The Day of Reckoning
His eyes turned away from her face, and then came to rest on the chest. Words, cut deep and sadistic into the flesh, shone with a ghastly accuracy. One of the soldiers hunched forward, voice hardly above a breath, shaking as he read from it:
"King Gary, you gave this gift to me. From my Moonstone's view, I give your gift back to you as a gift. Understand this: beginning tomorrow, this will belong to you every day. Be ready. Take it. You have no choice. And understand, each day from now forward, this will repeat. Be ready."
