INEJ
We probably wouldn't have heard if it we hadn't been outside. As it is, the howls, as though something, or someone, is being ripped apart, are unmistakable. As swiftly as it started, it stops. The silence is more concerning than the screams. At least then we knew whatever was making the awful racket was still alive. The abrupt end to the sound seems to imply only one thing.
"Stay here," Kaz instructs. I roll my eyes. As if.
"No," something in my voice must convince him to halt because he turns to me. "Come here and help me. You're not going out there with-" I glance to the garden wall "whatever the hell that was without me." He sighs and I can see he's considering leaving anyway.
"You can't go out in that." My hands are already behind my back, fooling with these slick silk buttons.
"I know. I have on something underneath." Even in the darkness, I can see his eyes widen. The fear that should've struck him when the screams started appears now.
"Inej-" the rasp of his voice over my name, so similar to the whispered plea not moments before, sends a thrill through my body at a wholly inappropriate time.
"Kaz, it's just a few buttons. Then we can go. Trust me, whoever was out there is still out there and mostly likely still very much dead." He steps toward me and I turn quickly. I can't look at him. If I meet his eyes, I'll do exactly what I shouldn't even be considering at this moment.
His hands start at the bottom, as though starting at the top, rational though it would be, is simply too close for comfort. I move my hands up as far as they will go, trying to make my way through as many buttons as possible. My attempts are nothing compared to how swiftly his fingers flip them open. In seconds, he reaches my skin and the last button is undone. I can feel him step back as I shimmy out of the overdress. I gently lay it over the swing. If anyone finds this, it's going to be the start of an entirely unrealistic rumor mill.
If only it wasn't so implausible. I push the thought from my mind. Now is not the time.
"Let's go." He stoops to grab his cane as we move past. He makes quick work of the lock on the main door into the house, avoiding the servant's door, which has only two exits. We make our way to the nearest window and he slides out. I follow as carefully as I can, unused to moving with a long dress restricting the movement of my legs.
It doesn't take long to find the victim.
No wonder the screams were so loud. There is blood splattered against the outer side of the garden wall, not 30 feet from where we stood just minutes before. A chill moves through me and I have a feeling that we were nearby this attack for a reason. I have no rational reason to think that this has anything to do with Kaz or me but my gut tells me differently.
The body looks like it's been mauled but is otherwise intact. If an animal did this, it didn't stay around to enjoy its meal. Kaz kneels beside it. The scent of blood is thick, filling the air like the jasmine did just a few minutes earlier. He tips the chin back and it becomes clear the throat had been ripped out. He moves the tattered clothes away from the wounds, looking over the whole body carefully.
"I don't think an animal did this," Kaz says quietly.
"What else could it have been? No person-" he stands quickly.
"The bite marks at the throat are small. The gouges, though many, are thin and short. A dog, or anything with decent canines, would've made clear punctures. Same with the others, claws would've made cleaner lines. These wounds look like... it took the effort to do this; like whatever did it didn't have sharp teeth or claws to make quick work of it."
"But- what are you saying? That you think it's-" I look at the body again "you think whatever did this is a person?" He gives a single nod. I suddenly feel nauseous. I've seen death more time than I want to count but nothing this... vile. To think of someone doing this to fellow human isn't something I wish to contemplate. I have a very strong desire to sit down.
"We need to move. If it was a human, they're clearly not in their right mind. We need to get out of here before it comes back to find its next victim." No sitting down then. I move to follow Kaz as he heads away but stop nearly as soon as we start.
"Wait, we have to warn the guests." Kaz turns and looks at me in confusion. "If that thing-" I hesitate "person is out there, we can't have people just wandering out into the street after the party. They'll be easy pickings." Kaz's look changes to one of disinterest.
"That's not my problem."
"Kaz, wait. Let's just tell Jesper. I just-" I look back to the house. "I can't go in there by myself. Please. I need your help." He gives me a long look but finally turns back to the house with a sigh.
"I will handle Jesper. You go upstairs and change." I nod.
"I'll be quick," I promise.
"I know." Kaz opens the window with ease and slips inside. I brace my foot against the wall but my dress gets caught in some bushes below. I almost fall when Kaz reaches out and grabs me. He hauls me in and I land in my feet, mere inches from him.
"I didn't think I'd ever have to help the Wraith up a wall." My smile trends more toward a grimace. My dress is twisted around my legs and I try to shake the folds out. Satisfied I'll be able to walk unhindered, I start forward. Kaz is still standing in the same place and I place my hand on his chest to steady myself. I give him a questioning look. He smiles slightly.
"I don't know if I'll ever see you in anything resembling a dress again. Just taking one last look."
"You won't, if I can help it. These things are more problematic than they're worth," I huff. He brushes my hair back and notice that the arm of my shift has slipped from its precarious position at the edge of my shoulder. I give him another glance but his eyes are fixed on the exposed skin. His fingers trail lightly down my neck, across my collarbone, and down my arm. He slips a finger under the edge of the sleeve and slides it back up into place. Without a word, he turns and disappears in the direction of the ballroom.
"I'll meet you in your room in ten minutes. Be ready." I hurry up the stairs.
JESPER
I can't find Inej anywhere. Surely, she came back after she calmed down. The servants are all over the place so I haven't been able to locate Serna so I can ask her either. I stand against the wall, near the servant's entrance, looking around slowly.
"This life has made you soft." I was so focused on trying to catch a glimpse of her that I completely missed Kaz's appearance at my side. I nearly jump a foot in the air. I snort.
"I don't think so."
"A year ago, no one would've snuck up on you."
"I'm not sure if you've noticed but this room is a little full. If I jumped at every jostle, I'd have passed out from overstimulation a while ago." Kaz raises an eyebrow but doesn't comment further.
"I'm here to warn you," he states ominously. I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Trust Kaz to enter a party unannounced bearing a grim message.
"Yes?"
"Inej and I were in the garden when we heard screams." Now he has my attention. I turn to him, trying not let alarm color my features. "We checked outside. Something killed someone on the other side of your garden wall. Whatever it was didn't stick around. Inej insisted we warn the guests so no one is caught unawares." Of course, Inej insisted. No way Kaz would be in here giving fair warning to a bunch of marchers of his own volition.
"Inej-"
"Is coming with me."
"Of course she is." I shake my head. He almost gets her blown to smithereens and, at the first sign of danger, she rushes back to him.
"Did you even try to convince her not to go out into danger for you?" I ask, exasperation clear in my tone. "Again?" I add, for good measure. The glare he gives me could shatter Fabrikator-created glass. I wisely withhold the rest of my questions that all sound remarkably like accusations.
"Please, just tell her to come home safe." I make sure I put the emphasis on 'home' and 'safe'. As much as Kaz may want to pretend that things have gone back to the way they were before she left, we are all very different than we were a year and a half ago. Before the Ice Court job, we were thick as- well, thieves; but none more-so than Kaz and Inej. It's time he realized she isn't just his Wraith anymore. She may be an excellent spider but she's also a woman and an ambitious one at that. She has a purpose and it's good for her. Saints or no, she was never meant for the Dregs and certainly not for the Menagerie. She deserves a better life than the one Kaz can give her. I care about Kaz like a brother, especially in a 'desire to strangle your sibling' kind of way, but I care about Inej too. I can't, in good faith, cheer for her to end up with someone like him.
Kaz nods in assent and melts into the crowd. Despite his black coat and hat, he disappears as easily as smoke.
Let's just hope this isn't the one that ends her.
ASHIANA
I watch Kaz walk into the room with purpose. Even from a distance, I can see his determination. I move in his direction, stopping only when he descends upon Jesper. They talk for a minute and he turns, quickly disappearing into the crowd. Thankfully, I am good at tracking; a skill I learned growing up in the forests of Ravka. My family made a decent living trading goods but most of our food was foraged or hunted.
I follow him, channeling the same determination he set out with. I see him slip through a side entrance toward the bedrooms. I slip in close behind him. He's already halfway up the stairs when I start. I don't have any need for directions. I know exactly whose room he's going to.
He beats me there but I'm right behind him. He gives me a glare as he reaches the top of the stairs.
"Is there something you needed?" He asks, his tone forceful, meant to frighten.
"Just going to check on Inej," I answer as innocently as possible.
"She's busy," he gives me another glare, as though it's enough to send me scurrying back to the ballroom.
"I'll just be a minute." She emerges before I finish any other explanation. She gives me a strange look as she stops at the staircase a few feet behind Kaz.
"Ashiana, what's going on?" She looks at Kaz questioningly. "Why aren't you at the party?"
"Why aren't you?" I shoot back. I won't be dismissed so easily. They're up to something and I want to know what.
"I- well, we-" Kaz cuts her off.
"We have business to attend to." Now would be an excellent time to stand down, back out now that it's clear I am not wanted for this excursion. Unfortunately for them, I'm not good at backing down.
"Oh, what kind of business?" Kaz gives me another glare, this one full of exasperation.
"It's nothing to worry about, Ashiana. Really. We just need some time to... check some things out." I raise an eyebrow. She approaches me calmly and I can see her trying to find a way to let me down gently.
"Can I speak to you in my room? Just for a minute," I ask. She hesitates and throws a look back at Kaz.
"Two minutes," he growls. I grab her arm and haul her into my room.
"What's going on?" I whisper even though the door is closed.
"Kaz and I are just-"
"What? You're what? Cause I can guarantee, it's not the reason most couples would be sneaking out this late at night." She gives me a pained look.
"Please, it's n-"
"Here, come help me." I love this dress, more than I've loved any article of clothing. Even more than the hooded cloak that my father gifted me when I reached adolescence. Still, I haul it over my head but get stuck with it halfway over my head. I can tell Inej is considering bolting.
"If you leave now, I may be stuck like this all night." I try to sound as pitiful as possible. She heaves a sigh and comes over, pulling it off. I throw it onto the bed in a heap. I'll have the maids press it tomorrow and all will be repaired. I grab my city clothes, which match hers almost perfectly. Both are tight but where her shirt is black and skintight, mine hangs a little looser, a soft grey. I'm dressed in seconds.
"Alright, where are we going?"
"Ashiana, please-"
"You're not leaving me behind. I can sense something is off. You may find I'll be more help than expected. I'm not just a healer. I grew up tracking things through the woods. If you're searching for something, I can find it." I may have oversold myself a little but I can see I've convinced her regardless.
"Let's go." I follow her out. Kaz's glare turns even more icy as we exit my room.
"This isn't some kind of party, Inej." I'm surprised that he's scolding her and not me.
"She says she's good at tracking things. And she is a healer." He looks about as unconvinced as she did when I got myself stuck in my dress. She shrugs.
"If you slow us down, we're leaving you behind," is all he says before he starts down the stairs. I nearly skip down as I follow them.