Looking For The Light (Book 2)

Looking For The Light Chapter 21 - Valentina

            Exactly how long was this trial going to last?  It had been dragging on for weeks, but it felt like much longer.  Valentina did not think her presence was required every day, but both her appointed counselor, Rickard Burkov, and her cousin Viktoriya said otherwise.  Her counselor had a lot of opinions on how she conducted herself in the various meetings during the trial.  He criticized her clothes, her make-up, her posture, her tone, and even the use of her godfather’s name.

“The trial will be more sympathetic toward you if you use your father’s name.  He is a national hero.”  Burkov told her in an early preparatory session.

“But he’s dead! And he didn’t raise me.” Valentina argued.  “My name isn’t supposed to be what sways the jury.  My defender is.”  Her pointed commentary missed its mark.  Missed by a mile.

“I’m not your defender.  I’m your counselor, Miss Lytton.  And there is no jury.”  He watched without sympathy as her eyes widened.

“No jury? But it’s a trial.” Valentina managed to say.

“Several trials actually.  One with Director Kaminski and his directorate council, there will be one with the Prizrak Rytsarya Security Council, another with the PR Freedom Council, the PR Defense Council, and you’ll have to answer to the Spetsgruppa Lukavit’.  Each could take days or weeks until the councils come to their respective decisions.  I won’t lie to you, Miss Lytton.  If this goes wrong, it can go very wrong.” Burkov’s honesty brought her to tears.  He was also honest in telling her that he didn’t care if things went very wrong.  He was getting paid either way, and he didn’t particularly like her.

They were harsh truths to face, but from then on Valentina always tried to follow Burkov’s advice.  She appeared in court dressed in modest – almost matronly clothes.  She was quiet, and responded to questions in short, succinct answers.  Valentina tried to keep her emotions in check and watch her temper.  A harmless innocent child.

There was one recommendation Valentina could not manage – making nice with Viktoriya.  Of course it was in her best interest to mend the relationship with her cousin, Viktoriya was at every hearing as character witness to both Valentina and Elijah, as a witness to the event, and in some cases, speaking on Elijah’s behalf.  But if it wasn’t the clash in their personalities, or their history, it was the constant company.

If Valentina wasn’t trapped in a courtroom, she was trapped in Viktoriya’s one bedroom apartment.  It was a tiny place, far from her penthouse back in New York.  Valentina slept in the couch, which was almost in the kitchen, and facing a window.  The window was facing a second floor shop that never seemed to turn their neon sign off.  Sharing the one cramped bathroom was nearly impossible.  Viktoriya was in there constantly.  In the middle of the night, while Valentina tried to get comfortable on the small, stiff couch, upholstered with a scratchy wool, she would hear Viktoriya throw her door open, storm down the short hall, and slam her way into the bathroom.  Valentina could never see her too well, but the she always caught the reflection off the diamond ring Viktoriya wore on a chain around her neck.  During the day, her cousin always tried to hide the ring from Valentina.  Viktoriya had no idea Valentina had seen it.  The ring was clearly a gift from Eli.  Who else would waste diamonds on her?

  Every morning was more or less the same.  Viktoriya would wake up, spend an hour in the bathroom, make oatmeal for breakfast, then she returned to the bathroom again to throw up the oatmeal.  Every morning Valentina was amazed how anyone that threw up as much as her cousin did could get so fat.  Viktoriya was the worst at being bulimic.

Viktoriya’s waist had grown so dramatically, she had to request a new dress uniform.  Her skirt wouldn’t zip anymore, and her jacket couldn’t fasten shut.  Valentina was embarrassed to be seen with Viktoriya.