Chapter 32
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Chapter 32

Saw Yatha watched Dol’s interview with Lillian with disgust.  His device alerted him to the cell’s activity a few minutes after it began.  All of Saw’s suspicions of his Supreme Leader came into sharp focus.  Saw had installed the hololens in Lillian’s cell during her first day on trial.  He’d hoped he would be able…

Chapter 31
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Chapter 31

Zungher Dol sat in his desk chair mindlessly flicking his thumbnail with his index nail.  His lap cradled his device, on which showed the pasty visage of Saw Yatha flaunting his pride outside the courthouse.  Saw was busy responding to the Department of Communication representatives about his testimony.  This event was being framed as a…

Chapter 30
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Chapter 30

Evan regarded Keetha’s demeanor.  He knew he was in trouble, but he couldn’t imagine why.  That’s not true; he would assume he was in trouble for getting outside without permission, but there was no way they knew where he’d gone.  Even if they had the best surveillance system he could imagine, there hadn’t been time…

Chapter 29
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Chapter 29

Escaping the safehouse for the first time since being deposited there, Evan was grateful to get away from Katherine and to get some fresh air.  The air was crisp, and the streets quiet.  Evan stood on the stoop for a few minutes, finally taking in the scope of Merlain’s capitol for the first time.  The…

Chapter 28
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Chapter 28

“Would you state your name and position for the record keeper?” the court representative asked. “Saw Yatha.  Former Director of Prisons.”  With his one good eye, Saw surveyed the courtroom.  He’d never had this vantage point before.  It was different than he’d imagined, but it was far from unpleasant.  Every eye and every ear in…

Chapter 27
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Chapter 27

Morning came much too early for Katherine Gold.  It had been the first rest she’d had since allowing Evan to touch his mark to hers.  Since that instant, she’d been dragged from one strange and frightening room to the next with hardly a moment of peace in between to get her mind around the reality…

Chapter 26
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Chapter 26

Amnon sat silently next to Keetha as he navigated the transport to the outskirts.  The day had been a success as far as his superiors knew.  Lillian’s trial had begun without incident, which was the biggest thing to them, but being transported to and from her prison cell safely was the biggest thing to Amnon. …

Chapter 25
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Chapter 25

As for Zungher Dol, he focused very little on the start of Princess Lillian’s trial that morning.  He kept to his regular routine (awakened by staff at dawn, the first meal eaten alone where he could read that day’s briefing device, and then head into his office where he would spend the rest of the…

Chapter 24
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Chapter 24

The first day of Princess Lillian’s trial finally arrived.  It had been weeks since Saw Yatha returned with her in tow, and since then, she’d been out of public view.  All the public knew that she was secure, she was being questioned, and she would face justice soon.  So, on this very auspicious day, Saw…

Chapter 23
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Chapter 23

The transport came to a stop.  Moments later the back door opened and the Golds were escorted to another bare room.  Along the short walk, Katherine noticed a significant change in the quality of the facility.  Where the first building had been sterile this one seemed abandoned.  Where the first one seemed to run on…