The Cravers

48. A Death Trial

It was an itch in the back of my elbow. Somehow, I believed Stella played a hand on this Chase Kindle thing. I think she corrupted him to kill Jenifer.
So I did the unthinkable. I urged the Coven through an anonymous note to call a Death Trial.

There was a fervor in the crowd. The elders were distressed and worried. A panic has attained the big courtroom of the Coven. It didn't help the fact that the room just echoed and boomed with their troubling quarrels.

"Quiet!" Debra Seimen ordered. She was the official judge for all the court cases as I recall, she has served over sixty years in the Coven cases however, not even a wrinkle crossed her face. But look carefully, and you'd see that even she was troubled to her wits. A Death trial didn't take place every once in a while. To her, this might be her biggest case of her reign. Nevertheless, she appeared collected in her gown.

The elders and the council settled in their assigned seats, a collective silence passed the room. Formal introductions were made and announced. John Perry was a broken man, standing barely on his feet. To see his "niece" be upheld for court was unthinkable. Among them was Brenda, a confused soul staring blankly at Jake's sad face. It was quite a collection of mournful souls.

The judge called on the name of the defendant: Stella Evans.

And then, Chase Kindler.

I agitated over and over if Stella was guilty or not. All the evidence pointed at her. Chase being involved at the death, she being with him...their conversation. It had to be. Even Matt and Bat made a spell check over their conversations and the camera scenes-- they were untouched. I even saw Chase grab the book from the Archive, I remember asking the security to track the him down, knowing that he was a human.

But something in my heart said that I jumped to conclusions too fast. Kingsley struggled to believe in me but nonetheless ordered a court case to be opened by the permission of John Perry. We had to start somewhere, he had said. Somewhere. He seemed distant as we sat at the very back of the crowd, hiding our appearance, our friends speaking behalf of our testimony.

"Something gives," he sounded beside me. His eyes were on Stella's back, not looking anywhere but her.

"What?" I contemplated. I knew what he was going to say. This was going to be a hollow victory. If Stella was convicted guilty of killing Jenifer, it meant death for her. Forever. The immortal blood within her veins would disappear. Its a hard hit to the Coven, not an easy cut.

Instead of being focused on Stella, my attention was at Jake. He looked so broken and worn out. It must be hard to see your bond mate fight for her life. The stakes were high.

"I know your passionate on the fact that she is the killer." Kingsley continued hastily. "But something tells me that this a trap."

"A trap?" I voiced. "Listen, Martin. I know. I know you have feelings for Stella. I have noticed." I said softly. "But you can't protect her. You know what we do. We do what we have to do." Just the fact that he had his emotions stirred for her was a little maddening for me.

"It's not that." He hissed, a little angry for me. "This case doesn't sit too well in my stomach."

I opened my mouth in defense but I was shut close. We stopped talking. The case begun.

====

"Start from the beginning. Where were you that night." Judge Seimen spoke.

A strong yet shivering Stella shouted coldly. "I was at the club"

"Who was with you?'

"My friends. Amy, Jenifer...Oh, Jake stopped by too. He came to see me."

And then Jake was called to explain if he saw anything unusual that night. Seimen's probed him if he noticed Jenifer or Chase anywhere.