Demons and Butterflies (Book aspect)

Past, Present and blood

I had walked back to the slat with a mix of emotions. My sister was in Ketterdam. Why? And what was she doing in the Margarie? I was taken so she would stay safe, not for her to end up like me. I'm a year older than Inej at fifteen, the same age as Kaz. We had built our reputations together from nothing. The two lonely kids   that had crawled out of the harbor were now the two deadliest bastards in the barrel.

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Five years ago

I was being shoved, and tossed in chain's. I had made the mistake of using my power on a Fjerdan and was now paying the price. Once I heard the click I sprung into action, swinging around and kicking the man behind me, before cuffing him hard in the face with my chains. I made quick work of the other two and unlocked myself with the keys before running off. I made it to the harbor, with a plan to steal a boat and get away from this cursed city. I saw a boy around my age stumbling up to the dock before collapsing onto it. I walked up to him and offered my hand.

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Kaz POV

I was dead, and an angel had come to call me up to the afterlife. She was Suli. Her brown hair blowing in the wind her warm brown eyes sparkling in the setting sun. She had blood on her face and staining the purple silks she was wearing. She stuck her hand out and offered it to me. I took it and got up, finally realizing that I was not in the afterlife but the stinky harbor of Ketterdam. She rose an eyebrow, clearly wanting me to introduce myself. "Kaz Retveild." I told her, holding my hand out to shake. 

"Rose Ghafa, pleasure to meet you Kaz."

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Rose POV

We had stuck together like glue after that, both of us surviving day to day, with our own monsters and a hunger for justice. Kaz had changed his last name to Brekker, stolen off a piece of machinery he'd seen in first harbor. I had decided to keep my name as it was, even though I didn't quite like it. We had wondered the streets for weeks after, stealing from kids smaller than us to survive. Kaz had tried to get a job at one of the gambling dens.

"Can you clean a piss pot?" The man had asked him.

"Yes." Kaz had replied.

"Too bad we already have a kid that cleans the piss pots." The man had told him, showing him away. To my surprise Kaz had left, walking back to the spot I was hiding. We waited near the gambling den till a kid around our age had come and we broke two glass bottles on his feet. The next day Kaz went back to the gambling den for a job and he had gotten one. I had managed to get a job as a waitress despite my age and Kaz and I had rented a boarding house with the wages we earned.

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Present Day

I heard a noise behind me and I stopped, straining my ears for the sound, They were footsteps, lots of them.

"Hey we found Kaz's little phantom." One of the guys said.

"Careful now." I said turning around, grabbing the bow off my shoulder and knocking it.

"Rose." Said the man in the front.

"Pekka." I said back, greeting him the same way he had me. I heard guns cocking all around me.

"Lay down your arms Rose. You can't beat all of us." Pekka told me, aiming his pistol straight at my chest. I put my bow back over my shoulder.

"So true why enter a fight I surely can't win? I surrender." Pekka had a look of pure shock. Didn't expect me to say that did you? I thought slowly raising my hands. "Oh right I forgot to mention, I, don't, surrender." I said drawing out each word as I let the flame erupt from my hands. I ran to the nearest wall and started to climb. I felt a sharp stinging pain at my side, than another. I risked a glance down. No! Pekka had gotten out of the flame and was now opening fire. Come on ignore it I'm almost there, God dam it Rose keep your eyes open! I scolded myself. I reached the roof and hauled myself onto it. I stood and started to summon a tide to get them all of their feet. Pekka got three more shots on me before he was knocked over. I than half ran half stumbled to the slat.

I threw open the door to Kaz's room and stumbled inside. I had made up my mind to not tell him who was responsible for this. Kaz had a blind spot when it came to Pekka Rollins, and from what he had told me about his past, he had every reason to hate him.

"Your late Rose." Said Kaz, his raspy voice carrying from his room. He limped into the office and paused, his eyes widening slightly at the sight of me. My knees gave out and I collapsed in a heap at his feet. He knelt on the floor casting his cane aside and placing my head in his lap.

"K- Kaz" I gasped lifting my hand to brush his cheek, the blood from my hand smearing on his face. He put his gloved hand in mine.

"Who did this to you." He asked. 

"I-I can't -  tell - you." I gasped out. I shut my eyes and focused on Kaz. The feel of my head resting on his thigh, the weight of his gloved hand in mine, and one by one the bullets fell from my skin. I listened to the soft pang of them hitting the wooden floor. Seven. Pekka had shot me seven times. I finished healing what I could but I would have to do the rest tomorrow. I was tired and sore, which was not the ideal healing combination. I was Grisha, but for some reason I didn't have power from one order but all three. I attempted to get up, Kaz rising with me. I stumbled and fell into his arms. He lead me to his bed and laid me down on it, getting in next to me after taking his coat and shirt off.

"Why can't you tell me Rose. Do you not know who attacked you?" Kaz asked softly. 

"I know who did it." I told him. 

"Then tell me who" Kaz said, using the same calm voice. There was a look of sadness in his eyes, as well as silent fury. It was the look that broke me. I looked away from him as I said.

"It was Pekka Rollins." I didn't have to look at him to feel his anger.

"Kaz." I whispered. he turned to look at me than and he was no longer the bastard of the barrel, no longer the ruthless Kaz Brekker but a boy broken by the world, still hoping there was good in it. I rested my head on his shoulder and fell asleep to the feel of his fingers slowly rubbing up and down my back.