Page 106 of A Broken Promise

We hiked, crossing the wilted leaves and stepping over broken branches.

I kept my eyes on the General most of the day, allowing myself only quick glances to my surroundings. Even with his legs wounded and his left shoulder bandage bleeding through his cloak, the Destroyer moved with grace. I might have stumbled a few times, but he walked as if the whole world was under his feet, and he was the king of it. He might have been my prisoner now, but I had not forgotten even for asecond had that he was the Mad Queen’s brutal General. A cruel, wicked General. A Destroyer.

No, he wouldn’t let me forget. His pristinely cut hair, his muscled body, his sharp cheekbones, his strong jaw, his calloused hands and those sharp ancient eyes; everything about him painted the picture of a bloodthirsty monster and his attractiveness was just more proof. A tool to lure you in, to frazzle you, to let your guard down.

I should be scared of him. I knew I should.

And maybe in a way, I was. Though I didn’t want to dwell on it. My body was in complete overdrive around him from stress. Grimacing, I reminded myself that he was just a man, and I should pity him. I despised him for what he was. A truly rotten human, with power and skill to change the world, yet power that was used only to terrorize and hurt people…children.

And now, only good for the answers he had.

No, I wouldn’t be afraid of him.

I watched him pause, taking a breath, slowing down to almost a crawl. I should feel pity, but instead I imagined Heart Piercer slicing through his large back.

I would kill him.

Once I knew what was happening with the Rock Quarries’ slaves, I would sink my dagger straight into his rotten heart, bargain or not.

No, vengeance wasn’t pretty. Vengeance wasn’t meek. Vengeance wasn’t kind.

And neither was I.

I readjusted his wrapped-up swords. I could feel the heat even as my skin just slightly grazed over it. He took a few steps and paused again. I stopped, highly alerted as I looked around, searching for anything that made him stop so abruptly. His eyes narrowed. He too was on high alert.

He was cautious, too aware, and it irked me that it wasn’t because of me. Whatever was in this forest made him pause. Whatever it was, I realized, it was a much bigger threat than the poisoned crossbow arrow pointed at his back, or the sharp Basalt Glass dagger strapped to my thigh.

I listened with him, and I heard nothing. Absolutelynothing,I realized.

Not a cricket, or a bird, nor a deer or a hopping rabbit. I grew up in forests and fields, they were noisy, so loud, but here…Here, I heard nothing, not even the wind.

Only cold, frozen, stale air and deathly silence.

“We camp here for the night. It’s not safe to keep going,” he said, taking a look around and finally resting against the bottom of a large, twisted tree. My face laced with unpleasantry, but I didn’t object as I sat down on the fallen tree across from him.

“How long until we arrive?” I asked, pulling a bag of provisions out.

“Another three days or so. Unless you decide to shoot me again then probably a week or more.” He smirked with arrogance.

“Don’t tempt me, Destroyer,” I snarled back as I threw a piece of bread at him.

He nodded in appreciation.

I sliced a large piece of smoked salmon to make a sandwich for myself and drank just a sip of my water. I didn’t think that it would’ve been a concern with all the snow around, but this forest was dry, and each sip counted if we were going on a three-day journey with only one day’s worth of water supply.

Dinner was quiet and scarce. The tiny rays of sun that snuck past the tall trees were gone. Replaced by darkness and cold. My body shivered nonstop now, a pointless attempt at keeping me warm.

“You should start a fire,” the Destroyer mumbled, resting against the tree with his eyes closed.

“And you should keep your mouth shut or I’ll cut your tongue out,” I spat back. He chuckled.

“If I keep my mouth shut, how shall I give you all the intel you want me for,mage?” He kept his eyes closed still, though a corner of his mouth tugged upright. It irked me that he called me mage. Not the word itself, but his tone. Like he too knew that I wasn’t one.

“You can write.” I clenched my teeth to stop them from shattering.

My toes were numb, and my nose now covered with the large scarfwas runny. Each breath froze my wet lip, but I would rather freeze to death than risk a fire with the Destroyer in my midst.

The swords clanged against each other as I dropped them on the ground, wrapping myself in the warmed-up blanket. Though still shivering, I sighed in relief as my body slowly warmed up thanks to the thick wool.

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