CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Darling

     Ana was staring at her, her cheek resting against the bars of her own cell. Her eyes were almost empty, sullen and full of pain.

"Ana?" asked Estelle.

She seemed to snap out of a trance. "What did you see?" she signed slowly, out of energy. Deep purple bruises under her eyes showed that she hadn't slept much.

Estelle told her what she'd seen, speaking slowly so Ana could read her lips easier. Her hands were still being kept apart.

She couldn't see much of Ana's reactions in the dark dungeon, but that might have been because she didn't give any. Ana had just been through too much.

Silence consumed the air after she'd finished, voice croaking at the end of her recap of events. It felt like gravel being shoved down her throat everytime she spoke now.

"I'm sorry," Ana finally told her.

"No, I'm sorry," Estelle said. "It's my fault you're in this, and it's my fault that you're here. I'm really, really sorry."

"It's okay. At least we're doing it together, right?"

Estelle winced and shook her head. "It's not, though."

"Hey, please stop," said Ana. "Please stop blaming yourself. We're stuck here, so you might as well wait until this really is over to blame yourself."

She took a deep breath, but nodded. "Alright. Speaking of which, I'm thinking of retiring after all of this."

"Retiring?" asked Ana. "To do what?"

"I'm not sure yet," Estelle said. "I want to do something nice, stress-free. I don't want to be a pirate anymore. It was good while it lasted but..."

"You spend too much time away, it doesn't become worth it," finished Ana. "I get it."

"Maybe a teacher. Help young Grisha how to control their powers, learn about where it came from. To be the person I never had."

"You'd be great at it," Ana commented. "Kids love you."

Estelle cracked a small smile, despite everything. "Thank you. I hope I get the chance–"

"No, stop," interrupted Ana. "Don't speak like that. We will find a way, you will find a way. You always do."

Unconvinced, Estelle cast her eyes downward. "I'm not so sure about that."

—

"Estelle."

She turned around to face Leaz, her quartermaster. Her dark features were partly obscured in the night, partly illuminated by the lamp held in her hand, but Estelle could see the worry in her furrowed brows. "What is it?"

"There's talk of a woman, a thing of the night in Ketterdam," Leaz said in Zemeni. "Kills, blackmails, public humiliation. It seems they care not who they hurt."

"Could be a private contractor," Estelle mused. "Or..."

With her mouth set in a straight line, she walked over to Sylvia at the wheel of the Izoćeici. "Set a course for Ketterdam."

They were only a few miles out from Kerch, so they arrived by morning. Estelle rung her hands, hoping it wasn't the possibility her mind went to. Another Darkling.

It wouldn't have been possible for Aleksander to be in Ketterdam when everyone knew he was still in Ravka, fighting a war between Shu Han and Fjerda. And if her theory was correct, a thing of the night...

Estelle wouldn't be able to handle a second Shadow Summoner.

She checked and double checked her weapons before going out that morning. Called starlight to strengthen herself. Checked things were going well among the crew before setting out into the bustling merchant city of Ketterdam.

She had no plan. No way of knowing how to find this night criminal. Her only plan was to ask around.

The first man she encountered had no problem telling her all the folklore about the one known by locals as Retribution. She was killed unrighteously in battle, according to this myth, then given a second chance at life by Death, but in return was forced to repay the debt in lives.

Another local told her that it was probably just some legend-wannabe bringing a myth back from the dead.

A third explained their own theory, an indentured assassin, doing anything for their master to keep their life.

By midday, Estelle didn't know what or who to believe. Her stomach was grumbling and her feet were tired, and the smell coming from the cafe down the street was irresistible. Putting off her mission for the moment, she pushed the door open, the chime ringing, and walked inside.

It was relatively quiet, with a small group of older women in the middle of the room and a man reading the newspaper, a steaming cup of coffee in front of him. Behind the array of cookies and treats displayed inside the counter was an old man, his beard and what was left of his hair turning silver.

"Welcome," he said in Kerch, his voice gravelly. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm not sure," she began. "What would you suggest?"

His smile broadened. "The chocolate croissants are exquisite."

"I'll have one of those and a coffee. With lots of sugar and cream."

The man nodded and pulled a croissant out of the display, then went to the back. He came back a few moments later, a cup of coffee in his hand. "Ten kruge."

Estelle paid without complaint. "Anything else you'd like is over there." He pointed to the end of the counter.

"Thank you."

After adding an ungodly amount of cream and sugar, she sat down in the corner, making sure to have a good view of the entire room and the doorway. Eselle took a bite of the croissant. The man hadn't lied.

In her mind, she went through all the information she had received. Theories swirled through her brain, faces of people she talked to associated with how they interacted and what they told her. She felt overwhelmed and had no way of knowing what information could be trusted.

The door chimed again, and a new figure walked through. A man with a crooked nose and a teal frock coat, his ruddy hair tousled by the wind. He had two guns strapped to each of his hips, but he stood with such confidence, as if he knew he wouldn't need them.

She'd seen that kind confidence only once before.

Estelle shook her head. It couldn't be. They looked nothing alike.

Instead of walking up to the counter, the pirate ignored the old man and walked right up to Estelle. He pulled out a chair and plopped down across from her.

She stared at him. "Um, excuse me. Couldn't you find somewhere else to sit?"

He raised his eyebrows, then glanced around at the nearly empty cafe. "Nope."

Estelle rolled her eyes. "You're imposing on my personal space. Please move."

He smirked, grabbing something from inside his coat pocket. A folded piece of parchment. He slid it across the table towards her. "For you."

She looked between him and it suspiciously. "What is it?"

He gave no response, so she was forced to grab it and unfold it. Inside was a handwritten letter. She didn't get to read the entire thing. She was stuck on the first three words.

'Dear My Darling,'

Estelle looked up, her breath stilling. Although the nickname wasn't taken seriously, it was meant to throw any possible thieves off their trail. "Nikolai?" she whispered.

His grin widened. "The one and only."

"How?"

"I have a Heartrender who's tailored my appearance. Have you heard of Sturmhond yet?"

She frowned. "Who?"

"Me, Estelle," Nikolai said, leaning over the table. "My alter ego. My privateer persona. I am Nikolai but I am also Sturmhond, now."

Estelle scoffed. "Only you, Nikolai."

"Call me Sturmhond in public," he requested.

"Fine. Why are you here?"

"I saw your ship in the harbor. I asked around and found out you were here. The part about us being in Ketterdam at the same time seems like mere coincidence."

She sipped her coffee. "Then why are you here?"

"I heard of a night vigilante, a criminal more like it."

"That's why I'm here, too," explained Estelle. "Do you have any leads?"

Nikolai shook his head. "I don't. The best idea I can come up with is an indentured person who will do anything to pay off their debt, including fraud, murder, and blackmail."

"If they're indentured, then it's probably by an influential gang," Estelle thought out loud.

"There are an abundance of those in Ketterdam." Nikolai snatched the last piece of her croissant and tossed it in his mouth. "Oh, that is simply delicious." Estelle smacked his hand. "Ow! What was that for?"

"For stealing my food," she told him indignantly. "Now, how many gangs are in Ketterdam?"

"Like I said, a lot. I think the Crow Club is just down the street."

"Who runs that again?"

"Per Haskell and the Dregs," Nikolai answered nonchalantly. "Not the most feared, but they certainly have an influence in Ketterdam."

"Indentures?"

"Lots of them. It seems Per Haskell is no better than the rest."

"Not many men are," replied Estelle.

He raised his eyebrow. "What about me?"

She squinted at him. "I haven't decided yet."

a/n- I'm back! Finally! I've been doing a lot of writing but I haven't really been updating as you all know. I'm very sorry for that but I think I found something that works. Thank you all for being patient and get ready for this ending!