Six of Crows, #1
Six of Crows
by Leigh Bardugo
Contents
Chapter 44: Jesper
Overview
Jesper’s return toward Ketterdam is marked by worry for Nina, guilt over not using his own Grisha power to help her, and uncertainty about what he wants after the job. Kaz arranges the promised exchange with Van Eck on Vellgeluk, where Kuwei is verified and the thirty million kruge appears to be delivered.
The meeting turns into a trap when Van Eck seizes control of the situation, refuses to let the crew leave, and reveals parem-enhanced Grisha forces. The betrayal shifts the reward exchange into a new life-or-death confrontation and proves that the threat of jurda parem has already spread beyond the Ice Court.
Summary
As the Ferolind sails south, Jesper experiences the ship as a silent vigil for Nina. Matthias stays with Nina, Wylan helps care for her because of his knowledge of compounds, Inej studies sailing with Specht and Rotty, and Kuwei keeps mostly to himself. Jesper feels restless and guilty, wondering whether he should have offered to take parem as an untrained Fabrikator to help Nina, but he rejects the idea of himself as heroic.
When Kerch appears, Jesper feels both relief and anxiety because the reward could change all their lives. He joins Kaz and Rotty in a longboat to Fifth Harbor, where Ketterdam looks unchanged even though Jesper feels altered by what he has seen and by the question of whether to develop or continue hiding his Fabrikator abilities. While Kaz sends a message to Van Eck, Jesper admits to himself that he is still tempted by gambling but imagines using his share to pay his debts and possibly visit Ravka to understand his power.
Kaz returns with confirmation that Van Eck’s representatives will meet them at Vellgeluk at dawn. The reply congratulates them on behalf of the country, and Kaz says he told Van Eck that Bo Yul-Bayur is dead but Kuwei is alive and had been working on jurda parem for the Fjerdans. Kaz decides Wylan will remain aboard with Nina, both because Nina needs care and because Wylan’s value against his father should not be revealed too early.
At dawn, Kaz, Jesper, Inej, Matthias, Kuwei, and Rotty row to Vellgeluk, a flat, barren island used for wary meetings. Van Eck arrives with a Shu verifier, stadwatch guards, servants, and a trunk containing the thirty million kruge. The Shu man confirms Kuwei’s identity, and Kaz confronts Van Eck about hiring Pekka Rollins and the Dime Lions as a second team, but Van Eck dismisses it as a hedge against failure.
After Kaz confirms that the money is real, Kuwei crosses to Van Eck’s side. Van Eck then blocks Kaz’s departure, declares that none of them will leave the island, and signals an ambush. His servants draw weapons, the sea rises, Tidemakers gather waves, and Squallers fly above the island, revealing that Van Eck kept some of the parem and has brought drug-enhanced Grisha against the crew.
Who Appears
- Jesper FaheyPOV character; worries over Nina, questions his Grisha identity, and faces Van Eck’s ambush.
- Kaz BrekkerLeads the exchange with Van Eck, verifies the money, and recognizes the parem-powered trap.
- Jan Van EckMerchant who betrays the crew after confirming Kuwei and revealing hidden parem-enhanced forces.
- Kuwei Yul-BoBo Yul-Bayur’s son; brought to the exchange and identified by Van Eck’s Shu verifier.
- Inej GhafaStudies sailing during the voyage and joins Kaz’s armed party at Vellgeluk.
- Matthias HelvarCares for Nina aboard the Ferolind, then joins the exchange and identifies Tidemakers.
- RottyDreg crewman who accompanies Kaz and Jesper and waits with the longboat.
- Wylan Van EckStays aboard to help care for Nina and remains a hidden leverage point against his father.
- Nina ZenikSuffers offstage from parem withdrawal, shaping the crew’s tense return voyage.