A/N: Just want to say thanks to all the readers who favorited or followed, I literally have had no motivation but getting those stupid little emails made me gather it, so thank you.


Where is this thing? The Wraith sat hours from shore, stalking the waters for the Slaver ship, the Premier. But it was nowhere to be found. Inej was getting frustrated, jittery, and restless. Was Kaz simply wrong? Was the ship further out at sea than anywhere near Ketterdam? Was the vessel already docked? She didn't know and she didn't like it. By the looks of it, her crew was growing impatient as well. Hersey was running a nervous hand through her light brown hair. Lowe was pacing furiosuly. Even Skeldon was rapping his fingers upon the edge of the helm. This was not anything like what they expected.

Inej slithered down the rigging and onto the wood of the deck. She heaved a sigh before calling out with, "Best return to shore and recuperate, we didn't load enough supplies for this." They only had about a day's worth and they were nowhere nearer finding the Premier than when they started. The Wraith was quick, they thought it would only be the day they had packed for, and now here they were. The crew bumbled about, shouting instructions to one another, and then they were on the move. As disappointing as it was, they needed a better plan, and they needed more goods. The water rocked them gently, breeze filling the sails, pushing them along. Inej always liked the slower winds and waters, despite it not being as effective for travel. Everything was a lot more relaxing when you weren't fighting for your life against the ocean.

She trotted down below to her Captain's Quarters. Her bed looked rather comfortable, but now was not the time for rest. Not yet. A map laid on a desk screwed into the floorboards. Lanterns swung from the ceiling. She made way to the desk, hovering over it, examining the map. Her hands found a pen and she marked the general area where they were, so that they could return if need be. After leaving to check how many reserves they did have left, she came back to her office, ready to clock out for the day in her soft bed. She sat down on the edge and ran her hands over the sheets.

An interruption.

"Captain? We're approaching land, thought you should know. Only another hour or so," Lowe said, lanky body peering around the door.

"Thank you, Lowe. Am I needed on deck at all?"

"No Ma'am, you look like you need rest."

She nodded and he departed quickly. The call of sleep was luring her and she could do nothing to fight it, flopping backward onto the mattress, the warmth and soft enveloping her. She kicked off her boots and then wrapped herself up in her blankets and sheets, falling asleep quicker than she could draw a knife and pray to it. The rock of the ship helped quite a lot.

...

"Belay!"

"All hands on deck!"

Those were the words Inej woke to. We made land, was her first thought, and her second was of Kaz. What he would think. What he might say or do, whether or not he would help with a new plan.

She scrambled up from the cabin, up the stairs and on the deck in less than a minute. She was greeted by several of the crew and a few respectful, "Captain," 's. She gave a nod to each of them and strode to the edge of the ship, where Skeldon, Roffe, and Bourn were heaving a line hooked to the cleat of a dock. She grasped a portion of the rope, pulling along with them, until they were comfortably settled in berth 22. She took the rest of the rope from the three, looping it to the cleat of their boat, tying a tight knot to keep hold.

"Stand by," she commanded, waiting until they were fully pulled in, giving enough space between the ship and dock for the anchor. "Let go!"

The anchor dropped into the water, chain slipping quickly and noisily. A soft moment of tension release signalled the anchor hitting the mucky floor of the water.

"Disperse!"

One by one the crew clambered down onto the slip, laughing and chattering with one another, though not as cheerily as they usually might. With one last check at the line clinging to the dock, she dropped down onto the slip herself. She stretched, arms arcing over her head gracefully, giving a satisfying little tremble. (when the stretch hits that good)

She began departing with the rest of the group, who were a few steps ahead of her. The scent of Ketterdam was back surrounding her once more. Though she hated to admit it, a part of her knew it would always smell like home, like the bonds she had made in her years there. She thought of Kaz, Jesper, Wylan, Nina, Matthias... she would always care about them. Now, however, was time for business. She saw Kaz awaiting her, further away, with a relieved glint in his eye.

Did he know the Premier wasn't out there?

The wind swept up some of her hair, but her braid stayed in place. She strode over to Kaz, where he shuffled a little to gather himself. She was just about to open her mouth to ask about the unfound ship when he said, "The Premier is docked already. We thought you ought to be here before we searched it."

Now she saw Jesper and Wylan, hovering a little further back. They both hurriedly walked over when she made eye contact.

"Saints, Inej, we thought they might've gotten you or something," Jesper breathed, pulling her in for a tight hug. Her breath hitched a little, but she pushed away the memories and horrors she had faced and brought her arms around him, embracing him in return.

"That little faith in my crew and I, Jes?" Inej laughed, "But it's docked? Where? When did you find it?"

"Only this morning, right around seven bells," Kaz drawled. Inej recognized the look in his eyes, something of greed. She wondered what for. "Come, we've got more important things to tend to than pleasantries."

Jes pulled away and rolled his eyes, but they followed as Kaz walked off the pier nonetheless, Wylan taking stride beside Inej.

"Was the voyage alright? Did you see the ship at all?" he asked, keeping his pace brisque. The wind picked up a few stray curls off his head.

"The voyage was fine, I only wish we had caught the Premier. But no, we did not see it."

Wylan made a noise of acknowledgement but said nothing further. They continued the trek to wherever the Premier may lay. She sidled up beside Kaz, falling into equal steady pace. He made no show of greeting or noticing her, but she knew regardless. She always did.

Inej decided to break the steady quiet. "Why wait until I return, nearly three hours after you found it docked? You could have prevented anymore indentures, Kaz, did you even consider-"

"You assume I did not have my men posted on the docks, reporting anyone leaving or entering the harbor. Why do you think we were waiting when you arrived? Rest assured, Wraith. If any skin was traded, it wasn't under the time I found it." He made no eye contact and sounded bored, like it was the most obvious thing. Perhaps it was. She might have drawn her conclusion too fast, Kaz did, after all, buy her a ship for her very own cause, and had brought back her parents. Continuing to draw such conclusions would only prove foolish.

She dipped her head. If anyone was to understand the accusations, it was Kaz. This was, after all, something of a defensive topic for Inej. No one deserved to go through what she did. Except perhaps Tante Heleen.

The Premier came into view, drowning out hers and any other sidetracking thoughts the others might've been having. It looked rather empty, there were no men defensive around it. Perhaps they've already wandered into town for more innocent people. The thought made her skin crawl, but that was unimportant. What mattered now is what they might find. She glanced over at Kaz, who simply nodded towards the Premier. Wylan and Jesper followed as they all cautiously boarded, checking for any stragglers, any sign of life. The ship didn't have many signs of disturbance.

That was when Inej spotted it. The speckles of blood littering the door to the cabins below.

"Do you think anyone will come back?" Jesper asked from behind.

"Shh," Inej called, warning everyone around her. "Come here."

The other three all gathered around, looking to the door. No one said a word. They only drew out whatever weapons they may have for
defense, Inej with her knives, Kaz with his cane and a hand on his hidden pistol, Jesper with his guns, and Wylan with a satchel full of what Inej could only assume was bombs. Slowly, she pushed open the door, listening for any sounds of struggle.

They heard nothing, so they continued the trek, down the stairs and into the belly of the ship. What they saw was nothing short of a massacre. Bodies were strewn everywhere, blood covered the floor, corpses with shock written on their deceased faces looked upwards. Inej looked over at Kaz, who had his face blank as ever. Almost as blank as ever. She could see a small struggle in his eyes, something that she was fighting as well, though she was sure it was much different. Jesper and Wylan looked disgusted. No one here was friends with death.

A gurgling groan rang out through the darkness. Immediately they were all on alert once more, though this time much more defensive. Inej lead the way through the sea of the dead, following the noise, alert and at the ready. There, in the very back of the room, sat something nearly unbelievable, and it was impaled, angry, and thirsting for blood.