Page 62 of Legacy Elite

"We were not going this way."

"We are now."

"Sophia."

"Linnea!" she calls.

I'm going to kill her.

Linnea closes the folder as we approach. "Sophia Dimitriou. You still owe me for the seating plan."

"I improved the seating plan."

"You put my uncle beside his ex-wife."

"You said you wanted people to mingle."

"For the first time in twenty-three years, they did."

"And it was better," Sophia insists.

Linnea turns to me, and I brace.

I've had four weeks of this. People recognize me, their eyes get a little wider, and then I get some version of what was it like? Or, worse, can you do it now?

"I've been wanting to meet you," she says.

Here we go.

"Sophia says you made Faris lose an argument in public."

I look at Sophia.

Sophia looks away.

"I didn't win. She used my own essay against me."

Linnea smiles. "Faris doesn't do that often. She much prefers to use her own words against people. Good for you."

She holds out her hand. "Linnea Vane."

"Jessica Miller."

"I know."

And that's it.

No direwolf. No bear. Nothing about April or the Council. She turns back to Sophia and asks how her community rotation is going.

I take a drink of coffee.

Well, shit.

I was prepared for a lot of things. I wasn't prepared to like her.

Soren joins us a minute later, appearing beside Ander so quietly I don't notice him walk up. He gives me a nod, and I give him one back.

Linnea turns back to Ander. "Are you coming tonight?"