The fear in Lyria's eyes lasted only a moment before desperation forced her into action.
"No!"
Her voice came out far louder than she intended, and the sudden outburst made several people flinch.
As Mira stepped forward, Lyria immediately retreated a step, her heart pounding violently against her ribs.
"This proves nothing!" She shouted, pointing toward Aurora with a trembling finger. "Anyone could smell like smoke after standing this close to the cave!" The words rushed out of her mouth as panic threatened to overwhelm her. "We have all been here for so long! The smell is everywhere!"
She turned toward the crowd as if seeking support. "And even if I do smell like smoke, that doesn't mean I started the fire! It just means I was nearby!"
The more she spoke, the more frantic she became.
Her eyes snapped back to Aurora. "You are doing this because I exposed your true colors! You are targeting me because I didn't blindly believe your lies!"
