He took his Blacksmiths out into the snow to find her and bring her back. He told Kalith it was a test of loyalty, a burden Kalith has to bear to prove his allegiance to Malak.
Asha takes up position behind one of the anvils at the center of the courtyard, her head still down and her back now to me.
There she stands, arms hanging at her sides, not touching anything.
My eyes narrow to see Landon take up position at the anvil directly behind Asha while his two friends position themselves on either side of him, all three of them now at her back.
I’m supposed to dish out the coal to them, so that’s what I set about doing.
At the head of the class, Ayla Silverspun demands their attention. “Now that you have medallions of your own, you can decide how you carry them on your body.”
She taps her hairpieces. “You can compel them to take any shape you like. Even change them daily according to your mood.”
She holds up a finger. “But always remember that if you revert them to their medallion shape and put them away from your body, they will become inert. You will have to waken them again by tapping them with your hammer. For that reason, it is best to always keep them in contact with your body. Now, let’s begin!”
As the students start experimenting with their medallions, I move quickly and efficiently, making it across the back row, moving back and forth between the crate and the bowls beside the anvils.
Given that the students don’t seem to need fire today, it feels like a meaningless task.
But it gets me closer to Asha with every step.
When I approach Landon’s redheaded friend, I watch my path, well aware of her suddenly outstretched foot, as if she thought to trip me.
I then deftly avoid her spinning metal as she whips it back so fast that it would have sliced across my arm without my evasion.
I’m not sure if she has considered who will handle the coal if I’m too injured to do it.
Still, it’s easy to dodge her.
Far harder to hide my scorn.
Her tactics are those of a child.
I’m warier as I approach Landon, remaining conscious of his posture and balance, ready for any small change that will indicate he’s about to strike out. I expect him to be far less obvious about his intentions.
But I make it to his bowl and carefully slide three chunks of coal into it without incident.
He narrows his eyes at me as I pass him by.
I bring coal to his other friend and then the rest of that row and finally, I’m at Asha’s row.
Two anvils away from her. And then one.
Then, finally, I pause beside her, close enough to brush her arm with mine.
The air around her is still and calm.
Her breathing is soft.
I force myself to remain conscious of the rest of the room, including Landon and the metal he’s shaping so close by, even though Asha’s presence threatens to make everything else disappear.
When I found her in the snow I felt a terrible peace. A calm that, even now, rises within me.
Terrible, because it feels like the quiet before a storm. The waiting for my peace to shatter.
Within my mind, I will her to look up at me.
I need to understand her thoughts.
