CHAPTER 30––––––––
A large female guard in a drab brown uniform maintained a grip on Mara’s arm as they marched down the courthouse hall. The cuffs around Mara’s wrist jangled as they passed by the open ornate wood doors of the courtroom on their way to a more ordinary entrance just down the hall. Diana dashed out of the courtroom after them.
“Mara!”
The guard turned and placed the hand not holding Mara onto her holster. “I’m sorry. She’s not allowed to talk with anyone but the attorney.”
Diana ignored the guard, speaking to Mara. “Are you all right? They would not let me come see you last night.”
“I’m fine. We’ll talk later, I promise,” Mara said.
The guard guided Mara toward the door.
Inside, Ping and a graying fiftyish-looking man in a dark suit sat at a small round table. Mara s
