Era of Greed [✔ COMPLETE] (Chrim Chronicles #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Wren of West

My clothes had been the same since the day they had arrested me, though they did not look the same anymore. The flowers on my sweater did not look so bright anymore, and the grey of my tight pants was smeared in black filth.

The girl looking back at me in the mirror looked different as well. My cheeks had gone hollow, my eyes seemed to have lost their gloss, as did my tangled hair. A bronze skinned girl, probably not older than I was, used a moist white cloth to wipe off my face with gentle strokes. The grey shade on my face disappeared and my usual porcelain complexion returned. If only the deadness could be wiped away, or my stench. Laying a finger underneath my chin the intern pushed my face up and began to wipe my neck. She then went on to brush my hair, gripping my locks to make sure she did not hurt me. When she laid down the brush, she locked eyes with me for the first time. It was brief, but in that brief moment I recognized the pity in her eyes.

The intern left and was replaced by another appearing in the mirror. Our eyes locked through the glass. I did not bother to turn around. The first time I had seen him this man had seemed so intimidating to me, sitting on his too tall leather chair behind his heavy tall desk and speaking with his deep voice as he watched me with his cold grey eyes. I had often wondered whether he'd still make me feel little had he not been behind that desk. Once again, most likely for the last time, I sat beneath him, staring up at his aura of power. Even without that desk he managed to make me feel really small.

Nestor Krol separated his eyes from mine and pulled a chair, then spun my chair so I faced him instead of the mirror. Our eyes were at the same height now, yet I still felt like an ant. I looked around to see if there was anyone else here, but the room was as silent as my future grave.

The man swallowed before he spoke. If I hadn't known him, I'd have believed he was struggling to find words. "Do you have a final wish?"

With parted lips, I stared at the floor. Final wish. How about letting me go? Or, putting me in a human prison? Final wish. "I have plenty."

He laughed, a brief and soundless laugh, one that held no joy. "It's the first time I do this, giving a convict a final wish." Nestor Krol paused, and I supposed he wanted me to ask why he did it now, and I wanted to ask, but the words failed to leave my lips. All I could do was gaze at him, hoping he'd tell without me asking. "Do you know what it takes to be a leader? You need to be ruthless and merciful all at once. They need to fear you and love you at the same time. It's not possible. I created a world here, this town is a world within a world. What do you call someone who creates a world?"

"God."

Krol nodded. "I am God. Chrim is the Earth I created, and this here, this is my Hell. It's not possible to be ruthless and merciful at the same time. You're one, or the other. I chose to be ruthless, for God is ruthless, too." He swallowed. "You can't imagine how much blood I have on my hands. At the time where my ambition was at its peak, I commanded my guards to murder men, women, children, infants. I turned away from the sight and pretended it never happened. I said to myself, these people have undermined your authority and you must take control, you did what needed to be done." He sniffed and folded his hands together. "It was a mistake, you see. I knew that when I gave the order, I knew that when it happened, and I know that to this day. I keep telling myself, if only I could turn back time. But I cannot. All I can do is try to find redemption. That is what this is, Wren. I'm not being nice to you. I'm not offering you a last wish because you are special. Harsh as it may seem, I don't even pity you. This is a selfish deed, my first step to redemption, and I'm only sharing this with you because you're going to die anyway. The first change I'm making is giving convicts one final wish before they die. As it happens, you have the honor to be the first tryout of the first change."