The next few days ran together in Olivia’s mind. She followed a simple routine of exercising, cultivating, eating, studying, eating, visiting with a cohort member, eating, cultivating, studying, and sleeping. Her studying consisted of reading texts and practicing her Energy weaving. She was pleased with her progress; so far, she’d gotten fast enough to complete three meta-element patterns before they dissipated, and she was close to mastering a fourth: pyrosteam. It was the first meta-element she’d tried to create from opposing elements, and, though it was difficult, it was supposedly, according to the text, capable of immense destruction.

She ached to let one of the meta-elements she formed in her channels pour forth into the world, but she knew the consequences might be disastrous; she was pretty sure she’d level from the creation of the spell, and she also knew that the wards in her cell would not tolerate it. Still, Olivia wanted to see what she’d created; she wanted to watch her burst of plasma rip through the door or the pyrosteam carve a runnel out of the stonework. She didn’t really know if that would happen, but she fantasized.

She’d tried to make progress with her punching and pushup exercises, and she felt like she had improved, pushing herself until she was sore in her chest and triceps every morning when she woke up. She didn’t have any great hopes of impressing Commander Grobak, though; she just wasn’t built for fistfights. Thinking of fistfights brought her mind to Bronwyn, and she often found herself wondering how her friend was doing. Had she settled things with the Urghat? Was she getting along with the council, or was she off adventuring? She smiled, wondering what Bronwyn would have done if she’d been here when Olivia had been framed for her “crime.”

Never once did that professor that had sentenced her to this “detention” ever come to interview her. None of her cohort members had heard anything official about what Olivia had done, only reporting rumors that were most likely spread by Gwinna and Jade cohort. Olivia found it frustrating and concentrated on the injustice whenever she practiced her punches, finding that it helped to fuel her aggression.

She spent the morning of her fifth day in the detention cell just like she had the previous four, all the while waiting and hoping for the door to open with someone telling her she could leave. When Professor Thrain brought her breakfast, he claimed ignorance, saying he hadn’t heard any news yet about her fate. Frustrated, she slumped onto her cot with her sandwich. She ran a hand through her greasy hair and noticed how her armpits stank. Sure, she could use the sink to rinse off a bit, but a nice bath or shower would have been a real treat. Even Shani had remarked on her appearance and ripe odor the afternoon before.

It wasn’t until near dinnertime that a knock sounded on her door, and it opened to reveal Alyss. Olivia sat up from her cot where she’d been lying on her back, tossing a ball of paper up and catching it. “Professor?”

“Hi, Olivia! Come on, let’s get you out of here; I’ll fill you in while we walk.” Olivia didn’t have to be asked twice; she hopped up and followed Alyss out into the hallway. “Professor ap’Gravin made this very difficult—several of us were trying to find him all day so that we could demand the results of his investigation. It was almost as though he was avoiding us!” She looked sideways at Olivia and winked. “Professor Brince finally cornered him and secured your release! No evidence could be found to implicate you. Even the girl that was injured claimed she never saw what happened to her.”

“It’s Friday, right? I lost track in there.” Olivia was being dramatic; her friends had given her updates, and, though she had asked for reminders, she knew it was Friday.

“That’s right—one more week of the induction competition. How are you feeling about things?” They were walking up a set of steps that Olivia didn’t remember at all; she’d been completely out of it when she’d followed Gwinna down to the detention rooms.

“I am extremely excited to show you what I’ve done with meta-elements, Alyss! I also leveled my Core twice while I was locked up!” Alyss glanced sharply at her and raised an eyebrow.

“Be careful! You must be close to ten!”

“I know, I know. I didn’t think I’d get two levels in there; the Energy didn’t feel very rich after I drained those pools from the wards.”

“Alright,” Alyss nodded, “I will give you some advice, and I want you to take me seriously, okay?”

“Yes, ok.” Olivia wasn’t used to Alyss sounding so somber, so she inhaled deeply, trying to calm her excitement at being out of that cell at last.

“For the next week, do not go anywhere without your cohort. I’m going to escort you all the way to your dorm, and after that, you are to be with at least two of them at all times. It’s for your own good, okay?” Olivia got her meaning right away, and she nodded.

“I had a similar thought, Alyss. I don’t want to put myself in a vulnerable position, especially before the induction awards are given out.”

“Good, Olivia. I’ve lost some faith and trust in this institution over this predicament, and I’ll be having a long talk with Professor Oylla-dak when she returns. Keep that between you and me, though, alright?”

“Of course, Alyss. Thank you for looking out for me.” Olivia nodded solemnly as she spoke, her lips pressed into a thin, severe line.

“Next week, I’m going to have you describe to me what you’re able to do with meta-elements, and I’m going to give you a preliminary score. Once the awards are given out, I’ll expect you to demonstrate them to the class. I think it will be a good experience for you and also an eye-opening one for some of the other students.” Olivia wasn’t sure how she felt about Alyss’s expectations. On the one hand, it was flattering that she felt confident enough to prepare her this way, but on the other, she didn’t want to let her down.

“What if my results don’t match what I’m hoping to do?”

“I’ll have an idea about that after you describe your process to me. Don’t worry, Olivia. Now, this is your hallway, isn’t it?” She gestured with her open palm to the hallway on her left, and Olivia saw the familiar row of doors and nodded.

“Yes. Thank you again, Alyss.” Alyss smiled at her and watched as she went to her cohort’s door, opened it, and slipped inside. Adaida and Hanwol were the only members in the dormitory at that moment, both of them sitting on a couch with their noses buried in books. When Olivia walked in and approached them, Adaida looked up and almost dropped her book in surprise.

“Olivia! Out of prison at last!” She jumped up and hugged her, and Hanwol set his book down, observing the two.

“Welcome back, Olivia. I’m glad you didn’t get expelled.”

“Why would she?” Adaida bristled. “That bitch, Gwinna, made the whole thing up. I told you!” Of all her cohort members, Hanwol was the only one that hadn’t visited her, and Olivia now wondered if he’d actually believed she attacked that girl.

“Right, of course,” he said, picking his book up and making a show of finding his page.

“Don’t worry, Hanwol. I’m not out to hurt anyone. Yet!” Olivia said, looking at Adaida and laughing as she said the “yet.” Adaida also laughed, leaving an arm draped over Olivia’s shoulders, and pulled her to sit down on the couch next to her.

“Well, any tales? Anything we need to know?”

“No, not really. There was no evidence tying me to Haidis’s attack. Anyway, I don’t want to be caught alone until next Friday, so we should all move around together. I don’t trust Gwinna not to try something else.” Adaida nodded sagely, but Hanwol lowered his book and glanced at Olivia as if to see if she were being serious.

“I think you’re being paranoid. It’s not Gwinna’s fault that you were standing over that girl.”

“Oh, Nature!” Adaida huffed, “Ignore him! He has a massive crush on Gwinna.” Hanwol snorted and looked back at his book, but he didn’t deny her words. Olivia preferred to think he was acting that way because of a crush than to believe he thought she was guilty, so she smiled and stood up, extricating herself from Adaida.

“I need a bath. I’m a filthy mess; thanks for not saying anything, Adaida!” She walked toward the bathrooms but turned back to say, “Don’t forget what I said! You guys can’t leave me alone, so don’t go disappearing while I’m in there!”

Olivia slept better than she had in a long while that night. It took her a little time to fall asleep, but as she lay there on her side, watching the moons reflected in the big bay windows and listening to the soft breathing of her cohort members, her eyes grew heavy, and the next thing she knew Veena was jostling her shoulder to wake her up. “C’mon, Olivia. Some of us want to get breakfast, and I know you don’t want to get left alone.”

“Right, just let me clean my face and teeth real quick,” she said, stretching into a yawn.

“Hurry, I’m starving!” Adaida leaned over her, grinning madly, letting her long, thick hair hang into her face. Olivia snorted in surprise and rolled out of bed. Adaida was definitely acting a lot more friendly to her lately. It was almost strange, but she wasn’t going to complain; friends were good. She hurried to get ready, and while she was scrubbing her face, she couldn’t help thinking how bizarre it was that she’d basically been in prison yesterday, and now she was going off to get breakfast with her friends.

The weekend went by quickly; Olivia and her friends spent time reviewing their lessons, eating out, and exercising on the commons. They didn’t particularly try to avoid the other cohorts, but it seemed like everyone was feeling the pressure of the last week of the competition and kept to themselves while they studied. Sunday evening, Olivia, Adaida, and Shani went to the library to work on memorizing the few simple Enchanting techniques they’d learned so far. They’d been at it for an hour or so when Olivia loudly exclaimed, “This isn’t fair! I can’t really understand how this works without having practiced scribing these runes, modulating my Energy with a stylus.”

“Just use class time next week. We’re going to be in the lab, and if it’s anything like last week, we’ll only learn one or two artifices.” Shani shrugged. “You’re quick; you’ll pick it up.”

“She is quick, isn’t she?” Adaida said, grinning from across the table.

“You’ve been awfully friendly and complimentary this weekend, Adaida.” Olivia regretted the words the moment they left her mouth. Adaida’s face fell, and she scowled at her book.

“Well, why shouldn’t I be? Should I be a grouch all the time?” She asked, suddenly looking up at Olivia.

“No, I didn’t mean it like that...”

“I’m going to head back. You girls behave yourselves now,” Shani said, interrupting Olivia. She made her book disappear and then strolled out of the library, a sly grin on her face.

“What’s the deal with her?” Olivia asked, watching her leave.

“Don’t change the subject! What’s wrong with me being nice to you?” Adaida asked, her cheeks reddening, though Olivia couldn’t tell if it was anger or embarrassment.

“Nothing! It’s just you seem different. You weren’t so friendly the first couple of weeks. I’m happy that we’re getting along; that’s all I meant to say. My words aren’t always the best choice, and I don’t notice it until they’ve already slipped out of my mouth. Okay? Don’t worry.”

“How’d you get that scar, Olivia?” Adaida asked, completely changing the subject. Olivia got quiet and reached a hand up to her eye; she hadn’t thought about the scar in a long time. “I’m sorry, that was rude. I shouldn’t ask.” Adaida said the words, but her eyes looked at her expectantly, like she wanted an answer, despite her words.

“When we first came here, there was a quest from the System to investigate a cave. I went with some friends, and a Yovashi attacked us.”

“Nature! A true Yovashi? A male?”

“Yes, I almost died. My friend survived and carried me back to town. She bought some sort of healing cream from the store on the Colony Stone and used it to mend my skin and bones. My eye was almost ruined, but the cream put it back together. I know it looks different, but I see things normally out of it.” While she listened, Adaida reached over the table and took Olivia’s hand.

“It looks different, sure, but it’s beautiful. Don’t be self-conscious okay? I’m sorry I brought it up, but it’s not because you look ugly or weird; it's because you’re amazing.” Now it was Olivia’s turn to blush, and she looked down self consciously.

“Stop it. See what I mean? You’re being so nice!” She laughed a little and looked up, tears brimming in her eyes. “I really hated being alone in that cell. I miss my friends and family, and you don’t know how much it means to have you being so kind to me.”

“Ugh! Who’s cutting spiceweed around here?” Adaida asked, wiping at her eyes. Olivia laughed and brushed a sleeve across her cheeks, sniffing noisily. “C’mon, let’s head back to the dorm. We’ve a big week ahead. You’re going to have to tell me about your friends and family sometime, though. It helps to share what we miss, you know; it makes them more solid in our minds.”