Page 96 of A Broken Promise

“Because that day on that beach, I looked at your memories. I looked deep inside of you, and you know what I saw? I saw the same craving for survival and the same wish for Death I had. I also saw the kindness and love that I could never feel, and it reminded me of her. And I thought, what would it be like if my baby sister had survived? If we both went along and killed our enemies, if I made you into a perfect little assassin of mine. And for once I could have the family I wanted.”

My heart broke once more with realization.

“The Royal sailor...You orchestrated that Royal sailor to rape me that day in the Port City, didn’t you,” I stated, my chest squeezing tighter.

Priya rolled her eyes at me.

“He was never going to rape you, Freckles. But I think you would agree that you needed a little push.”

My mouth opened then closed, unable to say the things I needed.

“You are going to leave me, aren’t you?” Priya said, turning to me. “You are going to leave. Me,” she said, her voice filled with betrayal and sadness.

“I have to find them, Priya. I promised.”

Priya’s face slashed with bitterness.

“Oh, just like you promised Viyak that you’ll come back for him? Or just like you’ve promised to kill the Destroyer General? Or how would your dead elven maid feel about your promise to live a better life when you are signing off on your own death by joining the Rebels? And for what?A hope for a better world? There is no such thing!” she snarled. Each word filled with poison.

Like a whip, her words ripped the pieces of my soul. I didn’t bother asking how she knew all about those promises. About things I never told her, things I never told anyone.

Things that haunted my soul every day.

“That is exactly why I am doing that,” I fought back. I was broken and beaten. So damned defeated, but I would fight back for the only thing I had left. “The world might not be a better world. Buthope; hope is what I am fighting for. I’ve lived my life ignorant, unaware, onthe sidelines for too damn long, and now I have a chance to make a difference. You have a chance too, Priya.”

“Leave,” Priya commanded as she pointed to the door, her face flashed with anger and hate. “Leave andnevercome back.” I didn’t move until she pulled both of her daggers out. I pulled mine but I wouldn’t fight her. No, I couldn’t do it.

She closed the space between us, and I tightened the grip on my dagger. Now just a few inches away from my face, she uttered.

“I cared for you, Finn. Despite it all, I reallyreallycared for you. I thought we were meant to be sisters. I thought we would be a family. But now...Now, I see that I was wrong. I could never be sisters with some elven raised trash. I could never be family with someone who doesn’t even know what that means. I did everything for you, but it turns out you are just an ungrateful pig.” She narrowed her eyes on me. “Go and never come back because if I see you again, I will not just alter your memories but make your life a living nightmare and you will wish you’d never escaped from the Destroyers.”

My mind was silent, as if it had completely abandoned me today. Maybe it made me a coward, but I wasn’t going to question Priya’s intentions. I wasn’t going to wait for her to deliver on her threat. I pushed the door open. The freezing cold air should’ve frosted my lungs, but all I felt was numb.

I stopped in the door frame to give her a last glance.

My friend, my family, and yet also my oppressor and captor.

“Priya,” I whispered. My only goodbye.

“Goodbye, Freckles.”

47

The heavy silver clouds bathed in the moonlight above me. My hands were freezing in the winter air. I ran.

I ran towards the familiar golden gates; towards the house I called home for so long.

Priya’s goodbye still rang in my mind loud and clear with each step I took. The ball, explosions, Kahors, Rebels, Inadios, capture, escape, Priya, and so, so much death. It felt as if my soul couldn’t take it anymore. Yet I ran on, biting my cheek occasionally to stop tears from flowing.

The warm house and the welcoming lights embraced me as I walked up familiar stairs. I fought the urge to fall down on the couch, to close my eyes and hope that today was just one of my dreams, my nightmares, to rest just for a minute from the complete exhaustion I was debilitated with, but I had to go, and I had to go now.

I scrubbed my frozen blood-covered hands until they were almost raw, washing off the mix of make-up and blood off my face and rinsing off my hair from the Kahor’s stench, tying my hair into a tight ponytail.

I quickly changed into the leathers, grabbed all the money I had and threw on my winter cloak. I zipped up my leather boots, puttingthe daggers and pins into them. I threw my shoulder bag on, stuffing in a few provisions. I put Kaius's ring on the same chain holding Tuluma’s amulet and hid it well under my leathers. Heart Piercer was now securely stored within reach and a large Basalt Glass arrow hid well under my cloak.

I took the little present I got for Priya and left it in the laboratory with a note. A note that said to come find me when she was ready to talk.

I would welcome her back. I would forgive her.

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