"I've known Victor for quite a while now—even before all this." Aurhea's voice was light, sugar-sweet. "His sister and I were very close, you see. Almost inseparable."
She lifted her spoon, leisurely licking the edge of her yogurt with a flick of mischief.
"In fact, I inherited the Student Council presidency from Adrienne."
She met my gaze head-on, her eyes searching mine—not for connection, but calculation. Gauging my reaction.
"You what?" I blinked.
Deadpan. Flat. There were no words at first. Just that creeping, bitter sensation of the floor shifting under me. Then—
"You think I'd believe that?!"
My voice came out harder than expected, sharper. Across from me, Ceres went still. She didn't move a muscle, didn't even blink. If I didn't know her better, I'd swear she'd frozen.
But I did know her. Or thought I did.
And i knew it was hard to guess what she might be thinking. It was hard to read her.
