Page 105 of A Simple Truth

“See you on the field,” she retorted, turning back to the tent, but before she could take another step, I grabbed her hand. Her eyes darted from my hand on hers, giving me a sharp stare, her emerald eyes drowning me.

“I have a gift for you,” I remembered.

“A gift?” She didn’t believe me as she pulled her hand back, folding her arms up.

“Yes, a gift.”

“If this is some twisted scheme to mess with me before the games—” she started, but I interrupted her.

“It’s not a ploy or some hidden contract…I promise.”I raised my arms up, in a gesture of surrender. “It’s a simple gift. From me to you.”

“I’d be damned to take another gift from you,” she replied, but I waited as she scrutinized me with her eyes. “Well, where is it then?”

A small gust of late spring wind ruffled her unbound hair, distracting me.

Gods, she was divine.

“General, you are about to learn that I have very little patience for people that wake me up from a good dream and waste my time—”

“Follow me.” I started walking through the half-asleep camp, unable to fight a smirk. It wasa gooddream after all. “Pretend that I am kidnapping you since we’re not supposed to see each other before the games,” I whispered to her as we snuck past the camp, towards the forest.

“I don’t have to pretend. Youarekidnapping me,” she sarcastically remarked, though still following me.

“Do you think you’ll win the game today?” I started.

“Oh, nice try, General. I am not going to tell you anything about the games, other than I fully plan on kicking your ass today.”

“I’m looking forward to it.” I chuckled as we followed the familiar trail until we were far enough from the camp that nobody would be able to see us.

“What is this?” she asked as we came out on a little open spot between the trees, where Orest stood with his hands behind his back, observing the five men that were kneeling down. Black bags were covering their heads and their hands were tied behind their backs.

“This is your gift,” I replied, nervously clasping my hands together.

“You’ll have to expand on that…” Her brow rose up in question, eyes examining our prisoners.

“They are yours to kill,” I explained. This was a risk—a calculated one, but a risk nonetheless. “They are much more accurate to test your fire on than Glides, don’t you agree?” I gaged each slight change in her face, watching for any indicator of her disgust, shock, or hatred, but instead, I was met with a hint of surprise and curiosity. The corner of my lips tugged upward.I was right.

Of course, I was. I should never doubt myself.

“Consider this your gift for graduating frommytraining,” I declared. She took a step closer to them.

“Are they Destroyers?” she asked.

“Yes,” I replied, unable to tear my eyes away from her.

“Are they guilty of something?”

“Yes. But does it matter?” I argued. She tilted her head a bit, focusing on one of the captives.

“I accept your gift,” she finally replied, her answer sending a certain thrill through my bones.

Finnleah turned to one of them, pulling the cover off of his head. “Do you think you deserve to die today?” she asked him. And I gave a quick nod to Orest to release his hold on him.

“I’ll fucking kill you, bitch!” the prisoner shouted at her and without a single thought, I blinked, incinerating him immediately. The wind just carrying his ashes away.

She sent me a sharp look.

“I have limits too, Finnleah.” I shrugged in response, feeling no remorse for taking his life.

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