Page 18 of Frostforge: Passage Two

As she made her way toward the dining hall for breakfast, the hallway ahead was unusually crowded for this early hour.Students clustered in a tight knot, their postures suggesting something more confrontational than morning gossip.The crowd parted just enough for Thalia to glimpse a familiar figure at its center — Roran Bright, his shoulders rigid and his wild curls escaping from a hastily tied ponytail.

Facing him were three Northern students, second-years based on their insignias.The tallest of them, a broad-shouldered boy with a scar bisecting his left eyebrow, leaned into Roran's space.

"It's a bit convenient, isn't it, Bright?"The name came out like a sneer."You show up, fighting like an Isle Warden like you always do — and suddenly our weapons go missing."

Thalia slowed her pace.She recognized the Northern student — Nash, she thought his name was.His family had strong military ties; she'd overheard him boasting about it during combat training.

Roran's arms were crossed tight against his chest, his fingers digging into his own biceps.Gone was the easy smile that usually graced his features, replaced by a jaw clenched so tight that a muscle twitched visibly beneath the skin.

"I lost everything to the Isle Wardens," Roran replied, his voice dangerously quiet."My entire family.You think I'm working with them?"His laugh was hollow, nothing like his usual warm chuckle."You're even more stupid than you look, Nash."

Nash's friends shifted closer, forming a tighter semicircle around Roran.One of them — a girl with white hair and cold blue eyes — rested her hand on the hilt of the training dagger at her belt.

"We all know the story you tell," Nash said."Poor merchant's son, all those raids, such tragedy."He mimicked, wiping away a tear."But let's look at the facts, shall we?You're late returning to Frostforge.You get stopped at a checkpoint for 'suspicious behavior.'You use fighting techniques that only Isle Wardens use.And now weapons are missing — weapons that could give an advantage to whoever has them."He leaned even closer."I think you're exactly what you appear to be — a Warden spy who's not half as clever as he thinks."

The hallway had gone quiet, students watching with the tense anticipation of spectators at a duel.Thalia could feel the crackle of energy in the air — not from any spell being cast, but from the raw emotion radiating from Roran.She'd seen it before in the training yards — when Roran's emotions spiked, she swore static discharges would sometimes leap from his fingertips.She winced at the thought; if others had noticed this, too, that would only serve as further proof that he was an Isle Warden.Only the raiders of the archipelago used storm magic.

"You want to say that again?"Roran uncrossed his arms, hands now balled into fists at his sides.

Nash smiled, clearly pleased to have provoked a reaction."What's wrong, Warden?Truth hurt?"

Something dangerous flashed in Roran's eyes.He stepped forward, fists clenched.The air pressure in the hallway shifted, making Thalia's ears pop.

Without conscious thought, Thalia lunged forward, pushing through the gathered students.She inserted herself between Roran and Nash, palms out toward both of them.

"That's enough," she said, her voice surprisingly steady despite her racing heart.She faced Nash first, meeting his contemptuous stare."You're throwing around accusations with zero evidence.Roran was cleared by the checkpoint guards, or he wouldn't be here.You’re only complaining about his fighting techniques because they’re better than yours."She took a breath, aware that she now had the attention of everyone in the hallway."If you want to find the real thief, maybe look for actual evidence instead of attacking someone based on nothing."

Nash's expression darkened."Defending your fellow Southerner, Greenspire?Maybe we should be looking at you too.Birds of a feather, and all that."

The girl with the white hair smirked."Heard you're quite special in metallurgy class.Animated a golem heart on your first try, didn't you?Bit suspicious, that kind of talent just appearing out of nowhere."

Thalia felt a flash of anger."If excelling in class makes someone suspicious, then half the Northern students should be under investigation."She glanced back at Roran, whose fists were still clenched, but the blue glow had diminished slightly.Emboldened, she continued, "It's ridiculous to think Roran is an Isle Warden.If you suspect that of him, you might as well suspect it of me."

"Maybe we do," said Nash, his lip curling."But Bright here has done a particularly poor job of hiding his true nature.The way he fights, that storm brewing inside him — he might be playing like some commoner from the Southern Kingdoms, but we can see the raider underneath.”

Beside her, Thalia heard Roran hiss a breath through clenched teeth.She could feel the tension radiating from him like heat from forge fire.

"Back off," Thalia warned Nash, her voice hard.“And leave Roran alone."

"I don't need your help, Greenspire."

Roran's voice was so cold that Thalia almost didn't recognize it.She turned to look at him, startled.

His face was a mask of barely controlled fury, but his eyes — those eyes that usually sparkled with humor — were now dark.

"I can handle things on my own," he continued, turning away.The bitterness in his tone cut through the air."Clearly, that’s how I’m meant to be.”

Nash and his friends exchanged glances, their expressions morphing from antagonism to amusement.

"Sounds like the pretty Isle Warden doesn't want you, Greenspire!"Nash laughed, the sound echoing off the stone walls."Turned down in front of everyone.How embarrassing for you."

The white-haired girl nudged another friend, whispering something that made them both snicker."Maybe she thought defending him would win his heart?Southern romance at its finest."

Heat flooded Thalia's cheeks."That's not —"

"Get lost," Roran snapped at the Northerners, cutting off Thalia's protest."You've made your point."

Surprisingly, Nash shrugged and stepped back, seemingly satisfied with the discord he'd created."We'll be watching you, Bright."He nodded to his friends, and the group moved away, still chuckling amongst themselves.

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