Page 12 of A Broken Promise

“Oh dear, what happened to you?!” she exclaimed, touching my pale forehead.

My eyes were still closed. My head throbbed with pain, making me nauseous even at the thought of conjuring a solid sentence.

“Dimitrii,” was all I could summon myself to reply withmy parched mouth.

“Oh no. I am so sorry. I should've known, dear. He is such a nasty man,” she said, her voice full of pity.

I was frankly too tired and too beat up to deal with her constant apologies and pity for me.

“Let’s get you cleaned up, dear,” she softly said, trying to peel the blood-dried hairs away from my face.

I should’ve been more grateful for her; should have appreciated her kindness. But the truth was that all that kindness and sympathy didn’t change the fact that she was still preparing me for slaughter.

I refused to open my eyes, pretty sure I’d puke if I did, so I just sat motionless as she gently patted away at my face with a wet washcloth.

“The dress will be a little tricky since it has a corset in it, my dear,” Brita said as she touched my bruised stomach.

I opened my eyes at that, sharp and feral. She nodded in understanding.

“Well, on second thought, maybe we can find you a different dress for today.” Her soft smile was interrupted by my stomach loudly gurgling. “Maybe I can get you a snack as well from the kitchens,” she replied, walking out of the room.

I sat still, allowing myself only shallow breaths to avoid the sharp pain. After a while, Brita came back with a small broom, a new dress, and a plate full of food.

My mouth watered, though the queasiness wouldn’t budge.

The plate was loaded to the brim. Some things I had only seen in pictures, and some things I never even knew existed, yet the smell and flavor floating in the air made my mouth water so much it almost drowned me.

I was in dire need of more nourishment and strength.

Think about dying later. First, eat and fully gorge in this deliciousness,I told myself as I hungrily took a second look at the food—so much of it.

“Here is the best breakfast of the year for you.” Brita smiled widely. “Lord Inadios always throws the biggest feast for the Destroyer General, no matter the time of the year he comes. Once he came to visit during the deep of the winter and famine, and Lord Inadios sentservants all the way across Esnox to the Desolate Desert to bring the most unique and exquisite treats. Servants are never invited or included in the feasts, but we always get leftovers.” She extended her hand to help me get up. I held on tight, grinding my teeth as I stood up. “And usually, there is plenty because unlike you—” She paused and giggled a little as I unapologetically stuffed my face a second later. “The Destroyer General is extremely picky and will only eat the best of the best.”

I raised my eyebrows just slightly. My eyes looked at Brita with surprise that this might not bethe best of the best? It couldn’t have been, because this… All this food, this was heaven. I didn’t have time for words. I was going to puke, I realized. I knew it, but I just couldn’t stop. My stomach hurt so much but I shoved another creampuff into my mouth, another bite of ham. At some point, I was pretty sure I stopped chewing and just started swallowing the food whole. It was too good. If I’d died right in this second, I would be okay with it, I decided. My brain was high on the flavors and sugars, and if I ignored the world for just a little bit, I could swear I felt pure joy.

Panting and sweating, I finished up my plate. Brita stood by me the entire time, just snacking on a few purple grapes. When I finally paused and took a deep breath, she turned to me, looking slightly concerned.

“You look like you are going to throw up, my dear.” I simply nodded. Maybe. In fact, I was thinking the same thing, but talking or even opening my mouth might provoke the food to come back, so I just slightly nodded. Jitters slowly eased with the sugars flowing back in my veins, and the mind haze was clearing up.

“You need to slow down, or you’ll choke.” She smiled. “After you are done with that, we will get you dressed and then...” Brita paused, lowering her eyes. Hesitant.

The grim reality slithered through me as we both thought about the rest of the day. I wanted to be dramatic and call it my very last day, but that felt more like gambling with Fate.

No, I knew for a fact I was going to die.

But I was not naïve enough to think I would die today. Or die fast.

I heard enough rumors; I had experienced the destruction they bring.

The uncertainty was never more certain I was going to die a slow, torturous death.

I rubbed a small scar on my wrist, asking myself if I was wrong about the choice I had made some many moons ago.

There was never going to be a peaceful end for me.

Something in me ached at the thought of that.

Maybe I’d used all my luck as a kid, for not dying from the rampant diseases or not freezing in the dead of the night in the fall, or getting a small bump instead of breaking my neck that one time I fell off a tree. I guess I had been running out of my good fortune for a while now, and the time has come to pay up.

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