Page 54 of A Broken Promise (the Freckled Fate #1)

54

I was alive, I realized as I opened my eyes. Warm, welcoming air filled my lungs, even as small rays of sunshine kissed my cheeks.

I was alive.

Stitched up and well bandaged too, I noticed, looking at my chest and my leg.

Yet the concern came crashing in as I took in my surroundings. I was in a large, circled tent, tall and spacious, decorated with well-maintained furniture. But it wasn’t the lamps or the pillows or the neat desk that made my heart stop. It was the dark armor in the corner and the large black cape behind it.

I winced as I jerked my body up. Limping to the small window not too far from my bed, hoping, praying, begging for one simple truth.

My wrists were sore from the thick rope that tied them together. I pulled on a small flap to peek behind the tent window.

It couldn’t be.

My heart raced as I beheld a large camp. So many tents, and those black and silver flags. Destroyer Flags. I turned away from the window as a group of Destroyer soldiers walked by laughing, their laughter like poison, making me instantly nauseous.

No .

It couldn’t be.

But reality slipped through.

Somehow, the twisted threads of Fate brought me to the one place I was so desperately trying to escape.

Dread sunk deep in my soul as if it were an anchor on a ship, pulling me to a complete halt.

I was in the belly of the beast. Surrounded by Destroyer soldiers. My daggers were gone. My knives were, too. Intuitively, my hands quickly ran through my hair. In the matted, blood and dirt covered hair, I pulled out a pin. The only one left in my almost completely unbraided hair. I looked at my prized possession.

I only needed one.

I limped out of the tent. Two Destroyer soldiers—the General’s guard dogs—startled by my sudden appearance cleared their throats.

“Please, follow us,” one of them said as he pointed to a tent that was larger than the rest. I didn’t reply as I clenched my fists and followed them.

“Here.” The soldier raised the tent flap to the entrance.

The room was spacious; bright, thick rugs lined the floor. A large, circular table took up most of the space surrounded by many chairs. There were only three people in the room.

I recognized Orest immediately. He wore his dark silvered armor, though without his helm. The burgundy curls on his head were longer now since I saw him last. He nodded to me in recognition.

A petite, almost too short of a woman, stared me down as I walked in. She was leaning against the table. Her loosely fitted tunic cut off at her shoulders exposing her very toned tan arms. Her shiny, charcoal-black hair was in a high bun with two steel spikes poking through it. Sides of her head were shaved down and a large tattoo covered her left side, starting at the top of her face and extending deep down her neck.

She stopped fidgeting with what I realized was Kaius’s ring, as her thin pointy eyes narrowed in on me, her already harsh features becoming even more piercing as she slowly let out a loud breath and clenched the ring in her small hand.

And then there was him .

The General was the only one sitting, resting his elbows on the glass tabletop. He was shirtless, I realized, though most of his body was covered with bandages, exposing only his well sculpted arms.

The soldiers behind me stayed outside the tent as I took another heavy step in.

“Free me,” I demanded clenching my fists tighter, trying to keep the anger at bay, though failing. “We had a deal.”

“Yes, about that…” He looked back at me and readjusted in his seat, stiffening a bit.

“Where is Kaius?” the woman interrupted him. Her tone, her face so intimidating. Menacing.

Dead.

But I wouldn’t delight them in that knowledge.

“Oh, it seems I am late to the party.” A seductive male voice sounded at my back. I turned just in time to see a giant of a man come in. He was breathtaking. His skin was as black as the abyss. His eyes shimmered with gold. His hair, braided in long, thick braids, with gold trinkets decorating them. And his face…there were no words to describe the complexity of his utter beauty. Whoever he was, he was a god .

“Commander.” His perfect lips stretched in a welcoming smile at the woman near me. The god of a man exchanged a small greeting with Orest too and then looked at the General. “So, we finally get to meet her.” Amusement lit his face as he pulled a chair out and lazily sat on it, his gold eyes studying me.

“So did you really bite him?” he asked to taunt me, his face full of delight.

But I didn’t answer his question either. Instead, I took a step closer and spat at his face. The Commander raised her brows in angry shock and sharply turned to the General .

But the god of a man slowly wiped the spit off his face, taking a long breath, then he turned to face the General and Orest.

“I am sorry, but you two imbeciles thought that she was a Creator ? She reeks of defiance.” Orest lowered his eyes, hiding an upbeat smile. The General just ignored his jab. The man lowered his eyes to my tied wrists, his face filled with concern.

“Did she not agree to join us?” He turned to the General.

But those words struck me harder than any whip.

“Join you? Join . You? Even if I am not a mage… I will never join you. I would rather give up my soul than join you. The day will come soon when I’ll dance on your bones and watch each one of you be brutally slaughtered by the Rebels. Justice will come for you, and I for one hope you all choke on your own ashes for eternity,” I angrily hissed.

“Rebels?” Xentar now turned again to the General. “Oh Gideon… you haven’t told her?” He rubbed his face with both of his hands.

“Between her proactively attempting to murder me, the glide attacking us and finding Kaius’s ring, I haven’t had a chance, but was about to before somebody interrupted me.” He looked at Zora.

She folded her arms tight. “I still think it’s a bad idea to tell her anything before she gives us answers first, Gideon.” She narrowed her eyes at him.

Gideon?

Gideon .

Gideon.

My face widened in shock as my mind frantically connected the dots. My heart slowed to an almost nonexistent beat.

“ Tell me what ?”

“We are the Rebels, princess.” Xentar smiled at me.

“ No.” My head shook in denial. My eyes instinctively turned to Orest. He just nodded in confirmation.

“It can’t be. But you are all Destroyers.”

“Oh, please. Do I look like a Destroyer to you?” Xentar laughed as he twisted his hand and vines filled with flowers appeared out of thin air .

A Creator.

No. My mind crumbled like a sandcastle against a large ocean wave.

“There is one more thing, Finn.” The General. No, Gideon.

Gideon said, looking up at me sensibly.

But my mind was already numb from shock, unable to process the words that came out of him next.

“You, Finn, are a Destroyer.”

THE END