Trial by Fire

The courtroom was packed with Coven, Council, citizens, and Outlanders, and all turned as one to see the doors of the dungeon open. Sibilant hisses and low murmurs rose up from the mixed crowd. Hakan, Keme, and Chenoa emerged, blinking at the bright light of noon after days spent underground.

Thomas Danforth rose from his seat at Lillian’s left and waited for the accused to take their places in front of the jury. From her front row seat in the audience, Juliet noticed that the jury was made up entirely of citizens. Outlanders were held accountable to the laws of the Thirteen Cities—they could be tried and hanged like anyone else—but as noncitizens they had no say in shaping the laws that took their lives. They didn’t even have representation to speak on their behalf during a trial. Instead, they were forced to make do with defending themselves, even if they were unfamiliar with the laws of the cities. This had always seemed perfectly natural to Juliet before, and for that she was now ashamed.

“Hakan, Keme, and Chenoa. You are charged with practicing science,” Danforth said in a sonorous voice. “How do you plead?”

“Is there any point in pleading with you?” Hakan retorted. “You’ve already made up your minds to hang us.”

A surge of murmurs came from the courtroom. Lillian raised a hand and all fell silent again. “If you denounce science as evil and give us the names of other scientists, we may show leniency,” she said.

“Evil?” Chenoa said, shaking her head. “Science is a tool, like witchcraft. It’s people that are evil. But you know that better than any of us, don’t you?”

The court erupted with noise, mostly hisses and boos, but the few Outlanders that dared to watch from the back cheered Chenoa. Lillian leapt to her feet and strode toward the scientist, her body rigid with rage. The room went silent with shock. The Lady of Salem had presided over many trials like this, but never once had she shown her anger in public before. Not even when she’d hanged River Fall and many had shouted every dirty name in the book at her. Chenoa was different somehow. Juliet knew that Chenoa was the linchpin for all of her sister’s fears; she just didn’t know why.

“Evil is as evil does, and your brand of science is the most evil because it causes the most harm,” Lillian said, finally controlling herself.

“Is it evil to try to bring cheap, bountiful energy to your people?” Chenoa countered calmly. “We Outlanders don’t have witches to light our lamps for us. We must find another way.”

“An evil, impure way,” Lillian corrected. “Isn’t it true that elemental energy creates a dirty byproduct that is dangerous to all living things for thousands of years?”

Chenoa nodded her head stiffly. “It does.”

“And that it is very unstable? That even in your small experiments it often runs out of control and creates major damage?” Lillian pressed, her eyes gleaming.

“Yes. But we’re working on making it safer.”

“Safer. But not safe. Not entirely,” Lillian said leadingly. Chenoa didn’t answer. Lillian relaxed, leaning back and looking down on her adversary with triumph. “And, isn’t it true that elemental energy could be used in warfare to make an explosion so great that all of Salem could be obliterated in a fraction of a second?”

Nervous whispering rose up from the crowd. Chenoa narrowed her eyes at Lillian. “How could you know that? I’ve never told anyone that. Not even them,” Chenoa said, gesturing to Hakan and Keme, both of whom looked genuinely shocked.

“It doesn’t matter how I know it,” Lillian said sadly. “All that matters is that I know it’s inevitable if we start down this path. You know it too, don’t you?”

Chenoa’s shoulders stiffened. “Not all of us are out to destroy the world, Lady.”

“All it takes is one,” Lillian said. Her sad expression suddenly changed to pleading. “Which is why it’s so important you tell me who else knows about your work with elemental energy. Please, Chenoa. Turn away from this madness. Give me a name.”