Page 23 of A Broken Promise

Ignoring the harsh reality, I barricaded myself deep in the flood of thoughts and memories. Hiding behind the small bushes I used to hide from Tuluma, or to the little streams where she and I fished. Or the elvish chess that we played each night for hours, or the wild dances that we did for Nymphs, or the ballads that Tuluma sang late at night as we watched the Starfall.

Brita pulled down the small, sheer nightgown on my body. The silky straps rested awkwardly on my scrawny shoulders. She brushed my hair gently and bandaged up my wrists.

“Okay dear, my job here is done,” Brita said as she cupped my face with her warm hands. Her eyes silently wished me luck as she scooped up the ruined pink dress with one hand, holding the bowl and ointment in the other, and walked out quickly, glancing at me just once more before shutting the door behind her.

I pulled the heavy blankets up to my shoulders and waited. Each time steps sounded in the hallway, my muscles tensed, each noise setting me off.

Waiting for minutes at first, and then hours.

Hourshad passed, and yet the Destroyer General was nowhere tobe found. Broderick soon left the room, leaving only Orest standing by the door, still just occasionally glancing over me.

I looked to the side, avoiding his gaze. Something about his presence was so soothing, yet I was quite aware that while he looked gentle, he was just as deadly as any of them.

“I need to use the bathroom,” I said, glancing over my bandages, wondering what kind of scars those burns would leave.

“It’s all yours.” He gestured with his hand to the door right next to him leading to the bathroom. I tried to move as gracefully and pridefully as I could, but my broken body humbled me with each step as nausea rode up and my vision blurred. I finally reached the bathroom door, only a step away from the soldier.

Only up this close did I notice his eyes. They were deep gray with a purple hue around his iris. So unique, so beautiful. His eyes dropped below my neck. Though my body was exposed, it wasn’t the look of a lusting man; his face still irradiated all-encompassing comfort. I almost made it to the bathroom as his strong hand grabbed my forearm.

“Who did this to you?” he firmly asked.

“Your General,” I bitterly said. Rather ironic, I thought of him to ask. He still didn’t let go. Irritably, I looked at him from underneath my brows.

“No, I mean the bruises and your scars?” He pointed with his eyes to my exposed midsection and legs covered in large dark bruises.

“Does it matter?” I jerked my hand out of his grip.

“It’s not an answer, Finn,” was all he said without letting me go. “Who?”

“Life,” I replied, jolting my arm again. He didn’t let go.

“I will let go once you tell me,” he insisted.

“Not that it matters, but one of the Royal guards. Dimitrii,” I said. “Now can I go, or should I relieve myself right here?” My body tensed but with an apologetic nod, he released my arm.

I stepped into the bathroom.

“Door needs to stay open,” he said, his voice calm. And maybe it was the compassion in his voice or the bare and broken reflection ofme in the mirror, but I was crumbling, disappearing with each breath, replaced by hopeless burn out.

Breaking down, I walked back to the blankets. The bed was still warm when I came back. Wrapped like a cocoon, I stared at the ceiling. Loud silence was the only lullaby for me, time becoming obsolete.

After a while I finally broke the quietness.

“What is your name?”

“Orest,” he replied. But I already knew that.

“That’s an odd name,” I dryly said.

“Thanks,” he replied with a gentle smile. I chuckled to myself. I was so utterly tired. Unable to fight the exhaustion, I opened my mouth in a large yawn.

“You should sleep, Finn,” Orest said.

I was going to object, to tell him that I wouldn’t let the General catch me off guard, that I could never fall asleep knowing whose bed I was in tonight. But those thoughts dissolved into nothingness as Orest dimmed the lights further until darkness took over the room.

“Sleep,” he whispered, extinguishing the last light and letting the darkness drift me deep into slumber.

11

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