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CHAPTER TWO ━━ burning pile
act one: memento mori

"𝕻ROMISE me you'll be okay?" Cecilia had her arms planted on Elara's shoulders firmly, glancing into her eyes and making sure she understood.

Elara rolled her eyes, she really acted like her mother at times. Elara had just told her about the heist they were about to go on—the crime they wanted to commit, in Cecilia's eyes—and to say that she was concerned, was a major understatement.

"Yes, I'll be just alright. I can handle myself just fine, some faith in me would be nice."

"I'd have more faith if you weren't going to a place that's filled to the brim with people who want you dead." Cecilia sternly responded.

"People want me dead everyday here," Elara countered, trying to be helpful. But even she knew the gravity and risks of the heist they were about to go on, and the probability of losing everything was much larger than any other crime she had ever committed.

Cecilia sighed, "as much as I hate to say it, you should get going. Wouldn't want to anger the bastard of the barrel."

She had a point. Kaz had offered her protection for Cecilia's family since he knew they were dear to Elara as a bribe to join his crew. And frankly, it was all Elara had to lose.

The two said their goodbyes to each other, Cecilia hoping that nothing bad would occur on the enemie's territory, and lecturing her on being careful with her small-science. Only use it if you need it, she reminded her of. Elara said her goodbyes with a grim smile, and clinging onto the small hope she had.

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𝕰LARA thought kaz was an idiot at times—a very smart, intelligent, calculated, idiot—she had told him over their couple encounters the previous day, of how badly this plan could turn out.

"From what i can remember, the Ice Court was built in a way that no one would be able to get inside-"

"Yes, but it hasn't been built to keep us out yet." He had replied absentmindedly, not sparing her as much attention as he gave the paperwork in front of him.

"I don't think I've ever met anyone as money hungry as you, Brekker." She crossed her arms over her chest. "You know, i don't think kruge matters when you're buried six feet under."

He finally met her eyes after scribbling something down, "calling me money hungry, as if you didn't agree to this as well. We aren't that much different, Vianov." Elara scoffed, a retaliation just about to tumble from her lips, when he humored her instead. "Kruge will matter; I'll acquire expensive habits in the afterlife." He resumed his scribbling.

"Of course you would."

Now, as she headed to the harbor, feeling uneasy and nearly on the verge of fainting from anticipation, she wondered why she were here to begin with. Kaz had a point, they were slightly similar. She had agreed to this, had agreed to the dangers they were about to face.

She could leave Ketterdam any moment she wanted; go back to Ravka, go back to her childhood home, go to Noyvi Zem, even. But all of that seemed so distant, something undeserving. She didn't deserve a nice home with a lovely garden out back with lively greenery planted all over. A life of peace that just seemed so out of reach; not after what she had done, or failed to do.

Sunrise was only an hour away, but the streets were already crowded with ongoers and pigeons alike. She picked up her pace along the loading docks, the last thing she needed this morning was Kaz's disapproving stare and retorts.

A light mist rose from the water, only being able to see blurs of figures through it. Kaz and Jesper's silhouettes were seen through, the latter's figure being given away in the gesticulate form in which he was speaking. They were all clad in the discreet clothes they were instructed to wear: roughspun trousers, thick wool coats, boots and hats.

Elara was pleasantly surprised at how normal-looking Kaz appeared, standing out at the dock simply staring out into the water. One would've been able to mistake him for a dockworker, a boy. A boy preparing himself to set sail for his first time. Elara though it was nice, looking at Kaz as something more pleasant, something different than what she knew him to be.

Behind them, was the ship she had provided for them. The Ferolind. It was written in bold script on its side, flying the purple Kerch fishes and the flag of the Haanraadt Bay Company.

There were no crew members on the ship as far as she could tell, and Inej had even notified her of extra members coming along . . .

Only it was too late. The ship had exploded, and she was knocked off her feet and roughly landing on her back. The docks were suddenly going up in flames, and her only thoughts were how Kaz and Jesper had still been on the Ferolind.

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"𝕭ERTH twenty-two, go to berth twenty-two!" Jesper called out to her, revolvers raised and ready.   "The real Ferolind is at berth twenty-two, get there now, Kaz's orders." He called out to her from across a stack of barrels, upon seeing her confused expression.

Her mind was whirling with confusion, the dots finally connecting once realization set in. The real Ferolind. The decoy. Anger surged through Elara's veins, of course he didn't tell them.

She had no time to dwell on her anger in the moment, only time to protect herself. She had yet to see Kaz from the moment she saw him on the docks from a distance, and only wished him—and everyone else had made it safely to the real ship.

Summoning a flame in her hands, it was her best bet. She threw herself behind another pile of barrels, ones in which Jesper was behind only seconds ago, but left with Wylan trailing right behind. Moving her hands into a formation, she was able to produce a spark in which she largened and targeted it towards her enemy — a man shooting towards her from her left, aiming it just right and scorning his face just how she wanted. The man crumpled to the ground immediately, clutching at his face in attempt to stop the smoldering heat.

Elara winced as a bullet lightly grazed her cheek, close enough that it must've left a mark. Jesper and Wylan were far gone from her vision, and had no idea as to where Nina and Inej might've been. What she found to be even stranger, was that Kaz was no where in sight.

The real Ferolind was beginning to come into vision, flicking her wrist into another series of movements in attempts to stay alive. At this point, she was making a full-on sprint towards the ship. Still on her guard, aiming toward anyone who could harm her.

It was a rapid movement, but upon making her way to the ship, she was tripped by something she couldn't identify, and was soon met with the hard ground beneath her. Her knees throbbed in pain at the sudden movement, breathing coming to a halt as her stomach and throat were slammed against the ground.

Her arms were pinned to the ground rapidly, soon followed by her legs. She was left defenseless, and with no idea as to how she was in the situation, nor how to get out of it.

"Look how pretty, well if it isn't the Dregs' Inferni." The man taunted, a blade placed on the flesh of her throat. She didn't know the man, nor did she recognize his features. Her vision was beginning to grow blurry, and her hands beginning to go numb from the pressure he was putting on them.

"Don't belong to the Dregs-" she panted, but it was possibly not the most ideal time to defend herself.

She felt her breathing falter from the amount of pressure she was being squeezed against, and attempted to wriggle herself out, but that only turned her the more frustrated, and them man more pleased.

"Don't start failing on me now, Inferni. Need you alive to-" But his words were quickly cut short as Elara jerked to the side suddenly, using the grip he had on her wrists and slamming him against the ground. The man groaned in pain as his shoulder took most of the impact, as Elara summoned a flame with her trembling hands and burnt the flesh of his throat.

Her wrists and ankles burned red and burned where the man had harshly grasped her. She sprinted towards the schooner as bullets were still flying mid-air, though not as much as they had a couple minutes prior.

Panting, Jesper appeared by her side as she stepped aboard the schooner, legs still aching with every step taken and rubbing at her bruised elbows. "Where are the others? Nina, Inej, Kaz-"

Jesper placed his arms over her shoulders, but quickly removing them once seeing her wince in pain. "Calm down, they're all tending to Inej below."

"What do you mean tending to Inej? Is she alright? Who-" She began frantically.

"Not looking too good, Nina's helping her below as we speak, though." His eyes were blown wide, almost as if he were high off the adrenaline. "She'll be alright, she's in good hands."

Elara solemnly nodded, as she had never had doubts about Nina's healing abilities. "Is everyone else alright?"

"Just a couple scratches here and there, nothing too serious." He then gave her a smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

Kaz emerged from below the deck, looking . . . rough. His normally done up hair was mussed, clothing tainted a dark shade of cherry-red, as was everyone else's.

"What the hell just happened?" Jesper had asked once Kaz approached them.

"We were ambushed." Wylan chimed in from his perch on the forecastle deck, looking pale like he had just seen a ghost.

Jesper shot him a look, "private tutors from the university, and that's what this kid comes up with? 'We were ambushed?'"

Wylan turned pink. "Stop calling me kid. We're practically the same age."

Elara turned towards Jesper, mouthing: this is the kid you were telling me about? Red hair, looks like a lost puppy?

Jesper nodded, turning towards Wylan again, most likely to start another pointless argument to make him flush.

"You're bleeding." Kaz acknowledged from beside her, eyes trained on the small trail of blood on her cheek.

"So are you." She gestured toward the blood on his clothing, though it didn't seem to be his.

His eyes trailed towards a man being dragged up on deck my Matthias (she hadn't met Matthias yet, but based off his large frame that Jesper described him as, she figured it were him). And then glancing back up at her bruised elbow and cut cheek.

"Go help Nina below deck with Inej." He made his way over to Matthias whom was holding the squirming man, "and have her heal you while you're at it." He called over his shoulder.

Elara had no clue what he was on about, but she needed to see how Inej was doing, and her joints were killing her. She had disappeared below deck without as much as a sideways glance at what was happening above.

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authors note!! we all know what happens next 🤣🤣

this chapter is dedicated to kit kat bc it's their bday today !!! go wish kat a happy bday <3333 love you sm kat and i hope u liked this :)

any questions you have about elaras past will be answered soon !!!! there's basically a whole chapter dedicated to it in my drafts

i will add the kaz eye scene next chapter btw

hope you enjoyed :)