Six of Crows, #2
Crooked Kingdom
by Leigh Bardugo
Contents
7. Inej
Overview
Inej tries to survive Van Eck’s interrogation by feeding him false leads, but Van Eck reveals that Inej herself is bait in a trap for Kaz. The trap collapses when news arrives that Kaz has struck elsewhere, abducting Van Eck’s pregnant wife Alys and demanding an exchange for Inej. The chapter shifts the power balance from Van Eck’s psychological control to Kaz and Inej’s renewed leverage, restoring Inej’s confidence and exposing Van Eck’s fear.
Summary
Inej spends a sleepless, hungry night blindfolded in the dark. After discovering that the vent has been bolted shut, Inej concludes that Van Eck let her hope for escape only to crush that hope. As Inej regains control, Inej decides to talk, but only by naming abandoned Dreg hideouts and other gang locations to waste Van Eck’s time and keep Kaz safe.
Bajan returns with six armed guards, removes Inej’s blindfold, and shackles Inej before taking her to the theater stage. Van Eck asks whether Inej is afraid and whether Inej will tell him what Inej knows. Inej begins offering false or useless leads, but Van Eck quickly reveals that Van Eck expected this and has instead made Inej bait.
Van Eck raises the curtain to show the theater packed with armed guards. Van Eck explains that Bajan’s repeated trips to Eil Komedie were meant to draw Kaz’s attention, and that Van Eck believes Kaz is coming into the trap that night. Van Eck says Kuwei is the real prize, dismisses Jesper and Matthias as pawns, and argues that Kaz and the Barrel are parasites who will be crushed when Kerch changes.
As sounds of fighting outside suggest the trap has been sprung, Van Eck threatens to torture Kaz and to exploit Kaz’s vulnerability by removing Kaz’s gloves and breaking his fingers. Inej, unable to warn Kaz, fears that Van Eck might discover how deeply Kaz depends on avoiding skin-to-skin contact. Before the confrontation can unfold, a boy in Van Eck livery rushes in with news that Kaz’s crew has attacked Van Eck’s lake house and abducted Alys, Van Eck’s pregnant wife.
The messenger delivers Kaz’s note demanding an exchange at noon the next day at Goedmedbridge, with Inej’s knives, weighted by Van Eck’s stolen ruby tie pin. Inej laughs as Van Eck realizes Kaz has outmaneuvered him. After Van Eck strikes Inej, Inej breaks his nose with a headbutt and threatens him with the brutal reputation of Dirtyhands, warning that harming Inej will endanger Alys and the baby. Inej’s fear turns into defiance as Inej recognizes that Kaz has made Van Eck vulnerable.
Who Appears
- Inej GhafaCaptive who tries to stall Van Eck, then regains courage after Kaz’s countermove.
- Jan Van EckAntagonist who uses Inej as bait but panics when Alys is taken.
- Kaz BrekkerOffstage strategist who avoids Van Eck’s trap by kidnapping Alys and forcing an exchange.
- BajanVan Eck’s Suli servant, visibly uneasy and suspected of emotional ties to Alys.
- Alys Van EckVan Eck’s pregnant wife, abducted offstage by Kaz’s crew to create leverage.
- Messenger boyVan Eck servant who reports the lake house attack and delivers Kaz’s note.