The Councilors bring the meeting to attention, offering each family a turn to speak. Progress reports always pass by quickly, with little intel at all. Yet each man who speaks on behalf of the dead offers up the tiniest of crumbs, all meaningless, in an effort to prove that they too have not forgotten.
When it is my turn to speak, I tell them the same thing I do every month. I have leads I'm following up on, but nothing concrete. I can feel the eyes of the others on me. I may as well be a ghost in this room. They are all wondering why I survived, and their beloved family members did not. I never look their way. I never speak to them directly. I volunteer what is requested of me, and then I take my leave.
Only today, when the meeting adjourns, Councilor Hildebrand requests me to stay behind, as I suspected he would. I have not been summoned before today because they prefer to hold court at the same time, and their schedules do not bend to accommodate anyone.
Once the room is vacated of the other members, Hildebrand looks down upon me, speaking on behalf of his fellow Councilors.
"We would like to discuss the matter of sentencing for your wife, who is due back in court shortly."
"Yes," I reply. "I'm aware."
"My fellow Councilors and I have prepared several recommendations for her sentence, which we will lay forth now."
I wait in silence as he opens Ivy's folder. My throat burns, and heat crawls up the base of my neck. I know what they will recommend. I am not unfamiliar with the expected sentence for the attempted murder of a Sovereign Son.
"There are three recommendations," Hildebrand reads from the document. "Death by a poison of the Tribunal's choice. Death by hanging. And the last alternative is the loyalty test."
I swallow the acid in my throat as I consider their options. They are as harsh as I expected, with the only option that has even a potential of survival being the loyalty test. An excruciating dance of torture Ivy would have to endure as I look on without uttering a word. It is The Society's way of reaffirming loyalty. Should I break and ask them to stop that which my wife is sentenced to endure, they would kill her. Should I watch on in silence, she may survive if she is strong enough. None of these options would please me, and I make it known.
"I have an alternate suggestion."
"You have prepared a recommended sentence for your wife?"
I force a nod. "I have."
They look at each other, then back at me. "And?"
"I propose that I will execute her punishment myself, as is my duty and responsibility as her husband. It is me who was slighted, and therefore I request that I am the one to dole out a penalty of my choosing."
Hildebrand dips his head, his face a mask of emptiness that makes it hard to discern his feelings. "Let's hear what you have in mind."
"I propose that I will disgrace my wife as she has disgraced me. I will leave her with a permanent disfiguration for all to see."
"What sort of disfiguration?" He arches a brow at me.
"A tattoo on one side of her face to match my own."
There is a long stretch of silence as he studies me, considering. "You would not have your wife put to death for the attempt on your life?"
"No." The muscles in my shoulders go rigid as I consider that they are prepared to fight me on this.
"Explain," he commands. "Explain what deems her worthy of saving. How would you ever trust her again? Why should IVI trust her?"
"I take it upon myself to guarantee her unwavering loyalty to The Society," I assure them. "And if there were to be any sign of falsehood in that regard, I give you my word that I would end her life myself."
"The sentence is too light to satisfy the requirements of this court—"
"She is pregnant with my heir," I clip the words through gritted teeth. “And for that reason, she is still of value.”
Hildebrand frowns. "We need a moment to consider. Leave the room and we will summon you back once we have made a decision."
I reluctantly leave the room, jaw clenched and irritation stirring up a fury inside me that will be difficult to hide. Ivy has put me in this position. Lying to The Tribunal to save her life, and for what? So she can continue in her self-righteous hatred and disgust every time I am near her.
I don't know what the fuck I'm doing. But I know what I'm risking by covering for her. By offering this one thing I know they will not deny me. The Tribunal is aware of the importance and expectations for Sovereign families to bear heirs, and particularly mine, considering it will be my sole responsibility now that my father and brother are dead.
I pace the length of the corridor while I wait, using my phone to search the directory of Society doctors. Then it occurs to me that I cannot use a Society doctor to examine her at risk of the truth being revealed. I need her fucking pregnant, and I need it now.
Christ.
I swipe a trembling hand through my hair and consider my options. I'll have to bring someone else in. That's the only way.
I'm scrolling through names of specialists from other states when the door to the courtroom opens again, and a guard summons me back inside. The Councilors are waiting for me in silence, their faces empty. I want to believe I know what they will say, but nothing in life is ever certain.
"You are to bring your wife to her assigned court date with visible proof that you have fulfilled the punishment as laid out. We will see it in person," Hildebrand says.
"As you wish."
"We are only granting this request on one condition,"
