Page 97 of A Simple Truth

“Yeah,” I replied, lying back down on my sweat-soaked pillow. “Just nerves before our game tomorrow, I guess.”

“Yeah, I remember my first game; I was terrified, but turns out, it’s actually a lot of fun,” Gia encouragingly said. “You’ll do great, Finn, I’m sure of it.”

“Thanks, Gia.” I nodded, closing my eyes, attempting to fall back asleep. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t.

I couldn’t even keep my eyes closed, as Viyak’s starved figure appeared behind each blink. His broken voice still echoed in my ears, haunting me.

I pulled the blankets tight over my shoulders, staring at the canvas walls of our tent. The long breaths I forced myself to take did absolutely nothing to calm my anxious mind.

I’d been out of the Rock Quarries for over a year.

A year of my freedom.

And another year of his slavery.

Was he still alive?

Was he holding on to the broken promise I had made?

I glanced over the large, sand clock on Cass’s nightstand. The little grains of sand were just like water, always running, always going, until there was none left.

The little tear quietly slid down my cheek as my heart cleaved in pieces as the realization of what I had to do fully settled within me.

I was never meant to stay here.

My eyes traitorously slid to my drawer, to the small stack of letters neatly tucked inside. And I fought back the painful, tear-filled shrugs. Despite the lies I kept telling myself, I really cared for the man whose name was inked on those papers; who had written to me every day, morning and night.

I cared for him.

And yet, how could I ever stay, knowing that there, amidst the dusty walls of rock quarries, Viyak was dying bit by bit each day? How could I stay and be happy knowing that I had the power to save him, but didn’t even try?

Priya once said,Life is cruel and unfair. We don’t get to pick and choose what it throws at us.

And she was right.

I wiped away the tears from my cheek as I turned my face up to the ceiling.

How could I stay?I kept asking myself, my mind trying to find any plausible excuse. But I had long run out of those.

How could I stay?

I couldn’t.

Not anymore.

61

FINNLEAH

“Defense is a lot easier than offense. So, we better get that stupid flag,” Ashe snarled near me as she locked in the last piece of her armor. Their protection was quite different than the typical Destroyer soldier; instead of solid, heavy metal it was leather, woven together with small, tungsten plates, almost like leather-woven scales. I adjusted in my spot, anxiously cracking my fingers.

I had seen every game leading to the Finals. We had practiced every single day too, learning strategy and game plan until it was muscle memory.

And yet, somehow it was not as comforting as I had hoped it would be, now that I stood on the threshold leading to the arena.

The Finals had three rounds. The winning league against the Ten.

Today was the first one; the easiest one of them all.

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