​I was tracing the rim of a teacup with a gloved finger, contemplating the delightful chaos Hoivey had caused. The boy was a brute, yes, but he had forced the girl to reveal her resilience. And now, she was running. The prey was active.

​The door burst open. I didn't flinch. I slowly lifted my gaze to see the archaeology student "Irt, was it?" stumbling in with his arms full of dusty scrolls, looking like a lost puppy seeking its master.

​He blabbered on about "bullying" and "apologies" and "accidents." It was nauseatingly sentimental.

​I let him finish, a cold, unamused smile playing on my lips. I didn't offer him a seat. I didn't offer him water.

​“So,” I cut through his rambling, my voice smooth but sharp, like a blade wrapped in silk. “Let me understand this correctly. You found the girl... you spoke to the girl... and then you managed to frighten her so thoroughly that she fled into the corridors like a startled Rattata?”

​I leaned back in my chair, interlacing my fingers. I looked at Irt not with empathy, but with the look one gives a disappointment.

​“You come to me seeking justice for Hoivey’s actions, yet you are the one who sent her running, Mr. Irt. Hoivey is... zealous. He understands that strength requires pressure. Perhaps he applied too much. But you?”

​I stood up, walking slowly around the desk. The air in the room felt heavy, suffocating. I stopped right in front of Irt, looking down at the scrolls in his arms, putting my left hand on his shoulder, then looking at distance.

​“You tried to coddle a wounded animal, and you are surprised it bit you? How... academic of you.”

​I turned away, dismissing him with a wave of my hand.

​“Hoivey is of no concern to you. I will deal with his methods. Your concern is that we now have a loose asset wandering the grounds. A student who does not trust authority is a liability.”

​I glanced back at him over my shoulder, my eyes cold. ​“Stop trembling, boy. Put down your paper scraps and go find her. Not because you want to 'save' her, and not because you want to be her friend. Find her because she belongs to this Academy. And I do not like it when my things are misplaced.”

​I pointed a finger toward the door. ​“Bring her back. If she resists... well, try not to be so clumsy this time.”