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It had been a very long, very uncomfortable night, tossing and turning on cold ground in thin blankets, in the same clothes he'd been wearing for entirely too long. The novice had at least provided them with scones and blessedly comforting hot tea when they woke.

Jesper thanked him with genuine appreciation. He still thought the man was too green to be a Crow, but sleep and daylight had gotten him past at least some of his crankiness. And it was difficult to continue to be rude to someone that pretty.

Kaz, naturally, had been up and out the door before the rest of them awoke. Jesper wasn't entirely sure Kaz actually slept. There were times he imagined him hanging upside down like a vampire.

Meanwhile, Jesper, in his uncomfortable tossing and turning, had remembered the exquisite suit he had left for alterations before they went to Ravka. A change of clothes would make all the difference, he decided. So he paid a visit to his friend Poppy.

"You!" they said, letting him into their dressing room hastily before he could be recognized. "You're not safe to associate with."

"Now, Poppy, that describes everyone you know."

Poppy simpered at him. "I suppose that's true. Let me look at you. None the worse the wear for your travels?"

"Not for my travels, no. But Poppy! My suits! All my hats!"

Their face grew serious. "I heard. Kaz didn't have any other choice in the matter, though, did he? It was the only thing to do."

"For him, maybe." Jesper frowned before admitting, "All right, for me, too."

"Not exactly lying low, though, is it?"

"The only way we could lie low enough to get out from under this is to be dead. And we'd like to avoid that, thank you. So, we'll—" He realized he had, yet again, no idea what Kaz's plans were. "In the meantime, please tell me you still have that suit."

"I have the whole package, neat as a new pin."

"Oh, Poppy, you are a savior." He gave them his most charming look. "I don't suppose you could manage a hot bath, could you?"

"Much as I enjoy ogling you covered in bubbles, I'm afraid not. I have to go on, and you have to go. So get changed and be off, there's a good boy."

Jesper sighed. "A pitcher of hot water, then?"

"That I can stretch to." Poppy patted him on the cheek. "New show coming up soon—if you can clear your name in time to be seen in the audience."

"We'll do our best," Jesper promised.

He took the package Poppy handed him and withdrew behind a screen, exclaiming in joy when he found the leather coat he had left for mending as well. He had forgotten it was here, and had been mourning it as lost with all his other things. The day was looking up.

Harder to keep to the shadows in full regalia, but it was worth it, he thought, watching himself in the mirror as he settled his hat at just the right angle. Perfection. He blew himself a kiss, sent another one winging Poppy's way, and was off.

He was the first one to arrive at the café Kaz had set as the next meeting place, and sat there nursing a cup of tea for so long he was afraid no one else was ever going to show up. Seeing Inej come through the door was a tremendous relief. "Started to wonder if I had the wrong time or the wrong place."

"This is where Kaz left word to meet." She looked up at him. "So you know—it's worse today."

"Worse how? We had to sleep on that novice's floor. This body deserves a proper bed."

Inej didn't respond to his wit, always a bad sign. "Word is, we also killed a constable."

"What? I have so many questions. How? Why? Who? Where? When? … I guess—yeah, I guess that's all of them."

"Last night, after you escaped from the wagon. Constable Sem was his name. Shot with his own weapon. Stadwatch are shaking down every informant they know."

Jesper frowned. "I would never shoot someone with their own gun. Besides, it's not even a good frame-up." He glanced at Inej as she poured herself a glass of water. "Have you seen him today?"

"Avoiding questions, I suspect."

"Yeah. From the both of us. Blowing up the Crow Club …"

"Makes you wonder what else he's willing to destroy."

It did, in fact. Jesper thought maybe he understood why Kaz had done it, but it was a bit chilling how easily he had ordered the destruction of their home. If he was willing to blow that up, would the Crows themselves be far behind?

Before they could go further down that path, Kaz appeared, with the novice and the Heartrender behind him.

Wylan followed Kaz and Nina into the café, taking his seat across from Jesper, unable to keep his eyes from going straight to that beautiful face—unable to keep his heart from sinking when Jesper didn't so much as glance in his direction.

"You made sure none of you were followed?" Kaz demanded as he sat down.

"Always," Inej assured him.

Jesper rolled his eyes. "Please."

Nina took up the menu sitting in front of her. "Is this place still serving breakfast?"

Ignoring her, Inej leaned across the table, fixing Kaz with an intense look. "Jes has a question to ask you."

Jes. Wylan imagined what it must be like to be close enough to Jesper to call him by a nickname.

Jesper gave Inej an irritated look before turning to Kaz. "Look, a lot has happened since last night. We found out we lost our home … and then you blew it up just to piss off Pekka Rollins." His eyes landed on Wylan for just a split second, and Wylan couldn't tell how much of that anger was aimed at him. Some, for sure.

Even Jesper wasn't entirely sure how much he blamed Wylan for what had happened. It was unfair to blame him at all, and he knew that, but still … without the demo man, the Crow Club would still be standing. Jesper would still have a home.

Kaz, however, was unmoved. "And?"

"Have you heard we also shot a Stadwatch with his own gun?"

"All Stadwatch carry the same gun, and it's standard issue. This is Pekka Rollins firing back at us."

Nina looked up from her menu. "Who is this Pekka Rollins? Every time you say his name, your blood pressure skyrockets."

"That's not part of your purview … Heartrender."

"You're right. But I tend to have opinions, and here's one: Anger clouds judgment."

"Pekka Rollins runs the Barrel," Inej explained.

"He cheated his way into an empire by running cheap cons. He isn't a boss; he's a scourge," Kaz said, more vehemently than Wylan would have expected.

"If you hate him so much, why not just hire me to kill him? Or why hire me at all? Your Sharpshooter or your Wraith could take him out, easy."

Wylan had had much the same question. He was grateful to Nina for asking everything he wanted to know and saving him from having to speak up in this rather intimidating group.

Jesper watched Kaz. He always knew how to hold himself still, but this was different. There was something going on with Kaz that had him off his game. Not a lot, just enough to keep his usual impeccable planning uneven.

"It's not enough to kill him," Kaz said at last, his voice sharp-edged.

Jesper and Inej exchanged concerned looks.

In the silence that followed, Kaz spoke again, quickly, as though he realized he had said more than he meant to. "Killing him doesn't help us clear our names. That's why I need all of you, so I can hang everything back on him."

"And we are the pawns who enact your personal vendetta?" Inej asked.

Kaz looked at her, and at Jesper. "The three of us are under equal jeopardy. And if they catch us, we can't protect you." He looked directly at Wylan, and then at Nina. "And you'll have to turn to Pekka to see your man. No doubt with some very unappealing conditions attached."

"All of that in mind, I mean … Inej and I need to know the plan," Jesper said.

Wylan decided he had been sitting here silently, tacitly agreeing to go along with whatever they decided, long enough. He had no intention of being involved in anything like what had happened last night again, or of being taken for granted. "Um, yes. I—I, too, would like to know the plan." He crossed his arms for extra firmness.

Kaz looked him up and down, a quick flick of a glance, then leaned forward, speaking rapidly. "To get leverage on him, I need to know the scope of his business, inside-out. There are two ways to learn this. The first is by following his private driver, tracking his schedule. Second, his accountant, Henrik Van Poel. If I get access to Pekka's books, it'll tell me everything I need to know." He looked toward the window. "So we need to get into that building."

Inej lifted the curtain and they all leaned forward to study the building in question.

"It's where his accountant works," Kaz continued. "Although there's no way of knowing which office. That's the mission."

Nina abruptly got up and left the table, taking the menu with her.

Kaz kept going. "It looks like a typical office building, but it has a number of subtle features."

"So nothing for me to shoot?" Jesper asked in disappointment.

"Well, you can always shoot a lock if it makes you feel better." Inej grinned at him and Jesper gave her a withering look.

"You're sassing me, but I recall that got you out of a jam once."

They smiled at each other, and Wylan wished so much that he belonged, that he, too, could be on the receiving end of Jesper's smile.

Kaz ignored them both. "This place values anonymity. The doors aren't numbered; there are no names or placards. These aren't for businesses' clients to visit. This is for people who value discretion." His voice firmed up as he began to issue orders. "So. Jesper, Wylan, you follow the driver."

Wylan's eyes immediately went to Jesper's face, but he saw there only what he had expected to see—irritation and frustration.

"Inej, I want you to take watch on the roof."

Before Kaz could continue, Nina sank down again next to Wylan, placing a plate of waffles on the table. She took a bite while they all stared at her.

"I need you with me while I copy Henrik's books," Kaz said, an edge to his tone. "Gunfire would only draw attention, but a Heartrender—"

"Has many skills. Yes," Nina said around a mouthful of waffle. She leaned forward, pointing out the window. "Like this: second floor, second-last door on the left."

They all stared at her again.

Even Kaz was startled, which Wylan imagined wasn't a common reaction for him. "What?"

"Henrik's office." Nina motioned to Inej for a glass of water.

"How do you know this?"

"I asked the waitress."

"How did she know?" Jesper asked.

"People who work in places like that? They eat in places like this. And sometimes, they get their meals delivered. So I said 'um, excuse me, but I have a delivery and I can't read the directions'. Ta-da."

Jesper laughed. "I like having her around."

While Nina and Kaz discussed her price—the visit to Hellgate—Wylan considered their relative positions. Both of them were new to the Crows, assuming he was part of them now, having been dragged in regardless of whether he wanted to be or not. But Nina had proven to Jesp—to the Crows that she had value, and Wylan had so far only been responsible for blowing up their home. Yes, by way of Kaz, but still. He, too, needed, wanted, to prove that he had value.

With some embarrassment, he admitted to himself that he wanted to make Jesper laugh like that. He wanted to make Jesper like having him around. Why he should continue wanting the attention of someone who had utterly forgotten him, who had made it clear again and again that he didn't want Wylan around, he didn't know, but there you had it. Whatever else he was, Jesper was still the most beautiful man Wylan had ever seen, and the night he didn't remember one of the best nights Wylan had ever experiencd. If there was a chance to be with that Jesper again, Wylan wanted to take it.