Page 47 of A Simple Truth (the Freckled Fate #2)

46

FINNLEAH

T he little goosebumps over my entire body were just a minor indication of my anxious heart, the uneven, panting-like breathing was the other. The dry twigs under my feet crunched in the silent forest, making me jump.

The Cursed Forest was as unwelcoming and as dead as I remembered it. Though it was barely nightfall by the time I had made it to the edge of the twisted ancient trees, it was somehow so foggy and dark. My own silhouette mixed with the ever-growing shadows, slowly entrapping me.

I stalked, watching every single step I took.

I was the hunter. They were the prey. Not the other way around, I repeated to myself, though my mind still choked on the panic remembering my last encounter with the Glide. The well-healed muscles in my thigh throbbing, as if they too remembered being shredded by the creature made out of nothing but bones, bear-like claws, and that pungent black smoke.

I should go back.

There had to be other ways.

And yet, there wasn’t.

I had wasted too much of my time relying on so-called teachers and trainers. They didn’t make a promise, I did. They didn’t have to sleep through nightmares of the Rock Quarries, I did.

I could spend days—years for that matter—training, only to stumble when it was time to use my fire to kill.

I clenched my jaw tighter, my dry lips painfully cracking. The unnatural cold air felt suffocating in my lungs as I slowed my breathing.

This idea, this master plan, was an easy shortcut. I’d hunt the Glide and then use my fire to kill it.

A part of me was curious too. I wanted to see that creature, to know what they were past the point of shadows and bones. My eyes darted to the fresh, bloodied, wild hog I had killed. I needed a lure and hoped that it would suffice. I pulled my bow, raising the handmade arrow; another theory I wanted to check.

I long suspected that Basalt Glass did more than stop Destroyers.

Did it work on Insanaria’s creatures too?

I pulled the string back, the arrow tight between my fingers. What was left of the previously large Basalt Glass arrow now served only as a sharp glass tip. I aimed it up, my eyes anxiously scanning the horizon.

“Come on…” I whispered as cold sweat rolled down my back, but my hands didn’t tremble, and my feet were steady.

What was one little black cloud of bones and claws against a fire wielding angry woman? It doesn’t stand a chance. I tried joking to ease the stinging tension, yet the joke fell flat, even to myself.

There.

A shadow. I pulled the arrow taut. My heart thudded loudly, like marching war drums. My blood loudly rushed past my ears.

Clap.

“Liriya, I almost shot you!” I hissed, giving a stern half-second look at the large raven landing at the top of one of the branches. I swallowed, though my mouth was parched, and I could feel something staring back at me from a growing fog. My eyes scanned the surroundings meticulously, coming up empty.

A part of me was a bit relieved that Liriya was here now. “Look at us, two girls just casually hunting cursed creatures at night,” I whispered to myself. Shivers went deep down to my toes, and they almost felt numb from the tension I was holding for too long. “Did he send you to spy on me?” I mumbled to the bird. The hairs on my arms rose, as the temperature dropped below freezing.

Any second now.

“Waiting for anyone in particular?” The General’s husky voice sounded just a breath behind my ear. His sudden appearance startled me, and I foolishly let the arrow fly.

“Oh, fuck me!” I growled in frustration, lowering the now-empty bow. This day was turning progressively worse.

“Is that a request, Finnleah?” the General purred with amusement, taking a step back from me.

“Have you ever considered, General, wearing a bell around your neck so people can tell when you show up?” I spat, hooking the bow across my back, refusing to look at him. My eyes scanned the trees ahead of me, searching for my most prized and now completely wasted arrow.

“And miss watching you get startled like that? Where is the fun in that?” He snickered. His left brow quirked in delight as he noticed the large, dead hog laying not too far from me. “Got hungry?”

“Precisely.” I frowned but started walking, not even sure where, but I refused to stand there with him just a step away.

“What are you doing in the Cursed Forest, Finnleah?” he asked, dropping the amused tone as he lazily followed behind me.

“Hunting,” I replied, lifting my gaze to the top of the trees. The arrow couldn’t be too far between the thick, overgrown plants.

“ Hunting ?” the General repeated, his dubious tone irking me.

“Yes, hunting . I’ve decided to take my training into my own hands,” I replied, pointlessly scanning the thick tree branches in the dark.

“Was my training not up to your standard?” he asked, jeering.

“I’d say the student is outgrowing the teacher at this point. Plus, it seems you are preoccupied anyway, and I’d rather not waste my time.” I climbed over the large, fallen tree.

“I thought you’d enjoy the morning off. Did you not rest?” he said, still following me. I contemplated running away from him. Getting lost in the godsdamned Cursed Forest sounded like a better option than having this conversation with him right now.

“Oh, I got all the rest in the world, General. Don’t I look so refreshed and rested to you?” I questioned sardonically; my voice laced with bitter sarcasm.

It would be quite nice if the Glide appeared right about now. And maybe if it took a giant bite out of him, I wouldn’t even kill it.

“Finn” he started, but I sharply inhaled, turning around to him.

“Don’t you have more important things to do, General, than follow me around? As you can see, I’m quite busy right now, so perhaps we should reconvene for a chat some other time.” I turned back, climbing over yet another overgrown root.

“What is this all about?” he asked, confused, stopping in his tracks. “What’s made you so angry?”

“Who says I’m angry?” Even though I didn’t look at him, I stilled the grimace as I added, “I’m as happy as one can be when they lose a very rare arrow simply because someone doesn’t know how to not sneak up on people.”

“Your arrow is right there.” He pointed to a wide, towering tree a few strides away.

“Great. Thanks. Now you can go.” I dismissed him, already making my way to the tree, but the General followed.

“Did I do something wrong?” His voice laced with concern and uncertainty, but I didn’t reply.

Take a fucking guess, I wanted to say, but didn’t. I was a mature adult, after all.

I wouldn’t waste any more breath on this man.

“Let’s hope I climb better than you train,” I murmured to him as I eyed the arrow, wedged deep into the treetops. I adjusted my daggers at my side, grabbing the highest branch I could reach. The General just motioned with his eyes, burning the whole tree down before I could even attempt to climb. The ancient tree incinerated into ashes within seconds.

Such an arrogant Destroyer move. No regard for anything.

“Here is your precious arrow,” he grumped, handing me my unscathed dart. I grabbed it but before he let go, he uttered, “Let’s hope you’ll consider using reason more than your sheer stubbornness next time.”

I twisted the arrow in my hands, contemplating stabbing him right then and there, but instead, I just put the arrow back into my half-empty quiver.

“I don’t understand why you insist on constantly dealing with Basalt Glass. You know it is dangerous for you, just as it is dangerous for any other Destroyer. A tiny shard lost in your bloodstream, and you could be without your powers for life at best, or it could kill you, at worst,” he said.

“Thanks for the warning. I’ll keep that in mind.” I scrambled over a few scattered branches as I walked away from him.

“I thought we were past the whole bitter, anger situation.” His large arm blocked my way a couple steps later, locking me between his body and a tree. “What is wrong, Finnleah?” he asked again, this time his voice was laced with a gentle softness that made my heart flutter. His eyes examined every inch of my face, searching for answers.

“Why don’t you ask Petunia?” I whispered under my nose, unable to hold his gaze. My hands forcefully pushed his arm out of the way, and I put a bit of distance between us.

“So, you’ve heard.” The General closed his eyes, letting out a long sigh.

“Not just heard. I saw ,” I hissed, angry at myself for even engaging in this conversation.

“You saw ? She was just here for the council meeting covering for Xentar.” In a few steps, he caught up, grabbing my hand, stopping me in my tracks. “I am sorry, Finnleah, I”

“Why would you be sorry, there is nothing to be sorry about.” I ripped my hand out of his, turning back around, not even sure anymore if I was going the right way.

This forest was becoming cursed for all the wrong reasons.

But the faster I marched, the more he followed.

“Petunia and I—” He nervously paced next to me. “I fully regret my decision. I didn’t think you existed. I thought, and truly believed, that the female raw wielder hadn’t been born yet. And I wasn’t going to marry a child, like my grandfather did. So, I accepted I was never going to marry. And once I was of marital age, no Destroyer woman would ever agree to date me knowing that I wielded raw fire, knowing my purpose. Knowing who I was destined to marry, knowing that I was the last heir.” Though I listened to every word he said, I sped up my steps. None of it mattered anyway, but the General continued rambling.

“Petunia and I were just good friends that found ourselves in need of release at times. But that’s all we were. I never loved her. And the moment I knew of you, that summer, the very first thing I did was completely break it off with her. And I have not been with anyone since the moment I knew you existed.”

“Oh, well don’t hold yourself back on my account, General. Redheads seem to be your type anyway,” I heatedly spat out.

“Finnleah, please...” He took a step closer, reaching for my hand, but I denied the gesture, finally gathering enough courage to face him, the muscle in my jaw painfully cramping.

“General, I am deeply sorry if I gave you the false indication that I would ever consider being involved with you. But let me clear up any confusion. I endure your company because I need training, not because I enjoy your company. And I endure training with you because I have no other choice, since I’ve made promises that I have yet to uphold, and they require me to learn. And quite frankly, if there was anyone else who wielded raw fire and was willing, I’d train with them instead. You are brutal, insufferable, incredibly, unbelievably arrogant, lacking basic humility, and have very questionable morals, at best. And while I do find you physically attractive, I do not wish to entertain any foolish ideas. Not now—not ever. ”

I swallowed the increasing saliva in my mouth, I was sure I was going to puke. Bile burned my throat as my heart thrashed against my hold while I suffocated it. All of it.

If the General was hurt, he didn’t show it, though I couldn’t mistake his usual half-amused smirk disappearing into the ice-cold mask of the Lord of Death staring at me.

“I shall spare you from your misery then. Zora will take over your personal training from now on. There—an easy fix. Any other heartfelt confessions you feel compelled to share?”

“It’s for the best,” I replied, raising my chin up, though his words still stung.

The General crossed the distance between us in one quick stride as he leaned down to my ear and whispered,

“Definition of best is quite debatable, Finnleah.” His sharp words lingered, though he was already storming off amidst the fog, leaving me alone.

“Shit…Fuck!” I shouted, kicking the rustled moss and leaves on the ground as the tears rolled down my face the moment he was far out of sight.

I didn’t care anymore if the Glide would show up right now; if it would shred my flesh into ribbons, because even then, it wouldn’t be as painful as watching him walk away.