42
HOPELESS
Tom sat in the dank prison cell with a raggedy blanket pulled tightly. His only light source—a half-burned candle—barely kept the palpable darkness at bay. Hopeless. That’s the one word that perfectly described how he felt. The guards wouldn’t return; they’d made that clear. He would suffer alone as a stranger to himself without remorse from anyone. But, in the end, what did it matter? His betrayer was seated on White Oak’s throne, and no one would ever know what happened to the stranger. His chances to recover his memory had vanished when he sided with Sosie, or had there ever been a chance to find his true identity? From the start, Sosie had used him to accomplish his twisted plans. Now, the only identity he’d ever know was that of a prisoner and a failure.
“You betrayed the King,” a passionate voice said from across the cell.
Tom ignored the voice but not their words. He wanted to blame Sosie for everything, yet he’d been a willing pawn in the hand of the deceiver. He’d known better than to ascend the dark throne in the cavern but had ignored the conflict in his soul. Even now, he should feel something, remorse, regret, but he didn’t feel anything but emptiness.
Wait. How’d they know I betrayed the king?
“It’s not too late to stop this,” they said again.
“Who are you?” Tom asked.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters.”
“A friend of the King.”
“No friend of the king would help me.”
“You’re wrong. He sent me.”
“Why?” Tom asked, staring at the dark wall as if he could somehow see through it and catch a glimpse of the person speaking.
“He didn’t tell me, but I was in the throne room when it happened.”
“You’re lying. The only people who saw what happened weren’t friends of the king.”
“I was there. As you might have noticed, not everything in this city is as it appears. You told him you discovered the truth. You mentioned books with hidden knowledge and told him not to try to confuse you. He tried to help you! You betrayed him!” Lengthy silence filled the cell. “I’m sorry.”
Tom waved off the apology as if they could see the gesture.
“I was happy. At least, I thought I was. I had my friends, my family, and my own little world. We—Watchers, that’s what the King called us—had purpose. We’re the King’s eyes and ears, and I thought everything was perfect, but it was nothing more than a perfect illusion, and I missed the signs. Trouble brewed under our noses; we, the so-called Watchers, never saw it coming. Under this city, as we speak, there’s a massive black oak. I found it while on a mission for the King.”
“I’ve seen it,” Tom said.
Sosie had schemed, plotted, lied, and deceived until he was in the perfect position to strike. Suddenly, Tom began to feel something. Not the remorse he should, but a fresh surge of anger aimed at his betrayer. If there was a chance for revenge, he wanted it.