Talia hadn’t told anyone about her meeting with the mysterious masked stranger, not even Professor Iakopo. She had asked the man about Space Water and if he had any way of getting anything out of the Star Field. Predictably, the man said he had tried, but nothing had happened. He suspected that if he had Star Water, given that the name of the place was Star Field, something might have happened, but he wasn’t even sure about that.

Talia had asked him why he hadn’t just asked her sister, and Iakopo had given her a weird look.

“Your sister,” the man said, “is Elder Kahua’s protégé.”

“So?” Talia frowned.

“There are politics in the academy, Talia. Elder Kahua and Elder Krakatoa are making weird moves.”

“You don’t trust them?” Talia asked.

“I don’t,” Professor Iakopo said. “Elder Kahua was among the people who were very impressed with your mother, and Elder Krakatoa was her shield when she faced the Kraken. However, Elder Krakatoa and your father returned. Your mother didn’t. We don’t know what happened, and I get the feeling that Elder Krakatoa lied about your mother.”

“My father said one of the elders killed my mom.”

Professor Iakopo suddenly stood still. “You didn’t tell me that,” the man said.

“I thought my father was just messing with me,” Talia said defensively.

“He might have,” Professor Iakopo said slowly, “but your father does hate the elders in a weird way. You know he joined the Cultists and became their leader after your mother died, right?”

“I suspected as much,” Talia said.

“Well, he was close with Elder Kahua and Elder Krakatoa. Elder Kahua hates him because he joined the Cultists, but till the day of your mother’s death, they were actually quite close. In fact, I’m surprised that Elder Kahua didn’t go to the North Deep alongside your mother, Elder Krakatoa, and Maui for the final battle with the Kraken. That always struck me as weird.”

“Why didn’t you go?” Talia asked. “If you knew my mom was up to something?”

Professor Iakopo grimaced. “I wasn’t myself back then. I should have gone. I should have made sure that your mother didn’t...” He trailed off. “I don’t want to talk about this. You’re right, I should have.”

Though Talia was a bit weirded out by the professor’s reaction, she let it be.

“Anyway, I hope you enjoyed your trip to the Star Field because that’s about the last moment of peace you will get this year. You have two classes to attend. I’ve personally chosen which ones.”

“There are only two because of the two months?” Talia asked.

“Yes. And because the others are taught by idiots.”

“I see,” Talia said. “So I imagine one of those is your class.”

“Of course,” Professor Iakopo replied. “The other is World History. You’re quite ignorant when it comes to the broader context of the Great Archipelago, so you will need to catch up. There are things most nobles learn when they’re five, but the professor, one of my few friends, also teaches things that most people don’t know. You will find them extremely interesting, I imagine.”

Talia shrugged and nodded. She wasn’t about to argue with Professor Iakopo about her course load. She was sure the man knew what was best for her.

“Now,” he said, “go prepare. My lesson is in one hour.”

* * *

"Hey," Talia said. "By the way, I really hope Lilo is alright. If there's anything I can do..."

Nami, who had been walking alongside Talia toward the beach where Professor Iakopo's lesson would be held, shook her head. "It would be great if you could side with us, but I also understand that I can't just ask you that because Lilo is being punished."

Talia bit her tongue. She couldn't tell Nami what Professor Iakopo had told her about her father. Certainly, even though they were friends and they had undergone some traumatic experiences together in Placid City, blood was still blood.

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"Maybe ask me out at the Water Ball, and I'll accept," Talia joked.

Nami let out a small laugh. But then the older Moana sister, since the argument had been brought up again, took the chance to question Talia's intentions since they were all alone.

"You know, Keanu is pretty good-looking," Nami dropped a heavy, massive hint.

"He's alright," Talia said, shrugging. "Why? Do you want to ask him out? I can tell him you're interested, so maybe he can ask you out."

Nami sighed. "Didn't you two go alone in some dungeon?"

"Yeah." Talia didn't give her the details about why she had found the dungeon, but her friends knew that she and Keanu had gone alone since Keanu's powers could stop her rampage.

"Would you say you two have grown closer during that time?" Nami asked with a smirk.

"I spent most of the time underwater, honestly. And Keanu's job was to tie me up whenever I emerged."

"So, he tied you up," Nami said emphatically.

"Yeah. When I use Ravenous Wounds in the Cursed Form, I need someone to restrain me. Well, now I don't need it anymore for Ravenous Wounds."

"And do you like," Nami said, putting a lot of emphasis on 'like,' "when Keanu ties you up?"

Talia was still oblivious to what the older Moana sister was going for. "No. I'm glad he does because otherwise, I might kill him."

"Right," Nami said with a smile. "So, in a way, you do like when he ties you up. You enjoy being tamed."

This time, Talia finally caught on to what Nami had been putting out and looked at her with a disgusted frown. "Hey. Don't make it inappropriate. It's training. I need Keanu to—" She stopped herself before saying 'to tie me up.' "I need him to help me because my powers are dangerous."

"They sure are," Nami smiled. "I imagine they will hurt a lot of boys in the future."

"Hey, hey," Talia said. "Cut it off."

"Cut off what?" Nami replied innocently as they finally arrived on the sun-kissed beach.

The morning sun shimmered on the clear waters beneath the small vessels and gondolas as they strolled over the stone bridges lining the canals.

Before them lay the beach, a broad crescent of white sand flanked by soaring palm trees on one side and the vast blue ocean on the other. Almost all the students who had been with them in Placid City, and then some more, were already gathered there, sitting in loose groups on the sand or standing in clusters near the water's edge.

Professor Iakopo hadn't arrived yet.

Instead, Talia and Nami found dozens of students gathered in a circle on the beach, including Fiora and Agalei.

“What are they doing?” Talia wondered under her breath.

They moved closer, getting through a few people who protested at Talia, shoving them aside.

“Hey,” Talia said to Fiora, “what’s going on?”

“Some guy was running his mouth about wanting to spar. Then this new student showed up and took him up on it,” Fiora said with her eyes fixed on the fight.

Talia turned and saw two guys. One of them looked vaguely familiar, and she recognized him as one of the students who had come with them to Placid City. The other guy, however...

The other guy was shirtless and had dark olive skin. And for all Talia wanted to maintain pure thoughts, he had incredible musculature all over him. He had broad shoulders, was very tall, and, most importantly, he had two magnetic, icy blue eyes.

The new guy dodged the other student’s punches easily, slapping them aside. He wasn’t even breathing hard. After a few exchanges and toying with his opponent, he landed a clean hit to the chin that dropped his opponent to the sand. Several girls in the crowd whispered appreciatively.

The fallen student tried getting up twice before giving up, clearly done. The shirtless guy extended a hand to him and smiled.

“That was fun,” he said. Sweat gleamed on his chest in the morning sun. He helped up his opponent, went back to the circle, and then turned to the other students. “Anyone else wants to go before class?”

A few students shifted uncomfortably, but no one stepped forward.

“He’s got to be joking,” Talia muttered. “Who does he think he is, doing this before Professor Iakopo’s class? And wait, a new student? How is he with us? We’re second years.”

“Apparently, he got sent straight to the second yea, maybee for merit. Sometimes that happens,” Nami explained.

“He certainly got assets,” Fiora laughed.

“What assets?” Talia said, turning toward the handsome brute currently in the middle of the circle. He was smiling toward everyone and making inviting gestures for someone to come forward.

“What assets, Talia?” Fiora said, slapping her friend’s arm. “Have you looked at him?”

“If I wasn’t focused on casting,” Nami grinned, “I’d volunteer just to get my hands on those muscles.” She placed her hands on Talia’s shoulders and tried to push her forward.

“I don’t think—” Talia started.

“Actually,” the new guy spoke again, “I’ll pick my next opponent.”

“What an arrogant asshole,” Talia said, scrunching her nose in a fierce face. However, when she saw the guy with ripped muscles walk straight toward her, she heard both Nami and Fiora start to giggle.

“Oh, come on,” Talia said, tightening her fists. “I will—” She didn’t say the second part out loud since the guy was already getting close to her, but she was indeed intending to teach this arrogant fool a lesson. She didn’t like people who showed off like this. He had just come, and he was already putting on a show. Who did he think he was?

He stopped right in front of Talia. When Nami and Fiora started barely containing their laughter, poking Talia’s sides as the handsome dark man stood in front of her, she felt like she was about to pop off. But then the next words of the man threw her.

“Hello, milady,” he said with a familiar emphasis. “Nice to meet you again.”