Unexpected

Chapter Seven

A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short. 

KAI

Kai tilted his head, surprised but curious. "Queen Selene?" he frowned. "She's on uh...Luna."

Now it was the girl's time to frown. "What?"

"She's on Luna. She's not on Earth."

"I was under the impression she was here..." The girl insisted. She placed her hands on her hips. Kai's eyes widened. She looked so much like Cinder.

"Hence the words 'Queen' Selene," Kai explained slowly.

The girl groaned in realization, whirling away as she pressed her palm to her forehead. "Stars, I'm such an idiot sometimes!"

Kai offered a puzzled smile. "What's your name?" despite this situation, he couldn't afford to forget his manners. "and why are you looking for Cinder?"

The girl marched past him, maneuvering around the bodyguard. Kai turned around, his gaze following her. She said nothing, came to a halt at the front and raked the marketplace with her keen eyes before turning back to Kai with a set, determined expression.

"I need you to bring me to your palace."

Kai opened his mouth, nothing came out. He raised his eyebrows. "Pardon?"

"I need to contact Selene, Cinder, argh whatever!" The girl waved her hands wildly at Kai.

"I'm not sure I can bring a visitor without any background checks," Kai cut her off steadily. "every since Levana's crazy wolf attacks the entire city has been very firm about safety."

The girl shot him a dry look. "Does the fact I look very much like Cinder not count?"

Kai's eyes widened. "How do you even know that?" he countered, guarded.

"I know a lot more things than most," the girl muttered as she turned away, digging her hands into her jeans pocket. Kai blinked, a realization spreading across his face.  Would she be lunar? 

"Are you Lunar?" Kai demanded.

The girl's back stiffened. "Depends on your perspective," she replied smoothly. Kai shifted, disconcerted by the sleek way she looked at him-like a predator to a prey. 

Is she actually talking about manipulating me?

He'd had enough of Lunars taking control of him with the exception of Cinder. "Don't you dare try your mind tricks on me," he snapped just as the girl's fingers twitched and a strange glint entered her eyes. "So you are Lunar."

"I never said I wasn't," she retorted.

"Obviously," Kai shot back. This banter wasn't helping his impression of this girl. "You never even told me your name."

The girl's auburn eyes flashed dangerously, "Oh, sorry, I didn't hear that question."

Kai folded his arms across his chest. The girl stared right back at him. Kai suppressed a wry chuckle. She reminds me of Scarlet's personality. "Alright, what is your name?" Kai repeated again, this time taking an edge to his voice. If the girl wanted to be hostile, so be it. He had tried being civil but that clearly wasn't rubbing off on her.

"Clover," she replied shortly.

"Clover, why are you looking for Cinder?" Kai inquired.

Clover's face scrunched up in annoyance. "Well isn't that something I have to tell her myself?" she snapped back. Kai bit back a well-earned sigh. Well isn't she just friendly.

"And is that the reason why you want to go to my palace?" Kai muttered.

Clover's eyes narrowed at him. "I believe that was what I said, yes."

"You don't have to be so rude," Kai said, holding up his palms as the girl rolled her eyes. "You can't treat me this way and expect me to swoop right into my palace with you. I have a country to look after. I have responsibilities. How do I know you're not trying to get into my palace just to kill me?" Kai finished, glaring at Clover.

"Why would I want to wreak havoc onto your country?" Clover sighed. "I'm not stupid. You're at the top of a political triangle. What happens if I cut off the head-meaning you? Chaos. No one would know what to do if you're not there to take control," Clover shook her head. "I wouldn't kill you unless I was sure you had a back-up emperor to take your place and keep this country stable."

Kai raised his eyebrows in genuine surprise. "Well aren't you an expert in political adventures," he said scathingly. 

Clover released a frustrated sigh that seemed to shake from the core of her. "Run a DNA sample on me, whatever. The only thing you'll find is that I'm Lunar and I'm related to the Blackburn family."

"In order to do that, I have to bring you into my palace-into the lab room."

Clover lifted her chin, a small smirk playing on her lips as Kai glared at her tactics. "That's right. Now are you going to take me to Emperor's headquarters?"

"I've only met you for twenty minutes and I already don't like you." Kai scowled.