“Bailiff, please bring in the jury.”

The door’s soft hydraulic hiss felt deafening as twelve figures filed in, their faces carrying the weight of their decision. Juniper studied each expression, seeking any hint of their conclusion, but found only solemn purpose. Her legal training screamed at her to remain professional, even as her pulse thundered in her ears.

Daniel’s presence beside her felt like a lightning rod, drawing and containing the electricity that threatened to overwhelm her. She caught a glimpse of their reflection in the polished table surface - two figures poised on the edge of either triumph or devastation.