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They left the little room where they had all almost died—the third time in as many days, and Jesper was getting a little tired of it, really—and headed toward the courtyard, limping along, all of them exhausted and most of them in pain.

Jesper put an arm around Wylan's shoulders. Wylan seemed fine now, but … the way he had felt watching Wylan be thrown through the air … He hadn't felt anything like that in a long time. He didn't think he wanted to let go of him, not ever again.

"Long may the night carry our souls—until the dawn renews us," Tolya quoted.

"Rabinov. Canto Seventeen."

Kaz Brekker, memorizing poetry? You learned something new every day, Jesper thought.

Tolya stared at him. "Seems we both share an appreciation for life's beauty."

Before Kaz could say anything biting in return, a groan from Nikolai distracted all of them. "A moment of sun before we deal with our losses," he said in response to Tamar's concern, deflecting it.

Wylan, more winded and bruised than he cared to admit to, had sunk down onto a handy barrel as soon as he could. He looked up into Jesper's face, thinking that he could be happy the rest of his life if he had Jesper to look at, to touch, to talk to. But Jesper came as a package deal—to be with Jesper was to be a Crow.

Today's events had proved he could hold his own as a member of the Crows … but did he want to? Did he want to go back to Ketterdam, to the harshness of the Barrel, and have this be his life? Even for Jesper? Trusting that Jesper wouldn't tire of him as he realized exactly how out of place Wylan was, or reject him when he inevitably found out who Wylan's father was?

He didn't know.

Seeing Jesper's face light up, he turned to see a group of people coming toward them—a group that included both Inej and Nina. Wylan's face lit up, too. He could feel it. Already he was coming to care about these people, to think of them as friends. As family. If only he felt like he truly belonged as one of them.

Inej slung the sword off her back and gave it to the woman with her, whom Wylan assumed must be the Sun Summoner. Only then did she turn toward them. Her eyes went immediately to Kaz, the two of them looking at one another as though no one else existed. But before they could speak, Jesper was there, picking Inej up and swinging her around, the two of them laughing together.

Kaz and Wylan both watched them. What Kaz was thinking Wylan could only guess. He was thinking that Jesper would be all right if he left, that he would be sad for a time but Inej would look after him.

Inej informed them all that Zoya was watching over Kirigan's dead body, that Alina wanted the body burnt.

Nikolai pushed himself to his feet. "Thank you. My country might have been sunk if you hadn't arrived. Again."

"We'll settle those thanks in gold," Kaz told him, with the slight upward quirk of the corner of his mouth that Wylan was coming to recognize as satisfaction with a job well done and payment on its way.

The others all moved off, leaving the four of them together.

"He's right, you know," Jesper said. "We do have our adventures. We should hire a writer to jot down our story."

Wylan got up, limping slightly, to stand with the others.

"What will we call it? 'The Four Charming Rogues of Ketterdam'. Yes." Jesper looked round at the rest of them to see what they thought.

"There's five of us," Kaz corrected him. They all turned to follow the line of his gaze to where Nina sat forlornly by the line of bodies.

Jesper snapped his fingers, acknowledging the truth of Kaz's words. "Right. Five of Crows."

Kaz lifted his eyebrows and stumped off. Inej watched him go, turned to look at Jesper, and then followed him.

Looking at Wylan, Jesper could see the weariness in him. "Come on. Let's find you somewhere to sit. Maybe something to eat."

"I'm not very hungry."

"Later, then." He led Wylan to a table, helping him up, and then straddled the bench next to him. Somewhat unnerved by Wylan's current quietness, Jesper kept up a running commentary, pleased when Wylan started responding with some semblance of enthusiasm.

When all was in readiness, they went with Nikolai and Alina to watch the body of General Kirigan be burnt.

With the body aflame, Nikolai stepped forward. "Today is a new beginning. For all of Ravka. Hell, for our whole world. It's a bit daunting, isn't it? Knowing where to go from here. We've had a singular focus for so long; so much blood has been shed. After hundreds of years separated by the Fold, we can celebrate a unified Ravka. Our neighbors to the north will see us united and will aim to strike. But often it's not the battle that takes the most from us—it's the aftermath. The chance to put the pieces of our lives back together. When a Firebird rises from the ashes, it is not the same. But in that rebirth is potential. Potential for new purpose. Thanks to what Alina has done for us, we all have a chance to better the world now that the Fold is gone. And above all, you must trust. Trust in each other. In yourselves. Trust in the fact that this is the start of better days to come."

Wylan looked down. Was it? Or would a return to Ketterdam bring terrible disappointment? He wished he knew; he wished he could trust that what he wanted was what he should do.

"It won't be easy, of course," Nikolai was saying. "Nothing is." He smiled. "I had hoped to end that on a more uplifting note, but here we are."

Kaz and Jesper started moving away. Inej followed them, then Wylan, and finally Nina, all of them returning to the ship. Slowly the others joined them, until only Alina and Zoya and the other woman were there watching the general's body burn.