His six days in the void were over. Robert positioned himself behind Amanda, with a hand on her shoulder. The timepiece chimed and he prepared himself.

Right as he shifted back, he used his talent again taking her with him. Just to make sure nothing from the table spilled on her.

"No time. Just come with me!" Robert said as they entered the liminal void.

He wrapped a hand around her waist as he pulled her away from the table. Amanda just inhaled a sharp breath and yelped. This visit lasted less than fifteen seconds. His artifice timepiece barely had time to do all the calculations before they returned.

The grape juice finished splashing over Pablo.

Robert was still holding Amanda's waist and she had leaned on him, a hand grasping his left shoulder. He noticed the position and how it might be interpreted but he had little choice. If he pushed her away now, it would look even more conspicuous. You better roll with it. He shifted Amanda to his left side so he could free his right arm. She moved with the grace of a ballerina. She actually seemed to be quite comfortable in that position but again, no time to dwell on that. Thought acceleration was really useful but it strained his poker face. Damn, did Amanda always smell this good?

He glanced at the academy staff that was still chasing after Pablo, then pointed at him. He delivered his line as loud as he could without actually shouting.

"You are guilty of the following violations: Academy code of conduct, article seven, one, three, 'Nonacademic conduct', letters C, bullying, D, destruction of property, G, disorderly conduct. M, harassment, T, public endangerment. Because of your reckless behavior, Miss Samson was almost hurt."

He released Amanda and took a step away, examining her. "Are you okay, Miss Samson?"

"I'm fine. Thank you for your timely assist, Mr. Blaze," Amanda replied with the grace and poise of a princess bequeathing her favor on a knight.

"Just doing my job, Miss," Robert replied without taking his eyes off Pablo, who was enjoying his one-third-gallon grape juice bath.

Pablo sputtered, then screamed bloody murder. He turned and faced Robert. "YOU!"

The Academy staff finally reached Pablo and seized him by the arms. "You are to cease all aggression. Stop resisting."

Foresight warned him of an attack one second before it happened. Robert dove and tackled Amanda as a tongue of flame roared across the space he had just vacated. Screams and shouts and sounds of tableware crashing rang as they shifted into the liminal void once more.

"Sorry," Robert said. He hurried to get off of her. He stood up and offered her a hand.

"You're too heavy! But I'm okay," she said as she stood up. "What the hell? Fire? When did Pablo gain a Fire affinity?"

The two stared at the frozen black flames. Robert tracked its origin to a hole in the breast pocket of Pablo's jacket. He couldn't see much but it seemed some sort of artifact was emitting the flames.

"He didn't," Robert said. "The flames are coming from an item."

"I didn't hear any activation keyword," Amanda said.

"It might be bound to his essence and activated with a thought."

"Well, we should move elsewhere to resurface. I think near that guy with the Academy security pin. A bit further so he has time to react and not treat us like an immediate threat."

"Let's go downstairs and find a place out of anyone's line of sight."

Robert looked at his timepiece. They had almost an hour to find a spot. One hour holding hands with his boss' daughter.

"I'm sorry your meal was interrupted."

"Don't be. I ate more than enough for my own sustenance and then a bit extra for biomass absorption."

"Sure. Hey, Robert. About the Freddy situation..."

"What about it?" He tried to sound neutral but failed. "I'm not angry or anything. Sorry if I sound like that."

"I know," she half-whispered. "You are upset at the situation, not at me. Right?"

"Yes." He deadpanned.

"Maybe just a little angry at me?" She teased.

"No." He deadpanned harder. In that game, the only winning move was to not play.

"I will look into rescuing Freddy's parents and any siblings. Don't worry about costs."

"I didn't intend to." She giggled. Robert could tell she was nervous. "Here. Nobody is looking at this spot. I can't see anyone's eyes from here."

If you had the time, checking people's line of sight was rather easy. If you couldn't see any part of their irises, they couldn't see you.

They talked about courses and lectures, more Amanda telling him what to expect because he had no idea what things were like here outside of the books he read about Imperial. When the timepiece chimed, they prepared to return to the real world.

*

*

Students were screaming, in panic, while Academy staff tried to keep order. Nobody was looking at them and nobody would probably care unless they started attacking people. The flames roared upstairs, a wave of red light and heat glaring down into the lower floor. Glass broke, the wood creaked, and more screams came from upstairs.

The chaos was out of control. Robert held Amanda's wrist firmly as they followed a group of students out of the building through an emergency exit in the back. Outside, the noon sun shone on them. Smoke was coming out of the corner they had lunch at. Students still ran away from the cafeteria building and into the green areas surrounding it.

Robert dialed prescience for up to three seconds. It more than tripled the essence cost but he felt he couldn't be frugal there. He kept through acceleration, the extra time to think becoming more and more of a second nature. It was ridiculously useful at letting him pay attention to things and notice small details.

They reached a small lawn labyrinth with trees and benches. While it would be the perfect spot for an ambush, it also was out of sight of others. He used a pulse of prescience two minutes ahead and found no threats. He led Amanda to a bench where they sat to catch their breath.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"You used quite a bit of essence, didn't you?" She asked in a whisper to not let her voice carry much further out. "You can gather for a while, I'll keep watch. With this much vegetation around us, not much can surprise me."

"Is it wrong to feel this threatened inside the Imperial Academy?"

"Wrong? No, it's a travesty!" She almost shouted. "People died for less."

"Do you think... Pablo will..."

"He will be lucky if he's expelled," that's all she said. "Now, go gather. See if you find any nice vestiges for us."

Robert shut his mouth and eyes, then dove into the Netherecho. He wasn't expecting to find anything in there because of the hundreds of students that most likely roamed the campus every day doing exactly that. And Academy staff wouldn't let any dangerous (and valuable) vestiges to their own devices. True to his expectations, he only found a few sparse wisps. A handful of them were Life wisps, so he harvested them.

He heard a chime in his head, then a voice. "Students Blaze and Samson, please report to the administration at your earliest convenience."

Robert opened his eyes. He checked his watch. He stayed for ten minutes in the Netherecho.

"They are summoning us," Amanda said. "Let's go."

*

*

They were fifty feet from the administrative building's door when a woman from the Academy jogged toward them. "Miss Samson, are you okay?"

Robert slowed down to place himself a couple of feet behind Amanda. He kept his face expressionless and scanned around. It was just for show as he trusted his spells to let him know of any threats beforehand.

Amanda nodded with an annoyed face she had just put on. "Thanks in no small part to Mr. Blaze here, my bodyguard. I believe I'd be charcoal if it wasn't for him."

"Yes, of course." The woman said graciously.

"It seems my grandmother's concerns were warranted. I'm sure you'll hear from her shortly, as soon as she gets my report. I am severely disappointed at the cafeteria's security."

"Yes, of course," the woman said with a hint of worry in her voice. "This way, please."

They were led to a meeting room on the second floor. Several people were in there, including Professor Actus. They took the last two seats at the table.

"Miss Samson, Mr. Blaze, thank you for coming so soon," a man at the other end of the table said. "I'm Lars Graahaal, head of security and a knight in the service of the Empress."

"We are eager to help, Ser Graahaal," Amanda replied. "What would you have us do?"

"I would like you to report your interactions with Pablo Melendez."

"You mean the interactions in this semester, right? More precisely, today's events? Pablo was a classmate last semester. I wouldn't dare bother Ser with the backstory."

"Just today will suffice for now."

"Well, as you are aware, Mr. Blaze here is trying to develop the beast bond ability with his Taulusian hound, which he has permission to host at his apartment. His hound was having some issues, and he asked for my help. We went to his apartment, and it seemed the Taulusian hound was having severe anxiety issues. I got overwhelmed by my own emotions and left them alone in the apartment, as it seemed the Taulusian hound was having negative reactions to my presence. I freshened up in the ladies restroom and was about to return to Mr. Blaze's aid when Mr. Melendez intercepted us. He was rather rude and patronizing towards me as if I needed protection from my own bodyguard.

"Mr. Melendez seemed to be very into antagonizing Mr. Blaze, perhaps as a sort of hazing or male pecking order ritual. I have to admit I am not familiar with these primal urges. Then they started talking about settling their score with a duel, which Mr. Blaze kindly reminded Mr. Melendez he was unable to issue due to his paramilitary status with Samson Security. Mr. Melendez disregarded the warning and issued the challenge himself. Seeing that Mr. Melendez wouldn't let us go our way even though the duel was set, a clear breach of etiquette, Mr. Blaze used a spell to make Mr. Melendez sleep, after he got Mr. Melendez permission to do so."

She paused to see if anyone would have any questions.

"Some students report you were crying when you left Mr. Blaze's apartment."

"Unfounded rumors."

"Some witnesses say Mr. Blaze hurt you."

"Ser Graahaal, have you met my grandmother?"

"I did."

Amanda slammed both hands on the table and stood up. She was glaring daggers at the knight.

"Do you, Ser Lars Graahaal, think Mr. Blaze here is dumb enough to jeopardize his scholarship, his well-paying job, and face Titania Samson's wrath by messing up with me? Do you believe for one second that I would allow someone to abuse me without consequence? Why, I could just agree with you and he wouldn't have time to blink before you crossed this table and arrested him, isn't that right? Or do I have anything to fear from a one-star in such august company such as yours, Ser?"

Lars ground his teeth for a while. "No, Miss Samson. I can assure you you are safe in here with me."

"Then let those here be my witnesses. Mr. Blaze has never, ever, done anything to hurt me. He was vetted by my father, my grandmother, and even by Gerard, my grandmother's bodyguard. You can take those facetious reports and make those who gave them eat the papers for all I care. Was I clear?"

"Absolutely."

Amanda sat and slowly repressed her anger.

"And what about the Taulusian hound?"

"That's a private matter," she replied curtly, her gaze challenging the knight to press further.

"Now, onto the restaurant part. Please, continue, Miss Samson."

"We were having our lunch, which took longer than normal because of Mr. Blaze's dietary requirements and the demands of his tempering technique," Amanda continued. "Mr. Melendez barged into the private area and rudely demanded an explanation as to why he fell asleep. He even had the gall to steal food from another table to use as a weapon. Mr. Blaze replied with the truth, which made Mr. Melendez angrier. He then proceeds to throw a bucket of hot buffalo wings at Mr. Blaze. In an attempt to keep the bucket from hitting the window, Mr. Blaze opened it, lost balance, and was forced to act to protect me. I did throw a jug of grape juice at Mr. Melendez, in an attempt to dissuade him from further acts of aggression. Mr. Blaze did his duty to protect me and came to my aid when a massive gout of fire came our way. Mr. Blaze took me out of the restaurant and into a safe spot where we rested until we got your summons."

"And how did Mr. Blaze take you out of the restaurant?" Knight Graahaal asked.

"That's classified," Amanda replied with a bit of irritation and rising urgency in her voice. "You should know better than to ask such things, Ser Graahaal. I know you are eager to finish your report and deliver the Empress' justice but don't breach etiquette!"

The knight scowled. He wasn't used to being schooled by one-star children but Amanda was in the right here. He did commit a breach of etiquette.

"I see. It seems the lady is correct and I offer a humble apology."

"Apology accepted. Is there anything else you must know?"

"Mr. Melendez will pay reparations for the damage he caused, and —"

"His spatial ring," Amanda demanded. "Hand over his spatial ring and we will consider the reparations paid in full. Without involving my grandmother."

Robert noticed she said nothing about the contents of said spatial ring.

"We will take that into consideration. Now, what can you tell me about this artifact." Knight Graahaal showed the same item Robert saw in Pablo's breast pocket. Robert couldn't help but react at the sight of it. "It seems Mr. Blaze knows the item. Care to explain how?"

Robert glanced at Amanda as if to seek approval. Amanda nodded.

"I saw one like that in Mr. Melendez's breast pocket when the flames were conjured in the cafeteria," Robert replied.

"You saw it, through the blinding flames that were aimed at you," Lars said, his tone calling bullshit.

"Yes," Robert deadpanned. "I saw an object just like that one with my own two eyes. The breast pocket's exterior was burned and I couldn't see the entirety of it so I cannot confirm it is the same object. In addition, the circumstances didn't let me discern any colors, only their relative shape, engravings, and contour."

"Do you recognize the insignia on it?"

"No."

Knight Graahaal nodded and put the allegedly fire-spitting artifact away. "Very well. We will deliver Mr. Melendez's storage ring after we confirm it has no contraband inside of it as soon as possible, Miss Samson. Your testimony is recorded, and this meeting is adjourned."

Actus turned his head. It felt like he was staring at them with the big eye painted on his mask. "You two stay. I need to talk to you."

Robert and Amanda remained seated while everyone else vacated the room. Amanda made a point of not meeting Lars' eyes as the knight passed past her. Once they were alone, professor Actus fiddled with a crystal in the middle of the table. The sounds from the corridor vanished.

"First," Actus said, "congratulations on surviving an assassination attempt."

Robert stiffened. He stole a glance at Amanda, who seemed proud for some reason.

She met his eyes and smiled, "Grandma will be pleased," she whispered to him.

"You got it wrong, Miss Samson."

"You can call me Amanda, professor."

"Then call me Noah. You don't mind if I use your first name either, do you, Robert?"

"Not at all, Noah. I rather prefer it that way."

"Excellent. No, the target of the assassination attempt wasn't you, Amanda. They wanted to kill Robert."

Shocked, they gasped.

"Who are they, Noah?" Amanda asked.

"A reclusive and clandestine sect of Archhumans. Say, what do you know about the Cult of the Pail Priestess?"

"The Pale Priestess?" Robert asked.

"No. The 'Pail' Priestess. Pail, as in a bucket with a lid," Actus corrected.