The room was still.
“Are you saying,” another councilor asked, arching a brow, “that despite sharing quarters with her for nearly the entire semester, you never once suspected she wasn’t who she claimed to be?”
Lucian nodded once, keeping his voice steady. “She was private. Quiet. Focused on her studies. We barely spoke at first. And when we did, it was usually about training or trials. She kept her distance.”
Another councilor leaned forward, skeptical. “But recently, you two were observed spending more time together. Sharing meals. Conversing during drills. You were even paired for multiple Trials. You expect us to believe there was no… intimacy?”
Lucian’s jaw clenched—but he forced himself to play the role.
“Whatever closeness you think you observed,” he said coldly, “was tactical.
