That backstabbing girl, Frost thought to himself. First, she befriends him only to turn around and send him packing. Maybe Frolick did have a point about Frost's facility to maintain relationships.

"The testimony is clear," Elkriss said, narrowing his eyes. "Guilty. The foreigner shall be expelled from Everwinter."

Frost's jaw dropped, and he stood up to protest. Before he could open his mouth, Alderton held up a palm.

"Let him speak," Alderton said, shifting his gaze from Frost to Elkriss. "Or have you forgotten the procedures?" He said the final word slowly and with attention to drive home the point. Elkriss would not be coopting Master Alderton's authority any time soon.

"Yes, yes," Elkriss said stubbornly. "But the facts have already laid bare his guilt. It is a foregone conclusion."

"Student Frostilicus?" Alderton said, scratching his beard. "You have the floor."

Frost shifted in his seat. He needed to clearly make his point. But how? Would they believe him, a foreigner, over the sworn testimony of their own? If Frost knew anything of human nature, Elkriss was right. This was a foregone conclusion.

"I was attacked by Halorax," Frostilicus said. "He approached me in the courtyard after the feast, and started beating me with frost formed gauntlets."

"A schoolyard brawl according to witnesses," Elkriss interjected. "We need more of that in Frosthaven, in my opinion. Categorically different than a real fight."

Alderton glared at Elkriss, who slinked back into his seat. "You will be allowed cross-examination after his testimony," Alderton said.

"As I was saying," Frost said. "Halorax attacked me. It was not a playful brawl. He nearly broke my jaw." He rubbed his bruised chin. If only he were more easily injured. Five, he needed to look injured. Not just feel it.

"What happened next?" Alderton prodded.

"I got up off the ground and punched him in the stomach," Frost said, tilting his head to one side.

The Masters gasped, and their eyes widened. Elkriss threw up his hands and then pointed at Frost accusatively. "He admits it. Guilty!"

Frost looked around, confused. How could they be upset about his attack but not Hal's? This made no sense.

"If you'll allow me to explain," Alderton said. "I can perhaps clear up some of your obvious confusion."

Frost nodded. "Please."

"It is not the way of the frost mage to escalate conflict. You see, what may have begun with a brawl transitioned into something far more...dire."

Frost winced at the word. Was that on purpose?

"Halorax is, of course, culpable too," Alderton said. "The natural turn of events has itself doled out a punishment. But under Frosthaven law, the one who adds fuel the flames is more guilty than the one who ignites them."

Frostilicus shook his head. "That makes no sense." No sensible person would have such a law.

"It is perhaps counterintuitive to the way most foreigners think," Alderton said. "Think of it like a burning candle. A little bit of contained fire is okay. But if it falls to the ground and burns down the house...well then."

Frost scratched his head. That actually made sense. He thought back to how the frost mages tried to spare even the Flintlock. No, it wasn't right. It wasn't fair. Halorax was a bully and deserved what he got. He was lucky to be alive.

"People are people," Alderton said. "There will always be slight bits of tension. Personalities will clash. Disagreements will arise. Egos will be bruised. For the most part, we can let these things pass or address them in an appropriate way. But it is only when we escalate conflict in a disproportionate way that it becomes a problem."

"But he attacked me," Frostlicus said.

"Is it not true that the fight was over after you were knocked to the ground?" Ellana interjected. She turned to Alderton. "May we cross-examine him now?"

Alderton nodded. "Very well, Ellana."

"That's not how it works with bullies," Frost said, before she could ask more questions. "You can't let them walk all over you. I had to show him I wouldn't put up with it."

"Is severing his arm an appropriate way of responding to a light beating?" Elkriss said. "Completely disproportionate attack. You created a spear and nearly killed him." His lips curled as he spoke.

"Would have killed him," Ellana added. "Had he not evaded the attack. According to witnesses."

Frostilicus gulped. How could he respond to that? Elkriss' logic was sound and Ellana was factual. Frost did let himself go. To an extent.

If he was truthful, Halorax should have been killed by that attack. Most people didn't have the reflexes to dodge a spear moving that fast. Five, Frostilicus was acting in a disproportionate way. He was guilty. Of what? Attempted murder?

No, that wasn't true. It couldn't be. Halorax formed the spear. Halorax started the attack. If Frost had just stood there, he might be the one with a severed arm. Or worse, dead. Frost had acted in self-defense. It was clear in his mind, why couldn't the Masters see it that way? He needed to be more persuasive. But how?

"Guilty," Elkriss said gleefully. "I see no reason to drag this out, Alderton. This young man is clearly guilty and must be expelled immediately."

Suddenly, Frost remembered Alex's words. Or, at least, Alex's words as conveyed to him by Frolick. The spear was Halorax's. It was his own spear that pierced his shoulder. His own frost magic forced it in.

Frost didn't understand why that was important, but apparently, it had something to do with Frosthaven law. Okay then. It wasn't like this hearing was working out in his favor.

"It was his own spear," Frostilicus said, standing up. "He formed the spear and it was his own pull that struck him in the arm."

"Liar," Elkriss said, his face turning slightly pink. "The foreigner lies."

Alderton held up his palm to silence Elkriss. "An Inversion Argument would be valid if verified by fact."

Elkriss silently hissed.

"Master Ellana," Alderton said. "Is the frost spear still intact?"

"Yes," Ellana said, shifting in her seat. "We removed it from Student Halorax and have it in storage. I shall ask for it to be retrieved."

Standing up from her seat, Ellana gracefully crossed the room and opened the door. Her white robes flowed behind her as she walked. She leaned out the door and whispered instructions to a bailiff.

Five, did they really need a bailiff? This was a university court, not a court of law? Frost fidgeted in his seat.

The man ran off to fetch the weapon, and Ellana reentered the room. "It will only be a moment," she said. "Then we will know the truth."