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Before Thalia could respond, the ground beneath them shuddered.A low, metallic groan resonated through the ice, vibrating up through her boots and into her bones.She froze, hands still clutching a half-picked bloom.

"What was that?"she whispered.

Kaine had already drawn the short sword he carried, his body tensed."Something's moving."

Another tremor, stronger this time.Cracks spiderwebbed across the ice near the buried golem, spreading outward like lightning.

"Move!"Ashe shouted, grabbing Thalia's arm and pulling her back just as the ice split open with a deafening crack.

Something massive heaved itself upward through the broken surface — a twisted amalgamation of metal and ice that only vaguely resembled a humanoid shape.Its limbs were mismatched, one arm ending in what looked like a massive hammer while the other terminated in sharp, finger-like projections.Where a head should have been, there was only a jumbled mass of metal, sparking with unstable magical energy.

"Malfunctioning construct," Kaine said, his voice tight with urgency."Back away slowly.No sudden movements."

The golem swiveled what passed for its head, the energy at its core pulsing erratically.Thalia could see ancient, spiraling runes carved into its metal frame, many of them cracked or incomplete — broken bindings that had once controlled the construct.

For a moment, it seemed to be assessing them, its movements jerky and unpredictable.Then, with startling speed, it lurched forward, the hammer-arm swinging in a wild arc.

"Scatter!"Ashe yelled, diving to one side.

Thalia threw herself backward, landing hard on the frozen ground as the golem's massive arm swept through the space where she'd been standing.Her herb bag spilled partially open, precious blooms tumbling into the snow.

The golem let out a sound like grinding gears, ice crystals forming and cracking around its frame as it turned toward Brynn, who had drawn both her daggers.The blades glinted with a pale blue light — cryomancy enchantments activated and ready.

"Distract it!"Kaine shouted to Ashe as he circled behind the construct, looking for vulnerabilities in its patchwork body.

Ashe pulled a small ice-pick from her belt — a standard tool for Northern students navigating the treacherous terrain — and slammed it against her metal vambrace, creating a sharp, ringing sound.The golem pivoted toward her, its attention momentarily diverted.

Brynn seized the opportunity, darting forward with impressive speed.Her daggers flashed as she slashed at the construct's legs, the enchanted blades leaving glowing furrows in its icy exterior.The golem staggered but didn't fall.

Thalia scrambled to her feet, frantically gathering the spilled herbs while keeping one eye on the battle.Her hands shook as she stuffed the precious blooms back into their bag.These herbs represented lives — she couldn't leave without them.

The golem swung again, its movements becoming more erratic, more dangerous.Kaine ducked beneath its hammer-arm and drove his sword into a gap in its side, where metal met ice.The blade sank deep, and for a moment, Thalia thought it might be enough.

Then the construct convulsed, magic surging through its frame.The sword was wrenched from Kaine's grip as the golem spun with unexpected agility, its spiked arm whistling through the air.

"Kaine!"Thalia cried out in warning.

He dropped flat just in time, the spikes passing inches above his head.But the golem wasn't finished.It continued its spin, building momentum, the hammer-arm now sweeping low across the ground.

Ashe leaped over it, her years of training evident in the perfect timing of her jump.But Brynn, positioned on the opposite side, had nowhere to go.The massive arm caught her mid-thigh, sending her flying through the air.She hit a jagged outcropping of ice with a sickening crack, her body crumpling as she slid to the ground.

The golem lurched toward Brynn's still form, drawn perhaps by the movement of the others or simply following some broken directive in its damaged core.It raised its hammer-arm again, preparing to deliver a blow that would surely be fatal.

Thalia looked down at the herbs clutched against her chest, then at Brynn.She could run now and grab the rest of the herbs while the golem was distracted and slip away.No one would blame her.Brynn was her rival, possibly even one of those responsible for sabotaging other Southern students; it would be an easy way for her to curry favor with the Northerners, which she’d been trying to do since the term’s start.And on top of Thalia’s suspicions, saving her meant abandoning some of the herbs they'd come for — herbs that could save others.

The golem loomed over Brynn, its hulking frame blotting out the pale light as it prepared to strike.

“Damn it,” Thalia hissed.

She jammed the herb pouch into her coat and bolted forward, boots slipping on the frost-slick ground.Dropping to her knees beside Brynn, she grabbed her by the shoulders and hauled with all her strength.

The air shifted.Thalia felt the weight of the golem’s presence above her, sensed its arm descending for the blow.She closed her eyes, teeth bared, bracing for impact.

A roar of exertion from behind her was followed by the sound of metal striking metal.Thalia looked up to see Kaine, his recovered sword braced against the golem's arm, the muscles in his neck straining with the effort of holding it back.

"Move her!"he shouted through gritted teeth.

Thalia wrapped her arms around Brynn's torso and pulled, dragging her away from the golem's reach.Brynn's eyes fluttered open briefly, a moan of pain escaping her lips before she lapsed back into unconsciousness.