Callum stopped, listened, and then pressed part of a stone wall to the side. Ryson had not considered this particular passage, and he hurried in, the other two following him. Feeble light filtered through cracks in the wall, and they fell silent when they heard someone pass by. Callum laid his head against the crack in the stone, and they waited in silence until he gave the signal.
"They are running in circles again," Callum said with a laugh as he led them farther into the castle. "You would think they'd never lived in a castle or heard of a secret passage. I do still wonder who leads them, though."
A turn of his head showed he was looking at Ryson.
"Not me," Ryson replied. "I haven't been around long enough to know what's going on. I just know that the Council is uneasy and wants me to find out why the queen has turned aside from their gracious pleas and their superior wisdom."
"And those were their words, of course," Queen Kono replied. It was not a question.
Ryson would have said something witty, but he was saved by Callum, who suddenly took them through a passage Ryson did not know. His mind went into memorizing every touch, scent, and sound. It was a gift once common in his clan, but generations had passed, and now it came down to Ryson and Callum. Callum was the only one who knew about Ryson.
And Kono knew, of course. She had been like clan to them when they were younger. He supposed she still was, especially since her own clan ignored her. They never went so far as to disobey the queen, but they made it plain they didn't trust her decisions.
And that really had been her mother's fault. Queen Ana had been brilliant but as changeable as a cat. Clerks had often raced to do assignments before they changed by midday. To be truthful, Kono had a bit of that tendency – to act on first impulse, and then to adjust her orders later.
Where was Callum taking them?
They had no lights down here. Ryson was tempted to do something that would shock his companions. No, not yet. There would be a better time. This adventure looked increasingly as if something bad was about to happen.
Or, had it already happened?
"Why are we hiding down here?" Ryson finally asked as they paused again.
"Mostly we are getting out of the way of the incoming Ice Sprites," Callum explained. "And hold that thought for a moment, Kono. I didn't know until Ryson's people came in, and my agent slipped in with them. Why did you gather so many servants in the last couple of villages?"
"Last night I got the feeling of something odd going on," Ryson said and leaned back against the cold stone wall. "I suspected agents were trying to get in and deliver news. I also counted on Callum and his people being on guard against anyone who came in with me."
"Well done," Callum said before Kono could speak. Ryson heard the queen make a sound of frustration. "It is why you send us out, Kono. And now, you know as much as we do. Unless Ryson has more information?"
"Something set the Ice Sprites on the move, but you cannot exactly sneak into their camp. Something set them in motion, but I can't tell if it's a problem for them or for everyone. Technically, they are our allies. They may be coming for help."
"Or to help," Kono added. Ryson could hear the anger in her voice. "How dare you!"
"I was not going to let you out there until I was sure of their intentions," Callum told her. "The battle bell has not rung. It is time to go out, and in time to meet their ranking emissary."
"My people!" she protested.
"I gave you the signal, and you sent them away. Only the guards remained."
She still sounded frustrated but gave a nearly silent sigh of capitulation. "Well done."
Rock grated slightly as light filled the little cubicle. They stepped into a familiar hallway in the west wing. By the time they passed servants, they had brushed away cobwebs and drew no unwanted attention.
Callum and Ryson walked a proper five steps behind the queen. Ryson kept to Callum's blind side and was careful with his work guarding the queen. They didn't know why the Ice Sprites had arrived, and for all he knew, they were a distraction for something far worse.
Ryson walked with his hand on the pommel of his sword. He was one of the few allowed to wear a weapon near the Queen. Callum was another, and he walked with the same stance and hand on his weapon. People used to say they looked alike before Callum's injuries. Ryson knew that the fierceness so many people saw in Callum was part of this act—but only part. He had changed in many subtle ways after the ambush that should've killed him.
Ryson had said nothing about such changes, but he sometimes saw the queen glancing at their friend with a frown that seemed to indicate that she didn't know what to expect either.
From one step to the next, the air got noticeably cooler. A moment later, they stepped back into the Great Hall, where they had been before they took a tour of the cobweb-infested secret passages.
Ryson wondered if he should be amused.
Amazed was the better description right now. There had to be at least 300 Ice Sprites in the hall. He had never seen so many at once, even at their own court, which he had visited more than once. Having grown up in snow country helped.
They brought winter with them, not that it was ever far away from Snow Rock Castle. The Sprites produced not only the winter cold, but also the beauty. Frost painted new designs on the old marble columns and dusted the rest of the room with frozen glitter. The sprites formed a sea of icy blue with a few darker puddles in the corners. They were too calm for this to be a friendly gathering. They seemed colder than usual, as well.
Their leader stepped forward with his interpreter. Kono came down her steps and met him within a yard. Ryson, who spoke sprite better than anyone at court, went with her. He wished she hadn't gone so close, not only for her safety, but because it was damn cold down here away from the throne.
They exchanged greetings. The Prince who greeted her was unusually high-ranking, and that told Ryson again there was trouble out there. It was even more apparent when they went straight to the problem, which turned out to be something more dreadful than he had expected.
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