Jesper
The moonlight was peaking through the porthole windows. It was still dark outside. They were not yet even a full day into their journey. After the Squaller had left, her wind carrying the limp Inferni alongside her, everyone had stayed, frozen in place with panicked eyes looking at Kaz. Jesper had untied them all, but only Serin had moved at that prompt-the rest remaining almost frozen lifeless themselves-watching and waiting for Kaz to stand and walk out with his cane clacking on the ship's wooden floor. But Kaz lay there. The blood starting to pool around his mid-section, his hair clinging to his forehead, his breaths were shallow and his mumbling was now completely incoherent. It was only when Inej screamed for everyone to leave that they all slowly stood.
Inej had been franticly talking to Serin in hushed whispers as the others left up the stairs to the corridor and deck. Unable to wait any longer, Jesper caught Inej's eyes and mouthed Wylan. Inej had blinked twice before inevitably realising that Wylan hadn't been among them. She nodded sharply and mouthed go. Jesper took the stairs two at a time.
It had taken him a few long seconds molding the wood back into a door and for the brass handle to reappear. But Wylan was awake when Jesper opened the door to their room. He was sat up in the bed with one hand holding his head.
"Oh thank the saints" he had said as Jesper crossed quickly over to him.
"Are you okay?" Jesper had asked, his eyes scanning every inch of Wylan, looking for any visible signs of injury. Luckily there was none.
"I think so…" Wylan had responded. He reached to cup Jesper's face, alarmed at the dried blood sitting on his skin. His fingers tentatively reached up to trace the clotted cut on Jesper's forehead. "Are you?"
"I'm okay now that I know you're okay." He pressed his lips against Wylan's softly and drew back to look into his eyes, smiling to show that he really was okay. He couldn't explain the relief he felt to see Wylan awake. Now he just needed to know Kaz was awake. To know there were no more injuries.
"Kaz…" Jesper started and then stopped. How could he explain what had happened in the galley below?
"Kaz?" Wylan questioned back, lurching up straight, concern apparent in his eyes.
"He's hurt. Inej is with him now. And Serin."
"Serin?"
"He's Grisha." Like him. "So were the attackers." Like him.
"I thought so. The last thing I remember is feeling like all the breath had been sucked from me. It felt wrong, like something only a Grisha could do."
"There was a Squaller and an Inferni. Inej took the Inferni down but the Squaller escaped."
"You know, they aren't bad because they're Grisha.. They're bad and Grisha. There is a difference." Wylan could obviously see the self-loathing in Jesper's eyes. In every fight they had been part of over the past few years there had always been a clearer distinction between 'them' and 'us' and between 'right' and 'wrong'. But now? Maybe it was the passing of time that had made Jesper feel more introspective, because now the line was starting to feel more and more blurry.
"I know." Was all that Jesper had replied.
Specht
Anika had bumped headfirst into Specht as she led the others out onto the Deck. She was frantic.
"Where is Inej?" He had asked calmly, a hand on each of Anika's shoulders to steady her against the reborn lulling of the ship.
"She's still in the galley with Kaz and Serin."
"Is she okay?"
"Inej is fine…But Kaz.. Kaz was hit pretty badly."
If there was one thing Specht was sure of, it was that Kaz would be okay. He had successfully infiltrated the Ice Court and lived to tell the tale. He had conned all the Merchants in Ketterdam and survived. Kaz would be okay.
"Okay. Anika. I need you to keep everyone in the corridor for five more minutes." He turned to look at Rooli- one of the ships crew members. "Rooli, I need you to get a sheet and come with me to the deck."
Anika nodded once, turning to speak to the remaining four crew members. Rooli disappeared into the Captain's quarters and returned with a large white sheet before she followed Specht onto the deck.
"Is everything okay?" She had asked once they stepped out into the cool air. The sun was beginning to rise from the edge of the sea, providing the sky with a heavy orange tint.
"Red sky in morning" Was all Specht responded. It was an old mariners' rhyme. He left the Sailors take warning part unspoken. But Rooli understood and nodded a dark expression in her face.
Specht led Rooli to the base of the Crows Nest.
"Wait here" he called as he began the ascent, sheet in hand. Specht had found Lin after Kaz had gone into the galley. He thought he had seen a twinkle in the horizon, perhaps another ship. He went to the Crows Nest to get a better view and it had been there he had seen Lin. She had been too young to know such horror. He had only hoped that her death had been quick. He hadn't wanted to carry her down to the deck and have the others see the fate that might have bestowed them. So he had said a quick prayer to Inej's saints - he wasn't much of a believe himself, but he knew Lin had been taken with Inej's stories on their long voyages, always hanging on every word that came out of Inej's mouth with her eyes wide as saucers - and then continued to scan the horizon. He had heard the screams and the yells and the horrible howl of the wind coming from the galley, but there had been nothing he could do. Someone had to see if anyone else dared to board The Wraith. Luckily, no one had. The twinkle that Specht thought he had seen had disappeared. There was no-one coming, not friend or foe. After a while, Specht watched a woman in a cloak float through the darkness, her limp accomplice floating alongside her. Grisha.
He made quick work of wrapping Lin's body before lifting her stiff frame carefully and beginning the climb down.
"Is that.." Rooli had started.
"Lin." Specht confirmed.
Rooli took a moment to compose herself before reaching to place a hand on Lin's covered body.
"Saints be with you."
Together, they carried Lin to the helm of the ship to wait for Inej's instructions.
Inej
Two days passed before Kaz woke. Inej, unable to sit still in wait, had asked Jesper to repair the broken beams of the galley and any other damage the intruders had caused. The crew, Anika and Wylan had helped tidy the ransacked rooms and they had all held a small funeral for Lin. Serin had agreed to preserve the body so that they could take Lin home.
Inej had found Stumhond's note in the pocket of Kaz's waistcoat as she had unbuttoned it for Serin to see the wound. It had been short and to the point, not in keeping with Sturmhond's usual extravagant fashion. It had simply told Kaz that Serin was a trusted Heartrender and might prove useful. It had proved useful. Inej hadn't allowed Serin to heal Kaz fully, in the excruciating moments Serin had placed his hands on Kaz's bare chest, Kaz had started screaming. Crying out for Jordie. For Inej.
She hadn't wanted the rest of the crew to hear - she knew that Kaz wouldn't want that. And so Inej had instructed Serin to only do enough for Kaz to make it through and then Kaz could decide if he needed more once he was able to do more than mumble incoherently.
They were already operating a skeleton crew, and with Lin gone, Inej was having to be both captain, nurse and lookout. Jesper and Wylan were able to stay with Kaz most of the day, Inej was only relieved that there hadn't been any further serious injuries - there was still a treacherous rote ahead of them. Inej tried not to think about crossing paths with the Squaller again in the Wandering Isles. They hadn't given exact details about where the heart was, but it was enough that Inej was expecting another run-in. They would have to be more prepared next time. Kaz would know what to do.
Eventually, it was Jesper who rushed out to find Inej, in the crows nest, when Kaz woke. With her first smile in two days, Inej slipped down the ropes, pulling Jesper in for a quick, tight hug before she made her way back to Kaz.
