Mystery at the Ice Hotel

by Sara Grant

  We walked down the main corridor that was lined with huge ice columns. The grinding noise of the chainsaw stopped as abruptly as it had started. Ice chandeliers clattered above our heads. Mackenzie read off the guests’ names, and I placed the right bag in the centre of the bed, which was made one hundred per cent of ice and covered with moose or deer pelts.

  Mackenzie was like a walking Wikipedia of fun facts. “Did you know there are more than sixty rooms that cover more than six thousand square metres?”

  “Nope,” I said with a shrug. “Did you know that blue slushies are the best flavour and rainbow Snow Cones look great but taste gross?”

  Her eyebrows scrunched together, making her you’re crazy face, but she continued as if she was my own personal tour guide. “The Winter Wonder Resort uses about forty-eight thousand cubic metres of snice – that’s snow and ice – and nearly two thousand tonnes of ice to create the hotel, maze, pub and cathedral.”

  “How do you know all this?”

  “Didn’t you listen when Mr Ashworth gave us the tour?” she asked. I shrugged again. Obviously not. “I also did some research on the Internet.”

  Of course you did.

  Each room had a different theme. One was an icy garden. Another was decorated with large and small snowflakes. Another had a huge ice bird sitting on a nest of snowball eggs. Some were more abstract with coloured lights illuminating random shapes carved from ice. “This is my favourite,” I told Mackenzie as we approached the room with the angel. I could hear the clink and tap of Sven at work inside.

  “This is the last gift bag.” She handed it to me.

  “Hey, Sven!” I said, and almost dropped the bag in what looked like a big paddling pool framed with blocks of ice.

  “Hi, Chase.” He removed his goggles. “I am nearly finished,” he said with his lovely Swedish accent. “I made the frame and now all I have to do is fill the bed with water. It is easier than dragging blocks of ice from the lake.”

  “Wow, that’s amazing,” I said when I noticed that he had added to the sculpture. The angel was now perched on a tower of halos.

  “Wait.” He reached down and flicked a switch, which gave the halos a golden glow.

  “Wow,” Mackenzie sighed behind me. “That’s…”

  “Yeah…” I agreed; there were no words.

  “I am glad you like,” he said, and went back to work. “I have some final touches to make. I told Shauna that I may not be done with this room and the one next door tonight.”

  “I’ll leave this here for now,” I told him and set the gift bag on the round ice table. “See you later, Sven.”

  “Come on,” Mackenzie said. “We need to get dressed for the party.” She was doing this weird race-walking thing.

  “What’s your hurry?” I asked as I followed her down the corridor.

  “Don’t you think it’s a bit creepy in here?”

  I shrugged. The sun had nearly set and the chandeliers hadn’t been switched on yet. The ice sculptures, which gleamed during the day, made eerie shadows in the dark. The sculpture of a little child with big blue stones for eyes had looked playful in the daylight; now the kid looked a bit demonic. Maybe she was right.

  When I caught up to her, I paused. “Did you hear that?” I whipped around, but no one was behind us. The corridor was empty.

  “Stop that. It’s not funny,” Mackenzie whined, and touched the jagged scar on her neck, the scar she’d received in London the second time someone tried to kill her. She did that when she was nervous.

  “No, listen.” I held her still. There it was again. “It sounded like footsteps,” I whispered.

  She glared at me. Sure, I loved to spook her. I’d hide and jump out at her when I got the chance, but I’d really heard something. We took a few steps. Mackenzie suddenly stopped. This time she’d heard it too.

  “Follow me,” I whispered in my quietest voice right next to her ear. We tiptoed to the next room and slipped inside. The architects of the ice hotel could make chandeliers and ridiculously detailed art from ice, but they hadn’t found a way to make doors inside the icy buildings. The hotel rooms only had curtains, which wasn’t much protection. The footsteps were getting closer and louder. Someone was stalking us!

  The thud of our stalker’s footsteps echoed in my pounding heart and Mackenzie’s panicked panting. I wasn’t going to wait here helpless. I whispered my plan to Mackenzie. She frantically shook her head, but it was time for action whether she liked it or not.

  I gauged the direction of the footsteps and slipped beside the doorway so I would be ready, but out of sight. I had to time this just right. Mackenzie was slowly making her way behind me.

  I held up my gloved hand and counted down. Three … two … one…

  “AAAHHH!” we shrieked as we sprang from hiding.

  “AAAHHH!” our stalkers squealed in reply. Two figures in Winter Wonder Resort snowsuits darted in opposite directions, skidding on the snowy floor until they wiped out in a cartoon-like fashion. They were scrambling to their feet, but they couldn’t get any traction in the clunky snow boots. The moment after I surprised them like some rabid polar bear I realized who they were – TnT.

  I shouldn’t have, but I laughed. They slipped and slid in a panic as they tried to escape. I wished I’d filmed it because it would have been one of the funniest blooper videos ever. The boys were crawling away.

  “Hey! Wait!” I called to them. “TnT, we’re sorry.”

  I rushed to one of the twins while Mackenzie helped the other.

  “Why’d you do that?” my twin asked me. I’d have to figure out a way to tell them apart.

  “We thought someone was following us,” I said.

  “We weren’t following you,” the other twin replied. “We were checking out the ice hotel. And that’s a strange response to being followed.”

  “You don’t know what we’ve been through,” Mackenzie said but then pinned her lips shut tightly. We couldn’t talk about our adventure in the Maldives because Mackenzie wasn’t supposed to have survived it. She was a terrible liar, which was a good trait in a friend but a horrible trait for a spy.

  “What she means is it’s creepy in here, don’t you think?” I interjected. I didn’t want them to ask any questions. “We didn’t mean to scare you.”

  The boys smirked at each other. “You better watch out,” one said. “Yeah, because sooner or later we will pay you back,” the other twin finished his sentence and then they raced away.

  “You really know how to make friends,” Mackenzie said when they disappeared around the corner. “Danger isn’t looming at every turn.” She frowned. “Well, I guess it is now.”

  “Welcome to the Winter Wonder Resort!” Mr Ashworth, the resort manager, was standing on the ice stage in the centre of the pub, shouting to the gathering crowd. Red twinkle lights outlined the room. Ice hearts dangled from the ceiling. Shauna had done an amazing job of bring the Melting Your Hearts theme to life for the VIP party. Strange to see everyone dressed for the outside when we were inside, sort of. The ice pub was basically a big igloo with everything – even the glasses – constructed of ice. Everyone was wearing the black-and-blue snowsuits, boots and gloves issued by the Winter Wonder Resort.

  Mackenzie and I replaced Shauna at the welcome table. It had taken Mackenzie an hour and a half to get ready, including ironing her red silk thermals. We shared a room, and I had been amazed how long it took for her curls to look perfectly messy. I achieved the same just-out-of-bed effect by simply waking up.

  “I’m thrilled to see so many old friends and Ingenium International College alumni,” Mr Ashworth said, and held both hands straight in the air. That’s where I’d heard that school name before. TnT went there and so did a number of our guests.

  Several members of the crowd mimicked Mr Ashworth as if it had been choreographed and shouted, “I! I!” It must be some weird college ritual.

  “I, I indeed,” he replied. “Thanks to Ariadne for allowing me to invit
e a few of my fellow board members and their grandchildren.” He paused and with a goofy grin, waved at Lucinda Sterling. Alexia was standing next to her grandmother and rolled her eyes melodramatically. “I hope you have a wonderful time in my winter wonderland. Ariadne has quite the weekend planned for you. I also hope you’ll consider investing in her app. The pensioner market…”

  He droned on about money stuff. Mackenzie and I had heard it all before. Grandma needed a few investors to take her app global. Tonight was for the VIPs. Tomorrow the rest of the guests would arrive.

  Mackenzie organized the rows of folders with the Love Late in Life logo while I carved my initials in the ice table with the tip of a Love Late in Life pen. She frowned and shook her head disapprovingly.

  “Don’t be such a goody two-shoes,” I muttered and removed my glove. I pressed my warm palm on the table and melted away my graffiti. Mackenzie returned to her alphabetizing.

  “Let me add my sincere gratitude…” Grandma had taken the stage in her bright red snowsuit. Everyone watched her. It wasn’t just what she was wearing or the sparkle in her voice; she was mesmerizing. “I invited you to bring your grandchildren because I was only recently introduced to mine.” She gestured to me and Mackenzie.

  I waved. “Wave,” I whispered to Mackenzie. She had forgotten that we were pretending to be cousins.

  Grandma continued, “I’m beginning to understand the joys of being a grandparent.”

  And I was enjoying being a granddaughter. I just wanted to get to know my mom too.

  “Excuse me,” a red-headed girl said as she stepped up to the welcome table.

  “Oh, hi!” I said, remembering that I was supposed to be on duty. “I mean, welcome to the launch of Love Late in Life. What’s your name?”

  “I’m Katrina Memering,” she replied. “Sorry I’m so late. My flight was delayed.”

  I searched the folders for grandchildren but her name wasn’t there. That can’t be right. I double-checked the grandchildren’s packets myself. “What’s your grandparent’s name?”

  She blushed. “I’m not here as a guest,” she explained. “I’m a freelance writer. Shauna hired me to write a feature story on the new app for a pensioner magazine.”

  “You don’t look old enough to be a reporter,” I said. The filter in my brain that was supposed to keep me from blurting my stupid thoughts often malfunctioned.

  “Sorry about my rude friend,” Mackenzie said, and handed her the press folder with her name on it.

  “I get that a lot,” Katrina said. “I skipped a few grades.”

  “Can we introduce you to a few people?” I gave her a snowsuit, boots and gloves.

  “That would be great,” Katrina said with a smile and a flip of her long red hair. She was one of those people who looked pretty average until she smiled.

  “That’s Ariadne, my grandma and the founder of Love Late in Life.” I pointed to the stage. “I’ll introduce you to her later.”

  “I’ve read a lot about her,” Katrina said. “Impressive CV.”

  I nodded.

  “You should meet Shauna,” Mackenzie said and looked in Shauna’s direction. Alexia had her cornered. Shauna’s head was bowed so her blonde hair half covered her face. Alexia’s mouth was moving and her eyes were rolling so she must be complaining. Poor Shauna. “Shauna is occupied, but I’d be happy to introduce you to—”

  “Um, on second thought.” Katrina turned away. “I’m really tired. Jet-lagged, you know. Maybe I will go to my room instead.”

  “U-uh, O-OK,” I stammered, confused by her quick change. She looked sort of nervous all of a sudden. “You will find your room number and key in your packet.”

  “You won’t want to miss the Northern Lights excursion later,” Mackenzie called after her. Katrina was almost running away now.

  “Is it my imagination or is everyone acting weird?” I whispered to Mackenzie. She shrugged.

  The presentations were over and music started to play. Shauna had let Mackenzie and me make the playlist. Grandma and Shauna talked to everyone, smiling and nodding and making the guests smile and laugh. That was not a talent I had – nor wanted to have. Parties like this were not my style.

  “I’m starving,” Mackenzie said. “I’ll get us some food from the buffet.”

  “Good idea.”

  The moment she left I got that being watched feeling. I scanned the room. TnT were nowhere to be seen. Maybe Mackenzie was right. I was being paranoid, but I couldn’t shake it. I looked around again. This time I spotted the source of my paranoia. Someone in a silvery snowsuit was lurking in a corner at the far side of the room. He – or was it a she – ducked behind a cluster of guests. I shifted so I could keep my eye on whoever it was. The person’s hood was up so I couldn’t see his or her face.

  Mackenzie was weaving through the crowd, holding a plate piled high with food. For someone her size, she could sure eat. I waved at her to hurry up.

  “I got you some buffalo wings.” She placed the plate on the table between us. She knew me well, the hotter and spicier the better.

  “Look!” I said and positioned her so she was looking straight at the figure in the silver snowsuit.

  “What?” She wriggled out of my grasp. “I’m hungry.” She forked a meatball and plopped it in her mouth.

  “Someone’s watching us,” I said but the figure had disappeared. Mackenzie rolled her eyes. “No, really, right over there. Someone was wearing a silver snowsuit—” Mackenzie shut me up by shoving a firecracker prawn in my mouth.

  “Stop imagining mysteries.” She devoured the last meatball from the plate.

  “What about the mystery of the disappearing meatballs?” I laughed. She was right. I was letting my overactive imagination run wild. No one was going to find Mackenzie here, and there was no other reason anyone would be stalking us.

  “May I have your attention?!” Shauna stepped on to the stage with some help from Mr Ashworth. “I’ve been informed that the Northern Lights have been spotted and the conditions are perfect!”

  “I am not going outside,” Alexia shrieked. “It’s too cold. It’s only lights. What’s the big deal?”

  I’d known Alexia for an afternoon, and I already intensely disliked her. If you searched spoiled rotten brat on the internet, I was sure her picture would pop up.

  “You don’t have to go, darling.” Lucinda fussed over her granddaughter. “Let’s not make a scene. I’m sure you can go to your room, if you’d rather.”

  “And that’s another thing,” Alexia shouted. “Under no circumstances am I sleeping on a block of ice on a smelly deer skin. Disgusting.”

  Most people would kill for this vacation, and she was pouting. And what I hated more than spoiled brats was the fact that Mr Ashworth, Grandma and Shauna were racing over to her aid. If it were up to me, I’d freeze her in a block of ice.

  “I’m sure Serena here—” Lucinda wrapped her arm around Shauna.

  “It’s Shauna,” she corrected.

  “I’m sure Shauna will take good care of you, won’t you, dear?” Lucinda cooed at Shauna. I clenched my fists and hoped Shauna wouldn’t give in.

  “I would be happy to sort out a deluxe suite in the lodge for Alexia,” Mr Ashworth piped up.

  “Thank you, darling,” Lucinda said, patting him on his full round face.

  The Alexia show was over. She stormed away, and Mr Ashworth scuttled after.

  “Follow me! You won’t want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime light show!” Shauna said, cranking her smile to full wattage. Everyone filed out of the ice pub.

  I ate a few wings before we headed into the cold. Mackenzie clapped her gloved hands. “Come on! Come on! I’ve been dying to see the Northern Lights. We are very lucky. You can’t predict when and where the Northern Lights — also known as the aurora borealis – will appear.”

  I licked my fingers clean. “Uh-huh,” I mumbled. Mackenzie was in full-on geek mode.

  “The Northern Lights are created when ga
seous particles collide,” she continued. “The Earth’s atmosphere and charged particles from the sun to be exact…” She dashed off, but never stopped yakking about how the colour of the display is based on which gas is present or something like that.

  Grandma, playing the good hostess, was at the back of the crowd, making sure everyone was heading in the right direction. I fell in line beside her.

  “Thanks for your help, Chase,” Grandma said and took my hand. This was nice. I slowed my pace.

  “I want to contact my mom,” I blurted. The thought sort of snuck up on me and slipped out.

  Grandma stopped. I had clearly caught her off-guard. “Not now.” She squeezed my hand. “Some day when you’re older. Isn’t it enough that we are getting to know each other? Let’s enjoy this wonderful opportunity.”

  I didn’t know if she meant the Northern Lights, faintly glimmering over the frozen lake ahead, or the two of us together at last. “Yeah, OK, sure,” I said, but it wasn’t really OK. My dad and grandma had kept my mom a secret from me my whole life, but I was determined to know more whether they liked it or not.

  “Gather around!” Shauna called. “This clearing is the perfect place for viewing. The resort has constructed a few snow benches around the lake. Please don’t venture too far on to the lake. It may not be completely frozen. Enjoy the show!”

  “Over here!” Mackenzie called to Grandma and me.

  “You go ahead,” Grandma said. “I need to finalize plans for tomorrow.”

  “Is everything OK?” I asked.

  She nodded. “More guests tomorrow. I need to check the itineraries.” She sounded tired. “Enjoy the Northern Lights. See you tomorrow at lunch. You and Mackenzie are hosting the activities for the grandchildren, which start right after everyone’s eaten.”

  “Got it!” I dived into place next to Mackenzie.

  With everyone wearing the same snowsuits, I couldn’t tell who was who. Groups of people gathered along the bank of the lake. A few people dared to slip and slide further on the frozen water. A couple wandered off into the forest, which was strange. They wouldn’t see the lights from there.