The Savior's Throne

Chapter Twenty Five

I've gone to all the meetings and I've listened to everyone who had something to say and now it's time for the trials to begin. I sit on a chair elevated above everyone else's and stare down at the prisoner before me. The chair I'm seated in is embodied with jewels and lavishing etchings of the Gods. It almost reminds me of a mini throne.

Trials are conducted on the third floor below the surface, one floor above the dungeons. The walls remain undecorated and are a pale grey cement. There are guards who line up against all four walls-Gifted and Ungifted. Below my platform is where the prisoner stands and as requested, Kai is the one who stands before me, the first prisoner to go through a trial.

Several men guard him and even more stand off to the side-a precaution if anything goes wrong. My skin tingles at the thought of anything going wrong. I look into Kai's eyes and they seethe with trouble. I haven't spoken to him since I had him sent to the dungeon and now my voice rings out aimed straight at him.

"Do you understand why you're here?"

Kai glares up at me with a wild expression. His mouth is twisted to the side, his nose scrunched up in annoyance, and his eyes wide with anger. "I'm here because you killed Sahil."

I point a lazy finger towards Desmond, who stands to my right, and say, "technically he killed Sahil, but who did what does not matter. The fact is, Sahil is dead, which means I am your ruler. You either abide by my rules or be sent to prison."

"Don't you mean dungeon?" Kai says with a scratchy voice. I purse my lips because he will be staying in the dungeons until the prisons are built. So, I explain that to him. "There are jails that are in the process of being built and once they are completed, all prisoners will be sent there."

Kai nods thoughtfully and I try not to be annoyed. He looks so smug for some reason, as if he knows something I do not. I want this to be over and done with as quick as possible, so I return to my original question.

"Do you understand why you're here?"

"For refusing to follow orders from the new Northern ruler." He says it so simply, it's almost like he doesn't realize that what he did was wrong. Instead of trying to convince him that the law he broke has been written in stone for centuries. It's practically the first law written when the four Societies were formed.

"Do you also understand that you are stripped of your title?" No longer is he General Kai, now he is just a man with a choice-follow my rule or go back to the dungeon. "Make your choice." Silence follows my words so I be more commanding, "Now Kai."

He throws his hands to the air, but guards immediately force them down. "So, that's it?" he asks. "I either support you or live the rest of my life in prison?" Some may say it's a harsh ultimatum, but this man is evil. He tortured me, hurt me in ways no one ever has before, and I will not allow him to do that to anyone else.

I force the image of him bringing a razor to my eyes and let my fear turn to anger. Using a strong and clear voice, I answer his question. "Yes, this is it."

"What happens if I choose to support you? What happens to me?" He smiles, thinking he's caught me off guard, but I've thought about this. It was actually a discussion in one of my meetings.

"Considering your unwavering loyalty to Sahil, I will have you monitored daily until you can be trusted. That entails two guards, both gifted of course. They'll report to me every couple of months about your progress. Finally, you'll have to remain a far distance from the palace, you won't ever be able to pass through the palace gates again."