This wasn't just students being greedy or desperate.
This was something coordinated by adults who should know better.
"These idiots..." Zhao's voice was tight with anger. "Their job is to observe. To protect in case of real danger. Not to participate in conflicts between students…"
"And yet," Ren pointed subtly forward, "I can sense six adult presences positioned. They don't seem to just be watching... They seem prepared to actively intervene."
"Yes… This is more than opportunistic theft," Zhao concluded, his voice hardening with each syllable. "This is a declaration of war."
Klein's mind raced, processing the variables. Three groups… Tutors willing to break protocol and watchers positioned like pieces on a combat board.
He had an idea of what was happening because he'd been offered the same thing.
The memory surfaced unbidden. Many nights ago in a shadowy corner of the academy courtyard. A messenger with no house colors. A sealed letter that burned in his hands.
