Raith snuck into my room? I shouldn't be surprised, but the idea that he could let himself in here any time he likes feels strangely… exciting. He even locked my door again behind him, probably making sure he's the only one slipping into my space uninvited.

I put the thought from my mind and pick up the dagger, testing its weight.

It's perfectly balanced, the blade wickedly sharp. This is no training weapon with its dulled edges—this is the real thing, deadly and beautiful. My breath catches as I realize what this means. First-years aren't allowed real weapons; they're restricted to the blunted training versions until second year. Raith must have risked serious punishment to acquire this for me, though I still have no idea how he managed it.

"Quite thoughtful of the fire human," Typhon observes. "Perhaps he's not entirely useless after all."

"High praise coming from you," I murmur, turning the blade over in my hand.

I run my fingertip over the finely made weapon and trying to ignore the blossoming of warmth and appreciation I feel for Raith. Feeling for him is dangerous, but the damn man keeps making me do it all the same.

And where the hells did he get something like this? I plan to ask him tonight, even though I'm almost certain he's not going to tell me.

Fucking Raith…

I slide the dagger into my boot and feel how snugly it fits against my ankle. The weight is comforting as I head toward the room where I'll meet him to train.

The castle is busy as groups of first-years travel around, mostly five in number. It's obvious that everyone is using as much of their time to train for the Crucible as possible, and I feel like I'm watching the preparations for a bloody war. The upper-years look just as preoccupied and tense. Part of me wonders what they're going to face, but most of me doesn't even want to know.

I find the room where I usually meet with Raith and push open the door.

He's standing in the center of the room, eyes heavy as the shadows fall strangely on his face.

"Nessa," he says, voice slightly flat. Great. When we first started training together, his voice had that kind of lifeless quality, as if he was making absolutely sure I knew we were only together for business. Is he trying to push me away again?

"Hey. I got the dagger," I say as I step inside and close the door behind me. "Where the hells did you get something like this, anyway?"

"Come closer."

Of course he won't tell me. Frowning, I approach him.

"Angry human... something is wrong."

"You hid it well," Raith says. He starts to pace and circle me like we're sparring, but his blade is still sheathed on his back.

"What are you talking about?"

"Not quite well enough, we're afraid. We have had to strike out a few times. Destroy those who suspected."