Crows and Crooked Tiaras

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SIX: THE COST OF CRUELTY

LUNA'S POV

My hands are careful, tactful and relying on habit alone as I focus on weaving the strands of hair in such a familiar way. I finish quickly, securing the brown locks with an elastic given to me a little earlier.

"There, Nina," I secure the elastic easily, twisting it around the tail of the braid thoughtlessly, "You're done."

She instinctively relaxes her posture slightly before pulling the braid over her shoulder to feel the texture of the braid. "Thanks, Luna."

I smile slightly, reminded of summers with my cousins and Kama. "No problem--it's the least I can do considering you're stuck babysitting me."

"I don't consider it babysitting..." I can't tell if she's saying that in hopes of saving face or to be nice, but I smile slightly anyways. I don't love being watched, but Nina is easy to get along with and at least Kaz didn't leave me with a man--I don't think I could deal with that right now. "Besides, the fact that Kaz had me keep an eye on you just says that he thinks you're at least a somewhat worthy opponent."

I think that's a compliment. "I have no intentions of being an opponent--I made a promise."

There's a second in which I'm scared that she'll press for details on how Kaz and I came to the arrangement in which we agreed on. "That doesn't mean you can't give him a much needed run for his money."

"I haven't been here that long but I have a feeling he won't let anyone do anything with his money."

Nina turns slightly, letting out a half laugh, "Fair."

A soft wrapping at the door to the room I've been staying in interrupts the small moment that I almost consider close to friendship. Nina snaps her head forward and when she sees who's at the door, she jumps up from the foot of my bed so quickly, I feel the need to scoot away too. She's acting like being seen interacting with me is some kind of reputation tarnish...

Oh saints--am I embarrassing to be seen with here? I did not spend my entire life being cool to die a loser. No one seemed to have problems with me before--did someone say something? My jaw tightens at the realization that the only one that would say something that would impact public opinion is Kaz. What the hell is his problem? When he gets back from doing whatever the hell he's doing I'm going to--

I don't know...but I should do something.

"Matthais," Nina begins, "Kaz told me to keep an eye on her."

"Was she braiding your hair?"

Okay--that is kind of embarrassing, I guess--they're a literal gang and I was braiding her hair like this is some kind of sleepover. "Yes."

I wrinkle my nose, not meeting Matthais's gaze. "Is that a princess thi--"

"A lot of people know how to braid hair," I mumble, "And if anything--my princess-ing stuff is much more aggressive."

"Really?"

The challenge leads to me tilting my chin up just slightly, "Yes--my father was adamant that all of his children understood basic sword work and had decent aim and--all of my siblings were naturally cruel and I was determined to keep up." Does he need to know that I couldn't get away with as much cruelty as my siblings? No.

He nods once, as if he's thinking about my words. "Like what?"

What story could I possibly offer them? A story that makes me seem somewhat bearable and yet doesn't show how truly psycho my family is. "We used to play this game." I can't believe I'm about to say this. "When different dignitaries would come to stay in the castle; the goal would be to take something from their room--something insignificant--and switch it out for the thing we took from the last dignitary--and this one time..."