Page 24 of A Broken Promise (the Freckled Fate #1)

24

GIDEON

“ G IDEON !” I grimaced as I heard Zora’s voice before she stormed in. “Are you out of your fucking mind?!”

I ran a hand down my face. I knew this was coming from the moment I made the choice to leave. And to come back.

What I had done was reckless. Stupid. Irresponsible. And the worst part—it was futile. Because yet again, I came back here alone.

Zora’s jaw was about to snap from the force she clenched it with.

“Zora…” I calmly started after taking a long breath.

“You are such an idiot. Risking it all for a girl ? I need armies, Gideon, not a girl!”

She was furious. Understandably so.

“She needs our help, Zora.” I leaned back in my chair.

“ You fucking need help,” Zora spat, pacing across the room.

I couldn’t argue with that.

“You have people relying on you, you have responsibilities, gods dammit it, you have our lives in your hands! You can’t just fucking disappear by yourself to look for someone you think might have the same power as you.”

I unwrapped the bandages, gazing at my healing hand .

Her fury didn’t scare me, though I’d prefer to get yelled at less. But that was the thing with Zora. She cared. More than anyone else I knew. Though she would never let anyone see it. But I recognized that anger, that ferocity, for what it really was worry…And maybe a bit of anger issues.

“See, Zora, that’s where you and I disagree... For once, I have absolutely no doubt about what she can do.” I closed and opened my wounded hand, watching the tight scars stretch in motion.

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” She folded her arms tight, her voice taunt, though no longer yelling.

“It would be quite hard to do so, if she is not here to show it to you.” I half smiled but Zora didn’t appreciate my amusement.

“You need to promise me you won’t go out looking for her again.” She stopped pacing and glared at me.

“While I appreciate the concern, Zora, I will do no such thing,” I said, wrapping bandages back up. My hand was almost healed, though the gnarly scars would stay there forever. A constant reminder of my shortcomings.

“UGH! You are insufferable!” Zora yelled and stormed out.

Xentar’s face peeked through the tent door in delight.

“I see someone is excited to see you again.” Both of us watched as Zora marched through the camp. “Welcome back, brother.” He chuckled as he took a seat in a chair across from me. “I take it another big nothing?”

“Nope. Not even a single clue. Like she just disappeared into thin air.” I ran my other hand through my hair, bottling the increasing frustration.

“I am assuming you will continue to keep looking for her?” Xentar said, petting Liriya, a large, black raven sitting next to him.

I nodded. Wherever she was…. I had to find her.

“I must admit, I am rather curious to meet her. Granted, I am less curious of her powers, more so of her ability to make the Great Gideon Bellator into a brooding teenager.”

Liriya cawed as if joining Xentar in his mocking .

“You two need to get a life,” I said, ignoring his teasing smirk.

Though a part of me couldn’t deny that she had caught my interest long before I knew about her power.