Cedric was quiet for a long moment. "Because halfway through drawing that circle, I realized what we were doing. We were destroying an innocent person's life for politics and for convenience. For..." He looked sick. "For a lie."
"You had doubts about Adrian before this."
"I had questions, just small ones. Why did he care so much about beating you? Why did he obsess over his friends leaving? Why did everything have to be about maintaining his image?" Cedric slumped against the wall. "But this was different. This was evil. And I was part of it."
"You can still fix it. Testify at Ravenna's trial. Give me that recording."
"If I do, Adrian will destroy me. My family. Everything."
"If you don't, an innocent woman dies."
Cedric flinched. "I know."
