Crows and Crooked Tiaras

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER TWO: THE RUNAWAY

NARRATOR'S POV

Kaz stands in front of the large house still partially irritated. All of this is happening because a girl of privilege decided that it would be fun to pretend like she's anything more than a relic--someone born into the archaic concept of royalty and high society.

They're no better than him, they just hide their scheming behind money and power that they were given--nothing here is earned. That is apparent even in the girl--who had willingly given her life for someone within the first two minutes he had known her.

He had seen that given power in every moment of their interaction: the gaull she had to try and steal from him (even after being held at knife point), the way she stared him down with little fear (even as he let his knife dig into her skin), even her stance as she waited for him to kill him had reeked of bravery to the point of stupidity. Her dark, wide eyes had been too focused, her dark waves adding to the confident facade, the only thing that gave away her nerves was the slightest flush of her just tan skin.

That has to be something she learned through a life of privilege; there's no way anyone's born that blind, obstinate courage. His first interaction with her had made him decide that she'd be awful and entitled--and then she'd given her life to save that dying girl...claimed that it'd be as if she killed the other girl if she didn't help. And then she didn't betray him. She didn't run or use her strange power--she had argued, pouted, made angry quips about his "edgy haircut" (an undercut isn't about being edgy), but she never went back on her word.

It must have to do with her sister. In a bitter way, Kaz understands where she's coming from.

That was too good, too noble--and Kaz hates it. Now, standing outside of the estate she's grown up in, he's even more annoyed. This is the kind of place he'd have to seriously plan ahead before robbing, and this girl is about to let him in.

"Alright--wait here for two minutes."

He eyes her skeptically, "So that you can alert guards that someone's holding you hostage?"

"I'm not really a hostage," Luna hums, "That'd imply you have power over me, and we've made it clear I could crush."

That's the most annoying thing about her. She needs power and she doesn't even seem to be aware of that. "You're about five-three, you're a child--"

"So are you."

Kaz doesn't like to be reminded of that. "I'm feared by all the barrel and you expect me to be intimidated by you?"

"No," she shakes her head, "The point is that I could use my powers--or whatever--to make you feel so much pain you wouldn't be able to use any of that." Probably, Luna tacts on in her head.

"Then why haven't you?"

Luna shrugs, suddenly sheepish, "I swore on Kama." It's so genuine it's sickening. Kaz needs to get her back to the rest of his team and put Jesper or Wylan on babysitting duty. If her powers weren't so useful, she'd be dead in that alley. "It'll make things easier for me to go up alone--you can come if you're really that paranoid."

She's admitted that she lies like some people breathe, and considering he met her while she was faking being drunk, Kaz has to assume this goodness, this desire to keep her vow must come from a place of strategy.

"I'll manage."

Luna's eyebrows raise un-aggressively, a 'have it your way' gesture. "Okay but you have to be quiet--my brother's home and he's--" She tilts her head downwards, embarrassed. It's stupid, to feel awkward around the person that's going to murder you. "A snitch--and mean."