A/n - It's really hard writing things like this when Kanej is an awesome ship, also thanks for the lovely comments and votes on previous chapters this was my favourite chapter to write so far so I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have writing it.

We collected together in the morning so Kaz could lay out his ingenious plan to all of us, "Here is the plan for when we are inside, I'll walk the route our target will take from the ballroom to the dinner event and look for an ambush point." I feel a pang of worry in my chest, Kaz can't take his cane with him it will give him away, what happens if it gets too bad? "You should have one of us with you." I suggest to him, he glares at me, "I'll manage." I throw my hands up in surrender while making a mental note to search for him wherever I go. "You can't blow your cover this early, and you also need to plot our escape route, There is a gap in the schedule between events, so they may place her in a room near here, away from the crowd, somewhere safe." he points to a place on the copied map, "This would be where they feel she is most protected and therefore, the best place to grab her, we just need a way to find in, and have someone ready with a distraction to give us cover on our way out." he finishes. "Any questions? No, okay. Practice whatever you need to, just make sure your prepared for tomorrows departure."

We left the next day, I didn't have to wear the orange dress while in the wagon which was a blessing. Kaz told us that he'd enter another way and told me to be "On my best behavior" and that if I attempt to run "Jesper has been reluctantly commanded to shoot me in my ankle" which I doubt Jesper would do considering he's still guilty after me getting shot and that he will "be close by anyways."

"That one is our invitation to perform signed by the Queen." Marko does his best to emphasise 'signed by the Queen.' to show his importance, the guard doesn't seem to care, "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 are to stay together as a group, at all times. No guns, no knives, no weapons of any kind, It says you have a grisha performer not employed by the General, I'm guessing that must be you." he looks at me, "You use your gift for anything but what you're here for, you're freedom will be stripped from you and you will be in the service of the second army." he explains, "I'm here while I'm indentured to Tante Heleen of the Menagerie in Kerch, that isn't a punishment." I say, "Oh, okay then Whore, you'll be sent back to your mistress after my men are finished with you, if you misbehave." I gulp and stand back grabbing for Inej, he smiles "Punishment for violation of these rules ranges from being fired to being fired upon, apart from the Grisha whore but I've already explained that. Now do we all understand these rules?" we all nod, a commotion behind us draws the guard attention, "No!" a man grunts struggling against the guards, "Oh, for saints sake." the guard exclaims. "The Sun Summoner! I just want to see her!" he tries running again but is cornered by four guards, one of them Kaz, the dread I felt from the guards' threat goes immediately and is replaced with a flutter in my chest. "Enough, do we really need the entire corps for one man." the guard berates them while the man is taken away,  "The rest of you post up now." I look at Kaz, who looks at the guard with a sadistic glint in his eye. I climb back into the wagon and we enter the Little Palace. "(Y/n) are you okay? I can't believe that guard what he said to you was unbelievably cruel" Inej asks me, her hand in mine, "Yeah, I'll be fine, lets just grab the Sun Summoner and get out of here." I reply exasperated. 

I was the second one to perform, first it was an Alina impressionist which was hilarious to watch, and then it was my turn. I dressed in the skimpy orange dress and I was put on the wooden stage. Jesper and Inej both watched, it was comforting but I wished I could Kaz could see me too, maybe it was because he watched me perform it, that seems like the right answer, it doesn't matter we all have more important things to pay attention too.

 I started the dance by flicking my wrists forming too fireballs, the music started playing. I made the balls form into a large rope which I manipulated round my body, I did a twirl and brought the rope down to the stage, the stage caught flame and I descended to my knees, I rise and am met with thunderous applause from the people, It feels weird, I'm not used to people actually accepting me, the only people who have are Kaz, Inej and Jesper.

After my show, I'm forced to stay in the dress by Marko, I am also met by Jesper and Inej, "One, you were absolutely stunning, and two, I have news so Kaz has called a meeting in Marko's wagon." I blush at Jesper's compliment and go straight to the wagon, I wonder what Jesper found out.

"I saw Alina." Jesper blurts out, "And your sure it was her?" Kaz asks with a skeptical look on his face. "I'm telling you, she's part Shu." he replies,

"When exactly did you see her?" 

"Just after midday, before (Y/n)'s show, which was absolutely amazing by the way." I blush again, for saints sake why am I so taken by simple compliments, it's pathetic. Oh, wait, I forgot I've been called derogatory names for the past four years, that's why. "What's in this room?" Inej asks, introducing herself to the conversation, "Fitting room. It's where she'll go to change for dinner" Kaz replies, "And that's where we will grab her. Out of the way clean lines of sight, easily controlled space. I like it." Arken interjects, "I'd like it too, if it had a door." Kaz retorts.

"It doesn't have a door?" I look at Kaz bewildered, "Not one that we can use. It's some sort of Grisha lock. It took a Materialki to open it." Kaz explains, Jesper looks down, is that shame I see on his face? I wonder what's wrong. "Is there no way to pick the lock?" Jesper asks.

"Actually, there is. I can get through the door." Arken states, "The locking mechanisms are Fabrikator designed, Iron cogs that slide into place without a latch, but for one of us to open it, we'll need a lodestone with a minimum 2000 gauss external strength, hard to find." he explains further, how the hell does he know so much about the room?

"And I'm guessing you have one of them?" I say, "smart girl." he pulls it out of his coat pocket, "You don't want to keep it on you for too long." he laughs. "Not if you're intending on having children someday." I recoil in disgust, "All right. Arken grabs the target." Kaz orders, "You want the new guy to grab the million-kruge package?" Inej asks, voice filled with skepticism. Why do I feel like Kaz is scheming against Arken here? "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" 

"What the hell is a lynx flush?" I ask, "Lynx are pack hunters. Very smart. They'll clear a path for the prey." I nod my head in understanding, "Oh, so I grab the summoner and you clear the path?" 

"That's right. We do it before dinner." Kaz confirms with Arken, "You grab. (y/n) and I clear, Inej and Jesper make sure there's a fast way out."

~

I run down the stairs to the laundry room to meet Kaz for my guard uniform. He hands me the uniform, "Is it my size?" I ask, feeling slightly idiotic, "You have to ask?" he glares at me. I shut up and change quickly, we walk up the stairs together. I feel my heart lift at the fact that he isn't completely alone. We both watch the Inferni throw fireballs at each other. They seem happy doing this, they aren't afraid of showing what they are, would this be what my life was like if I was here instead of Ketterdam. But your happy now. I suppose I am, being with the dregs has been the best time I've ever known. My main memory being the one outside with Kaz. I felt serene because of what I was doing, and safe because he was there. His voice takes me out of my thoughts, "It's reflective glass, bounce the light into that, and people won't know whether it's coming or going." he whispers to me, "After all you've seen me do, you genuinely think that was a trick?" 

"It's different, you're special, one of a kind, these people are just tricksters for aristocratic amusement." my heart lifts but these people here are like me, "Thanks, I suppose." I walk away, I don't understand, why the hell does he try to find a trick in everything? I'm sure when it's the sun summoner he'll come up with some random bullshit because he can't trust anything at face value. I wonder what happened to this boy to make him this way? I stop at a place close to Alina so I can see her, I wonder what Inej would think of what I'm about to see now? I kind of wish she could see it, it would make her unbelievably happy.

The General speaks up and proclaims to the ballroom, "Her name is Alina Starkov, and she will bring liberation to us all." Not all of us, she can't bring liberation to the slaves across the world, just Ravka. I look at Kaz, who has an angry look on his face and then back to the General and Sun Summoner, he envelops the room in his darkness which allows Alinas light to shine through. It was a beautiful thing to watch, seeing what could save thousands of people from the fold. I again, think of Inej, I wish she could see this. people bow and raise fingers to their heads murmers of "sankta Alina" spread across the room. I can't stop myself from smiling, I used to say to Inej "If saints existed Ketterdam wouldn't" and by all accounts it's probably true, but what if they could coincide and Ketterdam can be saved, it is my home after all, my mother birthed me there,she cared for me there, the dregs are there. I put my hand to my chest and say what everyone else is saying "Sankta Alina" I see Kaz look at me in my peripherals and I see him roll his eyes, oh shit.

I walk over to Kaz and he doesn't say a word, we just continue our guard duties, after a few minutes I feel obligated to ask, "How do you think the trick was done this time?" 

"Do not mock me." he groans, "I'm not mocking you, you think these things are tricks, which is your opinion, I am genuinely asking you, how do you think the trick was done?" I reply, he sighs and I smirk in victory. "I'll explain 'my opinion' to you later, we don't have time." he replies. 

~

"So the lynx flush was to smoke out Arken?" I ask, "Like I said our futures depend on this." he replies, "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." I feel sad at the fact, that a girl might die due to Arken and his General, I wonder what she's like. "They need the target for the demonstration, but, afterwards at the reception, that's when they'll deploy a double for security reasons. So I send Arken after the double, while we stay on the target."  he explains. "Arken will get caught." I say, trying to feel sympathetic

"You know you don't feel sympathy so don't try to, he chose his fate in Novokribirsk when he met with Zlatan." I understand Kaz's choice with this I really do but what if Arken didn't meet with Zlatan to jeopardize us, "What if were wrong? What if the meeting had nothing to do with this?" 

"The only two men in the world who profit off the fold? Doubtful." With his words my doubts are put to rest. I see Alina in my peripherals and Kaz must too since he says, "Now." we walk over too her, "Miss Starkov, we are to escort you to dinner. could you come with us, please?" I say, with a smile on my face, "I thought, um... Actually I am quite hungry." she says, holding her stomache, we both bow our heads and motion for her to lead the way. Unfortunately, we are met by General Kirigan who looks at me with a suspicious look and then back to the subject of everyones affections, "Thank you, I'll take her from here." he states, Kaz's jaw clenches in anger, the General also presents her with blue Irises which she seems to like very much.

"Alright, plan B." We see an Inferni come infront of us, "Scratch that, Plan F. Stay on the target and meet me at the escape route." he commands, I feel worry fill my chest at him being alone against one of my kind, he's strong and intelligent but the Inferni will be too. "He's like me, don't take chances." he looks me in the eye, "No one is like you, I only invest in one of a kind" I take the compliment and we go our separate ways. 

I walk at a steady pace to the escape route, making sure not to look back. I can't raise suspicion, I can't look for Kaz, and I can't look for the Inferni. I walk along corridor after corridor, until I reach a chapel balcony, I see Kaz limping away from the wounded Inferni, clearly thinking he's beaten him, Kaz is proved wrong.

The inferni uses his flint to light up his working hand and aims for Kaz, he doesn't get time to throw it before, I let out a powerful burst of blue flame at the Inferni, melting away his kefta and flesh, leaving only his charred remains. The first time I have ever killed, oh saints. I drop down barely paying attention to the boy I saved, I look at the skeleton infront of me, "What have I done? I, how the hell did I do that?" I say, this man had a sister, didn't he? I wonder how she'll feel to lose her family. I hear a guard say "This way." which brings Kaz into action, the only thing I can pay attention too is the skeleton infront of me, "We need to go." he insists, "I killed him." I say in a world of my own, I feel tears start to release from my eyes, "(Y/n), look at me." I put together enough will power to look into his brown eyes, "You saved my life." he states, "Now lets go." he walks off and so do I, still in a delirium.

We walk up to Jesper and Inej, "What happened? Are you okay?" they both ask, "She's real, Inej. She made the light sing." Inej holds her dagger to her, overcome by joy. "I wish you could've seen her." 

"We lost her" Kaz says, exasparated. I feel all hope lose my body, I'm going to be put back into slavery, I will be used and abused by the stinking men of Ketterdam, and I will be beaten by Heleen constantly and I will never see these people again "Did we?" Jesper smirks.

"We don't know where she is." I say, "Don't we?" Inej also smirks, what the hell is wrong with these people? We all climb onto the carriage and I get an idea, "Where is the Sun Summoner?" I ask them, "In the trunk." I can't help but smile, Inej and I aren't going to be slaves anymore.