"He's coming!" I hissed, panic flooding my system. The forge had only one entrance—the same door through which Eisenhart's angry voice now echoed. We were trapped.

Krelvin's crystalline face paled to an almost translucent white. "If he catches us here—"

Isabella moved with practiced efficiency, sliding the documents into her spatial ring with a subtle gesture. "Close it," she commanded Krelvin, who fumbled at the wall panel.

The frost patterns reversed their course, sealing the secret compartment just as Eisenhart's booming voice grew louder.

"USELESS APPRENTICE! I leave for ONE HOUR and you abandon your post!"

We exchanged desperate glances. There was nowhere to hide in the open circular chamber, and Eisenhart would arrive in seconds.

Aria's eyes suddenly widened. "I've got it," she whispered, a mischievous glint replacing her panic. Before any of us could question her, she grabbed Krelvin by his shoulders and pushed him against the nearby workbench.

"Don't question this," she instructed, her fingers already working at the clasps of his garments.

Understanding dawned on me instantly. I exchanged a quick glance with Isabella, who nodded subtly before moving toward Krelvin's other side.

Aria's movements were swift and practiced as she partially undressed herself, revealing just enough skin to be suggestive without being fully exposed. I followed suit, loosening my top and mussing my hair while Isabella draped herself provocatively across Krelvin's lap.

"But—" Krelvin stammered, his frost patterns swirling in confused patterns.

"Play along if you want to live," Isabella whispered, her voice both sweet and threatening.

We barely had time to arrange ourselves in a tableau of interrupted debauchery before the door burst open. Eisenhart stormed in, his short stature doing nothing to diminish the intimidating aura of frost magic swirling around him.

"KRELVIN! What are you—" His words died as he took in the scene before him—his apprentice surrounded by three partially dressed succubi in various states of dishevelment.

I forced a guilty expression onto my face while inwardly calculating escape routes. Had we been convincing enough? Would he buy our hastily constructed ruse?

"GET AWAY FROM MY APPRENTICE!" Eisenhart bellowed, ice crystals forming in the air around him as his anger intensified.

I gulped, the nervousness not entirely feigned. If he attacked, we'd have to defend ourselves, potentially blowing our cover completely.

Aria pouted, playing her role to perfection. "We were just having a little fun…"

Eisenhart's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I know exactly what you're doing. You think I don't recognise a seduction attempt when I see one? You're trying to extract information about your dagger!"

Relief washed through me. He'd drawn exactly the conclusion we'd hoped for.

"We wouldn't dream of—" Isabella began, her voice a perfect blend of innocence and guilt.

"SILENCE!" Frost crackled along the floor from where Eisenhart stood. "Get dressed and get out! If you try this again, our deal is off. I expect you to complete your end of the bargain—information on Sathek's techniques—without these underhanded tactics!"

We hurriedly adjusted our clothing, offering stammered apologies that sounded appropriately chastened. Isabella even managed to produce a convincing blush as she smoothed her dress.

"We'll get your information," she promised demurely. "No more… distractions."

Eisenhart glared at us as we filed past him toward the exit. "And YOU," he rounded on Krelvin once we'd moved beyond the workbench. "How could you let yourself be seduced so easily? Are you completely useless?"

I caught Aria's eye as we slipped through the doorway, the three of us fighting to keep our expressions appropriately shamefaced until we were safely out of sight.

"Pathetic excuse for an apprentice!" Eisenhart's voice followed us down the corridor. "Perhaps it's time I found someone with actual talent who won't be swayed by the first succubi to bat their eyelashes!"

We maintained our charade until we reached the reception area, then hurried outside into Frostheim's frigid air before finally allowing ourselves to breathe.

"That was close," I whispered, glancing back at the smithy.

Aria's laughter bubbled up, impossible to contain any longer. "Did you see his face? He completely bought it!"

Isabella patted her side where the spatial ring concealed our prize. "We have what we came for. Poor Krelvin, though. I suspect his days as an apprentice are numbered."

"He was planning to leave anyway," Aria reminded us with a shrug.

We moved quickly through Frostheim's streets, putting distance between ourselves and Eisenhart's wrath. Whatever secrets the documents held, we'd soon discover who had commissioned the daggers—and perhaps why they were targeting purebloods at the Academy.

* * *

We hurried down a narrow alley between two ice structures, our breath creating small clouds in the frigid air. Once certain we weren't followed, we ducked into a small alcove carved into one of the buildings.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"Let's see what we actually grabbed," Isabella whispered, glancing around cautiously before withdrawing the parchments from her spatial ring.

The documents unfurled in her hands, their edges crackling slightly in the cold. Aria and I huddled closer, our bodies forming a protective circle around the evidence.

"Is this what we're looking for?" I asked, scanning the neat rows of writing.

Isabella's finger traced down the page. "It's a client ledger. Names, dates, orders…" Her crimson eyes narrowed as she flipped through several pages. "Here—three months ago."

The page detailed a series of transactions, each entry meticulously recorded in Eisenhart's precise handwriting. My gaze followed Isabella's finger to an entry that made my heart skip:

14 Ceremonial Daggers - Silver core, obsidian blade, enchanted with petrification and binding spells - House Viridia

"House Viridia?" Aria read aloud, her brow furrowed. "Never heard of them."

I shook my head. "Me neither."

Isabella's face had gone still, her aristocratic features hardening into a mask of concern. "That's because house Viridia is from Silvanus—the Third Circle."

"The forest realm?" I asked, remembering Professor Scarlet's lecture. "What would they want with daggers targeting purebloods?"

Isabella carefully rolled the parchments back up. "That's the question, isn't it? This changes everything. We assumed this was part of the existing tension between Igneus and Glacius, but…"

"Someone's stirring the pot," Aria finished, her usual playfulness replaced by uncharacteristic seriousness.

"Exactly." Isabella stored the documents back in her spatial ring. "Is House Viridia opportunistically exploiting existing tensions, or are they the architects behind this whole conflict? Either way, my mother needs to know immediately."

I opened my mouth to respond when a strange sensation prickled along my spine—a warning that seemed to bypass conscious thought and strike directly at my instincts.

"Something's not right," I whispered, my voice dropping to barely a breath. "Be careful."

The words had barely left my lips when a massive icicle speared through the air where we'd been standing moments before, shattering against the wall behind us. The three of us had moved purely on instinct, diving in different directions as crystalline shards exploded around us.

"There!" Aria hissed, pointing upward.

On the rooftop opposite our position stood a figure in a hooded cloak, their horns visible even in the dim light. Their hands glowed with frost magic as they conjured another massive icicle, hurling it toward Isabella with deadly precision.

She rolled sideways, the projectile missing her by inches. "Move!" she commanded.

The figure, realising they'd been spotted, turned and disappeared across the rooftops, their dark form melting into the shadows.

"Shit," Isabella spat, brushing ice fragments from her clothing. "Someone knows we're snooping around. We need to get back to Igneus—fast."

"And not get caught along the way," I added, scanning the rooftops for any sign of our attacker.

Aria's eyes darted between us. "Why are they even trying to kill us? We'll just reform anyway."

"Reformation takes time," Isabella replied grimly. "Dying could mean weeks or even months before we return. More than enough time for whoever's behind this to cover their tracks or accelerate their plans."

"The transport gate—" I began.

Isabella shook her head. "Too risky. That's the first place they'll watch for us. We have to go back the way we came, on foot."

"We need to move either way," I said, my voice low and urgent. "They'll regroup quickly after this failed attempt."

Isabella nodded, already scanning the narrow streets ahead. "The eastern exit is closest. If we move fast enough, we might slip out before they can coordinate a proper ambush."

We hurried through Frostheim's icy thoroughfares, keeping to the shadows where possible. The town's crystalline structures refracted light in unpredictable ways, creating a disorienting labyrinth of glittering surfaces and dark corners.

As we navigated the unfamiliar terrain, my mind raced. This conflict was escalating far beyond what we'd anticipated. A three-way war between the circles wasn't just Academy gossip anymore—it was becoming reality. Should I tell my parents? Lucifer and Lilith would certainly be interested in a conflict of this scale, especially with the Third Circle's involvement.

It would also provide the perfect opportunity to officially acknowledge that Aria and Isabella knew my true identity. My mother had likely known for weeks anyway—Lilith rarely missed such details. The thought of finally dropping the pretence was oddly liberating.

"Less thinking, more paying attention," Aria hissed, yanking me sideways as an ice shard whistled past where my head had been moments before.

I blinked, refocusing on our immediate surroundings. "Sorry."

"Save the daydreaming for when we're not being hunted," she added, scanning the rooftops.

We ducked into a narrow passage between two buildings, pausing to catch our breath.

"How exactly are we planning to leave unnoticed?" I whispered. "They'll be watching the terrain surrounding the town, and we don't exactly blend in."

Isabella's expression was grim. "We don't have better options. Frostheim doesn't even have a transport gate—we'd need to reach another settlement for that. We either hide here indefinitely or risk leaving."

"And hiding just gives them time to bring in reinforcements," Aria added.

I nodded reluctantly. "Fine. Let's go."

We emerged from the alley, moving with purpose toward the eastern edge of town. The streets were eerily empty now—word of trouble had spread quickly among the locals, who knew better than to get caught between warring demons.

We'd nearly reached the outskirts when a figure dropped from an overhanging ice formation, landing directly in our path. Unlike the rooftop attacker, this assassin wore lightweight armour of silvery scales that shimmered like fish skin in the pale light.

Before he could fully straighten, Aria's hand darted into her pouch, emerging with a green vial that she hurled with practiced precision.

The assassin was fast—clearly trained in close combat—but not prepared for alchemical warfare. The vial shattered against his chest, releasing a sickly green mist that enveloped him instantly. His limbs stiffened mid-motion, muscles locking into place as the paralysis took effect.

"We should question him," Aria suggested, already stepping forward.

Isabella grabbed her arm. "No time. That won't hold him long, and who knows how many of them are still out there."

I nodded in agreement. "We need to keep moving."

Frostheim wasn't large, and within minutes we'd reached the edge of town. The vast white expanse of Glacius stretched before us, promising both escape and exposure. We'd barely taken three steps beyond the last structure when two more figures emerged from behind a snowdrift, their white cloaks making them nearly invisible against the landscape.

Aria didn't hesitate. Her hands moved in a blur, producing two purple vials that arced through the air toward our ambushers.

The first assassin swatted the incoming projectile aside with practiced ease, sending it harmlessly into a snowbank. But the second made a critical error—slicing at the vial with his blade.

The glass shattered, releasing a cloud of vibrant purple mist that enveloped both figures instantly. The effect was immediate and dramatic. Their disciplined posture melted away as hands that had been reaching for weapons now clawed desperately at clothing and armour.

"The arousal potion," Isabella murmured, a hint of amusement in her otherwise tense voice.

We hurried past as the two assassins fell upon each other, their mission forgotten in the overwhelming chemical-induced need. Their groans faded behind us as we disappeared into the snow-covered landscape.

"That was… convenient," I said once we were well away.

Aria shrugged. "They're good at ambushes, not open combat. Besides, nobody expects a succubus to fight with alchemy."

"Three down, but there will be more," Isabella warned, her eyes scanning the horizon. "We need to keep moving until we reach the Transition Zone."

I nodded, feeling the weight of the information we carried. Three circles potentially at war, and we held the evidence that might prevent—or ignite—the conflict.

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