The Light in the Dark ✓

Chapter 23 The Deal

Eight years ago

'The remaining Mages has been captured and imprisoned,' Cassius said, standing in an audience chamber, his back straight, his face impassive. 'There is still the matter of their punishment.'

'What other punishment do they need? Let them rot in the dungeons!' The King scoffed. He was sitting slump on his throne, which suddenly looked too big for the man. In the last couple of days, he went from his usual boastful self to a wreck of a man. His face was deathly pale, with deep dark circles under his eyes. His hands were shaking as if they didn't have enough strength to carry the weight of all those precious rings. The burden of what happened was heavy, even though he announced the Mages were responsible for this disaster.

'The people are restless,' Cassius said calmly. 'They need someone to blame for this calamity. Let's prepare for the public trial to ensure everyone knows who the perpetrator was. The mass execution is also an option worth considering.'

'You want me to execute all Mages?' The King raised his brows. 'They are the only advantage we have against Egraria. We can't just get rid of them!'

'Egraria has been affected the way we have,' Cassius replied patiently. 'We have reports from our spies saying their country is in utter chaos. They do not share our religion, and they have their own superstitions. Apparently, the fading sun is a clear sign of the inevitable end of the world, or so I've heard. It will be years before they get back to their feet.'

'Still, even if it takes them a long time, we will not have any Mages left!' the King scoffed.

Cassius gritted his teeth in frustration. 'The Mages are the reason it all happened. If you fail to punish them adequately, you will face riots in a matter of weeks, Your Highness. And the mob will blame you.'

'Then what do you want me to do?' the King asked with his brows raised.

'Give me the authority over City Guards and the Royal Army and put me in charge of Mages trials. I will make sure to deal with them properly while preparing this country for war, as it should have been done a long time ago.'

The King laughed. It was a shrilling, high pitched sound echoing off the walls in the large audience hall. 'You are ambitious. I give you that, boy!'

Cassius kept his face impassive, although it took him almost all his self-control to do that. 'I am the Grand Inquisitor, Your Majesty. But I cannot guarantee the safety of our country if I'm not allowed to do my job properly.'

'Right, that you are. Tell me again, what happened to your predecessor? It was rather sudden death, wasn't it?' the King asked, his bloodshot eyes looking at him intently.

'We lost many good people during the massacre that followed the Cursed Ritual,' Cassius replied flatly. 'Which, again, was Mages' fault, and they need to take responsibility. We can't risk anyone attempting this kind of thing ever again.'

'I tell you what, Grand Inquisitor,' the King said, his voice mocking. 'Focus on managing your Order. I've heard the Shadows are still going rampant outside Amberguard. Deal with that first, and then we'll talk again. You can leave running the country to actual King.'

'But Your Majesty....' Cassius protested.

'That's all. You are dismissed, Inquisitor.'

Cassius gritted his teeth, bowed his head slightly, then turned on his heel and left the chamber. He clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. He could hardly contain his fury at this point. It turns out his predecessor was correct – the King was a bumbling idiot. It was painfully obvious he put more effort into making sure his ego and pride were satisfied than actual ruling the country.