"Welcome Frost and Frolick," Quartus said. His wizened white beard hung from his chin, quivering as he spoke. "To my humble abode."

The king's throne room was large and majestic. A dozen guards lined the perimeter of the room, wearing chainmail vestments, smooth metallic helms, and steel gauntlets. Their eyes glowed blue from under their visors, watching.

One of the royal handmaidens held the child for Frolick. She caressed the baby, rocking him to sleep.

"Why didn't you tell us you were a king?" Frolick blurted out. The child's eyes popped open at the loud noise, and he let out a bristling cry. Frost immediately elbowed Frolick in the ribs. "Ouch."

Quartus' lips curled upward, pausing for a moment. "And what would that have changed? I am in your debt for saving my life and the lives of my countrymen. My status does not change that."

"It's just that," Frost said. "We would have been—" he paused, trying carefully to pick his next words.

"Less yourselves around me," Quartus said with palms upward. He stood up from his throne and walked across the room to meet the two brothers, clasping their shoulders warmly. The king wore a thin golden crown and red silk robes.

"Perhaps," Frost said.

"There is much you do not know about Frosthaven," Quartus said. "And the ways of the frost mage. Come, there is someone I would like to introduce you to as I know you have many questions."

King Quartus led the brothers down a hall, passing by an empty dining hall and the staff's quarters, before entering into a massive library. The room was filled with more books than Frost or Frolick had ever seen in their lives. Spiral bookcases rose in columns from the floor to the ceiling like pillars. There had to be at least five separate floors filled with nothing but books of every size and subject imaginable—old books, new books, scrolls of ancient parchment, and worn leatherbound tomes.

"What is this place?" Frost asked, looking around in awe.

"This is the Royal Archive of Frosthaven," Quartus said. "It contains records of our history as a people and those of every other nation around the world going back thousands of years."

"This place is amazing," Frolick said, gawking. As he took in the sight of the room, his head began to feel faint, and his insides churned. Was it something he ate, or was it the shelves' spiral compilation that made him feel dizzy?

"You asked a lot of questions," Quartus said, looking at Frost. "And you want to learn."

"This is a lot to take in," Frost said. "Thank you."

The king smirked, shaking his head. "Don't be ridiculous. All the books in the world are useless without a proper teacher." Then his grin widened as he caught sight of a wiry man wearing a pair of circular wooden glasses. The man wore a white cloak and had shaggy brown hair. "Thomas."

The man jerked his head and approached. He bowed reverently as he neared Quartus and the brothers. "Quartus, what brings you to the Archives today?"

"Keeper Thomas," Quartus said. "I would like to introduce you to Frost and Frolick. I owe my life to these two."

Thomas bowed again. "Anyone whom the king is indebted has my deepest respect." He turned to look Frost and Frolick individually in the eyes as he spoke. His expression was gentle and sincere. Then he returned his gaze to Quartus. "Any word from your niece, my lord?"

Quartus sighed, drooping his head slightly. "Still no word, Thomas. But I am hopeful she will be back soon."

"She shall remain in my prayers, my liege," Thomas said.

Frost and Frolick looked at each other, unsure of what to say. "Sir," Frost said. "Is everything all right?"

Quartus said. "Oh, she'll be back. She always finds a way. She's a tough girl. You would know."

The brothers hesitated. "Alta?" Frolick said, connecting the dots in his mind. His eyes lit up. "Is your niece?"

"Indeed," Quartus said, raising his arms. "Several of the others in our group have not yet returned. They may simply be observing the Flintlock to ensure their retreat."

As the king spoke, Frolick's stomach began to rumble. His heart beat faster, and he could feel sweat pour down his neck. What was going on? He clutched at his stomach.

Something wasn't quite right.

"Allow me to introduce you both to Thomas. He is not just the Keeper of the Archive, he's also the appointed delegate of Everwinter University for Frost Magic."

Frostilicus' eyes lit up at the mention of a university.

"Ah," Quartus said. "I see I've caught your attention."

"Very well, my liege," Thomas said, lowering his glasses and peering over the tops of their rims. "Everwinter is the finest school in Frosthaven, perhaps the world, typically reserved only for top students from lower schools or apprenticeships."

"Well, my brother here," Frolick said, "Is an excellent blacksmith. I'm sure he'll fit in right well, he will. Can't say he's too bright though, if I'm honest."

"Hey," Frost said, shoving Frolick. "I'll show you who's not bright."

"See what I mean," Frolick said, winking. The pain in his insides subsided. Perhaps all he needed was good cheer.

"I'm afraid we only accept students from approved apprenticeships, those sanctioned by Everwinter as providing acceptable standards of quality," Thomas said.

"But—" Frost said, pausing. He was unsure what to say. Had he really made it all the way here just to be excluded because he didn't have the right experience? "I can show you what I can do? Maybe that would help."

Thomas shook his head. "Afraid not."

"Yes, yes," Quartus said, waving his hand at Thomas. "Don't torture the poor fellow."

"Very well," Thomas said, looking at Frost and Frolick from over the rims of his glasses. "There is another way to get into Everwinter."

"Which is?" Frolick said, raising his eyebrows. Thomas really knew how to build up needless suspense for less-than-dramatic effect.

"Which is," Thomas said. "To pay handsomely for it. We allow nobility from the surrounding baronies to send their children to Everwinter. It builds good relations with our neighbors, but mainly it helps keep us in business. We don't work for free, you know."

Great, Frost thought. Now they expected him to pay? He had no money. All he had was a mission.

Quartus rolled his eyes. "Get to the point, Thomas."

"All right, all right," Thomas said. "Thankfully for you, Quartus has offered to pay your tuition and lodging in full."

Frost's eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. This was his dream. To learn how to be a frost mage.

"For both of you," Thomas said.

Frost blinked. Well, that was surprising. Would Frolick even want to join in? Of course, he would love to have his brother by his side.

"Me?" Frolick said. "A frost mage? I'm afraid I've got no talent for that frost forming thing my brother does."

"While Everwinter is primarily a school for frost magic," Thomas said. "We firmly believe that supernatural skills are built squarely on top of natural ones. As such, we have departments on a variety of subjects from mathematics to carpentry to commerce to...animal husbandry."

"Really?" Frolick said, lifting his chin. His ears perked, and he could feel adrenaline coursing through his veins.

"Why yes," Thomas said. "I have heard of your kinship with animals from Quartus. You will be most welcome in Everwinter, as will your mammoth."

Frolick grinned widely, his lips seeming to touch both of his ears. "You mean Molly can come too?" He turned to his brother. "Frost, this is amazing." His voice was exuberant.

"Oh, she will be most welcome," Quartus said. "Everwinter has sufficient land to care for her needs. In fact, we keep a herd of mammoths very close to Everwinter."

"She is a queen mammoth, you know," Frolick said. "You'll see. She's something special."

"I'm sure she will be happy there," Thomas said. "Quartus has agreed to allow her to join the royal stableyards, which is tended to by our pupils."

"It is the least I can do," Quartus said, tilting his head. "She is quite an animal."

"Thank you so much," Frolick said, grasping Quartus around the shoulders. The best part about this was that he'd get to be near his brother. "This is better than we could've possibly hoped for."

"I am a king," Quartus said. "I repay according to my station."

"Of course," Keeper Thomas said in a nasal voice. "Everwinter is an independent academic institution of the highest standards. As an emissary of that institution, I must disclose to you that Quartus, even as king, has no authority or influence over our remit beyond that of monetary reimbursement."

Frost nodded. "Ookay," he said. "What does that mean?"

"It means," Thomas said. "My dear fellows, that our objective as an institution is the pursuit of the objective truths of the Metaverse and all that it contains without regard for politics, fashion, or comfort."

Thomas paused to take a breath, ruffling his cloak with his hands.

"We must maintain these standards," Thomas continued. "Because without them, frost magic would simply not work. But it also means we apply the same standards to our students."

That made sense. Frost and Frolick nodded. "That sounds fair," Frolick said.

"As such," Thoms said. "You will be subject to the same rigorous disciplines as the rest of your fellow students."

"Great," Frost said. He couldn't wait to see how he stacked up.

"And one more thing," Thomas said, leaning in. "There is, of course, a condition that the king has placed on his agreement to pay for your matriculation at Everwinter."

Frost and Frolick eyed the king, who calmly stroked his white beard.

"I have but a single request," King Quartus said. "And it concerns the child."