Chapter 79

Ronan's POV

Severin's trial lasted four days.

He hated every minute because no one allowed him to turn it into a coronation.

The hearing took place at the First House, but the seven seats had been moved into a circle around an ordinary table. Mara insisted that architecture mattered.

She had been right enough times that no one argued.

Territories built a temporary civilian court with judges who had never served under Severin directly, advocates on both sides, and a rotating Witness observer whose job was to verify process rather than dictate verdict. No founder blood gave anyone a vote. Severin called the structure illegitimate because nobody in it possessed permanent authority. That was almost enough to recommend it.

The evidence was overwhelming: sup