Eleanor's gaze held steady, her posture not shifting a fraction. She had been waiting for this moment—or rather, for this angle. It was only a matter of time.
So it begins.
She didn't show it on her face, but she knew the question beneath Amelia's civility. The way her voice softened when mentioning the mentorships. The way her tone lingered just a second longer on personally.
It wasn't curiosity.
It was positioning.
"Yes," Eleanor replied, her voice cool and unbothered. "I have."
Amelia tilted her head ever so slightly, as if in admiration, but Eleanor knew better. "They must be… interesting students," she said lightly. "To merit your personal oversight."
There it is.
Eleanor didn't flinch. "They are."
Amelia's expression didn't waver, but her eyes sharpened ever so slightly, the warmth in her voice now edged with something colder—curiosity dipped in subtle challenge.
