Chapter 15: chains and touching.

——♤——

Zaria hated what was currently happening, the past few minutes were hell to her and Kaz noticed the way she would try and cover her ears everytime someone accidentally steps on the chains on the rocks and the way her shoulders tensed.

The rattling triggered her.

Matthias thought that a guard was standing slightly far but the man made a sign gesturing them to come closer, Jesper noticed the chains and didn't think twice before approaching her, they spoke in Zemeni and only Nina seemed to understand, the other had no clue of what they're talking about.

"You were early, Jesper." Spoke Kaz while elbowing the Fjerdan to make him move, "I was on time." Replied Jesper confidentally, Kaz eyed the two with a cocked eyebrow.

"For you, that's early. Next time you plan to impress me give me a warning." Stated Kaz, Jesper huffing in annoyance, "the animals are out, and I found a boat. This is when a thank you would be in order."

Zaria scoffed in his arms, "you still expect a thank you from dirtyhands himself?" She laughed with Inej not caring about the dirty look he shot her, Jesper thought for a while before shrugging, "I mean... yeah sometimes–" he was cut off by her tapping his chest.

"Keep dreaming, sweetheart."

She said standing beside Inej and wrapping her arms around her shoulder, the Suli girl smiled and intertwined her fingers with the girl, "thank you, Jesper." Said Nina.

"You're very welcome, gorgeous. See, Kaz? That's how the civilised folk do."

Zaria whistled nodding her head towards the Fjerdan who was looking around for a way to escape, "past lovers, watch out." She whispered towards Jesper teasingly, who looked around between Nina and Matthias in concern.

Matthias on the other hand was planning a whole murder plan, steal Jesper's gun, the boat and shoot Nina straight to the heart watching the light leave her beautiful green eyes he once fell for.

The two brown skinned girls were on his right barely reaching his shoulders, he could just push the Suli girl right? What about the other?

The other was quick and had a rifle she stole plus he definitely knows she can fight just by seeing her muscles tense under the fabric.

She was a demon, both she and the gloved boy. She was like the shadow Fold.

Kill Nina. Kill Nina. Kill Nina.

He exhaled before throwing himself on the nearer, Zaria, both the girls moved like wind and a punch went immediately do his jaw, Inej wiped her hands with a sigh.

They sensed his attack.

He fell to the ground, Matthias let out a choked yelp and fell on the tocks, he could feel the metallic taste in his mouth, Blood? Because of a punch?

"Matthias." Stepped Nina towards him in worry but the drüskelle backed away hurriedly almost falling into the water, if she puts her hand on him again, he will lose his reason.

Nina clearly hurt by his reaction felt her own heart drop and she regretted for still worrying.

"Well that was really stupid." Commented Zaria with crossed arms watching intensely, Inej, the girl who punched him stood beside her.

"Indeed."

"Put him under, Nina." Ordered Kaz and all the heads snapped towards him, Zaria pressed her lips together before turning towards Nina who was frowning at Matthias.

"No!" He exclaimed panicked while backing away slowly the water touched his fingers and it was freezing, he rather swim. So what everyone said was true, Fjerdans are indeed afraid of grishas.

She will definitely have fun in the upcoming weeks with Matthias Helvar (and that means scaring him).

"You're dumb enough to capsize the boat."

"Stay away, witch!" Yelled Matthias towards Nins who gratified Kaz with a nod of her head, "with pleasure." She raised her hands and Matthias could feel himself fall into a big slumber, "I will kill you..." he muttered in hatred before letting the sleep wash over him.

"Sleep well." Her voice echoed around his head loud and clear.

Zaria watched awkwardly, "well that was dramatic." She was the first to speak cutting off the painful silence with a click of her tongue followed.

Leaning in towards Jesper she whispered, "what does capsize mean in Zemeni?" The word rolling of her tongue wasn't perfect yet she tried, Jesper almost laughed out loud but didn't want to get smacked, yet he told her the word in her lamguage.

She nodded mouthing the word and trying to pronounce it right "so who's gonna gonna carry him to the boat?" Asked Jesper placing his hand in his revolver to find its comfort and the other on his hip.

No one replied to his question.

Jesper scoffed, "thanks, guys for the help." Both the Zemeni teenagers rolled their eyes in unison before stepping towards the unconscious grisha hunter.

"Take the legs and i'm the head. Oh saints, if he finds out a grisha touched him, he'll die." Two grishas, she chuckled nervously.

With a sigh she stepped in the water, shivering once it made contact with her skin, the water was freezing and it slightly touched Matthias hair.

"Okay..." she spoke stretching, "on the count of 3." Grabbing under Matthias armpits she counted, "one...two...three!" Both of them grunted at how heavy he is especially unconscious.

"Saints! I think I broke my arms!"

She exclaimed panting and putting her hands on her knees to catch her breath, Jesper almost dying, "i swear, Brekker, if you don't pay us double for doing half the work, I will stab you with that beak." She threatened between gasps.

——♤——

The boat started moving about 15 minutes ago and Zaria found herself staring into complete emptiness, someone stood beside her a little to close.

Their shoulders slightly pressed as the girl looked at whoever was standing to accompany her.

She frowned before turning her attention back to the ocean ahead, "what a surprise." She spoke her voice mixing with the waves perfectly, cold breeze slapping both her cheeks as she looked down.

A chain swinging loosely, cringing at the memory of the metal bruising her wrists she looked away.

"Why do you hate chains?" He suddenly asked, his eyes not once breaking from the ocean ahead, she gulped before replying.

"I do not hate it." She wanted to stop.this conversation well rather the topic, "you tense up everytime you hear the rattling or see it." He said glancing at the girl who clenched her jaw.

He notices everything about her, or what?

"Why do you hate touching someone?" She snapped back, turning to face him, Kaz frowned and so did she, 'I'm standing close to you.' He thought, "it's a secret."

He replied coldly, "I should say the same thing then." She stated with the same tone that almost made him wince at how cold it was, "do you have debts to pay?" He asked again tone softer?

She looked beautiful even in a man's uniform, she looked mesmerizing in fact, the raven strand of hair flying freely because of the breeze and those pretty lips.

"No."

"A person to kill?" Zaria turned towards him thinking whenever she should trust him with her secret or no, yet a voice in the back of her head told her to just spit it out.

"Yes. My mother." Voice venomous and eyes burning with rage, Kaz was taken back by the last 2 words, kill her mother? He never heard that happen, most girls loved their mothers but her...

Kaz was trying to make a conversation, deepen it, to pull his attention away from his haunting thoughts, to try and forget the water attempting to drown him and fill his lungs.

He was fighting his greatest fear  just to feel her skin pressing against him, feel her close to him, her presence was like a saint rescuing him and pulling him out of the water.

He never believed in saints, but he's starting to think she's one.

"What about you?" Her sweet voice snapped him out of thoughts, she shared her secret might as weel share it back, he trusts her, right?

"Pekka Rollins." The hint in his tine was same as hers when she uttered her mother, murderous, cold and venomous. "That rich fucker? Yeah...except I don't know were my target is." She scoffed.

Kaz thought for a whole before speaking, "I'll help you. I'll help you find her and kill her." He said turning towards her, gorgeous dark brown eyes meeting his sparkling in amusement as she raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Why the sudden offer?"

'Because you are interesting and bring me...comfort?' He was confused ar his own words, he got himself into a situation he couldn't find a solution to for the first time, because of a...

Girl who got here few months ago?

'What the fuck is wrong with you, Kaz?' he thought wanting to slap himself for being so stupid, frowning at the girl smiling at him teasingly, "then I take it back." He wasn't. No, he wanted to legitimately help.

"Relax, I'm just fucking with you!" She laighed and he swore the whole workd shone for a second, his ears reddened and blessed as he looked down clearing his thorat to hide the grin that was threatening to spread across his face.

"Guess I'll help you with Pekka mother fucking Rollins too then." Her eyes sparkled as she cocked her head the corners of her eyes crinkled and his dark world beamed.

Her cheeks rosy as she smiled at himx there was something in his eyes she couldn't understand or make out, his eyes are absolutely ravishing, her heart hammered against her chest as she froced herself to look away.

"Deal."

Zaria heard him whisper from beside her making her shake her head with a cheeky grin.

Kaz shoulder brushed against hers and he tensed once feeling her skin against his but not once did he decide to step back for the frist time ever and definitely the last, he felt comfortable standing close to a person for once.

He could feel the yelling of Jordie in the back of his head and the demons gripping his wrist but he was fighting them, with his cane, fists and every weapon up his sleeves.

And it was as if he was glued he couldn't move an inch, he didn't want to move, her scent mixing with the salty air made his brain go fuzzy.
Was he drugged? Cause Kaz didn't know what was happening to hin today.

Nina and Inej stood beside one another staring at the teenagers standing beside one another, closer than usual, Inej wondered if she ever seen him this close to someone especially a girl.

She don't think she ever witnessed that, until now, what a miracle.

Zaria smiled at Kaz who didn't react except watch and the corner of his lip slightly raised, he smirked, "I think his heart stopped for a second." Spoke Nina listening to the bastard of the barrel's heart with a grin.

"I think something is wrong with them." Said the Suli girl with slightly wide eyes, Nina grinned widely like a mad woman, "I think they are in love, my dear Inej."

Inej stayed silent, there was a glint in Jaz eyes she never seen before until today, she could see the sparkle from fsr and Zaria's eyes were loud and clear as daylight.

And if neither could see the sparkles in each other's eyes, then she swore they were blind.

"Definitely."