Crooked Kingdom Reread
Chapter 3: Matthias
Cornelis Smeet tipped, losing his footing, hat sliding from his nearly bald head. The boy who had run into him stepped forward, offering assistance.
The boy was Kaz, but he was not Kaz. His dark hair was mussed, his manner flustered. He kept his eyes averted, his chin tucked into his collar as if hopelessly embarrassedâa green youth, respectful of his elders.
I love when Kaz goes into acting modeâąïž
I need more of it
lol Kaz saying âOh dear, I think you dropped your wallet.â like heâs a respectable lad
Matthias watched in disbelief, Smeet opened his billfold and drew out a crisp five-kruge bill. âThere you are, young man. Pays to be honest.â
Iâm cackling
That honest young man just robbed you of your dog whistle, put it back again, stole valuable information on one of your clients and threatened your daughterâ
Matthias could not fathom it. Heâd kept his gaze trained on Kazâs gloved hands as heâd fussed over Smeet, but even knowing that Kaz intended to return the whistle, Matthias hadnât been able to detect the moment of deception. He was tempted to drag Smeet back and make Kaz perform the trick again.
Kaz neatened his hair with his fingers and handed the five kruge to Wylan. âDonât spend it all in one place. Letâs move.â
Please why is this so funny? Iâm dying-
Kaz just keeps reaffirming that heâs secretly a demjin in Matthias eyes
But same Matthias. Iâd want to see that trick a hundred times
And Kaz giving Wylan the money?
Hilarious đ
Matthias just thought that Kaz is twice as insufferable ever since Inej got taken
He needs her đ
Heâs definitely worried about her
I wonder just how often the others will note his increasingly worse moods
They made it back to Black Veil
It was weird they already came here in the show but it was also very cool to see the cemetery
I guess it just sets it up as a future haunt for later⊠*ba-dum tssh* get it? Haunt.. cause.. cause itâs a cemeteryâ
I love that Jesper and Nina are in an argument when Kaz, Wylan, and Matthias arrive
Kaz is just like.. ânow now children stop being stupid and shut up-â
He literally herds them along with his cane
Freddy please use the cane for more gestures in the future! Iâm begging đ
âStop gawking like youâve never seen a girl in a dress before, Matthias.â
âI wasnât gawking,â Matthias said with as much dignity as he could muster. But for Djelâs sake, what was he supposed to look at when Nina had irises tucked between ⊠everything.
âBe quiet, Brekker,â Nina said. âI like it when he gawks.â
Itâs your own fault theyâre back together Kaz
I love Nina
And I can totally hear Danielle saying that line
Matthias knew Nina would allow herself no comfort until Inej was safe.
Aww ninej đ„čđ
I love their friendship
All the crows love Inej so much
Kuwei poked his head out of the huge stone tomb as they approached.
âWhat did I tell you?â Kaz growled, pointing his cane at him.
âMy Kerch isnât very good,â protested Kuwei.
âDonât run game on me, kid. Itâs good enough. Stay in the tomb.â
Kuwei hung his head. âStay in the tomb,â he repeated glumly.
lol
I just like this interaction
Kaz calling anyone kid is kind of funny. Like dude you canât be anymore than four years older than him
Poor Kuwei though
If Iâm being honest I never cared much for him before I guess weâll see if that changes after this reread
Iâve definitely been sympathizing for him more
The tomb was constructed to look like an ancient cargo ship, its interior carved into a vast stone hull. It even had stained-glass portholes that cast rainbows on the crypt floor in the late afternoon.
I had forgotten it looked like a boat so Iâm glad the show got it right!
We always talk about Nina and Kazâs sibling energy in the fandom and I love it, but Iâm getting sibling energy from her and Jesper too and Iâm living!
He turned his gaze on Matthias. âThe Fjerdans are here too. Theyâve got a whole contingent of drĂŒskelle with them.
Oh rip I didnât realize they knew the drĂŒskelle were there so early
Kaz continued. âOnce we have Inej, we can move on Van Eckâs silos.â
Nina rolled her eyes. âGood thing this is all about getting our money and not about saving Inej. Definitely not about that.â
âIf you donât care about money, Nina dear, call it by its other names.â
Iâm probably reading way too much into this but
Kaz called Inej, Inej here.
Not the Wraith or a spider
He cares about Inej. He didnât call her by her other names
Itâs probably not meant to be read like this at all
Especially since in the next breath Kaz calls money freedom, security, and retribution to help appease Ninaâs disapproval and of course to slightly mock herâŠ
Yeah Iâm definitely going off the rails, but itâs just a thought I had
Inej is his first priority though, canât deny that one
Matthias heard Wylan murmur to Jesper, âWhy wonât he just say he wants her back?â
âYouâve met Kaz, right?â
âBut sheâs one of us.â
Unfortunately Kaz is emotionally constipated
âInej is part of the crew.â
âJust donât push it.â
âWhy not?â
âBecause the practical thing would be for Kaz to auction Kuwei to the highest bidder and forget about Inej entirely.â
âHe wouldnâtââ Wylan broke off abruptly, doubt creeping over his features.
None of them really knew what Kaz would or wouldnât do. Sometimes Matthias wondered if even Kaz was sure.
Wylan trying to stand up for Inej is wonderful
But man this hurts
None of them believe that Kaz wouldnât just leave them all to die if it was ever more convenient for him
I donât believe that for a second butâŠ
This emotional constipation is getting dangerous Kaz-
None of them trust you-
Just let them in alReAdyâ
Also Jesper and Wylan talking like Kaz isnât just right there and canât hear them
He can definitely hear them
âOnce the job is done, Kuweiâand any other convicts, Grisha, and disinherited youths who may or may not have prices on their headsâcan lie low in the Southern Colonies.â
Jesper frowned. âWhere will you be?â
âRight here. Iâve still got plenty of business that requires my attention.â
There he goes
Getting everyone their money and then just pushing them all away
Though Kazâs tone was easy, Matthias heard the dark anticipation in his words. He had often wondered how people survived this city, but it was possible Ketterdam would not survive Kaz Brekker.
Some of Matthiasâ thoughts about Kaz are such bangers
âKuwei cleared his throat. âI would prefer to go to Ravka.â
âIâd prefer a pair of sable-lined swimming trunks,â said Jesper. âBut we canât always get what we want.â
I love Jesper so much
âDo you really think an antidote is possible?â Nina asked.
âI donât know,â said Kuwei. âMy father was a Fabrikator. I am just an Inferni.â
âYouâre our chemist, Wylan,â said Nina hopefully. âWhat do you think?â
Wylan shrugged. âMaybe. Not all poisons have an antidote.â
Jesper snorted. âThatâs why we call him Wylan Van Sunshineâ
Ah the famous Wylan Van Sunshine quote
And wouldnât you know itâs Jesper being sarcastic
There was a long, tense pause, then Kaz ran a gloved thumb over the crease of his trousers and said, âNina, love, translate for me? I want to make sure Kuwei and I understand each other.â
âKazââ she said warningly.
Kaz shifted forward and rested his hands on his knees, a kind older brother offering some friendly advice.
The very worst older brother you could ever have
Sorry Kaz but itâs true..
I was about to say the speech he gives Kuwei isnât so terrifying but uh.. I was wrong
Itâs pretty awful actually
âYou are a stolen painting, Kuwei. Too recognizable to sell on the open market, too valuable to leave lying around. You are worthless to me.â
Like.. yikes
This is why they all worry youâd leave them bleeding out in a ditch if it suited you, Kaz-
âKuwei responded in Shu. She hesitated. âHe says youâre cruel.â
âIâm pragmatic. If I were cruel, Iâd give him a eulogy instead of a conversation. So, Kuwei, youâll go to the Southern Colonies, and when the heat has died down, you can find your way to Ravka or Matthiasâ grandmotherâs house for all I care.â
âLeave my grandmother out of this,â Matthias said.â
No youâre definitely cruel Kaz but uh.. okay-
The grandmother comments are making me cackle though
Oh my gosh this is so perfect actually since we know that Calahanâs real grandma watches the show!
âOkay Cal, I have watched 5 and 6 and you are still in prison! đłâ
That is a real text Calahan got from his grandma about season 2 of the show
The knife that had killed Muzzen had been meant for Matthias, and the Fjerdans might well be responsible. The drĂŒskelle. His brothers. Theyâd wanted him to die without honor, murdered in an infirmary bed. It was a death fit for a traitor. It was the death he had earned. Now Matthias owed Muzzen a blood debt, but how would he ever pay it?
I was just thinking about the guy they left at hellgate the other day đŹ
But if the drĂŒskelle killed a guy helpless in a prison cell itâs no surprise what happens to Matthias laterâŠ
Also I think Muzzen and Jesper must have been friends⊠heâs the most upset by his death
Jes was sad about Big Bolliger last book too
âThereâs something else,â said Rotty. âSomeoneâs kicking up dust looking for Jesper.â
âHis creditors will have to wait,â said Kaz, and Jesper winced.
âNo,â Rotty said with a shake of his head. âA man showed up at the university. Jesper, he claims heâs your father.â
Ooh
Here comes Mr. Fahey!!
Colm! I like Colm
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