Page 50 of A Broken Promise (the Freckled Fate #1)

50

I woke from the light thud of our boat. The quiet steam engine was completely still. I glanced over to Cap’s empty hammock. Bright morning sun blinded me as I walked outside. Everything around us was white, covered in a thick layer of snow. My boots sunk deep; the snow high above my calf as I took a step off the dock. So much snow.

Cap was tying his rope around a metal pole on the wobbly dock.

Looking around I could see a small village on the horizon. Smoke from chimneys mixed with the translucent clouds. The village was on top of a tall hill, connected to the docks only by a small, snowed in path.

My bag was already across my shoulder, my weapons all strapped in and hidden well underneath my thick fur cloak.

Cap paused, looking at me and gesturing to me with his hand. I handed him some paper and pen.

Cursed Lands there. He pointed to the horizon beyond the village. I nodded in understanding.

My legs burned as we approached the village. The hill was much steeper than my eyes led me to believe, and thick heavy snow felt like a swamp, sucking you in with each step. Though cold air bit my cheeks, big streams of sweat rolled down my neck and my back. White snow blinded me as it reflected the bright daylight sun.

The town was small. Houses were just big log cabins, placed close to each other, with circling streets going spiral. Only a few vendors had their tents out, selling picked veggies and smoked salmon. I waited as Cap bought a few provisions for his journey back.

We finally made it to a small tavern. Warm air and a delicious smell kissed my nose. My stomach grumbled in excitement for a warm, hearty meal. There were only three round tables inside with a few chairs right next to them. All the furniture was quite simple, yet you couldn’t miss the craftsmanship of each piece, each detail of the carpenter. I pulled the chair quietly, trying not to disturb the heavy layer of hay on the floor soaking up the melting snow off our boots. Cap sat next to me.

I pulled my leather gloves off. Though it was warm, too warm, I kept my cloak on, not wanting the extra looks from the few people that already glanced over us on the way in.

“Oy aye, lass, here I come.” I heard a trudging woman’s voice behind the thick door. Her thick accent was not one I’d heard before. “Oy ye strengers ovr her, I see. What is it you want, lass?” Her big mouth stretched in a welcoming smile. She was in her mid-thirties, well dressed and well nourished. Her long, two braids were bright red and her face full of sun-kissed freckles. Her cheeks were all red, either from the heat or make up, I wasn’t sure. But she was adorable. I smiled at her.

“Some warm food, miss, if you have any,” I replied.

“Oh ye, warm food it is. Bright morning innit today.” She chatted as she ran her towel across our table and tucked it back into her apron. “We got rabbit stew and salmon eggs,” she said. “And of course, some good ol’ ale to keep ya warm.” She winked at the Cap. He nodded in agreement. “It’ll be a min, but I be back with ya nourishment.” She quickly disappeared behind the door, her two long braids swaying behind her.

I scribbled a few things on the paper.

“Please give this to Florian when you get back.” I handed it off to Cap, who without questioning, nodded and put my little note in his pocket.

The tall woman was back just as quickly as she promised with a tray full of steaming hot food. My mouth watered just by the sight of it.

“Her ya go.” She handed off the hot plates from the tray and poured ale into the wooden cups.

“So, where is it ya going?” she asked curiously as we stuffed our faces, a few prideful notes filled her face as she watched us devouring the food, even as we burned out throats.

Curiously, I replied.

“Cursed Forest.” Keeping a tight look on her face, I noted every slight change. A part of me hoped to uncover the truth here. Villagers lived across from the forest; she would surely know something.

I wasn’t wrong. Her face changed at my words, now quickly sharper and poignant.

“Dead ye wanna be? What ye be going to the forest for?” Her brows raised in suspicion; her voice laced with concern.

A lie it is, I made my next call.

“I am looking for my friend.”

I knew she saw through my lie the moment I said it. Tuluma always told me I wasn’t a good liar unless my life depended on it, but the woman didn’t question it.

“A friend, ye say? Nobody comes back from the Cursed Forest alive, lassie. I’ve lived here long enough to tell you that I’ve seen enough of half-eaten dead bodies flowing down that river for a lifetime.”

I paused. Dead, I knew that... but eaten ?

“What lives out there? Do you know what’s beyond the forest?” I asked, poking and probing. Just as I knew she sensed my lie, I could bet my life on the fact that she was hiding something.

I couldn’t blame her for it though. Both of us were.

She paused, pursing her lips together. Considering.

“Terrible things, necromantia .” She whispered that third word, her eyes warily glancing over me. “Any other villager will tell ya to go home lassie. Kep ye life. Sorry abut your friend, but no need to lose another soul for ‘im.”

“’Any other villager’, but not you?” I asked, a corner of my mouth turning upward. She smirked back, though her eyes narrowed.

“Who am I to kep ya all away. You die, mor friends will come to look for ya. More customers for me. Stupidity might be bad for ya, but good for ma business.”

I chuckled at that, raising my cup and nodding at her. She nodded and departed back.

I wish I could say I was scared or worried about dying, but I wasn’t. What I feared the most wasn’t death, but failure.

I could deal with the monsters, I could deal with the terrible fate, but the unknown… The unlimited possibilities of failure truly terrified me. My mind spiraled down quickly, and I took another sip.

I wouldn’t fail, I repeated to myself, even as I looked outside and saw the never-ending white fields around me. Quickly, I was becoming much less of a fan of the never-ending snow.

Cap finished drinking his stew and huffed, putting his fur coat on. At last, he raised his brows at me as if questioning for the last time if I was sure; sure to let him go. Sure to leave it all and go into the unknown.

“Oh, don’t give me that look.” I smiled back kindly at him. “I’ll be fine. Just make sure you take that vacation we talked about since Florian is already paying for this trip.” I winked at him, and he chuckled back, waving an awkward goodbye at me as he walked out of the tavern.

I rested on my chair hesitating, my body feeling groggy as if all that warm food was lead, making my legs heavy and my eyes droopy. I chewed on the fresh piece of bread, watching two men across me playing rocks, one of them clearly cheating. I pulled my hood on as another group of a few people walked in, a couple of women and their children. The owner welcomed them with a kiss and pointed to a table near me. Silent words were exchanged between them as they eyed me in question, looking back at the owner as she shrugged.

The door opened once more. A tall figure walked in. He had a simple, dark green wool cloak on, black leather pants tucked into his tall black boots. My eyes stopped on the small hilt of the dagger slightly peeking just above his boot. It was expensive, decorated with gemstones.

Unusual and yet discreet. I pulled my hood on slightly more. He lowered his.

My heart stopped when I saw his face.

Him.

I would recognize him even in a crowd of millions.

Him.

I forced myself to take a casual breath. I was suddenly too alert. The hairs on my back rose, knowing that though dressed in civil clothing and without his armies, the Destroyer General stood in front of me.

As he lowered his hood, I saw the two familiar hilts of his swords, stationed on his back, blood rubies shining dull with condensation.

He was here .

Here.

I had no doubt both of us were here for one purpose.

Rebels.

Anger stirred within me.

I watched him approach the door to what I assumed was the kitchen. He knocked on it softly. I held back a snarl as he ran his fingers through his dark hair, shaking off the bits of snow.

A wolf in sheep’s clothing, and unaware sheep around me.

I quickly glanced at the women beside me. Gods, their children. The village. I should tell them to run, to hide. Tell them who was here before this entire village collapsed in flames.

But then another thought crawled in and rooted deep within me.

A chance.

A chance to kill him.

There were no armies around him and I for once had a way to stop him for good.

I silently moved my leg closer to me, lowering my arm, preparing to grab Heart Piercer .

“Well look who the cat dragged in.” The woman opened the door and smiled wide at him. I froze, my fingers just inches away from my dagger.

He smirked and followed her behind the door.

I scratched my calf and eased my body back in the chair.

Unsure.

I should’ve stabbed him right there, before he killed off the village, before he burned the town to the ground. I clenched my jaw tight in disappointment, though I didn’t dwell on it long as the door opened again and both of them walked out. She quickly returned to the customers patiently awaiting her. Pulling his hood on, he walked out of the tavern.

My breath was ragged, hands clammy as I watched him through the window walk towards the edge of the village.

Doubts crept in within my mind. I could die and then Kaius’s death was in vain, mine was too if I didn’t succeed.

I grinded my teeth.

I should let it go.

I should find the Rebels and warn them about him.

And yet I should’ve killed him the first time around but instead I ran.

I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

My anger already roaring within me, blinding me more than the snow. I left a few coins on the table and followed his trail.

Though I didn’t see him, I had no doubt a set of the large footprints in the snow were his. They continued even beyond the village, down the hill leading straight to the Cursed Forest.

I looked at the horizon, a small strip of trees stretching for miles. A black divider between the blue sky and the white snow. I looked down the steep hill into the empty valley, looking for him amidst the low settled clouds. A second later, I saw him; his dark cloak a beacon against the white snow even in the fog.

A rush of thrill went through me.

I wasn’t prey anymore. I was the hunter.

I reached for the longbow hidden well behind my cloak .

My fingers were frozen and my palms damp, but I felt for the glass arrow in my quiver. As I touched it, it sung to me—to my blood—as if calling to me.

I watched him take each step. The further he walked, the faster my heart raced against my chest. The distance was far, and I had to be precise.

Act, damn it. Act! I yelled at myself. But I stood still, my fingers aching but unwaveringly stretching the string, aiming the heavy arrow.

One shot is all I had . You are a terrible shot. Priya’s little voice ran wild in my head. A gust of cold wind sang around me, as I aimed at his heart.

One chance.

One shot.

One promise.

His body was now barely visible hidden by the thick fog in the valley.

“For a better life,” I whispered to the arrow as I let it free. The black arrow flew quickly, cutting through the cold air. He turned to face me just as the arrow pierced him. I didn’t look away as our eyes locked. His face was full of disbelief. Mine full of determination. He fell a second later, swallowed by the heavy fog, sending ripples through the mingling air. I quickly slid down the hill, the snow rolling around me.

Slowing down my steps as I saw the blood trail where his body was. My crossbow was already loaded and my Basalt Glass dagger ready to land a killing blow. I moved deliberately, watchful of each movement of the thick fog around me.

I locked my jaw. He should’ve been dead. There was enough poison on that arrow that anyone should have been dead within seconds. Yet his body wasn’t there.

I stopped, just fast enough to pull the trigger at his approaching figure. One and then another. He groaned from pain. My lip curled in disgust and satisfaction.

I was the fucking predator.

Rage roared within me in triumph .

Fog separated as I saw him limp, his sword pointed at me. With a quick glance I knew that my arrows hit the target; one wedged deep in his right thigh and the glass arrow halfway through his shoulder, only ever slightly above his heart.

I shot another arrow at him. He fell to his knees as it wedged in his other leg.

“ You ,” he said, shocked. His voice made my bones shiver.

“Surprised to see me, Destroyer ?” I said back with as much disgust and hate I could summon in my tone.

I twisted Heart Piercer tight in my hand.

“Where did you get the Basalt Glass?” he asked, his voice laced with unpleasantness that brought a smile to my face. Priya was right. This was satisfying. This was rewarding.

Pure revenge was never the death of your enemy, but pain.

It was seeing your offender hurt, defenseless, and in pure agony that gave that thrill unlike any other.

“It’s not the glass you should be afraid of, Destroyer, it’s the poison on it,” I sneered, loading up another arrow in my crossbow, hiding my quickly raising concern with a smirk. He had four arrows within him, all laced with deadly poisons. Poisons that should’ve killed him the moment they broke his skin and yet he was still breathing. Holding a sword, though his arm was now shaking.

“You’re searching for the Rebels, aren’t you?” he asked. If he was scared of the poison, he didn’t show it. His voice was cool, collected. “I will make a bargain with you. I shall take you to them. I know precisely where they are. What do you say? My life for a path to the Rebels?” He clenched his jaw shut, though I could see the sweat beads rolling down his face.

I smiled cruelly. Poison had to be making its way to his rotten heart.

“You see, Destroyer, your death is worth more to me than your life,” I said, taking a step closer as his sword dropped on the ground. He grunted. Pain. He was feeling the pain. But not enough. Never enough.

“My death, though satisfying, will bring you no joy, mage . But even so, you could trade me to the Rebels. They would love the information I have on what Mad Queen wants to do with the Rock Quarries’ slaves.”

My heart dropped.

“What do you know of the Rock Quarry slaves?” Taking another step, I was close to him now. Too close.

I pointed Heart Piercer at his throat.

“Speak,” I commanded.

“Do we have a deal, mage ?” he countered, and I could hear agony in his words.

“Tell me what you know of the Rock Quarry slaves and I shall decide then.”

“I will take you to the Rebels and tell them everything I know of the Rock Quarry slaves and what’s been happening to them. You have my word. I know where and what she is doing with them. Give me the antidote and you have my word; I shall do no harm to you.”

My heart dropped. Viyak’s face flashed as I tried to blink. Praying, hoping that he was still alive.

The Destroyer plummeted to the ground. He clenched his teeth tight until the white foam was now spilling through. Hesitation ran through me.

But it didn’t matter now.

“I have no antidote, Destroyer. Let Fate decide. Survive the poison and we have a deal. You die and I hope you burn in Hell for eternities.” I said to him bitterly. “I’ll see you on the other side,” I spat as I kicked his sword away.

“You...” He withered through clenched teeth. “I… D-D-deal,” he rumbled, closing his eyes shut and letting the white drool pool beside his mouth.