Ellen Price sits at the council table.
She won’t look at anyone.
My stomach tightens.
The discussion barely lasts two minutes.
Too short.
Too rehearsed.
“Let’s vote,” the mayor says.
One by one, the hands go up.
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
Ellen hesitates.
Just for a second.
Long enough for everyone in the room to notice.
Then slowly…
Her hand rises too.
The room goes silent.
Miller jumps to his feet.
“You’re selling us out!”
Ellen flinches like the words hit her physically.
The mayor slams the gavel down.
“Order!”
But no one is listening.
Saint doesn’t stand.
He doesn’t say a word.
He just goes very, very still.
And suddenly I understand something terrible.
They didn’t lose because they were outnumbered.
They lost because someone was scared enough to fold first.
55
