to the drawer, put the paper on the desk, and see some objects in the closet. Ones that seemed they were of no importance to everything else, but to me they were intriguing.

Sheets of fabric for use of more practical clothing items, ones that weren't just flaunted for beauty. Shades of greys, blacks and different shades of a deep indigo color.

There were pairs of boots that had tight laces were on the bottom of the closet and looked like they had many intricate ways of mechanisms on them.

Ways to keep knives hidden, easily accessible—the leather was a material that was higher end, something that wasn't mass produced.

My thoughts are interrupted by the sounds of thuds and crashes. I slowly open the door and try to see where it's coming from. I wait a few minutes to see if it is a false alarm. I hear small talk being exchanged between two people along with thuds of footsteps.

Sounds like a gang with their oh-so powerful leader.

The one who's voice I can hear most frequently seems intimidating, and I feel like I've seen him before.

I slowly creep down the hallway and see that Kaz is defenseless against three guards and the man standing before him.

The man in front of him pulls away his cane from him and stands up. "Tell me... have we ever made a deal before?" Kaz asks. "You and me? Nah. Otherwise you'd know better. Or you'd be dead."

He throws his cane on his desk and motions for his guards. "Come on." I wait for the last guard to trail behind, then leave my hiding spot. I grab the guard with my powers, and he slowly levitates up.

I hold out my hands and bring him towards me. "Let me go, you wretched witch!" I shake my head at his response and choke him a bit. I look down the hall to see a window, and I open it with my powers in my other hand.

I walk towards it, taking the man with me. "Tell me who you work for. Now." I glare at the man, and my eyes glow. "It's none of your business." I grit my teeth and use more pressure in my hands to choke the man with my powers.

"Don't make me ask again. Who do you work for?" He takes very heavy breaths and chokes. "P-Pekka Rollins!" I loosen my hold on his neck and ask, "Then why was he threatening Kaz Brekker?"

He replies, "Because that bastard got the big job! Pekka wanted his hands on it first, but he got beaten to it, so he had to threaten him." I look out the window and down to the ground. "Doubt that those threats meant something. If you tell anyone about me or this encounter, I'll kill you." I mutter.

I use both hands to channel my powers and throw him out the open window. He falls on the street, and I hear the cracking of a bone or multiple, followed by a scream. I go over and shut the window. I sigh and turn around to be met with Kaz.

He was watching the entire time. I get flustered and immediately try to get out of the situation. "Wait."

I turn around to see him walk forward with his cane. "Your anger, your motive, the threatening. It seems so formidable, yet it doesn't seem like you've lost someone. Or even had something taken away from you. How?"

I look into his eyes and look back at the ground. "That's not what's important right now, Kaz. This heist is what matters now. Maybe after it's over I can tell you." I walk away from the conversation to try to find Inej or Jesper. I walk down the stairs to see them both standing at the bar.

"No, it's more than that. I've seen the way Kaz looks when he says Pekka's name. Kaz wants revenge." I look at the two and stand next to Jesper.

Someone comes up from behind us and offers Inej a piece of paper. She turns around and opens the paper, which shows the Menagerie symbol. Inej says, "Of course she calls for me now." "Off to the Menagerie? Want company?"

Inej begins to walk off and says, "No." Jesper turns around and looks back at Inej. "No, I meant to watch your back." Jesper turns towards me and points at the drink. "Have you ever tried alcohol?"

"No but it intrigues me." I see Kaz bolt down from the stairs. "You all right, boss?" Jesper asks. He took the shot Jesper offered me and downed it. "No. I've been warned off the job," he says.

"By who?" "Who do you think?" "Did he remember you?" Kaz replies, "If he had, I'd be dead. Sunrise is in five hours." Kaz begins to walk off, and Jesper and I follow.

"Yeah, but we're off the job now, right?" "Never make decisions out of fear, Jesper. Only out of spite."

"Well, greed always worked for me." Kaz looks at him and says, "Go guard the door." Jesper walks off, and Kaz looks at me. I look back. "I'll be wandering upstairs. If you need me for any reason," I start to walk off and hear, "Y/N."

I turn around, and Kaz says, "Once there is a chance, I want you to tell me what happened when we were with Dreesen." I nod and walk upstairs to that same room again. I quietly shut the door behind me and looked at the room.

Kaz knew I had a connection with Alina—or her name, for that matter. Thinking back to my past, my mind wanders into the possibility of how my memories could have been lost. The biggest correlation would be my powers, but how I triggered it is a mystery.

I can read minds, but maybe using that power too often, caused parts of my memory to be forgotten. Before I scout more of the room, I hear a knock on my door, and I go over to up the door.

I look over at Kaz, and he seems ready to go somewhere. "Let's go, Y/N." I grab my cloak, put it over my head, and follow Kaz outside. "So you want to hear the short version?" I speak. Kaz looks at me and then keeps looking forward.

I hesitate before continuing. "I..." A warm aura around my hands distracts my words and I see two glowing indigo orbs in my hands.

My powers are growing, they're evolving. I felt my eyes glow to the luminosity of the auras in my hands, a beautiful indigo color it was. "I was channeling my powers to find the Sun Summoner, and I know what she looks like. So when we get to the Little Palace, we can have all eyes on her."

Kaz only hums in response and looks down at my hands. I play with and control the aura in my hands. It slowly goes away, and I look down. "She's part Shu and has long dark hair. Should be noticeable if we look hard enough."

He nods, then walks toward the street, and I follow him. Kaz spots Jesper and says, "Jesper! New job." We both walk past him, and he still doesn't move." "Come along."

Jesper eventually catches up and asks, "Do we have a demo man for this job?" Kaz says, "No. Why?" "I mean it. We need a demo man." says Jesper.

"You're still on that?" Kaz asks. "I just brought it up tonight."

"Jesper, you ask for an explosives expert on every job. Y/N will be the closest thing we have right now." Jesper says, "Because I don't want to be the one you point to and say, 'Explode something for us.' That is not a Jesper talent. I shoot things with style. And I look good. Just play to my strengths, boss."

Kaz continues, "Alina Starkov will be kept at the Little Palace. Entering the Little Palace requires us to be quiet. Blowing something up, we've likely failed." "Inej will be coming with us. Right?" I ask. Jesper stops and points at the building ahead of us.

"Whoa. Hang on, aren't we on Pekka's turf now?" "I go to Heleen now and ask for her buyout, she knows I need Inej and sets a price I can't pay." I stare at the building and try to see what else is so dangerous about this Pekka Rollins.

Jesper says, "That's evil. Well, how'd you know that?" "It's what I would do. Besides, Inej refuses to kill. Would you trust her in a matter of life and death?" Kaz asks. "Well, I've trusted her so far and I'm still alive, so, yeah. Now, you want to tell me why we're scoping out a rival club?"

"To have a talk with an old business partner."

"The bouncers will know you on sight." Jesper makes a good point, and I look at Kaz. "That's why I brought you and Y/N here. Make sure they don't see me." Kaz walks off, and I sigh.

"Handsome decoy is also not a Jesper talent. What about you, Y/N?" I turn my head and sigh. "What. Being a decoy? I'd say... that is sort of one of my skills. I'd say more pretty and beautiful than handsome in my opinion." Jesper chuckles and walks forward, and I follow him.

I ask, "So how are we going to do this?" Jesper replies, "I'm going to shoot some signs or anything small; if you want to move things with your powers, I think we should be fine. Your cue would be doing things after my first gunshot."

I nod, and Jesper and I blend into the crowd for a few minutes. Shortly after, Jesper makes the first gunshot and the crowd panics. The bouncers look at Jesper with his hands in the air. "You!"

"You heard that, too?"

"Was that you?" "No, I'm, uh... I'm, uh, bouncing for the Clipper." I look over at the two bouncers, and one of them asks, "Haven't seen you before. Where's Tombar?"

"Oh. Uh, don't know. Hey, hey! Was that sign damaged before?"

I quickly twirl my hands, and the sign snapped in half. The bouncers look at it and then turn back to Jesper. "Saints! Where was that?" I try to walk more off to the side, and I feel like they are yelling at me.

"Hey! You! Hooded one!" I slowly take it off and put my hands up. I turn towards the two bouncers and give an innocent but pretty smile. "What can I do for you two?" The one on my left looks at the other bouncer, flushing in embarrassment. "Nothing, miss. We heard some commotion, and you and this other guy were nearby."

I smirk and nod. "Not an issue." I see a hidden alleyway and quickly walk down it. I could see where Inej went and somehow meet up with her. I look before me before sitting crisscrossed and facing my wrists up. Closing my eyes, I look for Inej and open them to my familiar blurred environment.

But this time, I am in a smaller apartment to see a man knocked out by Inej. I clenched my fists and tried to feel the familiar environment, and I did. My fingers tingle in sensation, knowing where this place is. I widen my eyes in shock and feel my eyes glow as I am getting awakened by someone else. I open my eyes to see Jesper shaking me.

"Y/N, we've got to go." I get up and see Kaz walk out of the building. "I know where to find the Conductor. Inej is with him." I look back at Jesper and keep looking forward. Kaz's pace kept picking up, and time was of the essence.

We reach a stopping point, and Kaz motions for us to wait outside. Jesper and I do so, and a few moments later and a few conversations later, Kaz walks out with Inej and the Conductor.

His name was Arken and had crossed the fold more times than he can count. Knowing that at least someone was knowledgeable before crossing the fold, would be in our favor.

The three must have discussed the further details while inside the building. Smart move on their end.

"Now. We can get started with this plan." I see a carriage to our right, and Jesper asks, "Where are we going?"

"Novokribirsk." Kaz says.

[hiscrookedsaint]

𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

#: 𝐈𝐈

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Kaz x fem!reader

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: With the heist beginning, Y/N's quiet bond with Kaz begins to grow─unspoken yet undeniable. Amid whispered leads and dead ends, a deeper mystery starts to surface, one that ties not only to their mission but to Y/N's forgotten past. Some truths are stirring, and Kaz may hold more of them than he lets on.

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 2368

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: Blood, gore, mentions of injury & mentions of death.

𝐀/𝐍: I apologize ahead for any spelling or grammar errors! Thank you for taking the time to read this fic I've been working hard on. :) This chapter is shorter compared to the others yet to come.

𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

~Y/N~

I had followed Kaz, Jesper, and Inej around the city like a lost puppy. We visited different people and places, hearing a variety of responses. The four of us were in an office facing a woman smoking a cigar in her hand. "Tell us how to safely cross the Fold."

"The Fold? If I knew safe passage through that, I'd be wealthier than the whole Merchant Council." she replies. Inej brings up a counterpoint. "You told me you brought in girls from Os Alta. The other side." "Yeah. The hard way. Lost a few to those damn volcra, too."

Nothing at the first stop.

We head towards an alleyway, located near the popular part of Ketterdam. Jesper meets someone supposedly knowledgeable. "Nah, there's no trick to it except how it makes people disappear from time to time." Jesper asks, "I heard you bragging of a way to make a path."

"I was taking kruge from a tourist. A little lie. The Fold keeps those Ravkan bastards and their Grisha attack dogs in check. Can you imagine how dangerous it would be if it wasn't there?"

There is not anything useful from that guy, either.

The following person we went to was a Fjerdan guy. He was engaging in street fights and competitions. Most likely trying to win some kruge. "Just go around." Kaz didn't like to hear that answer. "It stretches all the way north to the Fjerdan border."

"Ja. So go to Fjerda. March through the permafrost." "How long will that take?" Kaz asks. He replies. "From here? Four months. Maybe five." "We don't have that kind of time."

"Either you take your time or you take your chances."

He went off, and Jesper motioned for us to regroup. We all started walking, and he asked me, "If Kaz had told me correctly, your power is one of a Grisha level with no element needing to be manipulated?"

I nod and half smile. "Kaz is correct, but I know I am so much more than what he says I can do."

"I understand, but why did you lay low until now?" Jesper asks. I let go of my tenseness, and he messes with one of his pistols. "Living the solo life, then changed in an instant. What changed your mind?"

I look at Kaz and Inej. Kaz has something alluring about him. I can't figure it out. I say, "I wanted a change, I guess. Being by myself was getting... upsetting. I had this urge that I needed to get out like an unknown power is trying to crawl its way out of my soul."

Jesper adds, "And you were lonely?" I nod in shame and look at Inej. "Inej helped me realize what my potential could be. How my power can change everything." I move some of my fingers around and ease my anxiety.

Kaz leads us to the Crow Club, and we sit at a table near the back. Where others couldn't hear in on our conversation. We are silent until Jesper breaks it abruptly. "Here's what I don't get." "We're going to be here all night," Inej adds.

"Rude. Why haven't they tried going under it? Just dig a tunnel." Kaz immediately shuts his thoughts down. "Tried that. More than a century ago. Something... heard them digging."

"So it was made hundreds of years ago by that crazy Grisha..." "The Black Heretic." The one who started all of this mess. "Yeah, the one who controls shadow. They've got one in their army now, don't they? General Kirigan?"

Inej says, "Your point?" "If one of his kind made it, can't he unmake it?" I slightly frown and hate how this General sounds. "Have you ever put out fire by adding more fire?" I slightly smirked, and Jesper asked, "Then what's the opposite?"

"A Sun Summoner? Right?"

Everyone looks at me, and I continue, "I mean, everything has to have an opposite to exist within each other—fire and water, light and dark, and so on and so on."

"Doesn't exist." I look at Kaz, and he quickly glances at me before staring back into the abyss.

"Doesn't exist yet," Inej says. "Dreesen comes into town, doesn't waste a minute. Sends out for a crew to steal something but doesn't specify what. Is it heavy, is it large, is it worth more than a million on the black market? Maybe he doesn't know."

Inej voices her thoughts. "We can let this one go, Kaz." "Sounds like a trap, anyway." Jesper takes a drink out of his glass. "A trap would sound easy. This is something else."

One of Kaz's workers approaches him, seemingly with good news: "Boss, Boss. We intercepted a note from Dreesen." "Did you, now?" He continues, "It's for the owner of the Orchid. Says they require the services of a Heartrender. Tonight."

"A Heartrender? Why?"

The worker shakes his head. "Doesn't say. Just they need it before midnight." I see Kaz's gears turning in his head. "You don't bring in a Heartrender unless you need an answer out of someone who isn't willing to talk. That's how we get this job before anyone else. Bring Dreesen a Heartrender."

Kaz stands up, eager for the new job. "Boss, just one problem. Pekka Rollins knows." "Pekka Rollins." I look over at Inej, and she shrugs at the sound of that name. We all get up and follow Kaz to the Orchid.

We reach the outside, and Inej walks beside me. "Don't feel too intimidated by Kaz. Sometimes, he acts like a loose cannon, especially when Pekka is brought up."

I feel my eyes glow, sensing this new sign of my powers. Pekka Rollins did something to Kaz that cannot be forgiven so easily. I can sense his feeling of vengeance whenever Pekka Rollins is brought up, I'd have to save that thought for later.

After 15 minutes of walking through the streets, we reach the Orchid. Kaz goes inside, and motions for the three of us to wait outside.

It only took about 5 minutes before Kaz hastily exited the building, followed by a Heartrender. We all follow behind for the next 20 minutes of silence. Before reaching Dressen's, the Heartrender speaks up.

"I really appreciate new business, but you've only paid for an hour of my time, and I have to be back at the Orchid," she says.

"The Orchid isn't safe tonight. Your life's in danger with this job. Make yourself scare for a few days afterwards." I look at the two and sigh. "Mr. Brekker, are you threatening me? Really? Even if I'm nice, my Boss will call the stadwatch on you."

We reach the gate and stop in our tracks. This Heartrender is getting annoying. Kaz says, "It's not me you're in danger with. It's Pekka Rollins." "My boss would call the stadwatch on him as well." the Heartrender says. "Which is why your boss is already dead."

Kaz marches forward, and I slowly follow behind him. One of his guards sees us and asks, "Who are you lot?" "We're here to see Dreesen."

Kaz and I reach the fenced gate and see the guard greet us. "You're not with Pekka's crew. And you brought a freak with you, look like the eyes of a monster to me." Kaz replies. "And you're not in Pekka's pocket anymore if you don't owe him. She's not a freak or monster, I'd trust you still have respect for women in this part of the city."

He tosses the guard the bag of kruge, and they catch it in time. The guard opens the gate and grants us access. Jesper catches up with us and asks Kaz, "Hey, where did you get that coin?" The gate shuts behind us, and we hear some commotion.

"Hey! One of these has a hole in it!" I widen my eyes and look at Kaz. "Inside. Inside."

The five of us hurry inside, and one of his guards brings us with Dreesen. He opens the door, with Kaz leading front and center. "One look and I can tell. Criminals. I'm not meeting anyone 'til midnight."

I am assuming that is Dreesen. "We heard you needed a Heartrender." Kaz says. Dreesen stands up from his desk and is intrigued. He replies, "Hmm. All right, she stays, the rest of you, out." The Heartrender begins to walk forward, and Kaz holds out his cane in front of her.

"She stays. And we have an exclusive on this job." "Mr. Brekker. No businessman worth his salt hires his first applicant." Dreesen stands in front of his desk and gives us a better look. "No. No, I understand. Of course, I will have to report you to the guild for kidnapping and harboring a prisoner without chain of title."

"You wouldn't." I smirked, knowing that Kaz had something up his sleeve, as he always does. He says, "No businessman worth his salt bargains for what he can take." Dreesen seems intimidated and goes up to Kaz's face. All that we can hear is the deep inhaling and exhaling of breaths.

I look to the side of me and see the Heartrender raise her hand. "I have to be back in an hour." The two look at each other before Dreesen speaks up. "All right, come on." He exits the door behind the five of us, and Kaz immediately follows.

He leads us into his basement, and we see someone tied up in a chair with a hood over their head. Kaz stops walking, and we do as well. "Who's this?" he asks. Dreesen goes to the person and says, "So you don't know everything after all. This... is Alexei Stepanov."

Alexei's face was beaten so severely. Cuts and dried blood were all over his face. Like they tried to get him to talk by using brute force first. Dreesen continues. "Two weeks ago, young Alexei here crossed through the Fold on foot. Alone."

He walks over to the desk and takes off his coat. "How?" I ask. "They're keeping it quiet, but allegedly he was one of a few witnesses to... an event." Dreesen pours some wine for himself, and Alexei mutters, "Water."

Inej doesn't hesitate to pour a glass of water for him and bring it over for Alexei. He drinks the water like his life depended on it. "What kind of event?" Kaz asks.

"I know an expedition was swarmed by volcra. Should've been a total loss, but something happened. Some device detonated. Obliterated the volcra, lit up the dark like a forest fire. I know it wasn't a fire or else no one would have survived. This was some invention no one had seen before. He knows. But he doesn't seem to be able to articulate his account of events. Some form of traumatic lapse."

Dreesen walks back to us, and I look at the ground to keep my thoughts. Kaz motions for the Heartrender to do what she can for Alexei. Inej walks back over and stands next to me. The Heartrender gets down to his level and assures him. "You're safe now. Now you can just speak and I will just listen."

"All right." "Tell me what happened in the Fold. What saved you?" she asks. Alexei looks deep into the eyes of the Heartrender. "You won't believe me, but... it was a Sun Summoner." Dreesen walks over and crouches in front of Alexei.

He asks, "Who was it?" "If I tell you, you'll set me free?" Dreesen nods. "You have my word. I'll set you free. You're in Ketterdam now, Alexei." He needs more convincing. "You can go anywhere in the world from here. Just imagine. Come on."

"Her name is... Alina Starkov."

A ringing in my ears and a pain in my head make me lose focus.

Alina Starkov.

Why have I heard that name before? I close my eyes in pain, and I open them up to something from my past I vaguely remember. The orphange in Keramzin.

I see a younger version of myself running in the field and trying to escape. The environment around me is crystal clear, and something feels off. Like this memory in the field was happening again, that's how clear it was to me.

I turn around to see two kids similar in age to my younger self. One looks like a Shu girl with long dark hair. Another was a boy with curly hair. He didn't look like Shu but deeply cared for his friend. "We can't just let Y/N go, Alina. She tried her best to get it back for you. I think she's going through a rough time."

"Mal, I think she's hiding something. I am not upset about the book and drawing supplies. She's never kept quiet to herself. There is something else going on that we should talk to her about."

Mal... and Alina.

They knew me back in Keramzin, the orphanage, but I don't remember them. I knew the Sun Summoner as a child, and she knew me. I even talked to her. But clearly, she also hid something.

My mind snaps me out of this memory with a gunshot. I open my eyes wide to Alexei dead on the floor—a bullet to the head. I see Dreesen put his gun away and walk over to the body.

"We are now the only people west of the Fold with this information. My ship sails for West Ravka at dawn. If you can prove that you have a way through the Fold and back, I'll put you on that ship with an advance. If you don't, I'm giving this job to Pekka Rollins."

~Kaz~

"Give me a day. I'll have a plan." Dreesen begins to walk away and looks back at me. "You have until sunrise, then your ship will have sailed, Mr. Brekker. The prize is one million kruge. Now bring me Alina Starkov."

Dreesen walks away, and I look over at Y/N. Something happened to her after the supposed Sun Summoner's name was mentioned. She looked like she was in a trance, that could almost pass off as her staring off into nothing. I'll have to inquire about that with Y/N later.

[hiscrookedsaint]

𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

#: 𝐈

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Kaz x fem!reader

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: In the heart of Ketterdam, a gifted outcast crosses paths with one of the most ruthless and dark-hearted in the city. A chance encounter leads to an unexpected offer─one that could alter her path forever.

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 3584

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: Blood, gore, mentions of injury & mentions of death.

𝐀/𝐍: I apologize ahead for any spelling or grammar errors! Thank you for taking the time to read this fic I've been working hard on. :)

𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

~𝒀/𝑵~

Ketterdam. City of the Damned. One may say that you haven't experienced all of Kerch until you've been here, and they're right.

The gambling, pleasure houses, and gangs had shaped the city into what it is today. I ended up here in the first place because I went on a boat from Ravka when I was only 15.

I was running from something, but I couldn't remember what. Whatever it is, it was buried deep inside me and is clawing to get out. My memories from my childhood seem hazy, only a blur of what I could recollect.

Whatever I was running from was waiting for an event to trigger it, just like a trap.

My 'unique' and 'different' powers had been a part of me since I could remember, even at a young age. I learned the hard way of what I am capable of.

The hard way was in experiencing the death of a few animals in my pre-teen years.

Now, it was nighttime, the prime of Ketterdam. Everyone was awake and going out to clubs, pleasure houses, bars, and whatever entertained them at night.

My hideout was in the abandoned part of a District with a not-remarkable name—the less known, the better. It wasn't far from the general stores I visited frequently for my goods, as I did earlier in the evening.

I tugged on my pocket and pulled a paper from my bag. It was a small job listing on a secret bulletin board I had gotten earlier in a hidden corner of Ketterdam. A board only the sharp-minded knew where to go, like a mind game.

The job listing was to find someone in particular, intentions unknown, but whatever paid well.

I began my walk by going to most of the gambling places that the Dime Lions owned. Looking at the paper in my hand, I feel someone bump into me—a clumsy mistake on my part.

I fall to the ground and see that they're to the left of me—someone with a bowler hat and two pistols in their holsters. I look at the hand offered to me and look up at him.

I realize my anxiousness of being unaware of my surroundings. He wouldn't want to be seen with a freak like me, even if he meant good intentions. I grab the paper and run off, not wanting his attention.

I push through the crowds, ignoring the heavy heartbeats coming out of my chest. I'm more worried about getting back to my hideout safely.

After passing the Crow Club, I turned right on an alleyway to catch my breath. I look both ways before removing my hood and crawling underneath one of the wagons to my underground hideout.

I jump down from the ladder and set the paper on my desk. Sitting on my makeshift bed, I take out everything I could pick up.

Some medicine, bread, and small decorations for my hideout.

I put everything away and looked at the job listing I had snatched earlier. I set the paper on the floor and sat in front of it.

My hands are on my side, and I slowly move my fingers and close my eyes, wrists facing upwards. I concentrate on the name on the paper.

Alastair Den Ouden.

I am taken to one of the higher-end gambling places in Ketterdam—one owned by someone who had a lot of play money and held power in Ketterdam. The environment around me and everyone is a very slowed-down blur. Time is moving very little, almost still. Their outfits and hair colors blur in the background, letting me focus on finding the person I need to complete this job.

Glancing around, I see someone who isn't blurred. That must be him. I slowly walk around the people and examine what he's wearing.

He wore a maroon jacket, a silver hat, black slacks, and big rings on his fingers, which mainly contained particular gemstones.

Emerald, topaz, opal, and alexandrite. It must have a personal meaning.

I walked closer to examine what would make this Alastair stand out. His hair was dirty blonde with one grey stripe on his left side and a beard just enough to make him be passed as a distinguished businessman—a trader of sorts.

It made sense why they wanted to find him. I snapped back to reality and felt something off. I looked around to make sure I was clear, but the second I moved, a blur ran in front of me.

I get up and back up to my wall. "What the hell? Show yourself!" Someone with a hood and face mask comes by my desk and sets down a knife in front of themselves.

"I'm not here for trouble." They pull off their concealment, and it's someone I've heard of before. The Wraith. She looks stunning.

The Wraith continues, "I'm here to seek you out and possibly offer an opportunity you may be interested in." I look down and cross my arms. I nod my head for her to continue.

"How would you feel about joining a part of a group I am in?" "I work alone. I don't like associating with groups, gangs, or anything of the sort."

"I saw you do that job."

I turn my head around and look at her. "Okay, Wraith, what do you know about me?" I ask. "You can find people without moving. It's awe-inspiring. I've been watching you for a few weeks. If I had come here on business terms, I wouldn't have been alone," she says.

"Y/N." She raises a brow. "Please, call me Y/N." I walk over to her and sense that I can trust her. I give her a reassuring half smile, and she returns it with a smirk.

"Inej. You know, people call you a Catalyst on the streets. But you're mostly a rumor, almost a myth. Small talk discussed among the people who seem like you could benefit this city."

I laugh and walk around the room. "I mean, it does have a nice ring to it." I see Inej pick up the knife on the floor and put it back on one of her holsters.

"If you don't mind me inquiring, are you Grisha?" I shake my head and offer her a cup of water. "Failed every test as a kid." I showed her the scar that the Grisha testers poked with on my dominant hand. They were convinced I was Grisha, Ana Kuya let the testers poke me like I was their lab rat.

I continued. "With my eyes, they thought it was a genetic trait, which is what I went with. Inej, I would like to tell you more about who I am and what I could do, but I need security."

I pull out a chair for her with my powers, sliding just before my bed. Inej sits down and adjusts her posture to listen closely to what I have to say. "If I tell you, you won't tell a soul... right?"

She clutches something on her hood and says, "I swear on it." My glance at the object around her neck reassures me. She brings her true intentions to this possible future arrangement.

"I have no label for what I am, and I enjoy having that. Knowing that there is no one else like me is comforting. My abilities are closest to Grisha's power, but I never call myself that. The orphanage I grew up in was small. But I would always practice my powers outside by myself, alone. I started around age nine truly harnessing what I am, and no one else would see."

I sigh and run a hand through my hair. "Finding people, moving things, breaking things, and making others see what I tell their mind to, is what I specialize in. Sometimes, I crave to belong with other people." I finish. Inej says, "The opportunity I have can aide you in your cravings."

I cross my legs and put a hand on my chin. "The people I am associated with, the one who runs the Crow Club, helped me. He allowed me not to be held back anymore."

I peek my head up in interest, and Inej continues. "I can have you meet him now."

"How long does this opportunity stay open for me, Inej? It is something that is a limited offer or can I decide at a later date?" Inej flicks with one of her knives in her hands, a simple trick.

"The sooner, the better. Meet me in the club by tonight. I'll be waiting to help. But... the choice is up to you, Catalyst."

She disappears in haste, and I sigh. What if this is a sign? It is a sign for me to take this new opportunity and explore the... unexplored.

I grab my handheld mirror and look at my eyes. There's no way this group would accept me. My use could be exploited for power or it could be good for me. I mean... look at me. I don't look Otkazat'sya or like Grisha.

A freak that wasn't supposed to be made for this world. Someone cursed.

~Inej~

The Crow Club was the next destination for me. After finding out more about Y/N, Kaz would want to know. Being able to find people without moving is especially impressive. I see she could be what Kerch needs—a saint of their own.

But I wouldn't let Kaz know about the personal details she told me. I swore to her I would only help. Like me, Y/N has a lot of potential, and I can empathize with and help her.

The rain hits hard, and I sneak into where Kaz would be now. I get in the room just fine and see him doing something at the table.

"Hello, Inej. What information do you have for me tonight?" He asks. "A lead on a job. A big one. Enough money to change lives."

"It doesn't take much to change someone's life in the Barrel." Now for the fun part. "A million kruge?"

I see Kaz's interest shift with his posture. Kaz asks, "What's the name?" "Dreesen. A wealthy merchant." "Dreesen. I've heard of him. He could afford it. The question is, what's worth a million kruge to him?"

I continue. "He's looking for a crew willing to cross the Fold into East Ravka and bring back something." "The Fold? Well, of course, certain death pays a million. He didn't say what he wants nicked?"

"No. But he's taking meetings tonight, starting at midnight." Kaz turns around and looks at me. "Tell me you followed him." He phrases this more as a statement than a question.

I say, "He brought someone in from a ship. Took a way back to his house in the Garden District to avoid attention. I would've followed him inside, but Dreesen's hired some private security. I would have had use to my knives to get closer."

Kaz says, "Private security. Anyone we know?" "A Zemeni man. I think his name is Tendo. You know him?"

Kaz nods. "Yeah. He gambled at one of Pekka's clubs. So I won't have leverage on him. But Pekka will." He goes into his office room, and I follow.

"Kaz, I got this lead from one of the girls at the Menagerie. But I met someone that could help us, someone not from the Menagerie."

Y/N has recently helped me see something in myself that our crew needs.

"I only invest in one of a kind. Now, tell me about them. Are they like you?"

I pull down my hood before continuing. "She is one like a Grisha, but not simultaneously. She can remotely find people without moving an inch, and she can move and break things without summoning like a normal Grisha. Y/-She can manipulate minds to see what she wants them to or spin fears in their mind to annihilate them. The girl doesn't need to connect her hands to do this."

Kaz pauses and looks down at the desk. "Let me guess. She's the Catalyst." I nod my head. "People think she's only a myth, but if you found her and tracked her... Then that's our well-needed advantage."

I smirk in victory. "So? What's our move now?" I ask. Kaz gazes at the newly acquired painting. The De Kappel. "You're the one of us who believes in a higher power. If we're going to survive a round trip through the Fold, we'll need a miracle or two—and the Catalyst."

Before I leave the room, I add to his comment. "She may be here in the club right now. A curious mind she is."

I leave to walk downstairs into the leading entertainment. I see glowing eyes come in and walk over to Y/N.

"So you did arrive." She nods and looks surprised and uncertain about the environment around her. I add, "I told the person who helped me about you. He seems interested."

Y/N furrows her brows together and looks around the room. Like a kid in a candy store. "So this is... the Crow Club."

~Y/N~

I turn around to see she's gone. She's good at that. Many tables had gambling games going on. I gazed at the playing cards, an insignia unique to this club, not standard like the others.

With the amount of different clubs and gambling places I have been in, this one seems the most interesting. It seems as if the atmosphere is pulling me in, wanting to know everything about the Crow Club.

A bar was the center of attention, and the space layout was adequate. I looked around my surroundings and saw a variety of people and cultures. The guy I ran into on the street sat at one of the tables.

I hear small thuds of a metal cane from my right and look over. They're wearing an all business outfit with a matching hat. My senses were going off in all directions.

I turn around to see his features more clearly. His eyes were a dark mahogany brown, his brown hair similar to the color of mocha.

His scent had a hint of coffee, and ink. But it mostly was an amber scent with a small bit of cedar that could drown me any day. I try to let my senses calm down again, and not distract myself from the handsome guy in front of me.

He immediately comes up to me and shows no expression or emotion. I feel an odd feeling down my spine and into my stomach. It gave me chills, the good kind. "You must be the Catalyst." I nod and reply, "You must be 'the one in charge.'"

He nods and motions his cane toward where we're walking. He starts the walk, and I quietly follow behind him.

We go into a quiet hallway, then into an office space. He sits in his extravagant chair just before his desk, and I stand before in front of him, needing answers.

Besides the alias of 'the Catalyst,' what do you go by?" He asks. "Y/N. Y/N Khaosa. And I would appreciate knowing your name because it seems you need something from me. Trust goes both ways."

He examines my expression before responding. "Kaz. Kaz Brekker."

~Kaz~

From the moment I laid eyes on Y/N, I had a feeling arise from my chest and into my face. Her indigo eyes were alluring, but looked dark enough to be considered as bastardly as I am.

Her outfit wasn't too revealing like many of the women wore in this district. It was simple, yet practical. Y/N knew how to perfectly balance business and her power, yet I am intrigued to find out more about it.

Her perspective on this city and the way she handled things was opposite of mine, but all similar at the same time.

She brought me a feeling that made the waters tide aggressive within me. I'd have to find balance if I want to know about her and keep my sanity at the same time.

~Y/N~

Even his name brought me butterflies in my stomach. "Inej told me the things you can do. A Grisha cannot do more than half of those things because they need a connection to manipulate an element. Yours sounds like it comes from within yourself, not needing something existing to manipulate. I'd say I'm quite impressed a diamond in the rough like you are out in Ketterdam."

Inej was honest. She is trying to help me. Kaz sends me a very faint half-smile.

I find a chair in the corner and motion my fingers. It goes in front of his desk, and I take a seat. I add, "What I've learned is that my mind fuels my powers. I was born with these abilities and harnessing them with my mind is how I control them."

Kaz's expression shifts. "It explains those jobs that you did." I never mentioned the jobs, not even to Inej. She only saw me do one. I gaze at Kaz and smirk. "Tell me about these 'jobs' then, Kaz."

"I've been putting small jobs on a hidden board in a corner of Ketterdam. Only smart-minded ones can find this board. They have all been completed within a fast, reasonable time."

Kaz was lurking me out of the shadows. "But I've noticed one thing with you, Y/N. You need their full name to find them, but I haven't heard much of your other ability."

"Making one see what I convince them? It's not how it sounds." I slightly laugh and stand up. "From my understanding, I can only engage in one person's mind at a time. Possibly more minds if I can grow my power. I can make them see their worst fears, happiest memories, or anything I choose for them to see."

I concentrated on Kaz's mind and made him see me with different-colored eyes—hazel eyes instead of my vibrant indigo-colored eyes.

"I see," he says. I let go of my concentration and paced around the room. I continued, "But my ability to find others takes a bit of concentration. I have to be in a safe spot and motionless to harness that power—a concentrated trance if you say."  

Kaz stands up, grabbing his cane. "Impressive. Now, tell me where Inej Ghafa is."

I get out of my chair and sit on the floor. I cross my legs and let my wrists face up on my side. I close my eyes and see the blurred, dark environment around me.

I see Inej sneaking through the streets of Ketterdam. Time is still, and the place she is looking at is the Menagerie, owned by Tante Heleen. A place that has a dark history and a rabbit hole of a business to run.

I open my eyes to get out of my trance and say, "Over on the West Stave. Looking at the Menagerie." I stand up and look at Kaz to flash a half-smirk at him.

His expression gave an impressed look, but was still debating if my intentions were genuine.

He slowly walks closer to me, and I look at him. Kaz says, "We're doing a big job, one that would make history. I want to know if you're in. This doesn't mean you're a part of my crows, my crew. You have to earn that title by impressing me."

I answer, "Sure. I love myself a good challenge." His smirk turns into a confusing grin. "Just like that?" I sigh. "I have nothing else better to do, or know anyone else in Ketterdam, and it gives me a reason to go see beyond this damned city. I never really caught the gossip of businesses, power kings, or gangs all here."

"Stay here, don't snoop," he says. Kaz walks out of the office and back downstairs, maybe to get his other bird. Who knows. I sit back in my chair, and after a few minutes of waiting, Kaz returns with the funny hat guy and Inej.

He points and asks, "Is this the Catalyst?" I nod and cross my arms. "I prefer to go by Y/N. And you are?" "Jesper, it's a pleasure to meet you." He smiles a flashy grin, and I smile back in response. Jesper grabs a chair and sits with us.

Inej does the same and gives me a gleeful look in her eyes. Is she glad I joined, or? Kaz sits in the master chair and begins.

"Now, we have an opportunity for a job. Dreesen offers the first crew one million kruge to cross the Fold into East Ravka and bring something back. Not specifying what to bring back is suspicious, but this is the Fold."

Jesper's eyes widen, and he flashes a grin. "How soon does he need a crew, Kaz?" "He's taking meetings at midnight, and word will spread for the job before everyone else figures it out. Y/N will be joining us to prove her loyalty and trust. She will be a valuable asset for this job." he says.

Inej asks, "Do you have any contacts?" "I have a few, but we need to start now." The three all get up from their chairs and begin to walk out. I quietly follow behind and observe.

I feel a tingling feeling in my chest, one I can't decipher what it means. But before I follow the rest of the crew, I look back at myself in the mirror before catching up.

This is my new beginning.

[hiscrookedsaint]

𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕:

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞

𝐈

𝐈𝐈

𝐈𝐈𝐈

𝐈𝐕

𝐕

𝐕𝐈

𝐕𝐈𝐈

𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈

𝐈𝐗

𝐗

𝐗𝐈

𝐗𝐈𝐈

𝐗𝐈𝐈𝐈

𝐗𝐈𝐕

𝐗𝐕

𝐗𝐕𝐈

[hiscrookedsaint]

𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

#: prelude

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Kaz x fem!reader

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: Y/N Khaosa had always been alone, at least from what she can remember. Ketterdam has been her home. When her golden opportunity comes to seek an adventure, she finds herself on a one-of-a-kind heist. Led by the Crows: Kaz Brekker, Inej Ghafa and Jesper Fahey.

Y/N finds her heart growing and her feelings developing for one in particular: the darkest of them all, Kaz Brekker. Kaz too finds the more time he is with Y/N, learns about her, that his heart begins to grow & yearn for her presence, all of her.

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 97

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: Blood, gore, mentions of injury & mentions of death.

𝐀/𝐍: Hello! I am still learning about writing and am new to Tumblr as well. I apologize ahead for any spelling or grammar errors! Thank you for taking the time to read this fic I've been working hard on. :)

𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

Everything you need to know before reading Beauty of Annihilation

Y/N's Powers: To best describe them, they are best inspired by MCU's Scarlet Witch & Stranger Things' Vecna. The more detailed version is outlined below.

Psionic blasts (indigo aura), telekinesis, limited reality warping/cloaking (short period of time), remotely finding people, psychic energy (indigo aura) manipulation, going into one's mind by Dream walking or sensing one fears or desires. Can kill by going into one's mind and envision their mind with their worst nightmares & fears, resulting in all of their bones/limbs breaking and their eyes crushed in.