The council chamber felt cold.

Maybe it was the stone walls, or the tall arched windows that let in only the weakest slant of afternoon light. Or maybe it was the tension that was packed so tightly into the air that even the bulbs in the room were flickering uneasily.

Rebecca stood in the center of the room, flanked by two guards who held her by the arms.Her heart thudded in her chest so loudly she was certain everyone could hear it.

Her face was blotchy from crying, hair a mess from being ...