“Lacey…enjoying your few days mingling in the big leagues?”

“Yes, thank you, Carter, it’s lovely to be here,” I say, my tone bland.

He tilts his head and pouts in mock pity. I try not to change my expression. “All this must be way over your head now. It’s a shame for you. If you hadn’t been so intent on getting that mangy cat baku of yours back, you might have actually had a shot at working in Moncha HQ. My dad was impressed by you, for whatever reason. And yet you threw it all away and now you’ll just end up working in the call center, like your mom… ‘Hello, Moncha customer service, how can I help you?’” he says, in a mocking tone.

I grit my teeth and shrug. Try to remain serene. I remind myself. You are happy and content. You have no ambition. Carter’s words cannot bother you. “And what’s wrong with the call center? I get to help people who are having trouble with their bakus. It sounds like the perfect job to me.”

I wonder if I might have overstepped the boundaries of believability, because he leans in close, his eyebrows pulling together in a deep frown. I fight to keep my expression neutral, even though it’s hard with his bony face so close to mine. “Wow, we really did get to you, didn’t we?”

His frown now pulls at the corner of his mouth. He seems almost…disappointed.

“And school is great, it’s nice being back at St. Agnes,” I go on. “Don’t you sometimes wish you could be back there too, without all the pressure of life at Profectus? It’s like, I can actually go to my classes and yet still have a life. It’s nice. Do you want to hear what some of your old friends are up to?” I try to rack my brains to think of who were Carter’s friends at St. Agnes—I’m not even sure that he had any. But thankfully, I don’t have to make up any stories.

“Oh no,” he says, suddenly all of his skepticism disappearing. Then he laughs. “As if I would want to know about life at St. Agnes? Who do you think I am?” He leans forward, his face agonizingly close to mine. I almost break character, but I manage to keep it together. “And to think… Dad is going to roll out this update to all level ones tomorrow night.” He waggles his eyebrows. “Come on, Hunter. Let’s not waste any more time here.”

>>Good job.

Jinx speaks as soon as Carter moves on.