“Do you want the truth or do you want the answer that will let you sleep at night without guilt?” He eventually asked her. Oh crap, that’s bad.

“I want the truth.” Inej told him, getting worried about him. He almost never offered up the truth. It’s not that he lied, he would just withhold information that some would consider necessary for things. Like how long they had until the bomb exploded. Or that there was a traitor in the group and Kaz had planned the traitor's impending death. Or that he was scheming a entirely different plan than the one they were told, and he just did it because he wanted to watch the ‘oh shit’ look on their faces. Kaz drug her out of her thoughts when he cleared his throat to begin speaking.

“Well...I’ve been better.” He said slowly. Kaz had obviously put his walls back up and now he was being vague and backtracking. ‘So much for him trying’, Inej thought bitterly. Suddenly leather clad hands were gripping her chin and her head was being tilted upward. Eyes the color of coffee met hers. “What’s that supposed to mean, Wraith?” Kaz asked Inej quietly, searching her eyes for answers. Oh. she had thought out loud. Well this wasn’t going to go well.

“I didn’t mean anything by it, Kaz.” Inej said quickly, seeing the dent form between his brows. Inej knew she was in trouble when his head cocked to the side and his eyes started to feel like they were burning into her face. She did not look into his eyes. She stared at his forehead instead.

“Inej.” He said warningly. That meant that he couldn’t figure it out and he wanted her to tell him before he loses his mind coming up with possible ideas. Not this time. He gaped at her, obviously not used to her keeping things from him.

“Inej.” He said trying to draw her eyes to his. And it wasn’t working. He uncocked his head and slowly slumped his shoulders. Inej was not fooled. Kaz would normally give it up, but not now with her refusal to tell him. But then he did something, Inej never would have thought Kaz Brekker would do.

“Inej,” Kaz whispered pleadingly “Please”. Inej glanced at his face and her mouth dropped open. His bottom lip was pushed out and he had widened his eyes to a alarming radius and was looking at her through his lashes. He was giving her puppy-dog-eyes and he was pouting. Kaz Brekker was pouting. Was he trying to be adorable? Because he was. And he was using his manners. He never did that. She somehow found her voice.

“That’s not fair!” Inej said indignantly, staring at his face.

“How is it not fair?” He asked her still looking at her with his wide eyes

“Because you’re too cute!” She exclaimed staring into his eyes. Her statement seemed to surprise him, since he stopped pouting. Unexpectedly, there was more knocks on the door.

“Kaz, Open the damn door!” a voice, that Inej thought was Wylan’s, shouted at Kaz through the door. Inej glanced at him as he groaned and slowly got up off the bed. He walked very loudly to the door and stopped with his hand on the knob.

“No.” Kaz said to Wylan and turned back around. Inej glared at him while, he looked at her. Sighing, Kaz unlocked the door and opened it.