Inej
Kaz Brekker didn't say goodbye. Not that Inej had expected him to, but she had wanted some kind of instruction. She had so many questions. When was the heist happening? What did she have to do? Where should she meet him? And he was going to teach her to pick locks? He didn't seem like a very forgiving teacher. Then again, Inej picked up everything fairly quickly. She had nimble fingers. It shouldn't be too hard.
Her phone dinged, bringing her back into reality. Her pointe shoes were still half on. She carefully untied them and set them in her bag, then stood up and checked her phone. Oh, Saints, she thought. She was late for studying with Nina. She would be lucky if the heart render didn't give a heart attack when she showed up for making her worry.
Inej dialed as she walked, not bothering to put on shoes. She would be faster without them and being barefoot would allow her to take the high route. Walking the roofs of Ketterdam was her favorite activity. It made the harsh city seem more distant. Nothing bad could happen when everyone else was the size of ants.
"Inej! What happened to you? I've been waiting for half an hour! I have half a mind to give you a heart attack for making me worry so much. You know this town isn't safe. And your curfew!" Inej smiled. Her best friend was so predictable when it came to her. It was comforting. Nina was unrelentingly there for her.
"Don't worry, Zenik. I got caught up practicing. I'll be there in a few."
"Good. You only have an hour and a half to teach me an entire unit of chemistry. Plus, I've eaten all our food." Inej could nearly see Nina smiling, not sheepishly like anyone else would, but rambunctiously, almost like a dare.
"You'll just have to buy me more, then. See you soon, Nina."
"Wait Inej! Don't hang up. You'll never guess who just walked in." Actually, I bet I can, she thought. The same person who had ambushed her for a job was going to recruit Nina, too. Or maybe he was just there for a cup of coffee.
"Kaz Brekker." Nina gasped dramatically.
"How did you know? You must have read my mind."
"He came to see me. He wants me on a job." Inej braced herself, waiting for Nina's harsh reprimand. But it never came.
"He talked to me, too. After my audition."
"And? Did you say yes?"
"I don't want to talk about this over the phone. Just get here." Inej heard a quick beep as Nina hung up. She wondered what had her so closed off. This was so different from her normal best friend, open and compassionate almost to a fault. Luckily, she would have an hour and half to talk about it and not Nina's current chemistry unit.
When she reached the Crow Cafe, Inej was shocked to see Kaz sitting with Nina. She seemed to be talking at him rapidly, and she didn't seem happy. Leave it to Nina Zenik to chastise the leader of the Dregs, one of the most infamous gangs in the Barrel.
Inej had always been rather gifted at hiding in the shadows, so she waited by the wall inside the cafe, trying to hear their conversation. They were talking so quietly she could only hear snippets.
"... get him out." Nina was saying. "You promised me."
"I'm nothing if not a man of my word." Kaz was cool and collected, as always.
"Then you're nothing." Nina turned away from him, her face twisted in rage. What could make her lighthearted friend so angry? What had Kaz done?
She tried to inch closer, but Kaz was whispering into Nina's ear and there was no way she would be able to hear. She walked away from the wall and sat down next to Nina, ankles crossed. She would get the truth out of her. Nina didn't need protection, but Inej still wanted to protect her.
As soon as she appeared, Kaz had stopped talking abruptly.
"Ah. My spider." Inej scowled. How dare he address her as his! It was one job. She did not belong to him. Inej belonged to no one but herself. And Tante Heleen. But after this job, that would be over. She would finally be free.
"Brekker." She said through clenched teeth. She couldn't afford to get on his bad side. She needed this job. "Long time no see."
He didn't laugh. He simply got up and walked out.
"Remember your word!" Nina called after him. She looked desperate. It was so unlike her. "Hey, Inej." Nina gave her a quick hug. She didn't meet her eyes.
"What's going on?" Inej queried. She trusted Nina to be straight with her. She had never hidden anything from her.
"You would hate me." Nina still wouldn't look at her.
"Nina, look at me. I could never hate you. We have a table full of sweets and an hour and a half before curfew. You can tell me anything." Inej hoped Nina would confide in her. She looked like she desperately needed someone to listen to her.
"I told you about my kind of ex, Matthias, right?" Nina spoke slowly and carefully, as if she were trying not to step on a landmine.
"Yeah. The conservative blond guy who's in juvie, right?"
"That's him." Nina looked downright miserable. What hadn't she told her? "The thing is... It's my fault."
"That you're not together? That's not such a big deal, Nina. Everybody rejects people." That couldn't be it. It was such a simple explanation. Nina's life had not been simple.
"No. Inej, it's my fault that he's in juvie. In Fjerda, I lied to protect him, but I couldn't take it back in time. They arrested him for slaving." No. Now she understood why Nina looked so ashamed. "I did a job for Kaz. He promised to get him out! But he hasn't yet. I don't know what to do." Nina thrust her head into her hands.
"You've been here for over a year. He's been in juvie for over a year?"
"I tried to get him out. I tried. I'm still trying." Nina finally met Inej's eyes. Her face was streaked with tears. "You hate me."
"I'm processing." She paused. "You said you lied to save him?"
"Yes! The Grisha in Fjerda... They would have killed him. It was the only way to get him away fast enough. Please believe me." Nina's eyes were shiny from crying. Inej could never hate her. She knew that. She had done it for a good cause. She wasn't a liar.
"I believe you." She took Nina in her arms, holding her as the girl's body shook with sobs.