The morning dawned with a somberness that hung in the air like thick fog. Evelyn was in the main hall when soldiers brought in a criminal, fettered with chains of metal. His eyes were red, his lips dry, and ominous markings crossed his skin in patterns that made her queasy.
He spat on the ground as they moved him forward. "Fji sends his message," he growled, his voice like rough rock being grated. "Surrender or burn.
The room quieted suddenly. Even the soldiers stopped, holding tighter to the chains. Evelyn moved forward, staring at the symbols carved into the criminal's skin. The symbols were not random. They twisted in calculated patterns, lines carved with intent and malevolent energy.
"What is this?" she commanded.
The criminal smiled, and blood streamed from his teeth. "Blood magic. The ancient practices. The ones your beloved regulations prohibited so many years ago. Fji doesn't trouble himself with your regulations. He cares about loyalty—and he pays for it with blood.".
