Page 76 of A Simple Truth

“We are slowly running out of time, Gideon. My connections mentioned that Insanaria is growing desperate. There have been more and more kidnappings, deaths with nothing but the rotting corpses found later. Not even Magic Wielders at this point,” Lord De Villiar grumped. “The refugee camps are filling up; people are becoming restless. We are managing as much as we can, but soon, there will be a time when that will not be enough. The population is growing too big to hide them on the island forever.”

“Have they acclimatized to magic? I can send a few Creators to help build things faster,” Petunia suggested.

“Some are doing better than others. We can try, I suppose.”

“I’ll send a few Destroyers to accompany. Hopefully, we will avoid an incident like the last one,” Orest stated. Petunia nodded, smiling at him in return. Zora snarled, clearly displeased, though turned to me.

“When are we going to war, Gideon, that’s what my fellow counterparts are trying to ask.” Zora glared at the silent council.

“My uncle had one piece of wisdom he deliberately taught me about wars. You need to have won the war before you even start the fighting. And we are not there yet.” I narrowed my eyes at the empty space at the council desk, somehow remembering the first day Finn arrived, as she attempted to kill me even then, and a little smile crept up to my lips.

This meeting had gone on long enough, or I had just simply ran out of patience, caving-in to the insatiable desire to be near Finnleah.

“The winds of war will be here sooner than we think. Gather your strength and finish the preparations.” I motioned, dismissing the meeting, already stepping out of the tent. My eyes eagerly scanned the crowds for those green eyes,disappointment filling me when I didn’t see her. Zora and Orest followed a step behind me as I made my way through the camp.

“It has come to my knowledge that Insanaria has been using the East Hold for some of her better-defined creatures, so I am planning on visiting the fortress,” I told Zora and Orest with a hushed voice.

“On what grounds?” Zora asked, her tone laced with concern.

“There has recently been a failed assassination attempt on Hosam and his second, done by none other than Andrias’s soldiers. Hosam requested me to handle the situation discreetly.”

“Gods, I thought we were only talking about it. You already did it?!” Zora clenched her jaw and shot fiery glares to Orest and me.

“Ipersonallydidn’t do anything.” I sent her a sly smile; one she didn’t like. But I understood her fretfulness as I casually added, “My second is fully capable of deciding for himself, Zora.” Orest let out a heavy sigh as Commander and I glared at each other, silently arguing.

“If you two are done exchanging in a pointless conversation about me, I’d like to let you know that my spies said they’ve kept them as prisoners. So, we will need to take care of that sooner rather than later,” Orest continued cautiously.

“Sounds like a giant mess,” Zora said angrily.

“Interesting…” I paused, my brain untangling the plans. “Actually, that works to our advantage. Perhaps we can see just how lethal those creatures are. Though, it is a rather surprising move to keep traitors alive…Orest, I think it’s time we check in on our friends in the East.”

Orest nodded, already marching off to his task, Zora’s black eyes trailing his tall, mighty figure.

“He is barely twenty, Gideon! I think sometimes you forget that.”

“He is wiser than both of us, Zora. And if you are too blind to see it, then that’s on you, not me.”

My cousin folded her arms but didn’t argue. My eyes darted between a few female soldiers walking out of one of the tents, disappointment lining features of my face as I didn’t see Finn.

“She left to do laundry last time I saw her.” Zora rolled her eyes as I nodded appreciatively, already making my way to the forest.

46

FINNLEAH

The 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.

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