Page 14 of A Broken Promise

“So, girl, do you have magic yet?” he growled, glaring over me.

In all my thoughts and plans of survival, I forgot they thought of me as a Creator.

As a lower tier Creator, I should be able to change colors and shapes, but I couldn’t even stand right now, much less try to perform magic I didn’t have.

“I am so sorry my Lord, but I am still bound by the Magnesium in my blood.” I bowed deeply again, tugging on my leash just a bit. I didn’t drop on my knees for him this time, aware that I wouldn’t beable to get up. My eyes stayed on the ground, breaths shallow and small.

Meek and obedient and a good slave. A slave. That’s who I am,I reminded myself, though images of ripping out my leash and choking them all with my rope flashed through my mind.

“Hell on you, girl.” He scoffed and took a large sip from his golden goblet. His fingers were covered in large heirloom rings. His wine-laced breath reached me as he huffed again and muttered something I couldn’t hear.

The loud knock this time came from the door across from us. I straightened up, keeping my face still as Dimitrii walked in. He angrily glanced over me; my eyes narrowed as I looked back straight at him. My large mark across his cheek was covered up with a bandage. He hid it too well for anyone to notice—anyone but me—as he walked with an almost unnoticeable limp. I forced my mouth still, fighting the corners of my mouth from spreading into a wicked grin at each of his steps. Good, his foot hurt too.

Dimitrii approached Lord Inadios and quickly bowed.

“My Lord, scouts confirm he is approaching with his battalion.”

“How far now?” Lord Inadios didn’t even look at him as he took another sip of his wine.

“He should be here within the hour.”

“I want your best guards stationed in here at all times and send someone into town for the whores for his soldiers. Double down the guards by his room, too. I want to know everything he does and says to anyone.” He barked the orders at Dimitrii.

“Yes, my Lord,” Dimitrii quickly replied and promptly walked out of the room. Lord Inadios unevenly walked up to the pedestal and loudly thumped into the wooden throne. The wine in his cup spilled a little on the bright white fur at his feet, though he didn’t even notice.

“And now we sit and wait for the Lord of the Death to arrive.”

The hour went long, each passing minute harder than the last. My legs felt like they’d filled with lead, and my arms and neck itched at the coarse, tight rope around them.

But that was nothing.

My mind produced its own kind of torture. Thoughts about everything quickly overwhelmed me to the point that it was easier to not think of anything at all; to shut the steel doors in my head. To try and keep the flood of thoughts from drowning me and leaving me in sheer panic. So, I just stood there, motionless, watching specks of dust floating through the air.

My heart ached for the tall, blond man left to survive alone in those steep mountains on the horizon. I needed him more than anything else right now. Involuntarily, my eyes filled up with extra moisture. I swallowed and blinked rapidly. I wouldn’t let myself cry. Not here. Not now. I had to shut Viyak out completely. Forget his kind smile and the messy beard. Forget the veiny, thin forearms that kept me warm at night. Forget the never-ending hopefulness that followed him. I had to forget it all because if I allowed one more thought of him, one more memory of him, I would not be able to endure anymore. I would fall apart.

I bit the inner bottom of my lip hard enough to leave a mark. Pain was grounding me to now, to this stuffy room, to the painful deep breaths.

My heart skipped a beat as the large doors across the room suddenly opened with a loud thud. Lord Inadios's snoring abruptly stopped and he rapidly stood up.

Like crackling thunder after lighting, nine men marched into the throne room. Their steps—a destructive melody—beat in unison. A deathly march.

Destroyer soldiers wore dark gray, almost black armor, covering them from head to toe. Large swords weighted them down around their hips with round shields behind their backs. Their heads were covered with the same armor as their bodies, helms of dark gray molded together to outline and protect their jaws and noses yet opening their faces for clear vision.

As one, they stopped without a single breath, their presence filling up the room. Four men up front followed by four behind, and between them all washim.

The Destroyer General.

As if commanded by a thought, they took a perimeter formation, making way for the Destroyer General to walk past them. Unlike his soldiers, his armor was obsidian black. Darkness so abysmal, it consumed the light around it. Tungsten so rare that only a Destroyer's raw fire could forge it.

He didn’t have a shield; instead, two huge sword hilts peeked out from behind his back. Made from platinum, they shimmered in the morning rays of sun; a shimmer mixed with red glow from the dark, diamond-shaped rubies that topped the sword pommels. The gems’ sharp ends pointed outwards, creating a bloody halo. As if the God of Death himself arrived amidst measly mortals. His long, midnight black cape flowed behind him like a shadow as he approached Lord Inadios.

Blood chilled in my veins and I could feel the entirety of my soul tremble in his presence. The breath itself caught in my lungs, unwilling to let go.

Lord Inadios nervously fidgeted with his fingers and feet, knocking over the wine goblet. The gold metal made a few loud clicks against the stone floor as the cup rolled down the stone pedestal to the Destroyer General’s feet. Lord Inadios chokingly coughed.

Piercing eyes of the General slowly moved from the goblet to Lord Inadios.

A reaper that has come to collect.

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