Emily stood with her heart tangled as if gnawed by a thousand ants. Her eyes flicked back and forth between the agitated crowd and the obstinate Susan. The noise and bustle around her seemed to fade into the background, amplifying only the turmoil within her.
She didn't want to fight Susan. Susan was still just an underage girl. How could she lay a hand on such a child? Emily frowned. She gazed at Susan's combative yet somewhat youthful face, and a wave of pity washed over her.
This farce couldn't be allowed to drag on.
Yet, the people around her thought otherwise. They were swept up in Dyson's demagoguery, eager for a fierce duel. They raised their arms and waved them enthusiastically, chanting, "Duel, duel, duel," like a heavy drumbeat, constantly pounding on Emily's nerves. Emily felt trapped in an invisible web, unable to escape.