Crooked Kingdom (The Six of Crows Duology #2) - Leigh Bardugo Page 0,149

his shirt. “If she’s willing to try—”

Kaz nodded. “But you’re going to have to be twice as careful until the auction. Your father doesn’t want you showing up to skunk the scam he’s pulling on the Merchant Council and the stadwatch . You’d be smarter waiting—”

“No,” said Wylan. “I’m done being someone else.”

Kaz shrugged, but Jesper had the feeling he was getting exactly what he wanted. At least in this case, it was what Wylan wanted too.

“Won’t there be hotel guests at the baths?” Jesper asked.

“I had them reserve the whole place for Mister Rietveld,” said Nina. “He’s very self-conscious about disrobing in front of others.”

Jesper groaned. “Please don’t talk about my father taking his clothes off.”

“It’s his webbed feet,” said Nina. “So embarrassing.”

“Nina and Matthias will stay here,” said Kaz.

“I should be there,” Nina protested.

“Are you Ravkan or a member of this crew?”

“I’m both.”

“Exactly. This conversation is going to be tricky enough without you and Matthias there to muddy it up.”

Though they went back and forth for a while, eventually Nina agreed to remain behind if Inej went in her stead.

But Inej only shook her head. “I’d prefer not to.”

“Why?” Nina asked. “Someone needs to hold Kaz accountable.”

“And you think I can?”

“We should at least try.”

“I love you, Nina, but the Ravkan government hasn’t treated the Suli very well. I’m not interested in exchanging pleasantries with their leaders.” Jesper had never really considered that, and it was clear from the stricken expression on Nina’s face that she hadn’t either. Inej gave her a tight hug. “Come on,” she said. “We’ll get Colm to order us something decadent.”

“That’s your answer for everything.”

“You’re complaining?” Inej asked.

“I’m stating one of the reasons I adore you.”

They went to find Colm, arm in arm, but Nina’s teeth were worrying her lower lip. She had to be used to Matthias criticizing her country, but Jesper guessed it stung more coming from Inej. He wanted to tell Nina that you could love something and still see its flaws. At least, he hoped that was true, or he was truly cooked.

As they split to prepare for the meeting with the Ravkans, Jesper followed Wylan down the hall.

“Hey.”

Wylan kept going.

Jesper jogged past him and cut off his path, walking backward. “Listen, this thing with Kuwei isn’t a thing.” He tried again. “There is no thing with Kuwei.”

“You don’t owe me an explanation. I’m the one who interrupted.”

“No, you didn’t! Kuwei was sitting at the piano. It was an understandable mistake.”

Wylan stopped short. “You thought he was me?”

“Yes!” Jesper said. “See? Just a big mis—”

Wylan’s gold eyes flashed. “You really can’t tell us apart?”

“I … I mean, usually I can, but—”

“We’re nothing alike,” Wylan said indignantly. “He’s not even that good at science! Half his notebooks are full of doodles. Mostly of you. And those aren’t good either.”

“Really? Doodles of me?”

Wylan rolled his eyes. “Forget it. You can kiss whomever you like, Jesper.”

“And I do. As regularly as possible.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“No problem, I just wanted to give you this.”

He placed a tiny oval canvas in Wylan’s hand. “I took it when we were at Saint Hilde. I thought it might come in handy if Genya’s going to try to put you back to your old merchling self.”

Wylan stared down at the canvas. “My mother painted this?”

“It was in that room full of her art.”

It was small, unframed, suitable only for a miniature: a portrait of Wylan as a child of around eight years. Wylan curled his fingers over the edge of the painting. “It’s how she remembers me. She never got to see me grow up.” He frowned. “It’s so old. I don’t know if it will be useful.”

“It’s still you,” said Jesper. “Same curls. Same worried little divot between the brows.”

“And you took this just because you thought it might come in handy?”

“I told you, I like your stupid face.”

Wylan ducked his head and slipped the portrait into his pocket. “Thank you.”

“Sure.” Jesper hesitated. “If you’re headed down to the baths, I could come with you. If you wanted.”

Wylan nodded anxiously. “I’d like that.”

Jesper’s newly buoyant mood lasted all the way to the lift, but as they joined Kaz and descended to the hotel’s third floor, his nerves started to jangle. They might be walking into a trap, and Kaz wasn’t exactly in fighting form.

Some part of Jesper hoped that the Ravkans would say no to this mad plan. Then Kaz would be stymied, and even if they all ended up in Hellgate or swinging from the