The Savior's Throne

Chapter Four

"I don't believe you." I truly cannot comprehend what she's telling me. Not the only ungifted child in the world? She has to be lying-there's no other option.

"Look at everyone in this room-besides me of course-and tell me you don't feel a certain connection to them. Look into each of their eyes-they're all as unnatural as yours." I shake my head and purposely keep my gaze locked on hers. "Are you telling me that everyone in this room is ungifted? Why, because they have unnatural eyes? Do you truly expect me to believe you based on that argument alone?"

"Do you know what your eyes represent?"

"I didn't know they represented anything." I say, honestly.

"Emerald eyes represent Earth, silver eyes represent Air, ruby eyes represent Fire, and gold eyes represent Water." They're all connected to the Gods. I stifle a gasp of surprise. Emerald equals the Eastern God, also known as, The God of Earth. Silver equals the Western God, also known as, The God of Air. Ruby equals the Southern God, also known as, The God of Fire. And Finally, Gold. Gold represents the Northern God, also known as, The God of Water.

"Your point?" I ask, trying for a detached tone.

"Somehow, the Ungifteds are connected to the Gods. We don't know how or why, but the connection is there."

"If all this is true, how do you explain your eyes?" Tulsa's eyes are a dull brown, a completely human color.

"I never said I was an Ungifted, did I?"

"No, you did not, but here's the thing; I don't know what your cause is or why you want me to join, but I still don't believe you. There's no way Sahil would lie about the prophecy. Everyone in the palace believes it to be true, I think I would have noticed if they were all lying to me."

"I told you, she's never going to believe us."

"Arlo, please, not now." Tulsa scolds the young man next to me. So my kidnapper has a name and it is Arlo.

"Then when?" He asks.

"How about instead of talking back to me, you try to convince her you are ungifted."

"And how do you suppose I do that?" Arlo asks. My head swivels back and forth between Tulsa and Arlo.

"Well, how did find out that you weren't the only Ungifted?" The question makes Arlo shut down and his voice is emotionless, "You know how."

A stricken look passes Tulsa's face, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned it."

He ignores her and looks at me, "Look, I don't know how to erase all the lies you've been told your whole life, but Tulsa's telling the truth. I am ungifted and my eighteenth birthday was last year." My jaw drops and my head shakes furiously.

"No." I stand up, "no." I can't seem to say anything else. There's no way Sahil would've killed me over a lie. I race out of the room and shouts follow me down the hallway.

I turn down a random tunnel and run right into someone. "I'm so sorry," I stutter. I look up to see that I've run into Winn.

"I knew I'd see you again." He smiles wide, "How did your meeting go?"

I grasp his shirt, "What is your Gift, please tell me."

Winn's eyes flick to the right and then to the left, "Um, I don't have a Gift." His face doesn't betray him, so he's either a good liar or he's telling the truth.