Chapter 44

• The air in the council room where we gathered for the meeting was choking. Everyone in the room was staring at Kelsey. I could sense him pee in his pants as the tension increased. Kelsey was a suspect. They considered him a traitor until proven otherwise. He was speechless, unable to defend himself as all evidence seems to point at him. How did we arrive at this stage?
• I glanced in Kelsey's direction, and I noticed his eyes darting. He was pleading for someone to come to his rescue, anyone at all, to believe him. Right from time, he had invariably been a jester, repeatedly displaying funny gestures, smiles not ceasing from his face, and constant demonstration of playful remark, but today was different. He was as quiet and cold as ice. Now, he was before the council, defending himself, and trying to regain his reputation and integrity. He was alleged, and it was a heavy accusation. Could he be a betrayal? Did he actually gang up against this pack, against me?
• Elder Clatus was the first to speak. His voice alone was enough to weaken the accused, and he would remain speechless, shaking to the point of not defending himself. “You have been fascinated about Liora, haven't you?” he asked Kelsey, his tone strict and unwavering. “The fondness did not start today. It has been there, long before the moon ceremony, right?"