Brenna and Robbin followed Adair to a strange looking sled that attached to a group of restless reindeer. As if this wasn't odd enough, when Robbin handed Brenna into the second row of seats, she noticed the entire thing was made of ice. She supposed it could have been made by the normal means, but the flawless and pristine surface made her feel as if stranger forces had been involved in its making.

More of the gray furs lay on the cold seats, and when Robbin settled next to her, he dragged the ends over their laps to fend off the chilly air that would no doubt assault them in a few moments. Adair and Silver sat in the front, Adair holding the reins.

"Be aware," Adair said over her shoulder. "They are extremely fast."

Before they had any time to react, the reindeer surged forward, lurching the sled into breakneck speeds. Brenna snatched at Robbin's arm, swallowing her scream as she nearly tumbled from her seat. It took a few minutes for her to regain her composure, but she never quite lost the tension in her gut, or eased her grip on Robbin's arm.

The sled ride seemed interminable, and the stony silence stretched on until Adair broke with a voice so even that Brenna was amazed they could hear it over the rushing of the wind.

"You didn't bring Morna?"

"No." Brenna didn't offer any more information.

Adair seemed persistent, unfortunately. "I suppose she is grown now. Seems odd that our little sister should be older than I was when I left."

"Mm," Brenna grunted.

Adair paused for a moment, but then continued. "Does she live with you in Anjeluund?"

Brenna cut Robbin a glance, her heart pattering in her chest. His mouth thinned, but she saw the small shake of his head that told her not to reveal the truth. He was right. While the Anjeluund people were free to know that Morna was locked away in an asylum for the insane, she didn't feel like they needed to spread the news to everyone. Not even her older sister.

Brenna disguised her slight hesitation by clearing her throat. "Yes, she's in Anjeluund now. She's happy there." The first part wasn't really a lie, since the asylum was still in Anjeluund territory, but the second was most likely a full on falsity. She didn't think Morna could ever be happy again after Afton.

Adair didn't press it anymore, assumedly satisfying whatever curiosity had driven her to enquire after the youngest of their family. Thankfully she kept quiet the rest of the ride, and they rode through until the sun set behind the mountains and the long shadows turned into darkness. It wasn't until the air had turned almost unbearably cold that suddenly a massive structure rose above the horizon, somehow looking opposing even when a mountain backdropped it. Brenna blinked a few times to make sure she was really seeing it correctly, but as they drew even closer she could not deny that the entire thing was made from solid ice. It had little light to reflect, but what it did pick up from the torches within and the bits left from the setting sun, splintered and stretched into almost dancing images. Brenna couldn't imagine what it might have looked like as the sun rose in the morning. It must have seemed like a shimmering flame. Even in the black, it took her breath away.

Adair and Silver were completely used to the sight and pulled up the sled at the door without even batting an eyelash. Silver jumped down and held the reindeer while Adair climbed down and paused to wait for Brenna and Robbin.

Feeling a bit like a child trailing her governess, Brenna followed behind Adair up the steps and into the grand foyer of the ice castle. There was not much to decorate the interior, but it was impressive on its own. The pillars and arches that broke up the walls were shaped into elaborate sculptures. Horse heads, wolves, twining ivy, all carved into the ice. It was not possible that this place had been built. This had grown, and Brenna knew it had to be all Adair. Her sister's powers were more powerful than they'd thought, and that made her uncomfortable as they walked behind her through the impressive castle.

Adair led them to a throne room where a pack of foxes and wolves, seemingly on friendly terms, lay at the base of a raised dais. They looked up as the humans entered, their ears perking but not making a move to attack. Brenna took a step back, bumping into Robbin, but Adair strode toward them with no hesitation.

"They're not going to hurt you," she said, trailing a hand along the head of a sleek wolf that greeted her as she stepped up onto the dais and slid gracefully onto the icy throne. The seat was draped in furs, and she crossed her legs before her. She looked for all the world like the wild animals that surrounded her. Brenna kept her distance, wondering if Robbin would be able to fight off that many animals if it came to it.

"So you want to travel through my mountains?"

Brenna nodded. "We would only want passage for a small group of soldiers to escort our merchants. We wouldn't need to be accommodated, and we'd leave you and yours alone. All we'd need is to be guaranteed you won't attack, and that would be it. Easy and simple."

"And what would I get in return?"

Brenna fought back a frown. "We'd pay you in coin, if you wish. Land is also an option. A title. I'm a queen now. I can offer you almost anything."

Adair tapped her lips with a finger, pantomiming thinking. Brenna narrowed her eyes, knowing that pose from when they were children. Adair was about to say something that Brenna wouldn't like.

"During our entire lives, you've never helped me. In fact, I remember you skipping off with your aunts quite happily while you left me alone. So, I do wonder why in heaven's name I should help you, when not helping you would really make no difference in my world."

Robbin took a step forward and Brenna knew he was about to mouth off. He was boiling with restlessness, wanting to get their plan underway, and this talking was not his idea of progress. But Brenna held up a hand to quiet him, and for once he listened to her. She felt his exhale of annoyance, but he stepped back and didn't speak.

Cautiously at first, but then with a more and more determined stride, Brenna walked toward Adair through the ranks of the wolves and foxes. She kept her eyes up, not daring to look at the sharp teeth and cloudy breath of the beasts, until she reached the edge of the raised dais. She looked right into Adair's eyes, trying to fill them with anything that might help convince Adair to listen.

"I am not a helpless girl whose mother and father were killed in front of her anymore, Adair. I am a woman full grown, and not only that, but I am the queen of an entire nation. Our country is powerful and influential. Who do you think would harm anyone that can claim the Queen's protection? You are my sister, and as thus no one would dare dream of hurting you. That is what I have to offer."

As she spoke the words, she pushed the image of Morna's defeated form climbing into the carriage on that day she'd sent her away to the asylum.