The smell of stink she couldn't determine wafted in Maya's nose more noticeable in the barrel than any other area of Ketterdam. Although Jesper had drawn her maps to help her find her from Geldin District to The Crow Club where Kaz wanted her to train, she wasn't the only one to be taught to fight their as Inej was his first student and certainly wasn't the last. The narrow streets made it only harder to pass by people and she was careful to keep her hands in the pockets of her pants.
"You look like your trying to prevent someone from pickpocketing you." She heard a gravelly voice beside her say. She let out a laugh until she saw the disguise that Kaz was in. He looked older his face lined from the sun he was dressed in patches that somewhat resembled clothing. "Don't look directly at me." Kaz said evenly as she slowed her walk. "The bar behind me, I'm going inside first wait five minutes than follow me." Before she could ask any more questions Kaz was gone and Maya was baffled she looked around to see if anyone noticed but apparently even her appearance couldn't distract from a fight that broke out a couple of streets away.
She walked into the bar and looked around. It was small, dark, and grungy, taking her a moment for her eyes to adjust to the sudden shift from light to dark. She spotted Kaz and sat down at a table where he was favoring some whisky in a dirty glass. Other than the two of them the tavern was empty, and the bartender was nowhere to be seen. "Paid him off to scram for a bit." Kaz explained the absence of everyone.
"When I tell you not to look at me, I don't mean to stare about you like you're an idiot." Kaz said harshly. "How long were you following me for?" Maya asked, careful not to let the sting of his words show on her face. "Since you left Jesper's place. I must admit I didn't expect you to find your way around so fast." Kaz's harsh words followed by the compliment baffled Maya. He didn't mince words, she decided. "I thought you never left Gelden district?" Kaz asked. "Jesper asked me not too." Maya responded evasively on purpose if she knew Kaz was following her she might've looked at a few of the signs and brought out Jesper's map a few times but was glad when Kaz didn't ask any more questions. The truth was she saw Ketterdam through visions that she got from Jesper, Wylan and the servants.
Maya wore a rough shirt of wool, the lining made of cotton adorned with bright yellow mixed with green, her trousers the same color as her top. She noticed Kaz looking at her clothing which got a few looks because it was nothing that was sold at clothing stores, she waited in anticipation of Kaz's remark, but had not remarked on her clothing. "You seem eager perhaps a little over eager to join a gang but if you have any romantic notions, I would quell them right now it would dangerous dirty work and I can't guarantee you'd be paid unless you put the work in and are good at it."
"Its far better than walking…" On eggshells Maya almost said but stopped herself hearing the crack in her own voice. Ever since the first night of Wylan introducing her to his mother, she had this fear that she would be tossed out in the streets without warning. Making sure to know where Marya was at all times, so she didn't accidentally startle her was tiring especially in such a big house and small quarters upstairs with the narrow hallways. "What is it?" Kaz asked. Maya noted the less gruffness in his tone, she looked intently into his eyes ignoring the fake prosthetics he used to change his looks.
"We have to be honest with each other Maya." Kaz said his gruffness back. "I paid an hour to keep this place closed for this meeting if anything happened, I want you to tell me about it. This is the time I can help you." She sighed, letting it out deeply, carefully explaining what Wylan said to her. Kaz cursed under his breath, not realizing the position she'd been put in. "I have a place set up for you, it doesn't have a lot of room but its one of twelve I set up on the top floor. It has a cot and its ready whenever your ready to move into it. However, once you move into it, you'll be watched more closely as its for people I value more, and they might wonder why I gave such a position to you and you'll be watched more closely.
I don't want your name in any way associated with Van Dan's understood?" Maya nodded. "I'll take you from the under tunnel of my club and when you get back, I want you to tell Jesper it went well. I want you to use that tunnel freely too and from only my top lieutenants keep an eye on it and I'll let them know your welcome to it." Understand quickly crept into her as Kaz spoke. "Today was never going to be my first fighting lesson." "No, I needed to speak to you so that you don't besmirch my club's name. I wanted to see if you could actually walk around on your own and see for myself how determined you were to survive. I'm going to leave first, and don't follow me just enter the crow club as any other customer would and I'll show you the tunnel." Kaz was up in moments and walked off. Leaving Maya with her thoughts and wondering herself how far she would go to make it in Ketterdam.
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