Cassandra opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She frowned. “It’s a bit complicated.”

“I’ve started to get that impression.”

She grinned wryly. “I suppose the problem is that we don’t know what’s going on. Which doesn’t make a very good answer to your question. My uncle’s been trying to find out what’s going on for three years now, and we can’t get any real answers.”

“We? I suppose you’re deep in your uncle’s confidence.” I gave her a dry look, already knowing from her talk of spying this wasn’t likely the case.

She grinned back at me, not seeming in the least offended. “I am when I can convince him to include me. As for the rest of the time…well, I have my ways, as I told you.”

When I raised an eyebrow, she rolled her eyes.

“You’re looking at me like you think I’m young enough to still believe in the Snow Queen or something. I’m a lot older than I look.”

I narrowed my eyes. “How old are you?”

“Thirteen.”

“Thirteen?” I snapped my mouth shut before I admitted I had thought her no more than ten.

She sighed. “Yes, I know. I’m short. I look young. I’ve heard it before. Can we move on?”

“Please accept my apologies and the erasure of all future doubt.”

By the rueful shake of her head and the twinkle in her eye, I assumed she recognized my dry tone. Thirteen was certainly a lot older than ten, but it wasn’t that old. Not really.

But I couldn’t help but like her. A lot. And she carried herself with an assurance that made you forget her age. I shook myself. And what did it matter, really? I didn’t exactly have other allies leaping out to assist me. I could hardly have turned my nose up at her if she had turned out to be ten.

“The rest of the kingdoms all agree that something strange is going on in Eldon,” I said, turning back to the matter at hand. “But I have to admit, I’d hoped you Eldonians might have more of an idea of what exactly it is.”

She grimaced. “Well, it’s cold now, for one. Really cold.”

I rolled my eyes. “That much I’d managed to figure out for myself.”

She shrugged. “That’s where it all started, anyway. The winters got longer—and colder. Spring and autumn are basically gone now. And we barely even have anything that could count as summer. The south-western part of the kingdom—our woods—are the warmest part. But it even occasionally snows down here now. At least we haven’t turned into the ice sheets of the north. Yet.”

“And no one knows why?”

She threw up her hands. “Who knows? Someone might. At least, we hope someone does. That’s what we’re trying to work out. But forget knowing what’s going on…we can’t seem to find anyone else who cares. Our harvests are barely existent. Trade with the other kingdoms has died. Feeding ourselves gets more and more difficult, and we’re relying more and more on stores from earlier, better years.”

I worried at my lip. This lined up with what Lily had learned in Marin while we were there. With the exception of Trione, all of these kingdoms had been falling apart when we arrived, and in the case of Eldon, the destruction was coming in the form of ice.

“And it’s not just a bad year?” I faltered at her expression. “Or two?”

“Try three. And not even our oldest citizens can remember previous years this bad. Something is going on, and it’s not natural.”

I glanced unconsciously down at my hands. Snow wasn’t the only unnatural thing going on in Eldon. But I didn’t think I could blame the godmothers for the kingdom freezing over. They weren’t in the business of starving entire populaces. This was more the sort of thing that happened in kingdoms that had turned their back on the godmothers and the High King they served.

“I don’t suppose your king has done something really terrible lately?” I asked.

“Umm…Like what?”

“Something bad enough to curse your kingdom?”

She frowned. “Not that we’ve ever heard of. King Leopold was always a good ruler.”

“Was?”

Her expression turned sad. “He’s just like all the others now. He doesn’t seem to see any threat. Or he doesn’t care. My uncle traveled to court last year to seek answers, but no one else seemed worried that we’ll all be starving to death in a year or two.” She looked at me. “And I don’t just mean us down here in the woods. If anything, we’re the least affected. It just doesn’t make any sense.”

“No…” I said slowly, “it doesn’t.” But it did line up with everything I’d seen of Emmeline, Giselle, and Oliver. I could suddenly see how Lord Treestone had grown desperate enough to take drastic measures. Although…

“How does abducting us help with any of this?”

“Uncle thought perhaps the royals do know what’s going on, and they’re just not telling us. Or the king and queen and the crown prince, at least. Only the king and queen haven’t left the palace in months. So he thought if he could just get the prince to his castle, and make him listen, he could convince him to tell us. Or, if not, that surely the king and queen care enough about their children to be roused to action. Uncle thought he could ransom them in a way. Guarantee their safe return in exchange for an investigation into what’s going on.”

“So…what? It’s just bad timing that I got caught up in it?”

Cassandra looked a little guilty. “I believe Uncle thought that the threat of Lanover’s reaction might move King Leopold and Queen Camille, even if nothing else did.”

I rocked back, a little shocked. How far gone must the royal family be if Lord Treestone wasn’t sure they would react to the abduction of all three of their children?

Cassandra examined me unhappily. “I realize it wasn’t the best plan. Unfortunately, it was the only one we could come up with.”

I frowned, and her unhappy look deepened.

"Is Lanover going to attack us now?”

I started. “What? Oh. No. At least not after I write to tell them I’m unharmed. That’s assuming my people have even sent a message about my abduction yet.”

I stood up and paced the small space. “I came here to find out what’s going on, but it’s obvious whatever is happening is coming from the north, so I can’t do much good down here.” I fixed her with my sternest look. “Which means I’m going to need your uncle to release me. And the others, as well, since I can hardly turn up at the palace without them.”

Cassandra grimaced. “Uncle thinks we can’t risk just releasing you now that we’ve abducted you.”

“Well, then you’ll need to help me escape.”

Cassandra’s lack of surprise told me she’d already known this was where we would end up.

“How much trouble will you get in if your uncle finds out you helped me?”

She shrugged. “He won’t find out.”

“All right, then.” I looked down the passage in both directions. “Which way is out?”

Cassandra snorted. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

I sighed. “Oh, of course.” I couldn’t deny that the need to bring the other princesses along would complicate things somewhat. Their motivation seemed to have diminished even in the months since we had all participated in the Princess Tourney together. They had at least been of occasional help then.

For a brief moment I thought longingly of just leaving them behind. But I knew I couldn’t really do it—not unless I had no other choice.

“I suppose we’d better go back for them, then.”

“I can’t just let you out right now anyway,” said Cassandra. “My uncle was right about one thing, at least. You wouldn’t get far in the cold and on foot.”

“What exactly do you suggest then?” I asked, not quite keeping the acid tone out of my voice.

“We’ll also need to free your carriage, horses, and coachman. And do it quietly enough that you can get far enough away before anyone realizes you’re gone.”

“Oh, just that, hey?” I smiled at her matter-of-fact manner.

“As I said, it will need some planning.”

As much as I wanted immediate action, I could see she was right.

So together we made a plan.

* * *

Emmeline and Giselle were sitting at the little table when I re-emerged from the secret passage. Had they even moved while I’d been gone? Cassandra also popped out to show me the trick to opening the concealed door from inside the room—just in case—but she disappeared quickly to carry out her more complicated role.

“We’re escaping,” I announced to the sisters.

It was a good thing I wasn’t expecting any dramatic reaction since I certainly didn’t get one. At least they didn’t put up any protest. Our plan had purposely kept their roles to a minimum, but I still explained them carefully. Again, neither protested, so I could only hope they didn’t put up any fuss when the time came.

After that, we had merely to wait until our evening meal was served. Sitting down calmly to eat took some exercise of willpower on my behalf, but I managed it in the end, summoning a maid to clear away the dishes as imperiously as I had done the night before.

When I finally heard the creak of the passageway opening, I was more than ready for action. Cassandra poked her head around and waved us in, disappearing without bothering to check that we were actually coming. I ushered Emmeline and Giselle ahead of me, giving a last scan of the room to make sure we hadn’t left anything behind.

Nobody spoke as we followed Cassandra through the walls of the castle. I slipped past the other girls and sidled up to the youngster to give her a questioning look. She smiled reassuringly, so I could only assume everything had so far gone to plan.

It felt like we’d been walking far longer than possible given the small size of the castle before she stopped, holding up a hand to halt us as well. Nothing about this stretch of wall looked different to me, but she felt around for something I couldn’t see, and several large stones shifted. I gazed at the opening—much smaller than a normal doorway—and then down at my dress. With a sigh, I got down onto my hands and knees. If the dress wasn’t already ruined, it would be now.

Icy air hit me as I squeezed through the space and out into the night. I moved away from the opening to allow the others to follow but stayed low to the ground. When Emmeline appeared, she opened her mouth as if to speak, and I quickly put my finger to my lips. We had emerged behind the stables, but we were still inside the courtyard of the castle.

Thankfully she merely shook her head and moved to join me without speaking. Once all four of us had gathered, Cassandra touched another hidden mechanism, and the opening disappeared. I shook my head. I couldn’t imagine the hours it must have taken her to find all these doors and openings.

Clambering to her feet, but bending low, Cassandra led us around the back of the stables, keeping to the shadows. This time I waited to bring up the rear, rubbing my arms and wishing again I could conjure magical warmth at will. I had forgotten just how cold it was outside.

As we crept from shadow to shadow, every sense tense and alert, I thought I saw something move against the closest wall. I blinked and looked again, but this time could see nothing. It had been a mere shadow, but I could have sworn I saw the flicker of movement. I bit my lip but had no choice except to keep moving and hope it had been nothing but my imagination.

On second thought, I removed one of the daggers from my boot. Better prepared than not.

My hesitation had put me behind the others, so I had to hurry to catch up. By the time I reached them, the other two princesses were clambering into our carriage. It stood in the deep shadows between the far side of the stable and the wall. Cassandra had managed even better than I had dared hope.

A tall figure stepped forward, and I jumped, stifling an exclamation as the form of one of our coachmen appeared. We had originally left the port with two coachmen, so I could only assume one had been left behind by our abductors. They must have thought one enough to drive us here, and the fewer people to imprison the better.

The man in front of me nodded before disappearing after Cassandra. I followed, wondering if he had been the shadow I saw earlier. But that one had been behind us…

A carriage could be hidden silently, but horses were another matter. Our only choice had been to bring them out at the last minute. After some debate, we had decided that we would sacrifice the extra speed of four horses in the interest of keeping this step as quick and simple as possible.

I had been taught how to care for and saddle my own horse, but I’d never attached one to a carriage before, so I was only able to follow simple directions whispered by the coachman. He worked quickly and efficiently, but still it felt as if it took forever for everything to be ready. At every moment I expected a shout of discovery, and every sound seemed to ring through the night air.

We would never have gotten away with any of it in a larger castle, the type of place with guards posted at regular intervals around the wall. But Lord Treestone’s small domain had only the simplest of walls and two guards posted at the gate. And Cassandra had assured me they were occupied watching for a rescue attempt from outside. Over and over I reminded myself that no one was paying attention to what was happening in the shadows of the courtyard.

Finally the horses were in place, and the coachman stood ready for the next part of the plan.

I turned to say farewell to Cassandra, who would have to disappear at this point or risk having her involvement discovered, and was surprised with a tight hug around my waist. She hadn’t struck me as the sentimental type, an impression confirmed when I looked down into her face. She looked positively fierce.

“Don’t let me down, Celine,” she whispered. “Find out what’s trying to kill us all. And then you kill it, instead.”

I nodded. “I will.” If I can, I added silently in my head, unsure how I had managed to inspire such faith in her, but glad she had trusted me enough to help us.

As she slipped away, my smile disappeared. The next part was the hardest. With a grim nod to the coachman, I led him forward through the shadows. I had returned my dagger to my boot while helping with the horses, but I gripped it in my hand again now. The coachman held a short wooden club—from Cassandra or the carriage I didn’t know. We didn’t want to kill anyone if we could possibly avoid it. I still believed Lord Treestone that our own people were safe, and even that he didn’t intend us any immediate harm. But that didn’t mean harm wouldn’t come to us—and possibly a great many other people—if we remained as captives. I just hoped the harm didn’t start now.

Stepping forward into the light, I called softly to the guards. They both swung around, their expressions shifting to surprise and then suspicion.

“What are you doing here?” asked one, at the same moment as the second asked, “Who are you?”

But their questions had given me the chance to close the remaining distance between us, and my dagger flashed out from where I had hidden it in my skirts. The guard in front of me didn’t even have time to draw his sword before my hilt found his head. As he crumpled to the ground, his companion dropped beside him, thanks to the ministrations of the coachman.

Well, not too great a harm, at any rate.

I stooped to check their pulses. Both beat steadily.

I picked the smaller one and lifted his head and torso off the ground, gripping him beneath his arms. The coachman took the other, and we dragged them back toward the shadows next to the gate. Cassandra had promised we would find gags and rope there. With any luck, we would be well gone before any alarm could be raised.

I had nearly reached the darkness when a gasp of surprise split the night. I looked up and into the eyes of a third guard, frozen mid-stride halfway across the courtyard.