Koruna

Buzz

*Warning! X-rated scene ahead*

Chapter 24
Buzz

“But… But… I don’t understand.” Koruna finished her cocoa and reveled in the light buzz she felt. “That is strong!”

“Thank you, and isn’t it pretty simple?”

“Is it?” Koruna wondered out loud and thought about the probability of her revelation with Shola’s help.

“There is more to it, your father’s withdrawal from the matriarch was more than just keeping your birth a secret, their relationship is a lot more complicated than you think.” Shola poured her more Cocoa into her cup.

“Has anything been easy with her?” She scoffed.

“It is not all her fault, we are all trying to do the best with what we have. Her father was ruthless to her, this is the only way she knows and understands. Deep down all of that ruthless exterior is a woman who just wants the best for her family.”

She glared at him “Whose side are you on?”

“I am on the family’s side, I want what is best for everyone which was why I broke her trust and told Charles about you. I was doing my regular check up on you when I discovered that you were in a fix, you had gotten the attention of some bad people who were determined to use your skillset.”

“My skillset?”

Shola snickered “I might not know everything you have been up to over the years but I know that you are quite the gifted thief. I was afraid that you might not be able to handle them so I meddled and told your father the truth so he could help you but your friend had taken the job and from the looks of it, she had died doing it too.”

Koruna focused on the cup in her hands and finished the drink. Abriel was a topic she avoided as much as possible, they had been inseparable once before they became rivals as time passed, they were cordial and sometimes hostile but they respected each other until the last job, it was supposed to be a job for two, they had agreed to corporate and share the pay but she tricked her and went alone. Next thing she heard was that the building had exploded with Abriel in it, like every emotional journey, she shoved it down and pretended it never happened.

Deep down, Koruna always wondered if it was her fault she died, if Abriel had not deceived her, both of them might be dead or alive. She had good instincts. She preferred to steal for personal use but sometimes they had clients. Everything had been suspicious about this client but the pay was good and it seemed like a simple assignment. When Abriel died, she questioned everything she knew, Abriel was as good as she was, they learnt from the streets and understood each other’s weaknesses as well as strength(s).

She started to doubt herself and for the first time, she had second thoughts about stealing from people. She made a change and decided to earn a decent living until her life was turned upside down again with the knowledge that she was one of the Elites, same people she enjoyed stealing from. Thinking about her life was not something she enjoyed, she was harsh on herself and trusted no one. She had her crew, they had believed that the change was a phase that would pass with time and decided to give her the needed space. Grandma Buke had told her it was not her fault but what if it was?

Abriel was obsessed with being the best thief in town and she had taunted her every single time she won.

Abriel was competitive and crazy about money, her father had been killed by a loan shark and her mother had run away leaving her to fend for herself. She hid to come to the Flames from a small village, Koruna had met her in the port when she tried to steal from her. They had gotten into a fight, after which Abriel had followed her everywhere she went until they became friends.
She was full of life and easy to read which was what Koruna admired the most about her. When they became rivals, she swore that she would become the best but she had scorned and played with her which probably fueled that fire.