“Wait!” Aileen jerks forward from the Third Sector's group, an intense look in her eye as she narrows her eyes at Jace.

“You're the guy we had detained in our Library!” The crowd goes quiet as Aileen moves to the middle of the room, placing herself at the center of everyone's attention as she glares at Jace, pointing a firm finger in his direction.

Jace shakes his head. “That was a misunderstanding—” he begins before being cut off by Aileen. “You were trying to steal an artifact from the third level floor of the Library.”

Jace shakes his head and continues to protest, saying, "It's a misunderstanding."

“How was it a misunderstanding? You were caught red-handed by our Guard Majest, and he was going to place you in detainment just before we were attacked.” Her eyes flash open wide, her pointed finger now trembling. “It was you, wasn’t it? You’re the traitor.”

Jace's eyes double in size, blown wide by the accusation.

And I can no longer watch on as she shouts toward him, her accusations turning the opinions of everyone in the room against Jace, their glare and pointed looks directed entirely toward him now. I stand in front of him, blocking him from their dark gazes.

“As I’ve said before, we will be looking into everything and everyone’s stories.” My tone is cutting and cold as I glare at Aileen and those gathered around her.

Silence fills the room bar a small mumbling sound from behind me. “It wasn’t me. I would never do anything like this,” murmurs Jace, his eyes lost and pleading as I turn toward him.

I open my mouth, wanting to reassure him, but just as I do, I’m suddenly cut off.

“Then why would you steal it?” A slender man with mousy brown hair steps forward, an indifferent expression on his face as he walks from the Third Sector group and stands beside Aileen. “It was a protection artifact, wasn’t it?” He turns to Aileen.

“Yes, Gregori.” She nods, her glare pointing back toward Jace. “And it was just before the attack?” His brow raises in question. He turns toward Jace, a nefarious glint in his eyes.

“Sounds like there's a lot of strong evidence against you.”

Jace steps beside me, “It's all a misunderstanding…I promise. I don't have anything to do with the attacks. I didn't even know that it was a protection artifact—” He stops, his face scrunching up, immediately realizing his mistake.

“So you admit you were trying to steal it?!” shouts a woman from the Third Sector group.

The rest of the group begin to raise their voices, calling for answers or retribution, their minds already made up.

“He needs to explain why he was trying to steal a protection artifact!”

“What other reason could he have? He's one of them!”

“Tie him up or lock him away!”

“It has to be him! Why else would he steal an artifact in a Sector Library?!”

Their voices become angrier as they stare at Jace, his shoulders slightly slumped forward, as their voices become louder.