Chapter 9
Chapter 9
The trial proceeds swiftly under Helena’s control. The jury convicts Elara, and Marcus sentences her to 25 years in a work camp. Helena then petitions the council to hold Sterling in contempt for supporting Elara. Sterling offers Lina all evidence and $50,000 in cash, but she refuses, fearing it could jeopardize the appeal. Lina realizes she is Elara’s only hope and resolves to work tirelessly for justice.
The trial began promptly at nine, and from the first moment, Elara felt the weight of the system pressing down on her. The council chamber, with its high ceilings and cold marble floors, seemed designed to diminish those who stood before it. The jury—twelve strangers selected by Helena—sat in a neat row, their faces unreadable. Helena herself occupied the front bench, her back straight, her eyes fixed on Elara with an intensity that could cut glass.
Marcus rose to present the case for the complainant. He spoke in measured tones, his voice smooth as polished stone. He called Patricia first—the neighbor who had heard the argument. Patricia took the stand, her hands trembling slightly as she recounted the night before Damien’s death. “They were shouting,” she said. “I heard a woman’s voice, and then a man’s. It was loud. Violent, even. I almost called the authorities, but I didn’t want to get involved.”
Lina cross-examined her, trying to chip away at her credibility. “You’ve admitted you were upset about the noise from their renovations,” Lina said. “Could that have colored your memory?”
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