A/n - I'm using direct and indirect quotations from the book, this does contain, the characters, some of the dialogue and plot of Leigh Bardugo's duology

We arrived at the exchange at dusk. The black tips continued to push into dregs territory as the year passed and now we were sent to parley. Inej and I were to stay in the shadows while Kaz, Jesper, Bolliger and six bruisers; Dirix, Rotty, Muzzen, Keeg, Anika and Keeg stayed in the light, the bruisers weren't allowed into the official meeting just Kaz's chosen seconds, Inej and I were his trump card in case things went wrong, perhaps people didn't hand in weapons like they were meant to. I had only been paying slight attention before I heard Kaz say, "And stay hidden." Jesper passed his guns to Rotty and said to all of us, "No Mourners."

"No Funerals." 

Inej and I went off to go climb the walls of the exchange, the walls were hard to climb, no footholes, nothing to hold onto, so we had to use climbing spikes to hoist ourselves up to the second floor of the exchange. Inej was showing her struggle in picking the lock so I burned the entire mechanism, she gave me an unnappreciative look, I just shrugged my shoulders and walked through. Kaz had tried his best to teach us both, but on small things like this I liked to use my infernal abilities, no slavers really came after me but it was best to not over exert myself when so many things could happen.

We tracked Kaz threw the exchange until he stopped at Geels with Oomen and Elzinger by his side, I looked at Inej who had a smirk on her face, I now owe her twenty kruge, damn it. 

Jesper and Bolliger patted down Geels' seconds and returned to Kaz's side. Kaz and Geels sat down and started discussing all sorts of topics that I didn't truly care for, the way Per Haskell had insisted this would go was they'd chat like friends then apoligise for fifth harbour and we'd go our seperate ways. Per Haskell is wrong, I've been with the Dregs long enough now to know that back stabbing and cunning is a key part of it, there is no honour among thieves like he suggests, Kaz knows this since he's probably the best at it, he's more of a leader than Per Haskell is and everyone knows it, but Kaz just sits back and endures the absolute disrespect Per Haskell gives him, I can't wait for when he kicks the bucket and Kaz takes over, I might actually stay if that happens soon. The war in Ravka had ended but I still needed to pay Per Haskell back for the indenture, so did Inej. 

Eventually Geels started to become more threatening so I prepared my knives, I had three now; one was a gift from Kaz, he said that if there ever comes a point where I can't use my flame that I might as well use another thing I know how to use, another was a gift from Inej, who said she taught me to use them for a reason and that I should actually have them and the other one I had a fabrikator make for me, it was specially made so I could channel my flame into it and the item wouldn't melt. 

A gunshot split me from my thoughts and I hear Bolliger let out a cry of pain, he'd just violated neutral ground. The thing that didn't add up was that Geels look frightened, why? Kaz seemed to not care about Bolliger bleeding out, what had Kaz done? Apparently Kaz had already seen this coming, obviously, and had blackmailed the guards, impressive, as always. Kaz had started grandstanding to give us time, Inej went and put her knife to Van Daal's throat to stop him from harming any of us. 

~

Bolliger had betrayed us, he'd patted Geels down and yet Kaz now had his pistol at his chest. It made sense, earlier this day I had asked why Kaz wouldn't let me stand by his side, after all I was infamous in Ketterdam now, after a year of stealing and killing and Kaz had just said Bolliger was needed specifically tonight and I needed to stay out of sight.  "Nineteen Bursraat." Geels went very still, "That's your girls address, isn't it, Geels?" What had Kaz done? Geels looked terrified, "Don't have one." 

"Yes, you do, she's pretty too. Well, pretty enough for a fink like you. Seems sweet, you love her, don't you?" If Kaz had done what I think he's done I would burn him to ash, I was all for killing people who had opposed me, or the people I care about but innocents was a line that couldn't be crossed."Of course you do. No one that fine would ever look at barrel scum like you, but she's different. She finds you charming, I'd see it as a sign of madness, really. But love works in strange ways, What does she do? Rest that pretty head of hers on your shoulder? Listen to you complain about your day." Geels was even more terrified and looked at Kaz as if he'd just realised what he was, not a boy, no, far from it, a monster - Dirtyhands. "She lives at nineteen Bursraat, three floors up, geraniums outside her window. My Phoenix is waiting in her apartment right now , would you like me to tell you what she will do to your girl if I don't walk out of here, alive and feeling righteous?" I breathed a sigh of relief, I was here and not with that girl, "She will incinerate her apartment with her inside it and then leave, your girl will be turned to ash in seconds, her blond hair will burn first, like the wick of a candle." The thought sickened me, I was glad that the girl was safe, but still I wouldn't follow this order with a knife to my throat. "You're bluffing, my men spotted her outside."

"And is she here now? Come out, (Y/n) if you are." he pauses, I stand still. Kaz smirks, "Oh, she's not here." a siren flies past us, "Getting late now, you heard the siren. I smell the harbour, the salt, the wind and - is that smoke?" Geels finger twitched on the trigger and I prepared myself. 

Geels entire body went limp and the gun went down, "Now, go back to your general and tell him to keep the black tips out of fifth harbour, and that we expect him to pay reperations for the shipment of jurda we lost, plus five percent for drawing steel on neutral ground and another five for being such spectacular pains in the asses." Geels went to leave but Kaz swung his cane and broke both of his wrists, "that's for drawing steel at me, do it again and you'll have to get someone else to take a piss for you, maybe the lovely Elise will do it for you." I leave the exchange by the back exit, Bolliger continued begging for help, he wouldn't get any. I continued on the rooftops sticking to the shadows all the way back to the Slat. I didn't want to rejoin Kaz, not after what he had just used me for.

Kaz's  Pov -

Everyone had rejoiced as I left the exchange followed by Jesper only. They were surprised at Bolliger's betrayal, among that there was fear. Good, they could lie to one another all they wanted as long as they didn't lie to me. I turned down Nemsraat and could feel the Dregs eyes on me as I did. I'm sure they wanted me to drink with them, tell them of how I knew about Bolliger, I wouldn't tell them and if they had a problem they could find another crew to run with. 

I felt the presence of Inej but not her, I had noticed her scutter off back to the slat at lightning speed, she must've just wanted to rest, I'm sure of it, she'll probably come down to my office later and we'll talk. I didn't call out to Inej, she'd make herself known when ready. 

After a few minutes she dropped down and started walking by my side, "Spit it out already." 

"You didn't send her to Bursraat." 

"Obviously. Why would I?"

"If Geels doesn't get there in time -" I couldn't help but laugh, "No one is setting fires in Bursraat." 

"I heard the siren..."

"I take inspiration when I find it. When everyone thinks your a monster, you don't need to waste time doing monstrous things. That applies to both me and her, if you were confused." Inej looked at me furious, "She isn't a monster, and if you continue to make her infamous -" 

"Then she'll be safe from slavers, that's what you want, isn't it? Your bestfriend now has a name for herself, not only is there this bullshit Ravkan legend that circulates her, she's also stolen and killed." Inej was always trying to coax out some decency in me, it was laughable but this should get her to lay off, "There is a reason she rushed off, and no, it isn't because she was tired. It is because you paint her as the monster she doesn't want to be, she hates the legend and now you've fueled the speculation." I felt a pang of guilt in my chest, I shouldn't feel this, it was a distraction from the real goal, I look over to the direction of the emerald palace, brick by brick.