The Alpha's Blind Fate
Chapter 126: Xoli’s Tombstone

Chapter 126: Xoli’s Tombstone

The people seek a vision to prevent a blight.

ZINA

"Fionna?" Zina said, her voice well conveying her shock. She stared at the Red Sister as if trying to search for some familiarity when it was the truth that when she had been acquainted with Fionna, she had been very well blind.

But that didn’t stop her from searching the woman’s face for her deceit, or the fact that this could be a terrible dream.

The Red Sister rolled her eyes as if she found Zina incredibly boring. She was still carrying the porcelain jar in her hands carelessly.

"I guess the fortune teller was onto something. I wouldn’t say you’re at a position that women dream of, but you’re not exactly as you were before Zina WolfKnight."

Zina gasped. "Are you truly Fionna?

"I understand that we weren’t exactly best of friends while growing up, but don’t tell me you’ve forgotten the fact that I joined the Red Sisters."

How could Zina ever forget the fact that Fionna was sent as her replacement.

Zina forced a smile. "It is nice to see you’re well." She said pathetically, groaning the moment the words left her lips. She didn’t believe Fionna would share the sentiment that she had been well. And as expected, the other woman’s reaction was a bland look.

"Now that we’re reacquainted with each other, I trust that you won’t hold past grudges against me. I trust that you would look out for me as the Alpha King’s mate and the revered Theta of the NorthSteed Pack."

Zina forced another smile. One look at how confident and strong Fionna appeared and it was apparent that it was Zina that would be the one that would need her to look out for her.

"How have you been?" Zina asked, genuinely meaning the question. It was true that they weren’t close enough to be asking such questions, but it was also true that Fionna had always been that one person she couldn’t forget no matter how much she tried.

"I was fine until now, Theta," she answered sarcastically, "but I am sure I will be fine once you take this jar off my hands."

Zina startled, having almost forgotten about the jar that Fionna was holding. She collected it, still staring at it wondering what Daemon was giving her. She wondered if he was one of those brutal tyrants that gifted their subordinates the head of their loved ones when said subordinate committed insubordination.

Zina had not taken well to being told that it was his command to sit still in the room throughout the day. Her heat wouldn’t come until that night and she wasn’t going to be caged by some man who carried bloodied women found at the gates in his strong hands.

The moment the bitter words reared its head in Zina’s mind, it dawned on her that despite her nonchalance, she hadn’t been able to shake off Seraph’s words.

Daemon simply wasn’t the kind of man that would carry any woman. That was the very reason why his subordinates existed so Zina was convinced that woman had to mean something more important.

"What’s in the jar?" Zina asked, caressing the intricate designs of the wet fine porcelain jar.

"He said it is the ashes of some man who was escorting you to Ravgid." Fionna said distastefully as if the words were bitter to spit out. Her face was scrunched in a mixture of confusion and disgust like she didn’t understand why Zina would need the ash of some random man. But she also said the name of their former village—Ravgid—with zero emotion that Zina was actually surprised the woman wasn’t showing hate to the place they both came from that treated her like she was nothing.

Aside from that, Zina on her own side was shocked.

Xoli’s ashes.

He had burned the body and kept them for her.

It was such a strange gesture that she didn’t know what to peg it. Affection? Or just his wonderful mind working two steps ahead as it always did.

Regardless, Zina was ecstatic that he would do something like that for her, regardless of his reasons.

"Convey my thanks to him."

Fionna ignored her words, as she announced, "I shall now take my leave." Her hands on her dainty waist, she turned to leave before Zina’s incoming objections could fully form on the tips of her tongue.

What would she say to Fionna though? That she was sorry that she had to be sent to the Red Sisters in her stead? That she was sorry for what she had gone through during the Red Sisters rigorous training?

It was a tad bit too late for such words, so Zina swallowed it down, her eyes taking in the back of the woman clad in bloodied red leather, with her brown hair tied into a ponytail swinging behind her.

She stared at her until she disappeared into the rain.

Fionna was now a Red Sister. She had survived the imitation, and not only did she survive, but she was now a Red Hand at such a young age.

Fionna had survived. At least, blood was still pumping through the woman’s veins.

Sighing, Zina slightly opened the jar to prevent the receding rain from getting inside, and then she scattered some of the ashes against Xoli’s tombstone.

She made a vow to try her best to find any of his family and then deliver the rest of the ashes to them. No matter if he was a rogue or not, he had shown great kindness to a stranger like her.

Thinking about it made her really rethink the fact that she had always believed herself an abandoned one. Perhaps, she wasn’t as abandoned and unloved as she always thought herself of.

She stayed in the rain for a tad bit too long, the water soaking her until all of her was fully drenched. Then she only left when the rain stopped and evening was finally there.

As she left, all her thoughts had morphed into a thousand questions. Questions that she would personally ask Daemon of.