Mystery at the Ice Hotel

by Sara Grant

  We flopped on our backs and stared at the night sky. At first only faint lines of greenish-yellow light swept through the air. I squinted. Was that all there was? It wasn’t as cool as fireworks or even the laser light show at the state park.

  “It still feels weird to be in the Arctic Circle,” I said. We’d travelled more than five thousand miles from the Maldives, and the temperature change was unbelievable – something like an eighty-five degree drop in temperature. That’s swimsuits to parkas. I still couldn’t believe this was my life.

  The Northern Lights rolled in waves of colour – greens but also pinks and purples. I gasped as the night sky came alive. The air felt electric. I’d seen pictures of the lights but that was nothing like the real thing. It was so stunning, it made me forget for a minute or two that I was forbidden to contact my very own mom.

  We lay there open-mouthed until the lights eventually whispered away.

  “Wow,” I breathed.

  “Amazing,” Mackenzie replied. We didn’t move, didn’t want to break the spell.

  I should have been more vigilant. It always happens when you least expect it, when you’ve let your guard down.

  I didn’t hear anyone coming. One minute we were gazing at the most astounding light display and then the next minute…

  Splat!

  The first snowball splattered dead centre on my face. The next walloped Mackenzie in the gut. I wiped away the slush as we jumped to our feet. The snowballs relentlessly thudded against us accompanied by the distinct sound of laughter.

  “Oi!” Mackenzie bellowed. “Stop! Cut it out!” Each direct hit stung even through the snowsuit. Mackenzie covered her head, twisting and turning with each strike, but I zoomed in on the source of our attack.

  TnT were standing only twenty feet away with a pile of snowballs at their feet.

  “Payback time!” one shouted and lobbed a huge snowball right at me. I dodged out of the way, but it smacked Mackenzie and knocked her down.

  “Counter-attack?” she asked. Her face was tight with anger.

  “Abso-freaking-lutely,” I whispered. We huddled together as if in defeat while TnT continued their assault. We quickly made a few snowballs and packed them tightly. “You make the ammo and I’ll shoot.”

  “Not a chance,” Mackenzie leaped to her feet, took aim and threw. The snowball rocketed towards the boys and scored a direct hit.

  “Impressive,” I told Mackenzie, who was grinning from ear to ear.

  The boys were stunned by our accuracy and force. We synchronized our attack so while one packed a snowball the other launched her icy ammo.

  “Cut it out!” one yelled. “That’s enough!” the other shrieked as they bolted to the lodge.

  “Payback!” I shouted my reply. We chased them, pelting them with snowballs when we could.

  They dived behind the big ice block bearing the resort logo which sat in the centre of the courtyard. We had them right where we wanted them. We stopped to create an armload of snowballs. I directed Mackenzie around one side, and I would attack from the other. We tiptoed to the sculpture.

  “Surprise!” TnT shouted and pelted us with a flurry of snowballs. Too late we spotted the stockpile they must have made before they’d attacked us at the lake. TnT were worthy opponents. I was impressed. We retreated, turned our backs and accepted our pummelling.

  “You win!” I said.

  “We surrender!” Mackenzie echoed.

  One final snowball splattered on the top of my head.

  “That will teach to you mess with TnT,” one twin said.

  Someone flung open the lodge’s front doors and staggered forward. “You’ve got to help me!” We recognized the face under the hood of the snowsuit – Alexia. What was it now? Not enough bubbles in her bubble bath? Too much foam in her cappuccino?

  “Thank heavens I’ve found you,” she said breathlessly.

  “What’s the matter?” I asked without an ounce of warmth or sincerity.

  “She’s gone,” Alexia said. “Vanished.”

  “Who?” Mackenzie asked with similar disinterest.

  “My grandmother, Lucinda,” Alexia said as if we were the dumbest people on the planet.

  “Have you tried to call her?” Mackenzie asked.

  “Did you check her room?” I added.

  “Yes, of course I did,” Alexia replied. “She doesn’t answer, and I can’t find anyone around.”

  “We’ll help you look for her.” I gestured to indicate me and the boys, but the boys had disappeared. They must have met Alexia before. I didn’t blame them for saving themselves from another of her dramas. “I’m sure Mrs Sterling simply is taking advantage of everything that the Winter Wonder Resort has to offer.” I couldn’t help making a little dig about Alexia’s refusal to go on the dogsleds or see the Northern Lights or sleep in the ice hotel.

  She huffed and rolled her eyes. When I made a horrible face, my dad always told me it would freeze that way. Alexia rarely had a nice expression so maybe her face had already frozen. I smiled at my private joke.

  “What? Are you going to just stand here or are you going to help?” Snotty Central said. “Is everyone around here incompetent?” She probably never heard another of my dad’s sayings: You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

  I opened my mouth to tell her exactly what I thought of her, but Mackenzie grabbed my arm. “Why don’t I help you look, Alexia? Chase can go and tell Shauna and Ariadne. I’m sure we will find her.”

  I mouthed thank you to Mackenzie and darted off.

  I checked my watch. It was nearly one a.m. I didn’t want to bother my grandma unless I absolutely had to. She had looked exhausted earlier, and I was sure Alexia was being a drama queen.

  I tapped on Shauna’s door. She was on the ground floor in the room nearest to the lobby. Our room was next door. Grandma had an executive suite on the top floor. I hated to wake Shauna, but she had told Mackenzie and me to let her handle any tricky situations. No answer. I tapped again. Nothing. I unzipped my snowsuit because I was starting to sweat.

  “Who’s there?” Shauna’s voice asked through the door when I finally removed my gloves and knocked properly.

  “It’s me. It’s Chase.”

  The door opened a few inches. “What’s wrong?” she asked. She was wearing one of the Winter Wonder Resort’s fluffy bathrobes. Her cheeks were red and chapped.

  “It’s Alexia.” I went to push the door open, but she held it fast. I accidentally touched her hand. It was cold.

  “What’s she done now?” Shauna asked.

  “She can’t find Lucinda. She says she’s missing. Berkeley is helping her look, but maybe we should call the police or ask security to search?”

  Shauna sighed. “Mrs Sterling asked for a night at the Northern Lights cabin tonight. Maybe she didn’t tell Alexia or maybe that diva forgot. Mrs Sterling said she needed some time to herself.” Shauna raised her eyebrows as if to say we both knew why.

  “I can understand that,” I said.

  “Alexia is a nightmare.”

  “I’ll tell her not to worry.”

  “Would you? I can’t face another drama with that spoiled girl,” Shauna said. “You and Berkeley should get to bed. We’ve got a big day tomorrow. I don’t want you to waste another minute on babysitting that brat.”

  “No problem,” I said, a bit surprised at Shauna’s reaction. I’d never heard her say a single bad word against anyone. In planning the weekend with so many tiny details and Grandma’s insistence that everything was perfect, I’d never seen Shauna lose her temper. She was usually so patient. Alexia clearly had a negative effect on everyone.

  “Did you and Berkeley get the message I left you at the front desk?”

  I shook my head.

  “I’m really sorry, but Sven didn’t finish the ice hotel rooms. Once we’d checked in the VIPs, there wasn’t one left for you. I’m really sorry, maybe another night.” And with that she eased her door shut. I was disappointed. I’d b
een looking forward to sleeping in the ice hotel.

  I called Mackenzie and updated her. I could hear Alexia shouting and carrying on when Mackenzie relayed the message.

  Fifteen minutes later Mackenzie joined me in our room. I was already snuggled into bed and sort of glad that it wasn’t a block of ice. “That girl is evil,” Mackenzie said. “She acted as if it was my fault her grandmother had made other plans.”

  “Don’t you think it’s strange that Mrs Sterling didn’t tell Alexia she was going to be away for the night?” I asked. “Grandma wouldn’t leave us like that.”

  “But we aren’t as horrible as Alexia,” she said.

  “Agreed,” I said, but something didn’t feel right. I didn’t say anything to Mackenzie as she changed into her pyjamas and crawled into bed. She’d say I was paranoid again. Maybe she was right; after everything that happened in the Maldives I was a bit jumpy. Nearly dying like a dozen times is bound to change you.

  Now I was wide awake. I walked over to the window and drew back the curtain. The moon made the snow sparkle. I was so lucky. Not many kids my age travelled to the Arctic Circle or rode in a dogsled – especially a runaway one – and saw those amazing ice sculptures. I glanced at the sky and was sure I saw a faint swirling of the Northern Lights.

  Movement in the forest nearby caught my eye. I scanned the landscape. Maybe it was a wolf. Then I spotted a human-shaped figure moving through the trees. It stopped and appeared to look directly at me. I gasped. With the hood up and at this distance, I couldn’t see a face.

  “You OK?” Mackenzie asked half asleep.

  “I’m fine. Go back to sleep.”

  When I looked out of the window again, the figure was gone.

  “Seriously?” I said with a groan when the click-clack of Mackenzie’s typing penetrated the pillow I’d pressed over my head. “What time is it?”

  “I was trying to be quiet,” Mackenzie replied.

  “You failed.” I chucked my pillow at her. She batted it away and clumsily flipped her laptop closed. I hadn’t known her very long, but I could tell when she was hiding something. “What’s so important that you’re up so early?” I hopped out of bed.

  “It’s not that early,” she said and placed her hands protectively on top of her computer.

  “Not what I asked.” I flopped next to her on the couch.

  She hugged the laptop to her chest. She loved the new super-everything laptop Grandma had given her but not that much.

  “Mackenzie, you’re not contacting your mom, are you? It’s not safe. We don’t know who might be watching her or listening in.” I remembered the dark figure staring at our window last night.

  “I miss her.” Her eyes filled with tears. Mackenzie’s mum was pretty much the opposite of mine. She worked for the Royal Protection Command. She used to guard Prince Arthur, heir to the British throne, but now she worked behind the scenes.

  “I know.” I handed her the silver tissue box from a nearby table. “My dad told her that you were alive. He’s been calling her once a week on a secure line with updates. When I spoke to him a few days ago, he said that she was fine and sent her love to you.”

  “We used to speak every day.” She blew her nose.

  “It must be difficult.” Dad and I didn’t talk that often, but I couldn’t imagine not knowing when I’d speak to him again. I frowned. She’d almost made me forget she was up to something. “What were you doing on your computer?”

  “I wasn’t emailing anyone. I wouldn’t do that. I don’t have a death wish.”

  “Then what?” I tugged the computer out of her hands. She didn’t stop me when I flipped it open. She typed in her password, and an old article from a British news organization popped on to the screen.

  “I know you’ve been searching for your mum,” Mackenzie said, and scooted a bit further away from me. “I’ve been researching her too.”

  “What?” Anger flashed through me. How dare she research my mom behind my back?

  Our moms were childhood friends but their friendship ended when Mackenzie’s mum had somehow helped send my mom to prison. I didn’t want their war to become ours.

  “I thought maybe if you knew more about your mum…” She couldn’t look at me. “If you could contact her—”

  I interrupted. “And tell her not to kill you?” I couldn’t believe I’d said that. Mackenzie’s eyes were wide with shock. Grandma had told me that she feared my mom might be the mastermind behind the plot to hurt Mackenzie. I never, ever believed that was true. Well, not really.

  “She can’t hurt me from prison,” she whispered. “My mum thinks Prince Arthur was behind the attacks on me – even if we can’t prove it.” How horrible to think your very own father was trying to kill you. Mackenzie had never met him. She didn’t want anything to do with him or his royalness. “I know what it’s like not to know one of your parents. I can’t contact mine but I thought at least you might be able to contact yours.”

  Now I felt like the most awful person in the entire universe. “Sorry,” I said. Maybe with her mad computer skills, she’d have better luck. All I knew about my mom was that her first name was Beatrice and that she was serving a life sentence. “What did you find out?”

  “Not a lot really. I searched using your grandma’s and then your father’s last names.”

  “I don’t think my parents were ever married.”

  “It was worth a go.”

  “Thanks for trying.” I handed the computer back, but she pushed it in my direction.

  “I did find something when I searched Ariadne Sinclair. It’s taken me loads of time to troll through years and years of web hits. Someone should write her biography. I found fourteen different companies she’s been associated with or started. She volunteered for pretty much everything. There was a ton of information on her professional life. Ariadne is pretty protective about her private life though. Someone had deleted that section on her Wikipedia page and removed any references to her family from the Internet.”

  “Can you do that?”

  “If you’ve got enough money and technical skills.” She started to explain how to do it.

  I didn’t care about the how, I wanted to know the what. “So…”

  “I found a line or two on a gossip site with rumours about Ariadne and this lead singer. Have you ever hear of the punk band—?”

  “What about my mom?”

  “Just read.” Mackenzie scrolled down a bit to an article with a date from the 1990s.

  The headline was like a punch in the gut: London Teen Killed by Drink Driver. The girl was only fifteen years old. How terrible! I read on, but the article didn’t name any names. “What does this have to do with Grandma?”

  “That’s only the first.” A few clicks and Mackenzie pulled up another article. “This is the last.”

  The next article was about how a man, who had been charged with but not convicted of killing Elizabeth Sinclair, died under mysterious circumstances. The article said the sister of the deceased girl was questioned about the man’s death but never charged. There was a quote from Ariadne, begging the police and reporters to leave her family alone. I was overwhelmed with sadness. I couldn’t read any more, couldn’t speak. I placed the computer on the glass-topped coffee table.

  “I never knew Ariadne had two daughters,” Mackenzie continued even though I didn’t want to hear any more. “I can’t imagine what it must have been like to lose a child that way.”

  Elizabeth. She was my mom’s younger sister and would have been my aunt. Then the other part of the news story sank in. “Are you saying that my mom avenged her sister’s death?”

  “Nothing came of it, but the article implies that,” Mackenzie said.

  “What else did you find out?” I clicked on the browser history. I flicked from page to page.

  “No matter how hard I try, I can’t find anything about Beatrice’s incarceration,” Mackenzie said.

  “I still can’t believe my mom’s in prison.”
I swallowed hard. I’d forced Grandma to tell me why my mom went to prison. I still found it difficult to accept that someone who shared my genes had killed people.

  We stared at the computer screen. “You know you aren’t your mum,” she said after a long pause.

  I was about to say that I knew that. Of course, I knew that. What a stupid thing to say! The awkward silence in our room was shattered by shouting coming from outside. We raced to the window and opened the curtains wide enough so we could see but not too wide that whoever was outside would notice. Two snow-suited figures were shouting and shoving each other. I wanted to know what they were saying. I reached for the window latch, but Mackenzie batted my hand away and shook her head like crazy. We were so close that her curls whipped my cheek.

  Mackenzie nudged me away from the window. “It’s rude to listen in on other people’s private conversations.”

  “It’s rude to argue outside people’s windows.”

  “They probably think everyone is staying in the ice hotel.”

  If I didn’t do something quickly the fight would be over, and I’d never know who they were or what they said. “As hostesses it’s our duty to help the guests. Maybe there’s something we could do.”

  I slowly opened the window an inch. The voices were definitely female. I recognized Alexia’s voice right away because all she ever did was shout, but the other voice took me a moment. Katrina, I mouthed the name to Mackenzie who had crawled next to me. She nodded.

  Alexia said something too softly for us to hear. Katrina slapped Alexia hard across the cheek. She staggered back in the snow with the force of it. “Stay away from me or else!” Katrina shouted and stormed off.

  Alexia cupped her cheek and turned to go. We ducked out of sight in the nick of time, but I’d still glimpsed Alexia’s expression. She was smirking. I had no doubt she’d sort of deserved the slap.

  “Strange behaviour for two people who just met,” I said.