Page 55 of A Broken Promise

I didn’t even realize that the rain had already stopped, and now just the utter quietness of the late autumn night rocked me to sleep. Maybe I was pathetic to pleasure myself at the thought of my dead lover, but I was too tired to care as I closed my eyes and fell deep into my sleep.

29

Iran my fingers down his strong, muscled back. There were so many scars. I never noticed those scars before. I pressed my fingers deeper into his sun-kissed skin, massaging my way up. He released a soft groan and I bit on my lip, my insides melting at the sound. I raised my eyes to the back of his head. The dark brown hair was perfectly cut on the sides, thick and slightly ruffled on the top. I stiffened at the need to run my fingers through his hair, to lower my lips down to his now exposed strong back. Oh gods, and that smell of him. The scent of the fresh pine and smoke. So familiar, so beckoning. Gods, to hell with them all. I should let go of the restraints that I had been holding onto forever. Forget it all, for a small taste of him. I tucked my loose, long strand of hair behind my ear as I inched closer, until my lips were just a breath away from the curve of his neck. My hands paused as I lowered my lips, gently caressing them against his warm skin, one and then another and another. Our breathing heavily intertwined, bodies heating up with undeniable desire.

“Finn...”That voice…hisvoice.

I silently gasped, waking up completely disturbed, desperate for air. My eyes were wide open. Dawn was creeping in through the window.

I immediately sat up, my breathing uneven, my body still shaking at the voice of the Destroyer General echoing deep in my mind.

His voice.

My name.

Finn.

I rubbed my face with both of my hands. A twisted and cruel nightmare. I forced my thoughts to look for a reason, an explanation to the twisted way my conscience turned on me.

“It’s a stupid dream. This is what I get for making a murder list and finding release the same night,” I said out loud, trying to sound convincing.

Yet the lingering feeling of his voice, his scent, the taste of his skin on my lips sent my body into complete overdrive.

“Hell. This is an utter piece of hell,” I muttered to myself as I washed my face in the cold water. The cold water on my face was of no help to my frenzied body. Fine, cold bath it is, then.

If these dreams don’t stop, I am going to have to knock myself out with one of Priya's potions, I decided.

30

The warm, late autumn sun was welcoming the ever-rushing city residents. The still, chill air was the only reminder of last night’s pouring rain. The smell of pastries and coffee greeted us as we walked past the small shops of Svitar.

“Gods, these beignets are going to be the death of me,” Priya moaned as she threw another piece of fried pastry in her mouth. It wasn’t long into our walk before she pulled out the snacks Ratika had packed for her.

I should’ve known better than to think Priya would wait even an extra day, even an extra hour, before heading out far into the Royal lands to kill Bornea Miteno.

“It could be weeks’ worth of journey though,” I said to her when she’d barged in bright and early that morning. With winter quickly approaching, I wasn’t sure Priya was aware how far deep in the gods’ forgotten lands we were going. It could take us months to find him. To which she snarkily commented, “That’s why I am bringing my laundry girl with me.”

Now packed, we were walking on the busy streets of Svitar. My eyes were still glued to the utmost beauty and luxury of the city. It would never stop to amaze me. Every day I was out, each ancient streetI walked, it imprinted forever in my mind. The intricate details, the neatness of architecture and contrast, the never-ending variety of colors perched up in small pots and flower beds along the walking path. It was breathtaking.

“Shit,” Priya swore. I turned my head to her and burst out laughing. Powdered sugar from her accidently dropped pastry now spattered on her dark brown suit, landing straight onto her crotch and leaving a bright white, round mark on it. “You laugh all you want, but let’s just hope you know how to get powdered sugar out of these leathers,” she sneered as she tried to shake off the remaining sugar from her suit and fingers.

I laughed while sneaking one of the beignets for me as well.

“Where are we going anyway?” I said as we were approaching the oldest part of the city, the Motra’s Square.

“I have to talk to some people before we head out.”

We approached a grand building straight across from a giant fountain portraying Destroyers on horses, with their swords and burning arrows pointed forward. Water droplets now turned like glitter, covering the sculpture. Though made from real gold, I secretly wished it would rust.

“This way.” She motioned to the small alley leading to the back. My heart sank in slight disappointment as we stepped into a poorly lit alley instead of the main entrance to the grand building. Even in the morning daylight, the shadows covered our steps and the temperature dropped noticeably thanks to the icy rock.

Without knocking, Priya walked in through a smaller black door. The carved stone steps were slightly more worn out as I took each step down the curved, sharp angled staircase.

A large open room welcomed us. A restaurant of sorts, I thought at first, with round tables and nice dark chairs, yet further down, a spacious platform surrounded by gold lounge couches. A stage.

Even with large chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, the room's lighting was dimmed. I followed Priya to the long, dark, cherry wood bar.

“We are closed,” a smooth male voice shouted from the shadows.

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