“Are you ready, my prince?”

Kelson nodded and started to head for the door.

“Not that way,” Morgan said, motioning the boy to come back to the fireplace.

Kelson looked suitably puzzled, but he went where he was bidden, watching as Morgan paced off a precise distance from the wall to the left of the fireplace and traced an intricate design in the air with his forefinger. With a sigh, a portion of the wall recessed to reveal a dark stairwell descending into the cold night air. Kelson gaped incredulously.

“How did that get there?”

“I rather imagine someone built it,” Morgan said, taking the candle from the mantel and indicating that Kelson should enter. “Did you really not know that this was here?”

He extended his hand as the boy shook his head and followed him into the dark passage. Behind them, the wall closed softly, and their muffled footsteps echoed hollowly on the damp stone treads.

Kelson stuck very close to Morgan as they descended the stairs, peering apprehensively into the darkness ahead. Here in this cold, wet unknown, the tiny circle of light from their one candle seemed small comfort indeed. He dared not speak until they reached a flat landing, and even then his voice was hushed.

“Are there many of these secret passages?” he asked as they rounded a turn and came to a blank wall. They stopped, and Morgan handed the candle to Kelson.

“There are enough so that you can get to almost anyplace in the palace without anyone knowing—if you know where you’re going. Get ready to douse that light, now. We’ve reached the end. This will take us out just across the square from the basilica.”

Morgan pressed the recessed latch, and a small square quietly opened at eye level. Morgan put his eye to the hole for a long moment, then put his hand on the latch again.

“All right, douse the light and set it down at your right.”

Kelson obeyed, and the chamber was plunged into darkness. There was a soft sigh, and Kelson felt a cold, damp draft blowing into his face. Then he was aware of a lighter rectangle of darkness directly in front of him. Morgan took his arm and led him through, and the opening closed silently behind them. A fine, icy mist was drifting in the night air, and its chill quickly penetrated even the heavy clothing the two wore. Kelson pulled his hood over his head and huddled back farther in the shadows as he and Morgan waited.