Page 7 of Frostforge: Passage Two

Luna's expression was calculating, all pretense of distraction gone."The ship was reinforced, as well.If I had to guess, I’d say the Isle Wardens have been more active lately."

As they descended into the valley, Thalia kept her eyes fixed on Frostforge's altered silhouette.The academy had always been dangerous — that was its purpose, after all.But these changes suggested a different kind of danger, something beyond the usual brutal training and high mortality rate.

The previous year, the threat of the Isle Wardens had felt distant, confined to the distant, storm-wreathed archipelago beyond the continent’s shores.But now, faced with the evidence of the academy’s modifications, Thalia felt the unease settle deeper in her chest.

Frostforge wasn’t just training its students for war.It was bracing itself, preparing for the waves of battle to break against its walls.

CHAPTER THREE

Thalia's legs ached as she crossed the threshold into Frostforge's main hall, the weight of her journey settling into her bones like frost.The familiar chill of the academy's stone walls seeped through her travel-worn cloak, a harsh reminder that comfort was a luxury not afforded to students here.Around her, the returning second, third and fourth-years moved with practiced ease, their chatter bouncing off the high cavern ceiling where stalactites hung like suspended daggers.

She fought the urge to lean against one of the massive stone pillars that lined the hall.Six weeks of reprieve in the South had softened her, and now her body protested the trek through mountain passes to reach Frostforge once again.All she wanted was to collapse onto her pelt-lined bunk and sleep for a day — assuming her previous dormitory was still hers.Nothing at Frostforge remained constant except the cold and the competition, but Thalia hoped the students wouldn’t have their rooms changed.Ashe and Luna had been her roommates last year, and they were two of the only people she trusted at the academy.

The main hall stretched before her, vast and imposing.Torches lined the walls, their flames casting long shadows that danced across the uneven floor.The academy's founders had chosen to build within this natural cavern, reinforcing it with stone pillars and iron supports but leaving the ceiling in its wild state.Hundreds of stalactites clung to the darkness above, some as thin as needles, others thick as tree trunks.When Thalia had first arrived last year, she'd spent weeks fearing that one would break free during an assembly and impale her.It hadn’t happened — but she still couldn’t rule out the possibility.

"—three outposts lost in the past month alone."The hushed voice came from two students to her right, both of whom she recognized as third-years.

Thalia slowed her pace, keeping her face neutral as she listened.

"Bitterroot Pass was the worst," the taller one continued, a muscular woman with intricate braids woven with small metal beads."My cousin was stationed there.Said they barely had time to sound the alarm before the Wardens were on them."

Her companion, a lean man with a scar bisecting his left eyebrow, nodded grimly."The coastal villages are evacuating inland.They're saying Frostforge might be called to send reinforcements."

"Students?"The woman's voice dropped even lower.

"Fourth-years, at least.Maybe some exceptional third-years."

Thalia's stomach tightened.Isle Wardens.The raiders from the archipelago surrounding the continent had been a threat to Northern and Southern coasts for generations, but their attacks had always been sporadic, opportunistic.If they were mounting a coordinated assault on Northern strongholds, it could signal an escalation in the war.

"Thalia Greenspire."The voice cut through her thoughts like a blade through ice."Still eavesdropping on your betters, I see."

She turned to find Ashe Redwood watching her with that familiar, barely-there smirk.The Northern warrior stood with perfect posture, her black hair still streaked with the distinctive red dye of her clan, though the braids at her temples were more intricate than Thalia remembered.

"Ashe."Thalia's lips curved into a genuine smile.Despite their rocky beginning, Ashe had become one of her few allies at Frostforge."I thought I might have to hunt you down."

"As if I'd miss the chance to see what the break did to everyone."Ashe's sharp green eyes assessed Thalia from head to toe."You look softer.The warmth made you complacent."

"It's been two days since I've slept on anything but rock or a ship’s deck," Thalia countered, rolling one shoulder to ease the stiffness."Give me a week of training, and I'll be back to form."

Ashe raised an eyebrow."A week?I'd say three, at least."

This was Ashe's version of friendly banter — challenging, but without the venom that characterized so many interactions at Frostforge.Thalia had learned to appreciate it, especially when compared to the outright hostility many Northern students showed Southerners.

"How was your clan gathering?"Thalia asked, falling into step beside Ashe as they moved deeper into the hall.

Ashe's expression tightened almost imperceptibly."Predictable.Three marriage proposals.Two challenges to combat.My father's continued disappointment that I chose Frostforge over a 'respectable' alliance."

"You won the combat challenges, I assume?"

A flash of teeth."Naturally.The second challenger still can't use his left arm properly."

Thalia was formulating a response when her attention snagged on a familiar broad-shouldered silhouette across the hall.Kaine Ember stood among a group of third-years, his posture rigid and controlled.Even from this distance, Thalia could see the new burn scars on his forearms — evidence of a summer spent at the forge.Her heart performed an unwelcome stutter.

And then she saw who stood beside him: Senna Drake.The third-year stood close enough to Kaine that their shoulders nearly touched, her silver-gray eyes scanning the crowd with predatory focus.As if sensing Thalia's gaze, Senna turned, her lips curving into something too sharp to be called a smile.

Thalia looked away first, her throat tight with an emotion she refused to name.Last year, during the Frost Walk trial, Senna had deliberately sabotaged her, cutting her pack and weakening her ice-metal blade.Only luck — and Brynn Firstborn — had saved her from hypothermia or worse.And Senna's obsession with Kaine was no secret — she'd made it clear she considered any connection between Thalia and Kaine to be an offense worthy of elimination.

"Interesting," Ashe murmured, following Thalia's line of sight."I'd heard that the Drake girl attached herself to Kaine's cohort for the advanced metallurgy project over the break.Apparently, she suddenly developed an interest in forge work."Her tone made it clear what she thought of Senna's motivations.

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