Ashe’s lips drew tight.“There are hundreds more mouths to feed now."
Thalia watched as the baskets made their way through the crowd, students breaking off pieces to pass down the line.The portions were small—barely enough to dull the edge of hunger, and certainly not enough to fuel a full day of training or labor.When a chunk landed in her hands, she automatically broke it in half.
A small movement caught her eye.Zanaya—the young refugee from Verdant Port—sat huddled against the wall several feet away, her thin arms wrapped around her knees.She wasn't at a table, nor was she part of any group receiving bread.Her eyes, dark and hollow, followed the baskets with desperate intensity.
Without hesitation, Thalia stood and crossed to the girl, crouching to offer half of her portion."Here," she said softly.
Zanaya looked up, recognition flashing across her features.She hesitated before taking the bread with trembling fingers."Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the murmurs that filled the hall.
"I'll find you later," Thalia promised."Make sure you get a proper meal."
A sudden hush fell over the crowd.Thalia turned to see Instructor Wolfe striding through the main entrance, her left arm bound in a sling beneath her cloak.The arrow wound in her shoulder had been serious—not life-threatening, but severe enough that it would be months before she regained full use of the limb.
Wolfe ascended to the high table, her movements stiff but purposeful.The grim set of her face sent a chill down Thalia's spine as she hurried back to her seat.
"Is this everyone?"Wolfe asked, her voice cutting through the silence.Virek leaned toward her, murmuring something.She nodded once."We'll begin."
Thalia's gaze swept the room again.Still no sign of Roran or Kaine.Her unease deepened.
"Three days ago," Wolfe began, "Frostforge suffered the most brazen attack in its history.The Isle Wardens brought weapons we've never encountered before—weapons capable of neutralizing our ice-metals."She paused, her emerald eyes hard as she surveyed the room.Seventeen are dead.Thirty-nine wounded."
The numbers were like jabs to the chest.Thalia had known the toll was high, but hearing it quantified made it real in a way that the chaos of the aftermath hadn't.
"Some of you may believe this was an isolated incident," Wolfe continued."A desperate strike meant to rescue captured Wardens, or perhaps retaliation for our forces’ recent victories near Southhaven port.It was not."
She gestured to Marr, who unrolled a large map across the high table.Even from the back of the room, Thalia could see the red marks that dotted the coastline.
"What we faced was part of a pattern—a coordinated campaign against the academy that has been escalating.This was the third major assault on Frostforge in as many years, each more sophisticated than the last.Frostforge is built to withstand raids such as these, but the Wardens’ tactics are evolving.”
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.Thalia felt Luna stiffen beside her.
"Our scouts report increased Warden activity along all major waterways.Their forces are gathering.We must assume Frostforge will be tested again, perhaps before the year's end.We must prepare for the possibility of a full-scale siege."
Thalia's mind raced.The academy was well-fortified, but it had never been designed to withstand a prolonged assault.And with their weapons vulnerable to the Wardens' black metal….
The doors at the rear of the hall opened again.Thalia turned to see Roran entering, followed closely by Kaine.Both moved with the careful awareness of men expecting trouble, their eyes scanning the room before settling on the high table.They remained standing near the exit, as if anticipating the need for a quick departure.
Roran's gaze found hers briefly.The smile he offered was thin but genuine, his eyes warming for just a moment before returning to Wolfe.Beside him, Kaine's expression remained impassive, though Thalia thought she detected a slight nod in her direction.
"Which brings me to our immediate response," Wolfe was saying."Defense alone is not sufficient.We must understand what we face—the source of their new weapons, their numbers, their plans.We need intelligence."
She gestured toward the back of the room."Roran Bright."
All heads turned.Roran stepped forward, his shoulders square despite the weight of hundreds of stares.
"As part of your probationary terms," Wolfe said, "you will undertake a reconnaissance mission into Warden territory."
Thalia's stomach plummeted.The blood in her veins seemed to freeze mid-flow.
"Your knowledge of coastal waters and ability to navigate hostile environments make you uniquely suited to this task," Wolfe continued."You will depart within the next two days.Your objective is to locate the source of the black metal weapons and gather information on Warden movements and strategies."
The crowd's reaction was immediate—a surge of whispers that rose like wind through winter branches.Some faces showed relief that action was being taken; others displayed open skepticism that Roran, so recently accused of treason, should be trusted with such a critical mission.
But Thalia could see only one thing: a death sentence disguised as an opportunity.No one had ever infiltrated Warden territory and returned alive.Not in all the years of conflict.It was suicide.
"I volunteer to accompany him."
Kaine's voice cut through the murmurs, clear and steady.He stepped forward to stand beside Roran, his expression resolute.
