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Camille smiled, and the fact that this expression had such a calming effect on me increasingly irritated me.

“Miles just introduced me to Miss Copeland.” She smiled in my direction, and even though I thought she was faking it, it felt genuine. “A lovely young lady.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Vivienna's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. But that expression quickly changed to suspicion as she looked back and forth between the three of us.

I knew she was probably wondering why none of us had died in the last five minutes. And now, hearing that sentence from a Legacy Ruisangor must have completely thrown her off balance. Just like me...

With that, the conversation between Miles and Camille was over, and neither of them said another ambiguous word to me for the rest of the afternoon.

Mrs. Hudgington and Camille introduced us to our tasks. An unfinished case analysis in which Vivienna, Miles, and I each had to defend one of the defendants, for which we were given the next two months, and which would result in a mock trial with other students and lawyers in the audience.

All the while, I felt Miles' gaze from the side, but resisted the ridiculous urge to check if I was just imagining it.

I tried to concentrate on Mrs. Hudgington, but often caught myself glancing at Camille, who smiled at me every time she caught me staring.

After three hours of working our way through the first batch of files while the two women discussed a legal scandal in Toronto, the first session was over.

And it wasn't until I stepped outside onto the stairs, where two ravens were fighting over a chocolate bar on the sidewalk below, that I dared to breathe the fresh air deeply into my lungs.

I had to process what I had just experienced, had to get out of here... Going for a run would help. Transforming and...

“I'm impressed to meet an Esadowa woman.”

I spun around. Everything in me was on high alert.

Camille was shorter than me and more slenderly built, which the suit concealed well.

She smiled kindly.

“And then in our law firm, too.”

Her smile softened.

“I admire your people very much.”

My people.

She looked me over, then, suddenly, she pushed a strand of hair out of my face, tucking it behind my ear.

My heart skipped a beat.

She withdrew her glove-covered hand.

“And you remind me of someone.”

Her smile faded. Suddenly she looked... sad?

Emely. No. She's one of them. She's your enemy. And she's trying to deceive you.

“I'm here for my internship,” I clarified and took a step back. “That doesn't mean I trust you.”

She nodded, as if that was already clear. “I know.”

Could this woman please not confuse me so much?

“I wish things had turned out differently, and I'm sorry,” she said, pressing her lips together almost imperceptibly.

My confusion grew without measure.