Page 126 of A Rising Hope

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ZORA

Ipaused on the threshold of the familiar tent. My hand hovered in the air, wishing for a door to knock on loudly, to warn them of my presence.

“Just go in, Zora,” Orest encouraged as he leaned against the make shift armory across from the tent entrance, his spellbinding face hidden in the shadows.

“I don’t know what to say to them . . . ” There wasn’t much Icouldsay that would fix what I had broken.

“Then don’t say anything, but you need to face them at some point,” he reasoned, his voice soothing, calming the wild winds in me. “Go. I will be waiting for you here.”

I chewed on my lip, nodding. After inhaling sharply, I stepped into the aged canvas tent.

The Ten, or what was left of them, were gathered here.

Quiet and grim as they lounged on their cots. The brisk conversations that loitered the air quickly died at my unannounced appearance.

The sudden onset of silence and the clearly vacant spots where a few more cots should’ve been crippled me. The air in mylungs felt like a thousand needles pricking me, my world became unbearable.

“I . . . am so sorry,” I managed to say, rapidly blinking away the tears that were overpowering me as I looked at the stilled faces of Cori, Tori, Yanush, Ioanna, Lulu, Motra and Ashe. Their gazes pierced me.

The Ten didn’t reply. So I stood frozen, lost to my guilt as it cruelly tore through me.

I deserve this, I shouted to myself.

“I am truly sorry,” I whispered again. I twisted on my heels, ready to leave. I would’ve run for the exit had my legs not felt like they weighted a thousand pounds. But before I could even take a step, Cori stood up, running up to me, and embracing me in a tight hug before dropping her head on my shoulder as tears poured out of her.

Then, one by one, each of them joined in and did the same. All embracing together. This time I didn’t fight the tears as all of us wept and set our grief free.

Nobody spoke a word because the words could not describe the hurt we shared, bonded by the burden of survival and loss.

And as we cried until every single tear ran dry, a new bond was formed—all united in the honor to stand to the very last day carrying the memories of those we lost.

Because Gia might have been gone, but she would never be forgotten.

Every single one of us would ensure the world would always remember the loving female warrior who dedicated her life to brightening the lives of others, even on the darkest of days.

“I know I have no right coming here and asking this of you. Nor do I expect you to want to follow me.” My raspy voice settled in the quieted room. “But if you are still willing to fight alongside me this last time, I have an idea?—”

“Does it include killing the Destroyer bastards that killed Gia?” Ashe clenched her jaw.

“Yes.”

“Then I am in,” she declared.

“Me too.” Tori sniffled near me, wiping her flushed cheeks.

“I am in.”

One by one, each one of them agreed. A hard lump stuck in my throat as they swore to follow me.

“Thank you,” I mumbled.

“What’s the plan, Commander?” Motra patted me on my shoulder, giving me a small smile.

I looked around the room, overtaken by their determined looks. Pride, grief, loss, joy all mixed together in my heart.

“How well can you see in the dark?”

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