Page 27 of A Simple Truth (the Freckled Fate #2)

26

FINNLEAH

T he dinner was in full swing as our forks clanged against the white, porcelain plates. Topics of lively conversation fluidly changed from one to another as stories and laughs were so freely exchanged. The room packed with warmth, turning my cheeks a bit flustered, as my belly filled up on amazing food.

“Fleur, mi amor, you have outdone yourself once again,” Lord De Villiar sweetly cooed to his wife.

“You are too kind, my love.” She sheepishly smiled at him as he wrapped his arm around her, giving a tight squeeze, the gesture earning a bit of a shy, yet stern look from her. I couldn’t resist a grin at that. There was something so pure, so precious, that they had. More than double my age, they still looked at each other as if they were teens madly falling in love for the first time, yet the small wrinkles around the eyes and the prominent smile lines added a certain depth of adoration that only love tested by years could forge.

There was a time when I was so certain that this was going to be Ollie and I... I was so sure of it, that if anyone had said otherwise, I simply would not, could not, believe it.

But I had buried my dreams alongside the ashes of my fiancé, now just another dusty box in a room full of lost memories.

“I hope you enjoy vegetables,” Fleur said to me across the table, catching me off guard, mistaking my heavy look for the dislike of green beans.

“Oh, I love the array and variety. It’s quite lovely,” I replied, giving her a small smile. Only now did it dawn on me just how similar her features were to her daughter’s; the only difference was that Aurelia’s were without a single pigment of color.

“Aurelia is vegetarian, so we do not serve meat in this house,” she explained the lack of protein at the table.

“Yeah, no dead animals in this house,” her daughter confirmed, loading her plate to the brim with roasted tri-colored carrots. “Plus, veggies are so much more exciting to eat, don’t you think?” She held up her fork with yellow, purple, and red carrots on it, taking a bite.

“I must agree,” I said, taking a bite of my own carrots. “Though I wish they had some fun colors for the beans too, maybe turquoise? Or bright purple?” I chuckled. Xentar, overhearing the conversation, motioned with his hand, turning my beans that bright, saturated purple.

“Better?” He curled his brow, smirking.

“So much better.” I snorted.

“So, Finn , that’s quite an interesting name. Where are you from?” Fleur De Villiar asked.

“I spent most of my childhood in the south of Esnox. We moved quite a lot, living in tiny forgotten villages that probably don’t even exist on the map.” I took a quick sip of grape juice, washing down poorly-chewed beans.

“My husband mentioned that you lived in Svitar?” she continued.

“Oh yes, before this, I lived in Svitar for a little while with some friends of mine.”

“What were you doing there?”

“Um…I mostly worked as a maid, a laundry girl,” I replied.

“But are you not the only other raw wielding Destroyer?” She continued with her questions, and I felt a bit unsure of what to say. I opened my mouth, taking a second to come up with the words.

“Finn didn’t know about her powers until recently, you see,” the General replied instead, and for once, I was glad to hear his voice.

“Isn’t that quite unusual?” She turned her eyes to the General. “I thought Destroyers exhibited their powers quite young.”

“Correct, Lady De Villiar, but as you know, every rule has an exception. And it turns out, our Finn is nothing but exceptional.” The corner of his lip tugged upward in a crooked smile as he sneered at his own words, I fought back an eye roll.

“Were your parents concerned that you had no powers growing up?” This time it was Lord De Villiar asking, and I was suddenly aware that everyone was now tuned into our conversation.

“I grew up with a maid,” I replied, unsure of how much to divulge my upbringings. “I didn’t know my parents. My mother died in childbirth, and my father also died, though the cause of his death is unknown to me... I was raised quite secluded. My maid worked hard to provide for our family and we moved a lot. My powers didn’t exhibit themselves in a typical manner, and if they did, I have no recollection of it. Other than my maid, I had no known family to provide any clarity on my power’s origin or background. Though, I do wish I could ask her more about it, but she was killed by Destroyers a few years back.”

“You never told me that,” the General murmured to me.

“You never asked,” I shortly replied, losing the tad bit of bravery I conjured to speak about my past.

“Please accept our deepest condolences,” Lady De Villiar gently offered. “It is a shame that the war has a way of claiming the best of our people. Rest assured, we’d love for you to consider us as part of your family if you ever feel inclined to do so.” Her words somehow pierced me straight to the heart, and all of a sudden, I felt a lump in the back of my throat.

“Yes, we might not be blood relatives, but you shall always have a home here,” Lord De Villiar stated. “Plus, I am sure Gideon, and the rest of the Destroyers are happy to have another Justice Wielder amidst their kind.”

“Most definitely,” Gideon courteously agreed.

“And what do the Magic Wielders make of it?” Fleur turned to Xentar, who was caught still turning all the foods preposterous colors at Aurelia’s requests.

“It shows unity. True Order always starts with a powerful, Justice wielding couple,” Xentar answered. Suddenly, the mashed potatoes were glued to my throat in a half-swallow at his words, and I almost choked. Gideon stifled his laugh, refilling my cup after I chugged the sweet juice, washing down the half-stuck food. “Now that we have one, it brings more assurance to the Magic Wielders of its restoration.”

“With Finn, and now Lachlan’s alliance,” Lord De Villiar proceeded, “It seems things are lining up well.”

“Lachlan’s alliance is helpful.” I didn’t fail to notice the half snarl coming from Orest at the name. “But we expect even more Destroyers to join our cause, when Gideon sends out his call,” Orest added.

“Why would other Destroyers join the Rebels?” I questioned surprised at his words.

“They might not join the Rebels per se, but some will follow the rightful heir to the Destroyer Empire, should he make his claim,” Orest explained.

Noticing my still-puzzled look, Zora, bored by the conversation, blurted out,

“Gideon is the Emperor’s son.”