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As she set down her hammer, satisfied with her first attempt, she felt eyes on her.Looking up, she met Kaine's gaze across the forge.He gave her a slight nod, almost imperceptible, before returning to his own work.The acknowledgment left her with an unexpected warmth that had nothing to do with the heat of the forge.

***

Thalia emerged from the underground forge aching in places she didn't know could ache.Her shoulders burned from holding the heavy hammer, her wrists throbbed from manipulating the tongs, and the small of her back protested after hours of hunching over the anvil.The sweat had dried on her skin, leaving behind a gritty residue of coal dust and metal filings that made her itch.But there was a satisfaction beneath the discomfort — her hook had been deemed "functional" by Instructor Wolfe, which was apparently high praise for a first attempt.Her stomach growled audibly as she trudged up the final steps with Luna and Ashe, the three of them united in their singular focus: dinner.

"I think my arms might fall off before we reach the dining hall," Luna complained, her typically animated face slack with exhaustion.“All of the classes are brutal, but metallurgy….”

"Northern children start hammer work at eight," Ashe said, though her stoicism was undercut by the way she flexed her fingers as if they pained her.The red streaks in her black hair had come partially loose from their braids, giving her a wild, untamed appearance."Builds strength for winter survival."

"Well, Southern children don't," Thalia said, rubbing her shoulder."Though it’s similar to pounding herbs with a mortar and pestle."She'd thought her hands were strong from years working in her mother's shop, but the forge had proven her wrong.

Their footsteps echoed against stone as they climbed higher, the air growing colder with each level.The transition from the forge's sweltering heat to Frostforge's perpetual chill made Thalia's skin prickle with goosebumps.She found herself grateful for the cold now; it soothed her overheated muscles, though she knew the relief was temporary.

"At least we're alive," Luna said, rubbing at a spot of soot on her cheek and only succeeding in smearing it further."That's more than Instructor Maven predicted."

"The day's not over yet," Ashe reminded them, but there was the faintest hint of humor in her voice.

They reached the main corridor that led to the dining hall, the distant clatter of plates and hum of voices promising respite.Thalia's mouth watered at the thought of food, any food, even the bland porridge that seemed to be a staple of Frostforge meals.The warmth of the forge had burned through her reserves, leaving her hollow and light-headed.

A figure stepped directly into their path, forcing the three of them to halt abruptly.The newcomer was female, perhaps a year or two older, her posture radiating confidence that bordered on arrogance.She wore her uniform with practiced precision, not a wrinkle or smudge to be seen despite the late hour.Her black hair was pulled back in a tight, elegant knot that emphasized the sharp angles of her face.But it was her eyes that captured Thalia's attention — pale silver-gray, like frost on metal, and just as cold.

"Senna," Ashe said, her tone neutral but her posture subtly shifting.Thalia hadn't known Ashe long enough to read all her cues, but this one was clear: caution.

The girl — Senna — didn't acknowledge Ashe.Her frost-gray eyes fixed on Thalia instead, studying her with an intensity that felt like a physical weight."You.Greenspire.I need to speak with you."Senna's gaze flicked dismissively to Luna and Ashe."Privately."

Luna's eyes widened slightly, her seemingly perpetual distraction vanishing as she glanced between Thalia and Senna with sudden sharp focus."We were just heading to dinner," she said, her usual dreamy tone hardening at the edges.

"This won't take long," Senna replied, still not looking at her."You two go ahead."

Ashe's green eyes narrowed.She looked to Thalia, a silent question in her expression:Do you want us to stay?

Thalia hesitated.The hunger gnawing at her stomach warred with curiosity about what this stranger could possibly want with her.The girl clearly knew her name, while Thalia only knew her asSennafrom Ashe's terse acknowledgment.Her instincts urged caution, but there was also the awareness that making enemies at Frostforge was dangerous.Better to hear what Senna wanted.

"Go on," Thalia told her roommates with what she hoped was a reassuring smile."Save me a seat.I'll be right there."

Luna looked unconvinced, but Ashe gently touched her elbow."We'll see you inside," Ashe said, guiding Luna toward the dining hall.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Senna took Thalia's arm in a grip that was just shy of painful, steering her toward an alcove off the main corridor.The small space was lit by a single blue-flamed lamp that cast eerie shadows across their faces.Away from the traffic of students heading to dinner, the alcove was unnervingly quiet, the stone walls muffling the distant sounds of the dining hall.

"I don't believe we've been properly introduced," Thalia said, extracting her arm from Senna's grasp with deliberate care."You seem to know who I am, but—"

"I know all the first-years," Senna interrupted.Her voice was controlled, precise, each word carefully shaped before delivery."Especially those from the South.It's my responsibility."

"Your responsibility?"Thalia echoed, confusion temporarily overriding her hunger and discomfort.

Senna's lips curved in what might have been a smile if it had reached her eyes."I was in the forge this afternoon," she said, ignoring Thalia's question."I saw you talking with Kaine Ember."

The non sequitur caught Thalia off-guard."Yes," she admitted, unsure why this warranted a private conversation."He gave me some advice about metalworking.What of it?"

"Did he?"Senna leaned closer, her pale eyes scanning Thalia's face as if searching for a lie.The scent of something sharp and wintergreen emanated from her — not unpleasant, but somehow aggressive in its intensity."And did you find his advice...helpful?"

Thalia took a half-step back, uncomfortable with the intrusion into her space."I don't see how that's any of your concern," she said.

"I'm warning you, as your senior – as someone who understands this place – to stay away from Kaine Ember."

"Why?"Thalia asked, a shiver running up her spine as she recalled the intensity of Kaine's blue eyes, the controlled power in his movements as he worked the forge.

"Because he's dangerous," Senna said, her eyes never leaving Thalia's face."Bad news for anyone looking to survive Frostforge."