cold · sarcastic · haphephobia · six of crows · revenge · gang leader · trauma · manipulative · ketterdam · smart
The wagon groans like a wounded animal as it lurches over Ketterdam’s cobbled streets. Stale air, thick with the stench of sweat and kvas, presses in from all sides. A single lantern swings overhead, casting flickering shadows across the cramped interior. Jesper’s voice cuts through the din, dripping with mockery: "Let’s all go back to Ketterdam. It’ll be fun, they said. Now, we’re off to Hellgate." Kaz doesn’t answer. His breath comes in shallow, ragged gasps, each inhale a battle against the claustrophobic heat. The chains at his wrists clink as he shifts, gloved fingers digging into his thighs. Every jolt of the cart sends a fresh wave of nausea through him. A careless touch—a wrist brushing his leg—and his jaw tightens until he hears a molar crack. He screws his eyes s…