The ice groaned and creaked as we made our way out over the black depths, keeping close to the walls of the stadium. But we hadn’t gone more than fifty yards before the tunnel filled with the sound of running feet. Martin extinguished his already faint light, and we plunged into darkness.

“She’s not alone.” The female guard’s voice drifted across the void, all traces of kindness gone. She was plainly visible where she stood on the bank with three others, and the moment they moved their lights out over the lake, we’d be just as exposed.

“You’re sure they came this way?” one of the others asked. “It’s a dead end.”

“It was either this way, or back out underneath your noses, so you tell me.” Another light formed over her head, then began a slow progress across the lake.

Dropping to my elbows and knees, I scuttled toward the shadow of one of the ancient pillars, using its bulk to hide from view. Seconds later, Martin joined me, the ice protesting against our combined weight. Cracks spidered out from beneath us as the guard’s light passed by, searching. Hunting.

“This is a waste of time,” one of the guards muttered. “Cursed city is full of sluag and worse, and you’ve got us chasing after some half-blood who’s decided to take up skating.”

“Catching the fool who assaulted me is an excellent use of my time,” she responded. “Go back and stand in front of the gate – I’ll deal with them myself.”

The ice moaned, and I risked peeking around the corner of the pillar. The light from the three other guards was retreating into the tunnel, but the female was making her way out toward the center of the lake. Martin plucked at my sleeve. I ignored him, suspecting that his martial talents had been exhausted in the singular blow he’d dealt to the guard’s head. But he insistently tugged at my sleeve again.

“What?” I whispered.

He pointed down through the glassy surface, and seconds later, something moved.

I could not say what the creature was – only that it was a great leviathan. Its serpentine form moved lazily beneath the ice, opalescent scales gleaming as though it were lit from within. The guard hadn’t noticed it yet, and she moved with a measured stride across the lake, her eyes roving for someone that hid above, not something that hunted beneath.

“Don’t move,” Martin whispered. “Maybe it won’t notice us.”

“We can’t stay here forever.” Already, my lack of motion was allowing the cold to take over, but I dared not ask Martin to use magic to warm me lest it draw the attention of either the troll or what I strongly suspected was a Winter creature.

A voice echoed through the cavern, a song both lovely and eerily familiar. A song being sung with my voice.