By the second week, Helix Academy was a powder keg.
Vesper had outperformed half the senior class.
Publicly corrected two instructors.
And casually destabilized three egos.
Valentina Orsini approached her after Advanced Strategy.
"You're not subtle," Valentina said.
"You keep saying that."
"It's not a compliment."
"Good."
Valentina smiled faintly.
"I was supposed to marry Kael."
"I know."
"I didn't want to."
"That makes two of us."
Valentina studied her carefully.
"You're not what I expected."
"So, I've been told."
Behind them, Kael and Aurelio spoke quietly.
"You resent her," Aurelio observed.
"I resent chaos."
"She's not chaos."
Kael's eyes darkened.
"She's entropy."
The incident that nearly expelled her happened in Combat Theory.
A live simulation malfunctioned.
The arena gravity field spiked.
Students slammed into reinforced walls.
Valentina was thrown upward.
Aurelio reached for her—
Missed.
Vesper reacted without thinking.
She increased her density mid-air.
Her body becoming an anchor.
She grabbed Valentina's wrist.
Hardened.
Absorbed impact as they hit the floor.
The reinforced alloy cracked beneath her.
She looked up at the stunned faculty.
"Is this still graded?"
The room erupted.
Valentina stared at her.
"You saved me."
Vesper shrugged.
"You're politically inconvenient if you're dead."
Valentina laughed despite herself.
From above, Aurelio watched.
Something shifted.