The Wrath of Zeroes (Roanun Series #1)

Chapter 7

"Who were those?" Neyra shouted at the Commander as she was going down her griffin. She patted pits back and it flew towards its stables.

The Commander was sliding his hand back and forth to his griffin. It leaned on his touch. He let it flew when she neared, its flapping wings brought wind in her hair.

"Who were those?" Neyra repeated, more demanding this time.

The words of that white-haired man ringed her ear all the way back to the castle. Do you even know what you're fighting for? The man looked at her with amusement. As if she's a toy inside a caged pen.

Tinalikuran siya ng komandante. Mas lalong namuo ang init ng kanyang ulo sa ginawa nito kaya naman padabog niyang sinundan niya ito.

"No one that you should–"

"No one that I should know." she spatted. The Commander stopped and faced her again. "No one I should know. Nothing I should know. Nothing!"

"Tungkol saan ba ito, Neyra?" tanong ni Kane. "You'll get your answers soon enough." Umakma itong aalis.

"Hindi!" sigaw niya dahilan para bumaling muli si Kane. "I want my answers right this moment."

Bumaling si Kane sa kanya. Nasa mukha parin nito ang galit na mayroon siya kanina pa sa daan nila pabalik. Sa kanyang obserbasyon, ilang daplis rin ng mga pana ang tumama sa komandante galing sa babaeng kanyang nakalaban noong nawala ito sa kanyang poste.

"I am your Commander." Kane stepped forward.

"And I am a what? Your soldier?" demanda niya. "You expect me to march into a tavern, do your bidding, fight someone I do not know, risk my very life for you–"

"For the Crown." Kane cut her off with gritted teeth.

Kinuha niya ang nakabilot na mapa sa loob ng kanyang paunang pantaas at binato iyon kay Kane. "For this map? The map of the world?!"

"As always, Stormburn, you have no idea by the words that come out from that mouth of yours." Kane pocketed the map.

"Your fault entirely." she said. "You march your soldiers to battle without a principle holding them down. You expect them to fight your battles but you wouldn't even tell them the reason they're risking their life. You test people, as if any minute they'd disappoint you. Well, guess what, Commander?" she spatted, the last word more of a curse than a title. She went toe to toe for him. "I was made to disappoint people."

She marched passed the Captain of the Guard. He caught her arm, making her shoulder reach his chest.

"I'm in dept of the help you've been, Neyra." sambit nito. "Pero kailangan mo kong pagkatiwalaan. Wala ako sa posisyong sabihin sa'yo ang kahit ano."

Ramdam niya ang pag-angat at pagbaba ng dibdib ng komandante sa paghinga nito. Hatik na siyang matulala upang panuorin ito kung hindi niya pinipigilan ang sarili.

"So let's finish it here. Right here, right now." she said. "Sabihin mo sakin ano ang huli mong kailangang ipagawa. Gagawin ko. I'm a Zero from the day you took me from the South. I can't fight a battle blindly all my life."

"It wouldn't be all your life." ani Kane at binitawan siya ng dahan-dahan. "A little trust for your Kingdom, Neyra."

"You don't call me by my name." Neyra uttered.

Kane's dark brown eyes fell on her face. "No."

"No?"

"No." Kane answered.