“Are you warm?” Mrs. Hopper was holding her hand on Aunas’ forehead.

“I feel alright.” Auna moved past her to sit down, Jensen was getting her food as he had been for the past few days.

“What was that all about?” Meredith sat down with her tray.

“Nothing, she was just checking in on me. I was thinking we could go to the border town in the Bloodwave territory this weekend. We can set up our account and ask if they will sell the flowers for us.”

“That sounds good. It would be even harder for the church to see our moves if we do it anonymously as well.” Jensen put a tray of food down in front of Auna.

“True, and it is a place far away. What would be best is to set up doors in more places. Spread our actions around.” Diego put his muffin on Cielas’ plate.

“We could ask the Grays that run the guilds to do that for us. In places we have no relation would be best. If they take the products and sell it all around the church will not have any real proof of our involvement.”

“Did you just say Garys?” Mateo put his muffin on Chloes’ plate.

“Yeah, they are both named Gary. We could ask them to spread rumours as well they seem like the type to enjoy that.” Auna was watching Bruno place his muffin on her plate.

“Sounds like my kind of people.” Jensen switched his muffin for the one Bruno placed on Aunas’ plate.

“Okay what is up with you guys and the muffins today?” Meredith was rolling her eyes. “And Jensen was that really necessary?”

“It was yes. The triplets hate blue berries. They only eat the red ones.”

“Then why take them?”

“Auna, Ciela, and Chloe love them. We see how excited they were the last time we had them for breakfast.” Bruno winked at Chloe.

“How kind. Please keep doing it.” Ciela was talking with a mouth full of muffin.

They ate their breakfast heading to class. Common language was a catch-up day leaving Auna and Jensen with little to do. The other children appreciated time to work on their assignments from all their classes. The teacher just seemed like they wanted a break.

“Good morning children. Today we are going to be covering the third scripture section of Iris. This section is for prayers of harvest mostly. It all speaks to what kind of God Iris is. There are many temples within our church devoted to her and her followers.”

The class continued for about an hour before the teacher said they were done for the day. Since the class consisted of mostly older students who were allowed to wander without adult supervision, only a few students were left behind.

“A, Jade may we have a word?” The teacher motioned for Auna to come to the desk.

“Yes teacher?” Auna was now standing at the front of the class Jensen keeping his eye on them.

“I wanted to ask if you would give permission to have your status screen looked at by the church.”

“No thank you teacher.”

“The principal asked we ask you first before our next steps. Are you sure you want to say no?”

“Is that a threat teacher?”

“Not at all child, just asking if you are willing to change your answer.” There was sweat on the teachers’ forehead.

“No means no. I will not change my answer. Feel free to take your next steps if you must.”

“It won’t hurt, and we won’t share the information with the public. Only the top people in the church will know. If you aren’t lying about your skill, there should be no issue.”

“I am not lying. The issue is I like my privacy, and you are trying to invade it.”

“Look, don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

Auna began to walk away leaving through the door. Jensen was following her closely with the teacher.

“Where do you think you are going?”

“To talk to the principal.”

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The teacher stood a bit stunned. Conflicted between chasing her and watching the other students in the classroom. The plan of making Auna give permission did not work. The teacher went back to the classroom, not wanting to leave the other children unsupervised.

Jensen and Auna walked quietly to the principals’ office. Auna was seething, rage radiating off of her. Jensen knew better than to bug her when she was like that. The stubborn but calm girl had a serious temper when pushed too far. It was just rare to see her pushed that far. Even other teachers in the hallways did not stop her, as she didn’t answer them. That is why Mr. Merlin and Mrs. Hopper were now following both students.

“You can’t go in just, yet he is busy.” A kind receptionist motioned for them to sit on the wating seats in the lobby.

“Don’t really care right now.” Auna walked right into the principals’ room. There was a man sitting in the room, the Bloodwaves, and her parents.

“The priest that runs scripture just threatened me. He did not want to take no for an answer, and even told me to stop making it harder than it has to be.” Auna looked right at the principal. “I will not continue to go to school here when teachers are obviously threatening me. Fix this or I am gone no one will be able to find me.”

“Someone threatened her?” Marybeth looked angry, Auna didn’t know if she was angry or not before she got into the office.

“I’m sure she misunderstood lady Bloodwave.” The unknown man spoke waving his hand dismissively.

“Do you wish to call me a liar as well?” Auna gritted out between her teeth with her head tilted as she glared daggers at the man. Everyone in the room seemed to stall for a second. No one had thought the polite but stubborn child could have such a murderous aura.

“Hey moon, can we take a breath?”

Aunas’ head audibly clicked as she twisted it to look at Jensen who visibly cringed.

“Child, please sit. Let’s talk this out.” Marybeth patted her lap.

“Fine.” Auna sat on her lap. Jensen stood off to the side with the teachers.

“As we were discussing. We would like to have custody of A, Jade.”

“Look the Bloodwaves’ have already denied that request. I am not sure why you wanted the Jades’ here.” The principal wiped sweat off his face.

“The Jades are her parents they should be the ones to make the decision.”

“We don’t think you are going to want her after you see her jobs. We would gladly give you custody, but she isn’t a part of our registry anymore.” Regan Jade was cold. Her mother, Lilly, glanced at her with empty eyes.

“Is she a part of the Bloodwaves’ registry?” The unknown man did not look pleased at his own words.

“She was orphaned, but the king has an initiative to place orphans under his custody if they don’t go to another registry or the church. It happens automatically.” Regan shrugged.

“See you will have to talk to the king if you want her custody. And without custody of her, I cannot share her status screen. At least not without her permission. We only keep basic information on public file such as level, age, and stats. Any jobs and skills are private and kept in official records only accessible by certain individuals. Anyone caught trying to break into these files are jailed, and sometimes executed. So, you can see how serious your request is. I can’t just grant it.” The principal was sweating even more. The poor man was stuck between two dukes, and the church. Possibly the King as well.

“Sir. We understand how serious a request this is. But if she really has the praying prophet skill. We need to understand how she got it. This is unheard of in our history.” The man who Auna assumed was from the church spoke with a raised voice.

“I am more than willing to show you the skill. But I won’t show you my whole status screen. I did not appreciate the teacher grabbing my hand and using a device higher than novice level to forcefully appraise me.” Auna had calmed down a bit, knowing the principal was on her side made her feel better.

“We also need to know the job you have.”

“Not negotiable.” Auna looked at her parents giving them her best, I’ll kill you for talking look.

“Duke Jade you must know what it is.” The man was pleading with her father.

“Don’t. Haven’t we done enough to her?” Her mother put her hand on his arm.

“I will not be disclosing her job. It is unlikely that job pertains to this skill anyway. She must have gained a new job.” Regan looked coldly towards Auna. “I am not doing this for your sake. You bring shame to this household even after we disowned you. Like a bug you keep coming back. Could you not have just died peacefully?”

“Did you really think that would kill me?” Auna winked.

“Please show us you have the praying prophet skill.” The unknown man didn’t even bat an eye at lord Jades’ words. The principal though seemed taken aback by their exchange.

Auna pulled up her status screen. Her noble job and skills were visible her other jobs were blurred out, their skills as well. The only skill visible from her two other jobs was her praying prophet skill. Her talk with the Gods and continued praying had bumped it to medium-beginner.

“This is amazing. An eight-year-old having not just a praying skill but the praying prophet skill. Amazing. I run the church in Wardite, would you like to become a saint there?”

“No thank you.”

The Wardite church head was about to say something when a women came in. She looked very elegant, but simple. Her skin was a deep brown her hair black.

“I am pretty sure we said to leave this girl alone. Did we not Wardite church head?”

“Yes, ma’am we didn’t think it would harm anyone if we asked her permission and she agreed.”

“Well, she didn’t. I am sorry child. I am the head of the church I just got back from the Gods land. Most call me church mother.” She reached her hand out to shake, Auna shook it.

“Now that I have proven my skill may I go?”

“Not yet. You should be here for this. I propose we bring this matter to the king.”

“What do you mean?” The principal looked like he was ready to puke.

“The king holds an end of spring garden party every Yarren. I have arranged for an audience with him at that time. We can leave this child alone until then. Her first semester will be uninterrupted she is also very ill at this moment I heard. She needs her rest.”

“Yes, church mother she does have pneumonia, we recommend also waiting to push this matter anymore.” The principal looked relived he wouldn’t have to deal with this mess. Quickly he added. “For her health of course.”

Lilly, her mother, glanced at her. For a second Auna thought she saw worry or some kind of motherly compassion. It was gone just as quickly as it came though.