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Thalia hesitated, acutely conscious of his proximity, as she bent to retrieve the fallen hammer.The metal had already begun to cool, its glow fading from orange to red.

"It needs to be reheated," she said, reaching for the tongs.

"Not necessarily."Kaine closed the distance between them and extended his hand for the hammer."May I?"

After a moment's hesitation, Thalia handed it over, watching as his large, calloused fingers closed around the handle with practiced ease.He positioned himself before the anvil, studying her work with a critical eye.

"You were working on a blade," he observed, not a question but a statement."Basic, but the edge placement shows promise."

Without waiting for a response, he began to work the metal.His movements were nothing like Thalia's tentative strikes.Each blow was precise, calculated, the hammer dancing across the surface of the metal with a hypnotic rhythm that spoke of years of practice.The metal responded to his touch, the magical currents shifting and realigning with each impact.

"Every strike matters," he said, his voice low but clear above the sound of the hammer."You're not just shaping the metal; you're guiding the magic within it.The ore's natural properties become more pronounced the more you understand how to work with it."

Thalia watched, transfixed, as the rough outline of her blade transformed under Kaine's skilled hands.The edge grew sharper, the spine thicker, the entire piece taking on a balanced, lethal elegance that she couldn't have achieved on her own.

"You see how the curve channels the energy?"he asked, pausing to let her observe the glowing lines of magic that now flowed visibly through the metal."A straight blade disperses power evenly, but a curve like this —" he traced a finger in the air above the metal, careful not to touch it, " — concentrates it at the point of impact."

Thalia nodded, her eyes tracking the movement of his hands as he resumed his work."How do you know all this?"she asked, unable to contain her curiosity."It feels like you've been doing it for years."

Kaine's rhythm faltered, just slightly, before he resumed his steady pace."I have," he said simply.“I trained in smithing at sixteen.That was five years ago.”

"I thought all first-year students were eighteen."The words were out before Thalia could consider their implication, that Kaine had been otherwise occupied during that two-year gap between coming of age and coming to Frostforge.The rumors Senna had shared hovered at the edge of Thalia's thoughts, persistent and unsettling.

Kaine set the hammer down, the sound of metal against metal strangely final in the quiet forge.He stepped back from the anvil, his expression closing like a door being shut."There are exceptions," he said, his voice cooler now.

She knew she should leave the subject alone; good sense dictated that she thank Kaine for the demonstration and retreat to the safety of her dormitory.But the question burned in her throat, demanding voice.

"Is it true what they say about you?"The words hung between them, heavy as the hammer on the anvil."About what happened...before you came here?"

The silence that followed stretched taut as wire.Kaine's eyes, so pale they seemed to absorb the forge's glow rather than reflect it, fixed on her face.For a moment, Thalia thought he might simply walk away without answering.

"What exactly do they say about me, Thalia Greenspire?"His use of her full name sent a chill down her spine, despite the forge's warmth.

Thalia swallowed, suddenly aware of how alone they were in the vast, shadowy forge."Senna said —" she began, her voice smaller than she intended.

"Ah.Senna."The corner of Kaine's mouth twitched, not quite a smile."Of course.”

"I don't know what to believe," Thalia admitted."She said you spent five years in prison.That you killed your father."

The words fell between them like stones into still water, sending ripples of tension through the air.Kaine's face remained impassive, but something flickered in his eyes — a flash of something dark and pained before his expression hardened once more.

He turned away, his broad shoulders stiff beneath the rough fabric of his tunic."You shouldn't stay here too long," he said, his voice sharper now, edged like the blade they'd been crafting."Maven checks the forges before midnight."

Without another word or backward glance, he moved toward the door, his footsteps echoing against the stone floor.Thalia remained motionless, the heat of the forge pressing against her skin as she watched him go.He hadn't confirmed the rumor.But he hadn't denied it either; somehow, that silence felt more damning than any confession.

CHAPTER EIGHT

The glacial river cut through the landscape like a vein of clear crystal, deceptively beautiful from a distance.Up close, Thalia could see the true nature of the churning water — violent currents that smashed against jagged black rocks, sending plumes of freezing spray into the air.She pulled her academy-issued cloak tighter around her shoulders, the fabric offering little protection against the biting wind that carried the river's chill.First-years clustered along the shore, their expressions mirroring her own unspoken thought: Survival class was about to earn its reputation as Frostforge's deadliest course.

Instructor Maven strode along the riverbank, her boots crunching on the gravel.The legendary eye patch gleamed in the weak sunlight, the blackened metal polished to mirror-like perfection.The glacier bear claw hanging from her neck swayed with each step, a constant reminder of the story whispered through the academy’s halls; according to the rumors, she'd killed the beast with her bare hands after it had taken her eye.

"Listen up, recruits!"Maven's voice cut through the roar of the water without effort."Today, you're going to learn how to navigate the Frostspine Rapids.The water's running high from recent storms, which means it's perfect for your first lesson."

Perfect for drowning, Thalia thought, eyeing the churning white water.

"This is not a game."Maven's single amber eye swept over the gathered students."The survival course has the highest casualty rate of any class at Frostforge.Do you know why?"She didn't wait for an answer."Because the cold doesn't care if you live or die.Neither do I.Out here, you either adapt or you perish."

A shiver ran down Thalia's spine that had nothing to do with the cold.