The clearing in the woods felt colder than usual—like the air itself was holding its breath.
A raised wooden stage had been built into the forest grove, nine chairs arranged in a semi-circle above a single podium where the accused would stand. The sunlight filtered through the tall trees like divine judgment, casting sharp streaks across the floor. The whole space looked like something out of a myth—where ancient rulers meted out divine justice. Except this wasn't some long-lost legend. This was very real. And the weight of it sat heavy on my shoulders.
I took my seat at the center of the panel, in Levi's place, just for today. His chair beside me was empty, its absence loud despite the buzzing crowd gathered in the clearing. They were packed in tight, eyes wide, murmurs floating through the air like rising steam.
This was a historic day. The trial of a disgraced elder. Public. Brutal. Necessary.
