Twelve’s gulp was audible in the shocked silence after the last stack fell. Stretching away from her was a long line of total devastation.

“By the frost, Twelve!” Six hissed, picking himself up. “What is wrong with you?”

“Twelve did that?” Five’s face appeared next to Six’s, his features gleeful in the flickering torchlight. “Ha! You are in so much trouble!”

The triumph on his face was more than she could bear. She stepped forward, ready to leap on him across the broken shelves.

“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?” Victory’s roar was a freezing wind, silencing all. Then, in a babble of voices, everyone spoke at once. A moment later, the weaponsmaster stood before Twelve, vibrating with wordless fury.

Twelve straightened her spine and jutted her chin defiantly.

“I’m not even going to ask,” Victory growled, her eyes sweeping over the damage. A blood vessel pulsed unnervingly at her temple. She took a ragged breath and gripped Twelve’s upper arm so tightly it hurt. “Straight to the Elders with you. Again.”

“Five called her a cave-creeper,” Six said, his face set and resolutely turned away from Five. “That’s why she did it.”

A scandalized murmuring swept through the press of students and Victory made a sound of disgust. “Five, is this true?”

Five shuffled forward, shooting Six a hurt look before half shrugging, half nodding apologetically. “Yes, but, you know, only—”

“Silence! I don’t care why either of you did what you did. Follow me and keep your mouths shut!”

Victory released Twelve’s arm and strode away, forcing Twelve and Five to maintain an undignified trot behind her.

Outside the armory, snow fell more heavily and the windows glowed orange, giving the buildings an improbably welcoming appearance.

Something landed lightly on Twelve’s shoulder as she passed through the squat doorway and her spirits lifted as Widge, her squirrel, nestled softly at her cheek. His chestnut fur gleamed like copper in the low light, his eyes bright and his tail bushy.

“Hello, you,” she whispered. “Where’ve you been?” He licked her ear by way of greeting and chirped happily when she offered him a handful of nuts from her pocket. After shoveling them into his cheeks until they bulged, he burrowed down her collar into her furs and immediately began snoring.

“Keep up!” snapped Victory irritably. The new snow squeaked beneath her boots as she hurried across the training ground to the council house, shooting angry glances at the kitchen. Twelve’s stomach rumbled and, with a sinking heart, she realized that, unlike Widge, she probably wasn’t getting any dinner. Sighing, she returned her axes to the slings on her back and trudged after Victory.

“I don’t know what in Ember you’re sighing about,” Five whispered furiously. “This is obviously your fault.” Turning, he raised his voice. “And I don’t know what you’re staring at either!”