3.THE HEARING

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 07:09:19 +0000

City Hall was a labyrinth of beige corridors and fluorescent lights, a stark contrast to the warm, shadowed corners of the Blackwood Library. Elara sat on a wooden bench outside Hearing Room 302, her knees bouncing nervously. She smoothed the fabric of her vintage skirt—navy blue with white polka dots—and checked her watch.