The Truth About Cinder by Alta Hensley

Author:Alta Hensley [Hensley, Alta]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-09-16T18:30:00+00:00

17

The brutal sun baked the skin on their backs as they trekked through the utter ruins of a world squeezed dry. Cinder held her arm at her brow, bathed in sweat, shielding her face from the sun. She locked her eyes on Donte's flapping leather jacket, which was covered in streaks of dried blood. To her, he struck a gut feeling she couldn't quite put into words. Somehow, she just knew everything would be all right.

Donte led the crew, his gleaming sword dangling from his belt. In his hand, he twirled a dagger around between his fingers. Cinder's eyes narrowed in on the way his dark hair rested on his tanned neck. It curled slightly at the ends and shone brightly under the sun's rays. He had several days' worth of facial hair, which only added to his rugged, mysterious allure.

Ever since they’d started the journey, he walked beside her horse, but never said a word. She couldn't take the silence any longer.

"Are we heading back to the Palace of Lazar?"

Donte gurgled water in his mouth, then swallowed. "The palace was captured by Jaden." His words were like a punch to the gut. "We have another commune set up until we build up our forces and take the palace back."

"What about everyone else? The rest of the girls? Are they okay?" She was scared to ask the question. Scared of what the answer might be, but she had to know.

Donte placed the dagger he had been playing with back in its sheath. "Some are. Some lost their lives. We will know more when we all gather at Casen."

"Casen?"

"It’s the commune we’ve been preparing for quite some time. It’s always been our back up plan if something were to happen to the Palace of Lazar. It’s in no way as nice as Lazar, but it will provide us with what we need for now." Donte's eyes gazed at the mottle of violet bruises covering her pale skin, making her self-conscious of her faded beauty. "We’ll be able to provide medical care to those who need it as well as food, water and shelter."

A dry wind blew loose strands of her filthy hair. "Will Jaden come for us there?" Tears filled her eyes.

Donte drifted much closer to her side. "Eventually, I’m sure. But I promise you that if they do, we will be ready this time. Vengeance will be ours."

She gazed at the rough cracked skin on Donte's hands. "Are we at war? I remember hearing stories as a child… of great wars with no winners."

"There will be a winner in this one." His voice, so low and cool in tone, sent a shiver through her body.

"I'm scared." She couldn't hold back the tears any longer. Her cherished palace was gone and she was no more than a desert nomad, walking the wasted dunes, one day at a time.

Again.

Her fairytale no more.

Or did she ever truly have the fairytale?

Her dream had been shattered and now, with the thought of war, her nightmare of an existence had returned.

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