One night, more than a month after the consul’s announcement, Alessandra finds me.

I am in the training hall, cultivating my Unrelenting Fire, even though the exercise is beyond worthless. But ever since I learned about the challenge I will face during the opening of the Forum Games, I have been clawing at my Copper Symbol, trying to figure out how to make it Ascend.

In my current state, it will be easy for them to create something that will kill me. But I do not intend to die. Not yet. So instead, I rage against the stubborn Cor in my chest, trying to force it to obey me. I only have a few months to save myself.

My heart leaps out of my chest as the door to the locus opens without warning. I spin, mouth open wide to explain what I am doing in the wrong room, only to relax when I see it is her. Anas did not seem to think it was worth warning me that she was approaching.

A chuckle from my fellow Ironbound tells me he enjoyed my reaction.

“Come,” is all she says before turning and walking back into the training hall. She is still stiff with me; I hoped that whatever I have done to upset her would blow over. In her hands, she carries my Frost Iron gladii. I need no further encouragement, breaking into a trot to catch up to her fast pace. “You too, Legionnaire.” Anas detaches from the darkness and follows us, our own personal shadow. I accept my weapons from her and buckle the belt around my waist as we move.

“Did you find me a better source of Fire?” I half whisper, not daring to hope, as she leads us out into the compound.

“I have done what I can,” she murmurs, eyes tracking to the left and right. “It will be up to you to take advantage of it.”

I am silent, unsure what to make of that.

We make our way to the main courtyard of the compound, where a carriage awaits, drawn by normal horses, not mythi. A nervous coachman stands at the front, wringing his hands at our approach.

“Domina, are you sure about this?” he asks even as he opens the door. “My master will have my head if he discovers I took a team out at night, to say nothing of the senator’s daughter…”

“Have no fear, Timidus,” she says sweetly, giving him a bright smile and placing her hand on his shoulder. He sags in delight at the touch. “Look, I have ample guards with me. One of my father’s Ironbound and the deadliest Silver gladiator in the Empire.” I wince at the accolade. Her kindness cuts like a blade.

“Aye, Domina.” Timidus seems to grow taller under her bright smile. Together, the three of us climb into the carriage, and he shuts the door behind us before climbing up to the driver’s seat.

“Where are you taking us?” I murmur, peering out of the window with a nervous glance. I am trusted, but somehow, I can’t shake the feeling that there would be tremendous repercussions if I were caught sneaking off the compound’s premises with Alessandra.

It’s not all bad; we have a former captivus as a chaperone.

“There are not many places in the city where fire is left unchecked,” she says mysteriously as we spring into motion. The horses’ hooves echo off the cobblestones as we pull into the streets of Anteforum. “Fewer still that are secluded like we need for our purposes.”

“But you found one?”

“I did, and through no small expense managed to purchase its exclusive use for the night.” She looks at me now, blue eyes serious and heavy. “Make full use of it, Castor. I do not think you will get another chance.”

I nod, understanding the risk she takes. I am grateful for it, despite the void that stretches between us. “But what is it?”

Her lips quirk playfully at my question. Now that the adventure has begun, she is thawing, caught up in the same excitement I feel in my own chest. Tonight, dead gods willing, I Ascend.

“Leave a girl a few secrets,” she admonishes. “You will see soon enough.” Anas chuckles from where he sits in the corner. “Something funny, Legionnaire?”

“It’s just nice to see him get a taste of his own medicine for once, Domina.”

Alessandra laughs as she looks back at me, sharing his amusement. I cross my arms and turn out the window, frustrated but unwilling to get sucked into their game. I know I will lose.

Anteforum does not experience true dark. The streets are dotted with light posts, holding lumos relics that shine brightly at night. I do not know if someone must go through and activate each one by hand or if they somehow know when it is time to shine.

Either way, it is a marvel and another staggering display of the Empire’s wealth. Not even Antioch had anything like this. We move from the residential sector to a more industrial area. Instead of homes and shops built end-to-end, we pass giant stone warehouses that span entire blocks. Smokestacks rise from taller buildings where things are processed and made.

This is the true heart of the Iron Empire, I realize as my nose is assaulted by the odor of bitter chemicals. Here is the domain of the artisans, the craftsmen, the Heartsmiths who make the things that we rely on.

As we wind deeper through this pinnacle of industry, I make out a giant building, larger and taller than any that surround it. Its smokestacks rise high into the night, belching smoke so black, it can be seen against the dark.

“What is it?” I breathe as we begin to draw close. I am awed by its size. A dozen of the Pelias estate could fit within its borders with room to breathe. The gates to its massive compound lie open, and we enter without being stopped.

I scan its yard, counting the mountains of coal that we shoot past as we move deeper into its territory. Thousands of crates sit sealed, waiting to be opened or shipped out. Massive carts sit on rails where they can be wheeled up to sources of fuel or raw materials.

But as we move, I do not see a soul. I do not think that is normal even at this late hour. The air here thrums with the tension of a place that never sleeps. The stillness that has settled on it now is unnatural.

“It is called the Foundry,” Alessandra says as the cart comes to a stop. “Its fire has fueled the conquering of much of the world.”

“Domina, are you sure we should be here?” Timidus asks again as we emerge.

“We won’t be long,” she promises, giving him another bright smile. “Just wait here. It’s all been arranged.” The young man swallows nervously but nods obediently.

“How much did it cost to bribe the foreman into emptying this place?” I breathe as I follow her through a mountain range of coal and raw iron ore. The quantity of it is daunting—there is enough here to outfit the entirety of Agogia’s legions several times over. Anas and I exchange a glance; I can tell he is thinking the same thing. Above us, Mons Olympus glints brightly, reflecting Luna’s soft light. I stare at the home of the dead gods for a long moment, wondering if any of them are watching us right now.

“More money than I have,” she says grimly. “My father will ask about it.”

“What will you tell him?”

“That I was sad and needed to spend something to be happy.”

I blink in surprise. Alessandra does not strike me as the type to be irresponsible. I have only ever seen her move with grace and wisdom. “Will he believe that?”

“No. But he won’t ask any more questions.”

I grunt in understanding. That sounds more like Varus.

She strides boldly, as only a palatine heir can, toward the doors in front of us. Without hesitating, she pushes them open and leads us into the factory that feeds the Empire’s war machine.

The inside is more intricate than I expected. A series of belts run in every direction. The room hums with the power of relics as it carries things from place to place. Cart rails run up to bins that spill onto the conveyors that take raw materials where they need to go. It is powerful and awe-inspiring to see the ingenuity that has been used to create this place.

But all those things pale when compared to what waits in the center.

Five stone smokestacks run up the center of the building, exiting out the roof many stories above. On the ground level, they all connect to a long black rectangle. A round porthole, larger than a man, is sealed at the base of each.

Some sort of tempered glass, likely reinforced by a relic, allows me to see what waits on the other side. A white-hot flame, so bright that it hurts to look at, flails against the glass begging to be released. I am bound to Unrelenting Fire, but even this inferno fills me with fear.

Wide-eyed, I turn to look at Alessandra, who gauges my reaction.

“My father is not particularly devout, so we have no braziers like Aunt Delilah,” she tells me with a shrug. “Bribing a temple to use their everflame was even more expensive. I checked.”

I choke at the thought of her approaching the priests for this venture. She cocks her head, vaguely amused at my reaction. She has swum in these waters all her life. This is not new for her, only me.

“You want me to go into that?” I manage weakly, looking at the roaring flames once more. The more I watch it, the more I feel its presence boring into me, as if it is alive and staring back at me.

“The Foundry’s fires have been lit for almost two hundred years,” she tells me, taking a step toward the furnace. “My magisters taught me that it is more expensive to let it go out and relight it than it is to maintain it. As far as elder flames go, there are few older in the world.”

I swallow nervously, understanding why she has brought me here. As a Copper, I cannot feel its essence. I won’t be able to until I touch it. To take advantage of this opportunity, I must step into the inferno. If I am going to Ascend, I must conquer my fear. Instinctively, I call upon the strength of Iron, letting it add its courage to my backbone.

“Okay,” I manage after a moment of staring. “I’ll do it.”

“Are you certain?” To my surprise, it is Anas who speaks up. “If you cannot contain the flames…” His voice trails off.

“Then it will be very hot for a very short amount of time,” I tell him grimly. “But there are no other sources of Fire pure enough to feed my Cor.”

His lips compress into a thin line, but he does not protest further. I understand his hesitation; he has only ever been Ironbound. He does not understand the difference, just as I once did not.

“Well, if you are going to do it, you should do it now,” Alessandra says at last. “I’m being charged by the hour.”

I snort but nod in understanding. Our time here is limited. I must take advantage of it.

“Will you please hold these?” I ask, unbuckling my belt and handing her the swords that she gave me. I have no desire to bathe them in the same flames that I need to baptize myself in.

Slowly, I head toward the center porthole. Each step feels heavy, as if I am walking uphill. My fear surrounds me like a heavy cloak, trying to drag me down, but I grit my teeth and persist.

“The artisans left the furnace banked, but once you are in, I will activate the relic that restores its airflow to maximum,” Alessandra calls.

“I’ll do my best,” I reply dryly, unable to picture what it will look like when it is burning at full capacity.

Pins and needles explode over my skin as I feel the attention of someone watching me. That only reinforces to me that I am on the right path. Slowly, I extend my hand toward the glass, grabbing the handle to pull it open.

The heat is so intense that I can already feel it leaking through the barrier to kiss my skin. I close my eyes and grab hold of Unrelenting Fire with all my concentration, welcoming its warmth. I am the Flame. This is my path.

Opening them, I twist the latch on the handle and pull, unsealing the inferno. The heat that pours out of the porthole is like the center of a volcano. I stagger under its assault. Even my connection to Unrelenting Fire seems to pulse for a second before coming back stronger than ever.

Iron and Ancient Frost flee from my awareness, fading to the background like stars faintly twinkling on an overcast evening. Tonight, I am only the Flame. Slowly, I inch forward, heading deeper into the furnace. So far, I have survived my encounter with this heat, but that is not enough to fuel my transformation. To feed my Cor, I must touch the fire.

I can bear the suspense no longer. In a moment, I will either consume or be consumed. With a deep breath, I burst forward, sticking my left foot through the porthole. The ground crunches unevenly under my feet as I put my weight on a mountain of white-hot coal. Awareness floods into me as I come into contact with this ancient fire. This furnace is like a sleeping dragon, coiled on its hoard of coal waiting to be unleashed. As mighty as its fury is now, this is but a trickle compared to what it truly is.

Agony sears through me, but Unrelenting Fire meets it eagerly, drinking up the essence and heat that flows into me. My veins stretch, and I scream from the effort and the pain.

But it is not enough.

Gritting my teeth, I lean forward, forcing myself through the hatch and into the furnace. The inferno sweeps through me. Unrelenting Fire gorges on the old flame, sucking down the essence that radiates from it. It is overwhelming, all-encompassing, unrelenting.

It is exactly what I need.

I stumble unsteadily on the loose mound of coal as I turn to face my companions. A laugh rips out of my throat, but I cannot hear it over the roar of the inferno. I raise my hands in victory, but as I gaze out into the dark building, my expression turns to horror.

Three men move out of the darkness with swords drawn.

Before I can shout a warning, the Foundry groans to life. The glass door slams shut, locking me in. Metal gears grind as something shifts, and for a moment, I feel the wind as a new breeze sweeps into the box, causing my hair to dance. I have just enough time to remember Alessandra’s plan to power up the furnace before the coals at my feet burst into flame, fed by the influx of air.

Then the world is nothing but fire, and I am plunged into the heart of the inferno.