She tilted her head slightly. "What do you mean?"
I looked at her. "The story about me manipulating Calder and chasing Kael for status. The one about me crying after the trial, the one that started sometime last night and has been moving through the student body all morning."
Elara's expression shifted into something soft and concerned. "I heard some of that. I honestly thought it was just people talking. You know how it gets after a trial, everyone has opinions." She paused. "I hope you do not think I had anything to do with that."
"I think you know exactly where it started," I said calmly. "And I think you are very good at making sure nothing points back to you when it does."
Her chin came up slightly, the softness in her expression stayed in place but something underneath it went ve
