Page 7 of The Midnight Blizzard

He left, turning down another hall and leaving me in the corridor where sunlight filtered through the window tomock the despair that was creeping in. It seemed that getting a scribe to retrieve something would be more difficult than I thought, but I hadn’t come all this way to simply be toldno. I refused to be a quitter. My students were counting on me.

After exploring all the levels above ground and ignoring the growling of my stomach, I ventured down the steps that led underground. Ithadto be here. There were far fewer people here, but the ones who were looked curiously at me, clearly wondering what a woman attending the balls was doing so far removed from the festivities above, but didn’t question me.

Would they report me? I could always feign ignorance or claim that I’d gotten lost. Lit torches burned in brackets as I hurried along a long corridor, my footsteps echoing and sounding unnaturally loud in the empty hallway. A long window to my left showed into a room, and I stopped dead when I saw what was beyond the glass.

This was it.

Rows upon rows of shelves held rolled-up scrolls, and desks had documents stacked in neat piles between corked inkwells, each with a quill laid beside it. I stared hungrily in, searching the tiny cubbies as if expecting to see a banner pointing me to where a copy of Cedric Frost’s will would be. He was one of the kingdom’s ten lords. Ithadto be important enough to be there.

A glance up and down the corridor confirmed that no one was approaching, so I cupped my hands around my eyes to stare in again. I couldn’t see any scribes, but they easily could have been behind some of the shelves that nearly stretched up to the ceiling. There had to be a way in. I paced along the length of the window and finally turned a corner to discover a door with a plaque that simply readRecords,on it with smaller lettering under it that saidRestricted.

With another uneasy look around to confirm my solitude, I quietly tried the handle and found it locked. I jiggled it a little harder, but whatever bolt was securing it in place held fast. For half an hour, I circled the area, trying to find another entrance, but the only other door I found was also locked with the same message.

Footsteps approached, and I left before the incoming person could find me, eager not to be seen lurking near a restricted area. Once I had returned to the ground level, the smells of lunch beckoned me and I followed my nose to the dining hall, satisfied that I had at least discoveredwherethe records room was, even if it wasn’t open. It was just as well—my stomach’s insistent snarling would have given me away if I’d tried to snoop any longer.

Several other girls had meandered in to find a meal as well. Tiny, dainty sandwiches, roasted chestnuts and other such light finger foods were laid out on a long table with bowls of poinsettias and holly between the large silver platters of food. Even though the dining hall was warmed by cheery fireplaces set into every wall, I kept my cloak secured around my shoulders with my hood up, still self-conscious about my inability to freshen up. If I met the prince right now, he wouldn’t hesitate to send me away.

I was hungry enough I could have easily managed triple helpings, but my concern over my students occupied my mind so much that I stared at each morsel of food before biting into it. I could still see each of their crestfallen faces as the marshal had ordered them back to their homes. They were counting on me, and I only had six days until our ability to renew our license expired. To make matters worse, in order to renew it and maintain the school, Ineeded a substantial sum of money. If it did expire, that would mean months to a year of more paperwork, petitioning the courts, and even more money that I didn’t have. Why, why,whyhad Valencia picked the worst time to force the school to close?

A slim, red-headed girl looking even more forlorn than I did sat at the table opposite me and picked at the fruit on her plate without enthusiasm.

“Trista, is that you?”

The girl looked up, then hurriedly gathered her things and came to sit next to me. “Noelle, I didn’t expect to see you here.”

I pulled off my hood. “Nor I you. Aren’t you engaged to the blacksmith’s apprentice?”

“Yes—or I was,” she answered, her glum expression returning. “My parents insisted that I break it off to come here.”

My jaw dropped. “What did Cal say?”

She smiled. “He said to do my best to get sent home quickly so we could get engaged again.” After throwing a surreptitious glance over her shoulder she went on, “And I plan to. I shall pick my nose, belch, and scratch my bottom when I meet the prince tonight.”

I burst out laughing. “An excellent plan! It’s no wonder we’re friends.”

“I haven’t seen you at any ice skating events for ages,” Trista said, digging into her fruit with renewed enthusiasm. “What happened? Did you give it up?”

“For the most part, yes. I just don’t have the time anymore. I opened a school for mages two years ago, and my father passed away recently.”

She dropped her fork and clutched at my hand. “I’m so sorry, Noelle. I had no idea.”

The ache that had gnawed at my heart since his death gave a particularly sharp stab. “Thank you. My stepmother kept it very private. I’m sure the king and queen themselves would have come otherwise. They knew Father well.”

“Is there anything I can do for you?”

“No, but…actually yes, there is.”

“Name it.”

“Can I stay in your room and borrow a dress for tonight?”

She nodded, casting a critical eye over the sorry state of my dress and cloak. “Of course, and I can get yours cleaned as well. Where are you staying right now?”

“Nowhere, actually. It’s a long story.”

I told Trista everything as she finished her meal. She was an excellent listener. She gasped at all the right places in my story of my stepfamily abandoning me, let out a sigh of relief when I regaled her with the tale of how Kodiak and I were rescued, then raised her eyebrows as I described Jack.

“Ayoungman, you said?” she asked in amusement.

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