Her Monster's Wraith

Kissing and the smell of Lavender

Never love anybody who treats you like you're ordinary– Oscar Wilde  (This doesn't have much to do with the chapter, but I like it)

(Third day of Kaz's death, the docks)

Inej walked by Raoul's side glumly, Raoul was telling her about how they would have to be getting back on the sea soon.

"I have to plan Kaz's funeral, and then sort some things out, Raoul.  We can't leave immediately."  Raoul looked at her with raised brows.

"What did Kaz ever do for you?"

"More than you know.  He saved me, he saved me from the Menagerie, from countless attacks, my heart..." Inej trailed off, tears coming to her eyes.

"But he was a monster, he killed innocent people," reasoned Raoul, it was late at night, and they were really the only people at the docks besides the late fishermen going out.

"He was not a monster!  And even if he was, I was his Wraith.  Are you going to judge me too?   Because I did exactly what he did."

"But you were trying to get out of a contract, it's different Inej," he argued.  Inej.  That was the first time he'd ever said her name.  It was always Captain or Miss Ghafa.  She drew away from his side.

"You don't get to judge him.  You didn't know him like I did."  She frowned at him.

"I didn't mean to vex you, I just... Inej–"

"I don't want to hear it.  I have to be somewhere."  She made to slip away but he grabbed her wrist.  She recoiled, hissing, bile threatening to rise up.  He grabbed her shoulders and leaned down, kissing her.  Inej was stunned.  She stopped moving, and then a moment later she snapped back into reality, bringing her knee up and kneeing him between the legs.  Raoul let out a groan and pulled away.  Inej then shoved him away from her.

"Don't touch me, and you're fired from my crew."

"Inej!  Kaz is gone, he's not coming back.  You can start looking for new possibilities."  She glared at him.

"Go die in a hole."

(Later that night, at around twelve, Inej is going to sleep)

Inej looked out over the Barrel from her spot on the windowsill.  Normally around this time Kaz would limp in, bleeding and broken, not wanting to ask for help but getting it anyway.  He would say, 'Why are you still up so late?' and she would just help him get bandaged up without saying anything, then she would slip away.  How she wished for those days now.  It had been three years since her birthday that the whole gang had done something dangerous, but Kaz had always gone out by himself, and she missed the excitement, the rush.  The feeling of her daggers in her hands before she and Kaz launched into battle.  She climbed off the windowsill, tears pricking at her eyes.

She tucked herself into Kaz's bed, which still smelled like him.  It smelled slightly of lavender soap and the air before a thunderstorm.  She pulled the covers up to her chin and closed her eyes.

Hey guys!  So I know, my chapters are short and not very good, but I think you might like the chapter after next, maybe, and I really want to get to the next, chapter... so yeah.  Anyway, it sucks, I know.  Thanks for reading though and please pardon any mistakes.  Don't forget to vote and comment!

–MOJ

P.S. I changed it so that Inej was only out at sea for three months before Kaz died.