Page 14 of Frostforge: Passage Two

Thalia's stomach tightened at the mention of the raiders.The Isle Wardens had always been a shadow over the Southern Kingdoms, their swift ships appearing without warning to pillage coastal towns.But if the raids were increasing…

"The rest of the Southern recruits from my region had to form a caravan," Roran continued, his voice taking on a bitter edge."An inland route.Safety in numbers."

"But they made it on time.Unless… wait, you weren't with them?"Thalia asked, noticing the way he'd separated himself from the group in his explanation.

Roran's laugh held no humor."Ashe’s rumor was accurate, actually, though I’ve no idea how word spread that fast.I ran into trouble at an army checkpoint," he said, his voice dropping further."The Northern soldiers there..."He exhaled sharply through his nose."Someone recognized my name, or claimed to.They pulled me aside, searched everything I owned.Accused me of being an Isle Warden spy."

Thalia felt a cold weight settle in her chest.She remembered the whispers that had followed Roran throughout their first year — how his fighting techniques were too precise, too fluid.Too similar to the feared warriors who commanded the storm-wreathed ships of the Isle Wardens.The rumors had persisted despite Roran's stated Southern heritage and his open contempt for the raiders; to hear him tell it, Isle Wardens had killed his entire family.

"They kept me there for three days," he continued, his fingers curling into a fist at his side."Three days of questions, of 'tests' to prove I wasn't harboring some secret loyalty to the Isles."His laugh was sharp and brittle."They acted like I was about to summon a storm right then and there."Frustration laced his words."Like I'd ever fight for the bastards who destroyed my life."

"I know you're loyal," Thalia said firmly, meeting his gaze."If anyone had reason to hate the Isle Wardens, it's you."

Something in Roran's expression softened, just for a moment.The tension in his shoulders eased slightly.He looked away, his profile sharp against the gray stone walls.

"You'd think that'd be enough," he murmured."But some people will only ever see what they want to see."

Thalia didn't know how to respond to that.The truth of his words settled uncomfortably in her stomach.She'd felt the weight of prejudiced eyes herself — the automatic assumption that someone from the Southern Kingdoms must be less capable, less worthy of respect.But what Roran faced was different, tainted by fear of his peculiar ways of fighting, which he swore were just instinctive.

Wanting to lighten the mood, she elbowed him gently."Well, you're here now," she said, forcing brightness into her voice, "and you owe me lunch for making me worry."

Roran huffed a laugh, shaking his head.For a moment, he looked more like the boy she remembered from last year."You just want an excuse to steal my food," he retorted."Stick to your own rations, Greenspire."

"I've been surviving on Frostforge's idea of nourishment for over a week," she moaned, exaggerating her complaint to make him smile.

They turned toward the dining hall, their steps falling into an easy rhythm together.Thalia felt tension she hadn't realized she was carrying melt from her shoulders.Despite the shadows that seemed to cling to Roran, despite whatever had happened on his journey north, he was still here.Still himself at his core.

"So," he said, clearly eager to change the subject, "how was your first week back in this frigid hellscape?Anything interesting happen, or just the usual delightful hazing?"

Thalia hesitated, then decided Roran deserved some good news after his ordeal."Actually, I had some success in metallurgy today," she said, unable to keep a note of pride from her voice."I animated a golem heart."

Roran stopped walking abruptly, turning to face her with raised eyebrows."A golem heart?In your first class?"His surprise gave way to a slow, genuine smile."Greenspire, that's advanced stuff."

"That's what the instructor said."Thalia couldn't help but smile back, warmth spreading through her at the memory."You should have seen the Northern students' faces.Like they'd all bitten into something sour at once."

"You're getting too good," Roran said, his smile shifting into something sharper."They're probably worried you'll disprove their Northern superiority, or something."

Thalia rolled her eyes but couldn't help but laugh."You joke," she said wryly, "but most of them really do think that way."She lowered her voice."I've been placed in an advanced metallurgy section."

"Let me guess—you're the only one from the South in your class?"

She nodded.

"Of course."Roran's expression darkened momentarily before he forced another smile."Well, you'll just have to show them what the South is capable of.Lead the way, prodigy."

As they approached the dining hall, the rumble of voices grew louder.Thalia pushed open the heavy wooden door, feeling the rush of warm air laden with the scent of food.Not particularly good food — Frostforge wasn't known for its culinary achievements — but food nonetheless.Her stomach growled in anticipation.

The hall was crowded with students, their voices echoing off the high stone ceiling.Tables stretched in long rows, grouped loosely by year and specialization.Thalia scanned the room, looking for familiar faces among the first-years, but almost immediately noticed something else — heads turning in their direction, eyes narrowing.

Some glares came from Northern students in her metallurgy class, their pale faces set in expressions of disapproval.But others, she realized with a sinking feeling, came from Southern students.And those glares were directed at Roran.

She felt him stiffen beside her, almost imperceptibly.If she hadn't been standing so close, she might have missed it — the slight squaring of his shoulders, the way his breathing became more measured, his expression carefully neutral.It was the posture of someone bracing for impact.

"Ignore them," she muttered, though she knew it was easier said than done.

Roran's mouth quirked in what might have been an attempt at a smile."Always do," he replied, but there was a hollowness to his words that made Thalia's heart ache.

She might trust him — might know with bone-deep certainty that Roran Bright was loyal to Frostforge and an enemy of the Isle Wardens — but she was one of the few who did.And as they made their way through the dining hall, the weight of suspicious stares heavy on their backs, Thalia understood with painful clarity what Roran had meant earlier.

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