"What happened?"she asked, her voice tight with a dread that was quickly eclipsing her relief."Why are you back?"
“We had to warn the academy,” Roran continued.“A Warden fleet is pushing north from the Southern waters.Dozens of ships, maybe more."
Thalia's heart froze in her chest, then dropped like a stone."Here?"she whispered."They're coming to Frostforge?"
Kaine nodded, his jaw tight."Without a doubt."
"We tracked them for two days," Roran continued, rubbing his hand over his face.The gesture spoke of exhaustion that went beyond physical fatigue."They're moving with purpose, Thalia.This isn't a raiding party or a scouting expedition.This is an invasion force."
"Their purpose is annihilation," Kaine added, his voice hard."They mean to wipe Frostforge from the face of the earth."
Roran's head snapped toward him."We don't know that for certain.Our intelligence isn’t detailed enough to make such claims."
"I saw the same ships you did," Kaine retorted.
"This is a strategic push, not mindless destruction.They wouldn't arm themselves that way if they just wanted to burn it all down.They want the academy intact."
Their voices rose, cutting over each other as they argued.Thalia realized that this was the continuation of an ongoing argument.She watched them in dismay; this wasn't just about strategy or interpretation of what they'd seen.The tension between them ran deeper, crackling like lightning in the space between their bodies.
And she knew, with a certainty that made her cheeks burn despite the cold, that part of their antagonism stemmed from her—from the knowledge that they both cared for her, perhaps even loved her, and neither could claim her heart completely.
"Stop," she said, holding up her hands.Neither man seemed to hear her.
"If they wanted it intact, they wouldn't bring siege engines," Kaine was saying, his voice rising with frustration.
"But why would they want it destroyed?It’s more strategic to occupy the keep," Roran fired back.
"STOP!"Thalia's shout echoed across the fjord, startling both men into silence."Just—stop.Please."She drew a deep breath, steadying herself."Speak plainly.When will they be here?"
Roran and Kaine exchanged another glance, and this time, their agreement was palpable.
"Days," Kaine said quietly."Three, maybe four at most."
"If the weather holds," Roran added."A natural storm could speed them up significantly."
Thalia's mind raced, calculating supplies, defenses, and evacuation routes."We need to report this to Wolfe.Immediately."
"Agreed," Roran said, surprising her with his swift concurrence."She needs to understand the gravity of what's coming.We should evacuate the keep—bring the students and refugees further inland, away from the coast."
Kaine shook his head sharply."That's suicide.The terrain beyond Frostforge is unforgiving.How many would die in the attempt?The elderly?The children?The ill and injured?We'd be leading them to their deaths."
"And what death would you prefer for them?"Roran demanded."By Warden blade?By fire?By electrocution?"
"We can hold the keep," Kaine insisted, his fist clenching at his side."We've done it before."
"Not against a force like this," Roran countered."Not against weapons that turn our greatest defense to dust.That black metal will cut through our ice-steel like it's nothing, and my storm magic won’t be able to hold back more than a fraction of that fleet.Our defenses will crumble in hours, not days."
The pendant pulsed against Thalia's chest, its rhythm matching her quickening heartbeat.Before either man could continue their argument, she drew her glacenite sword, the blade catching the weak winter sunlight with a pearlescent gleam.
"Not if we’re armed with these," she said, holding the weapon between them.
Kaine's eyes widened, his argument forgotten as he stared at the blade."You did it," he breathed, reaching out as if to touch it, then stopping just short."You actually did it.The ore from the Founders' chamber—"
"Glacenite," Thalia supplied."That's what I've named it.We found it in the mines.Senna and I have been forging these weapons day and night.We have dozens now."
Roran eyed the blade warily."And they work?Against the black metal?"
"Yes."Thalia nodded."The alloy resists the disintegration effect.We've tested it extensively."
