Frostbound Hearts

a's

sla Everhart to Si

ther first-years lingered with their families, promising to visit or waving one last time, Isla

elf it was ea

rochures showed elegant towers covered in snow, peaceful gardens, and smiling students wan

f wind s

led by two silver-winged horses sped past her

or

ge disappeared

it, expecting some

ody

rls laughed as tiny sparks danced between their fingertips. A professor walke

gh

a magical

g from a storybook. Snow rested on towering rooftops, enchanted lanterns floated above the stone pat

er more than anything. She wasn't here to make friends or impress anyone with her magic. She

her fingertips. Her heart skipped. She shoved her hands into her coat pocket

name like

bered the family everyone blamed. They never cared enough to learn the truth. Isla swallowed the familiar lump in her th

later, she was

e her. Every building looked the same, and she was fairly ce

" she mutter

you l

o quickly she ne

air and an impossibly bri

N

glanced a

t's upside

ed to Isl

ed it im

new

irl l

you d

d

arguing

tarte

irl g

ppy Sin

d out h

ted before

sl

We're r

rse th

f Isla's suitcases be

k really

alk to

get used

erely h

only l

dn't explain, she fou

a clock tower that chimed every hour whether anyone wanted it to or not. Isla barely had to spe

room, Isla wasn't sure whethe

the door op

om

ed inside

windows, enchanted lanterns floated near the ceiling, and neat pots of frost fl

for four years," she said quiet

you'd

wn me for t

xcellent

d, shaking

packed

hile talking, and Isla u

r fingers lingered on the frame. She looked at the smiling faces for only a moment before placing it face

fternoon light. The Everhart crest. Once, she'd worn it proudly. Now she glanced toward Poppy before quiet

windowsill caught her eye. Frost flowers. S

in layer of ice, just like the ones that

le her mother's laughter echoed across the gardens. Frost flowers bloomed wherever her tiny boots landed, and eve

ver felt fa

u o

r back. Isla blinked an

m f

there was more to the answer, but she simply nodd

o.

tely recogni

ha

think about h

fro

players have to

ryth

looking delighted that she'd be

y win almost every season, the whole academy loves

a little

ally i

aughed

e your wo

ointed

't have

y n

later, everyone mee

heir c

y gr

an Bla

sounded

s. Powerful family. Old magic. The kind of peop

g another sweater, "he

y la

you'd sa

I wr

tended

t comp

new

so annoyingl

n't c

hat every

ean

y sm

ll s

ppy finally convinced

said, already pulling on her coat. "

not h

ave her

window at least five t

dmiring

avoiding

sig

point arguing wh

fountain, chatting on stone benches, and tossing enchanted snowballs that burst into showers of glitter. Music drifted through the wi

ched the

s their winter coats. No one looked afraid of being seen. She wondered

s almost at once, conversations fading

aned with

're b

Frost

ne and

belief as more students g

just a ho

the hoc

don't und

u w

ates

s though they hadn't noticed the crowd waiting for them. The attention seemed to follow them effortless

sla sa

houlder. There was an easy confidence in the way he carried himself, the kind that came from growin

impl

lded he

ly never known what it fel

er, Popp

's Ca

pian looked up. His gaze moved across the cro

sto

or a s

. His eyes stayed on hers as though he couldn't quite believe what he

fore he continued walking, but the brief look on

r met Caspia

certain

ked at her like h

her long after he disa

at Silvercrest Academy, Isla was afr