Chapter 13
We Believe in Second Chances
Griffin
Fourteen Years – Five Months Ago – Violencia
Amonth had passed and Griffin had explored nearly the entire country of Violencia, coming to one conclusion.
Every single piece that was wrong was because of outsider involvement.
Because of the Sacred Trinity. They had brought their own greed into a place that had not wanted for anything.
They had created dissolution between the classes, forced their way into places of government, killed their opposition.
It was carefully hidden, cleaned up, tucked away and out of sight, but Griffin knew to look for it.
No one in Violencia was aware that there were even outsiders…
unless they were one themselves. The people of Violencia knew of the existence of other countries, but they held a deep resentment for them.
And rightfully so. Even still, their knowledge was incredibly limited, and more was disappearing as the Sacred Trinity silently destroyed it.
“Here, have some tea. It’s not as good, but we make do.”
Griffin looked up, offering a forced smile. “Thanks, Mrs. Roger.”
The woman tutted, pulling out a chair and settling next to him. Her long, bony fingers stroked Griffin’s thigh, and he contained the disgust that threatened to choke him.
“It’s Sharon.” She frowned, the deep lines of age etching into her face.
He placed his hand on hers, covering and then moving it away. “Sharon, I heard you and Harold had found your way over to Violencia, but I didn’t realize you would settle into a Facility.” He brought the cup up to his lips taking a sip, it was nauseating.
“Yes, after the king decided against our judgments, we felt it was best to reconvene in a different location.”
Griffin choked on the tea.
If she means they ran before they could be executed…
“I see, I hadn’t heard too much, just that you both had left,” he lied, setting the cup back down. “Where’s Harold?”
Sharon looked around their space. The apartment wasn’t great.
It was what a typical citizen of Violencia would live in, as if even here they were being punished.
The furnishings were slim, the table they sat at wobbled, and the carpet was stained with the unwelcome addition of a slightly bitter smell.
When Griffin flicked his eyes up, he noted a camera as well.
They’re being watched, just like the others.
“He’s out with our boy, Jayce.”
The news wasn’t shocking, Griffin already knew as much as he could about Harold and Sharon. Harold had been an advisor for the King of Luscinia until he made the mistake of speaking too highly of Violencia.
He should have known better.
“Ah, I see.” Griffin’s eyes flicked back up to the camera. “I suppose I will be going then.”
Sharon’s hand lashed out, her grip tight on his forearm. “Come with me, I need to show you something.”
Griffin’s goal in coming here had been to gather as much information as he could about this Facility, to see if Sharon and Harold would be useful allies.
He had already decided they wouldn’t, but he would hear her out. He could pretend if needed and turn on them once the time was right.
Sharon got up, beckoning him to follow. He was wary, but did so nonetheless. He didn’t expect to go towards their bedroom.
“Sharon, I—”
“The Nightingale is making an announcement.”
He didn’t hesitate, his eyes flicking around the space.
He was startled to see there was someone in their bed. Anger welled inside him at the sight, at the confirmation that these people would never be his allies.
“Ignore them, they’re asleep.” She opened the closet door, tugging him in and slamming it shut. The space was just big enough for each to stand and allow a single foot between them.
“There aren’t ears in here,” she explained. “Harold and I keep in touch with others back in Luscinia.” Sharon turned behind her, digging in the closet under a pair of shoes. She pulled out a small metal tablet. “They sent us this video.”
She thrust the device into Griffin’s hands. A video was already pulled up and he pressed play.
The King of Luscinia was standing side-by-side with Drago.
Cool iron sank into his gut, painful, heavy, and sharp.
“The last king of Grypheem did not believe in second chances!” the King of Luscinia announced.
Drago was frowning, but he didn’t argue. The crown he wore was crooked on his head.
Oversized.
Griffin hadn’t been able to speak to his brother again since he learned the news of his father’s death, but it was clear his brother was much worse for wear.
Another spark of grief threatened to take hold, but Griffin held it at bay, listening as this played out. He knew whatever the King said, it wouldn’t be good.
“But we do believe in second chances!” the King announced. “We have a history of righting our wrongs, and what better method than to give prisoners the option to redeem themselves?”
The video was blurry, but even still Griffin could tell his brother didn’t like this. That it was not a decision he made. That whatever was happening was a charade.
“And so! Every year, we will host an annual Redemption! Prisoners of the Sacred Trinity will have the choice to be sent off to fight for their freedom! And not only that, but the winner will be allotted the gift of a Sacred Cherished encounter.”
What the fuck?
The High Priestess, Avana, stepped into the camera’s view. She waved her hands up, her ethereal appearance setting ablaze Griffin’s rage.
He hated the woman.
“You have heard that correctly. Any prisoner will now have the option to fight for this soul sent from above. Because, after all, forgiveness is what we must embrace in order to propel us forward. The Redemption will begin soon, and it will be viewed by all.” Her voice was reminiscent of screws on paper. Sharp and harsh.
Sharon reached for the device in Griffin’s hands, but he squeezed it tighter as the camera panned outwards. As his mother came into view. Her familiar, deep green eyes, dull and tired. Her face gaunt. She stood beside the King of Luscinia, her head bowed downwards.
“Do you understand?”
The words startled Griffin and he released the device, looking up at Sharon.
“No,” he admitted. “What is going on?”
“The country is unbalanced,” Sharon spoke sharply. “Too many men and even more keep coming to Violencia. It won’t be much longer until the people in Violencia notice, if they haven’t already. The Sacred Trinity are losing citizens quickly, they need a way to turn it around. To offer a reward.”
“But it’s only for prisoners.” Griffin’s eyes were glassy, but he blinked it away. He could not show weakness here. From what he gathered, no one knew his connection to the King’s new wife, and he planned to keep it that way.
“Yes. More men will want to be prisoners. It will create organized chaos that the Priestess can use as she wishes. And then they can utilize the games to provide unfounded hope.” Sharon smiled widely, the wrinkles around her eyes digging deeply into her face.
Unfounded hope.
It was too similar to what Drago had told him before, but it was clear his brother was not involved in the decisions. That he was simply there to show the mockery of support.
“And then eventually…” Sharon stuffed the phone back into its hiding place before turning around. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they did the same thing in Violencia.”
Griffin’s heart pounded in his chest at the implications. At what this all meant.
It wasn’t good.
Soon they would normalize murder. Fighting to the literal death for a single encounter with a woman.
And it would be broadcast live for everyone to watch.
To ignite hope.
And then extinguish it.
Present Day - Grypheem
Griffin’s mind cycled as he came back to the present. To what he had just witnessed. The King and prince on the other side of the river. To the one other person with them.
My mother. She was there.
He felt his heart constrict in his chest painfully, the air in his lungs turned to lava as he attempted to control himself.
Raven’s breathing turned steady, pulling him out of his spiraling. He refocused, rolling through the last succession of events. What they meant.
“They killed him,” Julian murmured.
Griffin met his eyes, noted the chaotic energy in their depths, before opening his mouth to answer. “They did. He hurt a Cherished, and did so publicly. The sentence is always the same, they must contend with the Iron Mother.”
“The Iron Mother?” Julian hissed between his teeth. “That was a metal cylinder of torture!” His attention flicked down to Raven as she curled closer to Griffin.
Griffin welcomed the comfort, the knowledge that she was in his arms. It solidified her safety…for now.
He stared out the window as they continued down a stretch of road. It was unpaved, rocky, and jarring. Familiar.
Only a few more hours and they would arrive at the castle…but then what?
“What of Sharon? The other creator? Why was she not treated the same?” Julian muttered as he reached down and rubbed his thigh.
Griffin raised an eyebrow but didn’t question the movement, it appeared involuntary.
“She is a woman. A natural-born. A Cherished. And even though she never was able to have children of her own, she will be kept alive. Women are not to be killed, no matter the crime. What happens to her will be up to the High Priestess’s discretion. ”
“The High Priestess,” Julian growled. “She is a mummified corpse.”
A particularly large bump caused all of them to bounce in their seats, Raven’s hair falling over her face, but even still, she didn’t wake.
Julian reached out, tucking it behind her ears, his fingers stroking her cheeks. “I loved her my whole life. It was always her.” Julian cut his attention to Griffin.
Griffin had not often felt intimidated, but in this moment? It was not Julian in here. It was the Host.
“Will marrying her keep her from their clutches? From the Isle of Sacerdos?” Julian’s hand shook on Raven’s cheek, and he pulled it away as if shocked.
Griffin inclined his head. “It is the only thing that will. And you will create a loophole we can exploit if needed.”
Julian fell back, his hands coming up to rub his temples. “Harold told me so much, but it was never enough. Just morsels to keep me satiated but never fully informed.”
Griffin raised an eyebrow. “I guess you would have been close with the Creators. Especially after—” he cut himself off.
“After I became the Host. Yes. That was when they collared me and pumped me full of drugs.” Julian stroked his face, his fingers landing on the holes there. Where metal had previously been. “I feel naked without my piercings. Isn’t that stupid?”
“I can get you what you need,” Griffin offered. He had to build some sort of mutual agreement with Julian if this was going to work. “We need to work together if we have any hope.”
“And what’s the plan? We get married, and then what? We go to war with Violencia? And for what?” Julian heaved a sigh. “Isn’t there anywhere else that’s better? Raven was right, it’s worse here.”
“Violencia is only bad because of us. Because of Luscinia, Grypheem, and the Isles of Sacerdos. The Sacred Trinity, that’s what they are all called but it couldn’t be further from the truth.
The corruption runs deep. And while there are Kings in Grypheem and Luscinia, make no mistake who runs it.
” Griffin squeezed Raven to him tighter.
Reminding himself that she was alive. That she was okay.
But there was another country, one that was much safer.
They just needed to wait until the time was right to escape there.
However, Griffin held onto that information, he didn’t want it to get back to Raven, for her to fight him on it.
“The Priestess.” Julian narrowed his eyes. “But why?”
“She has control over our most precious resource.” Griffin breathed out, staring down at Raven.
The carriage was silent, save for the occasional bumps, as Julian processed the information. It didn’t take him too long to understand.
“Women,” Julian growled.