I woke up from a dead sleep to the sound of Kaz and Inej arguing. While Kaz was being stubborn in his decision to continue with this job, Inej was pushing to let Pekka have this one. I didn't want to chance going back into Ravka, but I agreed with Kaz that we can't just give a job this big to Pekka. He would hold it over our heads for years.

"What was that? Hmm? You want to tell me?" Inej asked of Kaz, incredibly angry.

"Be more specific, Inej. A whole bunch of shit just happened." I interjected from my spot on the couch in Kaz's room. While I had my own place to sleep, I usually just crashed on his couch. I don't think he minded having some company.

"It was one thing when we had a week to find a way across the fold. But sunrise? We have to say no!"

"No," Kaz said quickly.

"No to the job?" Asked Inej hopefully.

"No to saying no."

"Kaz, we can't go!"

"Can't we?" I interjected once more.

"Shut up Vik." Both Inej and Kaz spoke in sync. I scoffed and walked to the open window.

Inej put up her arm and displayed her menagerie tattoo, which was a painful reminder for Kaz.

"I. Can't. Go." Inej said decisively.

"You will. I have a plan."

"No, you don't," I said quietly from my place at the window.

"Viktoriya." Kaz said sharply.

"I agree with Vik. I know by now when you're still figuring things out." I couldn't believe the nerve of Inej right now. He hardly tolerates me being snippy with him, and I have been in his good graces for over a year. Inej has only been here for a few months, and he still doesn't trust her completely.

"You don't know how to pull off this job," Inej continued.

"I still have six hours, and right now, you aren't helping." Kaz retaliated, wanting a way out of this conversation.

"Maybe you crack a way across, but that doesn't solve this problem, does it?"

"If I can't crack this, no one's going."

"If you do?"

"Then maybe you stay here!" Kaz yells at Inej. I walk over to him and help him pack up the papers he is working on in an effort to calm him down.

"Then maybe I won't be here when you get back." Inej spits at Kaz. She runs off to the window, and Kaz rushes after her shouting her name. When he sees she is gone, he hangs his head in defeat and walks back to me.

I realized I would need to tell Kaz about my secret before we crossed the fold. I could be a liability while crossing, and there was the possibility of be being recognized in the Little Palace.

"Kaz?" I asked timidly. "We need to talk."

"What about? If it isn't about a way across the fold, I don't want to hear it. I am on a clock, and I don't have time for you or your antics right now Vik!" Kaz yelled in my face. I walked up to him so our chests were almost touching, and said, "If you don't have time to hear about something extremely important about Ravka, then fine. Leave. I'll see you in the morning." I walked back to the couch and flopped down on it, waiting to see what Kaz would do.

He walked over to me and sat across from me on his bed.

"You have ten minutes, explain."

"Ok." I took a second, trying to figure out the best way to explain it to him.

"I may have told a few half-truths when we first met." He cocked his head to the side, motioning for me to continue.

"My first name is Viktoriya, but I may have lied about my surname. It isn't Safin," I paused for a moment, reading Kaz's face.

"It's Kirigan." He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"Like the general? The shadow summoner?"

"Exactly like the general Kaz. My father is the leader of the second army, and one of the only living shadow summoners. There are only three to have ever existed, my grandmother Baghra, my father, and," I paused. "Me."

"You didn't think to tell me this earlier? This completely changes everything about this job Vik!" He stood up while yelling at me out of slight anger.

"I wanted to tell you, but I had no idea who I could trust! I'm hiding from the second most powerful man in all of Ravka, and for all I knew, you would have turned me in for the ransom! I was protecting myself."

He went silent as he thought for a few minutes about what to do.

"Can you protect us going through the fold?" I laughed a little at his question.

"I'll do the opposite. If I use my powers going through, I'm like a beacon for the volcra. They attack me faster than anyone else." He thought for a minute, trying to find the best plan of attack.

"Ok, Well you know your way in the Little Palace, yes?" I nodded.

"We can use that. The only problem is people recognizing you."

"I'm tailored already. I did it as soon as I left the palace. My eyes aren't blue, my hair is really brown, and I won't have my kefta. That was the easiest way to identify me." He sat in silence, thinking. After mentioning my kefta, I had a slight pang of homesickness. While I needed to get away from my father, I missed everything else about Little Palace, especially my Kefta. I was only one of two people allowed to wear black, but I had red embroidery to show my corporalki abilities.

"Kaz, one more thing. Please don't tell Jesper and Inej yet. I trust them, but I don't want more people than necessary knowing."

"I need to think, Vik." I stayed silent, waiting for Kaz to speak again. I heard something coming from the window, and Kaz glanced at me briefly to make sure I heard it as well. He stood up, walking in that direction, assuming it was Inej coming back to finish their conversation.

"Inej, listen, I.." Kaz trailed off. The footsteps were louder and heavier than Inej's dainty ones. I listened and heard there were at least 3 other heartbeats in the room. I held up a 3 on my fingers as I looked at Kaz. His eyes only showed fear for what was about to happen. I walked back into the shadows, trying to use surprise to my advantage.

As the men walked up to Kaz, he thrust one of them in the gut with his cane. I was about to intervene, but I felt the coldness of metal on my neck. The man standing beside me grabbed my hands, forced them behind me, and pushed me into Kaz's line of sight. I had a knife to my throat. Kaz was kneeling with a man holding his head up, making him look at Pekka Rollins, who just walked in. He quickly looked me up and down, before returning his gaze to Kaz.

"Evening," said his thick accent.

"Mr. Brekker, is it?"

"You're a long way from home," said Kaz, daringly.

"Am I?" I struggled in the arms of my captor, and Kaz glanced at me to make sure I was ok. The knife dug into my skin harder, and I felt a light trickle of blood.

"Like you were earlier? Getting a heartrender from the Orchid?"

"That's not Dime Lions turf," Kaz retaliated.

"It's a new acquisition. Hmm. You heard it here first. It also seems you failed to return her." Pekka looked at me as he said this.

I spoke up for myself, "I don't work at the orchid. I work for the Dregs."

"Hmm. You're quite vocal for a Grisha slave."

"I'm not a slave!" Kaz seemed to want me to shut up, he nudged me with his foot and said my name sharply. Pekka laughed slightly as I voiced my opinion.

"Now, I know you saw Dreesen. You got the jump on whatever job he has. I don't know the details, obviously, just that you have a little travel hazard ahead of you."

Kaz kept his face hard, trying not to show any fear in his features.

"So, here's the deal. You can do nothing, walk away from it. I'll tell Dreesen I'm taking over for you. Then we're even."

Kaz cut him off, "Not even close."

"Hang on," Pekka continued, "The other option is.." He pulled Kaz closer with his cane, and the knife dug deeper into my throat. There was a steady stream of blood this time.

"I'll cave your head in with your own cane and dump you both in the harbor." I got ready to retaliate, my captor obviously didn't know anything about Grisha. He was holding my hands together behind my back when he should have been separating them.

"Hmm?" Pekka asked. "That first option seems better now, don't it?" Kaz said nothing, only looking into his eyes until Pekka released him from the cane's grip. My captor didn't lessen his hold on me though, and I began to slow his heart slightly to get him relaxed. Luckily, he didn't notice I did anything.

"Tell me," Kaz started as Pekka stood to leave, "Have we ever made a deal before?"

I was confused, I knew Kaz hated his guts, but he never elaborated on why.

"You and me? Nah. Otherwise, you'd know better, or you'd be dead." Pekka responded. I knew that was the wrong answer by the look on Kaz's face, but I didn't say a word. Pekka roughly threw Kaz's cane on his desk and motioned for his men to leave with him. The one holding me made one last cut on my throat, deep enough to gush blood, but shallow enough to stop easily. Kaz just got shoved into the ground. As soon as the men were out of the room, Kaz came over to me to check and held up a handkerchief to my neck. I took it and walked to the mirror to inspect the wound. It would only need a few stitches. Kaz still was on the ground, thinking about the crazy last ten minutes of our lives.