Page 85 of A Broken Promise

“I don’t know. Usually, you have to behead them completely,” he said, walking through the door into the hall. The blood running through his fingers slowed down, almost stopping, though his jacket was thoroughly soaked with it.

I hesitated for a second but then quickly drew another dagger out and severed the Kahor’s head, choking as I sliced through the rotten tissue and cartilage until its head rolled away. Only then did I rip out Heart Piercer and rush out of the room. The rebel was already a few strides ahead. I took a step towards him but then hesitated.

I glanced at the two ends of the hall, both dark and empty.

Unsure. I was so damn unsure of which path to take.

“Are you coming?” he finally asked, breaking the silence. His voice echoed through the darkness. I didn’t reply and he took another slow step further away. His body dizzy from the movement.

Are you coming?His invitation hung heavy in the air.

Such an easy question to ask and such a difficult one to answer.

Are you joining the cause?

Are you joining the Rebels?

Am I?

I felt that strongYesbefore my mind could even create a thought. As if Fate herself stood there, pushing me to follow him. To follow a stranger into the dark.

I glanced towards the rebel, now only a mere shadow down the path.

“To hell with reason,” I whispered to myself, dismissing my last doubts as I quickly closed the distance between us.

43

He swayed and I wrapped his arm around my shoulder, using myself as a crutch.

“Thank you,” he said as he heavily blinked, but continued on walking, without letting go of my shoulder.

“Where are we going?” I whispered as we made our way further into the castle, all of it so poorly lit I could barely make it past the large tapestry and wood carved walls.

“Once we get to the stairs, there is a secret passage under the stairwell behind the sunflower painting. It will lead through the sewers and then there will be a boat waiting for me.”

“Okay,” I said as he slowed down even more, each step harder than the last.

Stairs, sunflower painting, sewers and a boat. I repeated the directions in my head as if a key to a password.

The man wavered again, almost blacking out.

“Hey.” I tugged on his jacket, pulling him back. He shivered but straightened up. He was getting colder by the second.

We had to hurry now.

We had crossed yet another large hall, leaving behind the only lit up space we had. Though completely swallowed by the darkness now,the rebel led us through as if he knew every step like the back of his hand.

He stopped to take a heavy breath.

I stayed quiet, unsure of what to say. He was a stranger and I had saved his life from the Kahor, only for Death to demand it back.

“Almost there,” he whispered; more for himself than me.

The loud canine barking sliced my ears. My heart panicked as I quickly drew a dagger, anticipating the inevitable attack.

A second later, a large fluffy animal crashed into us. Yet instead of devouring us, the dog was crying and licking and whacking us with its long tail, unable to stay still.

“Hey Gera. Hey, hey, hey girl.” The rebel dropped to his knees, letting go of my arm as he hugged the dog and petted her without a stop. The dog barked again and again as if she was talking to him, complaining, yet her body was unable to stay still, overtaken with excitement and pure joy. He, as if understanding, talked with her.

---