NINETEEN
Trial
She gave The Blade Lord a hard stare, looking to him to restore order. Marcus promptly rose from his place beside her and raised his right fist to silence the wagging tongues of the crowd.
‘Larissa, you have heard in detail the accusations laid against you.’ said Marcus with commanding authority. ‘How do you respond?’
The browbeaten seamstress raised her head slowly, before fixing her gaze intently upon her. She could feel Larissa’s hatred burning like the heat of a roaring hearth. She could see the anger boiling over inside the famed dressmaker, whose seething expression told all. Ordinarily she took pity on the falsely accused, but in light of Larissa’s coercion – forcing her to separate Hanarah and Cora – she had little time or compassion for the unruly seamstress.
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