A Signature Against the Crowd
A man stepped forward from the crowd. His face was tight, with anger and grief. "You were one of the people who attacked us were you not?" he said loudly. "You came with those people. You do not have the symbol of Vel on you. You do not wear the symbol of Vel."
People started to whisper to each other. It spread really fast like a bad thing that you cannot stop. The air felt really heavy and scary it was like people were blaming someone. They were all really afraid of what might happen.
Alina did not flinch. She looked at his eyes. Let him see the tiredness in them and the determination that was also there. Her voice was softer now. You could still hear something strong and unshakeable in the way she spoke about things in the way she said what she had to say about the situation, with him and what she was going to do.
No. I was not one of the people who attacked Vel. I was born in this place.
