Page 33 of A Simple Truth

“I am glad you asked. I do, actually. In fact, I always have a problem with people that are selfish, clueless, and irresponsible. Endangering not only themselves, but the people I care about. Why don’t you just go marry the General and produce an heir like you are supposed to and stop trying to be something you are not?”

“Ioanna....” Zora angrily hissed.

“Wait, what?” I asked as I looked around the room. But their eyes lowered to the ground. “What did you just say?” I repeated as my eyes pierced Ioanna, immediate regret filling her face.

“Finn…I didn’t mean...I” she retorted quickly. But it was too late.

“Marry the General? Why in the world would I marryhim?” I hissed. My brows furrowed deep as I glared at Gia.She conveniently had to search for something deep within her drawer, refusing to return my look.

I could live with ‘selfish’, but I would no longer remainclueless. My stomach gurgled with threatening sounds, reminding me just how desperately I needed food.

But I needed answers more.

“No? Nobody?Fine.” I turned around and marched back to the tent I had just snuck out from, to find the man I was supposed tomarry.

“Wait!” Zora shouted just a few steps behind, but I ignored her as I stormed into the General’s tent.

“Time to wake up, mybetrothed,” I loudly said, kicking his metal boots.

“You are awake.” He rubbed his eyes as he sat up.

“I have a few questions, General, if you don’t mind,” I fumed.

Marry him?!

Marry. Him?!

Anger seeped through me like water through cracks, but I took another breath. His eyes darted to Zora, who now stood just a step behind me. Whatever silent exchange they had was brief as he calmly proceeded.

“Okay, go ahead.”

“Why...” I had to take another breath through clenched teeth to calm my fury enough to speak. “Why in the world does everyone think…we are tomarry?”

He paused as his eyes moved for a split second to Zora, that little hesitation pissing me off even more.

They were hiding something from me. And Iwasindeedclueless.

Not fucking again…

Yetagain, I trusted people wholeheartedly, and yetagain, I found myself deceived.

“Are you deaf now? Or shall I repeat my question?” I spat, heatedly.

“Finn, the marriage they are talking about is anoldtradition—” He swallowed hard.

“And nobody…nobodyin the whole damn camp cared enough to indulge me? To tell me of anoldtradition that perhaps includesmyfuture?”

“I made the call to not tell you about it,” he explained calmly. “You didn’t even know that you were a Destroyer and you had just found out that we were Rebels. So yes, I made the call to not ask you if you are open to honoring the Destroyers’ tradition of marrying and producing an heir with me on the same day—”

“Well, you made thewrongcall, General,” I interrupted, not caring for whatever pitiful excuses he had. I now felt the drumming powers within me ready to launch at him, at them all. And I guessed he saw it too, as his eyes cautiously stared into mine, his face flashing with subtle thrilling interest.

“The tradition he is talking about…” Zora started, “I…I told you, raw fire is very rare, sorare,that for balance to occur, there is only ever one man and one woman at a time that exist with that magic. They are betrothed to each other to produce an heir. Their bond keeps the magic alive to lead and protect Destroyers with their true raw fire. This tradition has been upheld since the very first Destroyer.” The frazzled Commander finally found the words to speak.

But her words didn’t register in my mind as my thoughts still shouted nonstop.Marry him?! MARRY HIM?!

“It’s a simple tradition, Finn, but one I do not plan to uphold,” the General stated, his tone collected, unfazed, though I didn’t fail to notice the muscle in his jaw twitch.

“Umm…it’s a little more than that…” Zora quietly added behind me, though she stopped as Gideon glared at her. But I no longer cared; the anger within now turned on me.

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