“I’ll come see you soon,” I say to myself. After all that time in the dreamscape, I’m used to one-sided conversations. “I’ll make this right. I hope you can forgive me for being delayed. Maybe you could send someone to guide me?”
I almost snort to myself, thinking of Ban. Ifthat’swho my father’s soul sent to help, he’s got more of a sense of humor than I thought. I don’t know if he could communicate with Ban or not, or what exactly a Reaper does with the afterlife, but I hope that if my father hears me, he understands how sorry I am.
“Tears are wasted upon the dead.”
I jump up, ready to throw ice if need be. Unfortunately, once I recognize the figure, it doesn’t ease my nerves. I lower my hands a fraction. “Sandman.”
He nods once, peering out all around us. “I heard your voice, Queen Neve. A daughter searching for her lost father. I can say, with firsthand experience, the dead do not benefit from your grief.”
I continue staring, wondering what kind of alternate world I’ve stepped into. I saw the Sandman for the first time inyears in my dreams, barely recognizing him until he pulled off his hood. And now, I’m seeing him here? “How… how did you find me?”
He offers me a smile, his gray skin looking even more unnatural against the blue and white clouds. His eyes are dark now, contradicting the gold from my dreams. “You are the Queen of the Frostlands, Neve. It only takes so much looking to find a royal.”
After scrubbing at my eyes, I peer at him again. “I truly thought you were a dream.”
“I’m something like that,” he allows, clasping his hands in front of him as he looks out at the kingdom beyond. “So much has changed in the past century, and at the same time, nothing at all.”
I glance over my shoulder, but Ban hasn’t appeared. I guess he didn’t follow me after all, which is strange given the past two weeks of our proximity. “What are you doing here?”
The Sandman pauses, cocking his head to one side. “I go where the nightmares call.”
“Why does everyone speak in riddles?” I growl, turning my gaze directly to him. “Is nothing in layman’s terms anymore?”
He studies me for a moment, those unreadable eyes assessing me until he speaks again, and it makes even less sense. “Trapped beneath stone so cold, only here can power hold. From the stone will blades arise, to reap the soul’s last surprise. From the darkness can come light, to reap the soul’s final goodbye.”
I throw my hands up, exasperated. “I’ll take that as a no then.”
“Ask your friend, the ice mage, about it,” he replies hauntingly, a shiver rolling down my spine at his words. “He might not know the answer, but he will recall the spell.”
Sneering, I plant my hands on my hips. “I’ve heard whispers of sand used against me. Got anything to say about that,Sandman?”
All he gives me is a grim look, and after long moments of quiet, I realize he’s just not going to bother to answer. Right now, I could scream. It’s just another riddle. Instead of falling into it, I change tactics. “Are you a guest of the Mad Queen’s?”
He shoots me a knowing look. “No one is a guest of the Mad Queen. Her new lover will soon learn that.”
Frowning, I follow his gaze to the palace and the surrounding city again. I like standing up here and staring at my home, but now, with my present company, it feels strange. “So, you are…”
He chuckles, glancing my way. “My dear, we’ve known each other long enough not to be awkward. You can call me by my proper name. I heard you telling that ice mage all about me.”
It takes several moments for the details to click together. “Hans.”
“That would be me. Hans Traum.”
Okay, well, at least he’s not being totally evasive. “So, Hans, if you are alive and well, couldn’t you do something about the Mad Queen? I never knew how you felt about her in the past.”
“Do you know what she’s done?” he asks, glancing my way again. There’s sadness in those endless eyes that has me taking a small step back. “Or what she’s about to do?”
I do a double-take, peering between Hans and the kingdom below. It still looks the same, chilly and isolated, but untouched. I don’t know what would have to happen for me to actually be able to see all the way up here.
Shaking my head, I peer at him again. “I don’t understand.”
Hans offers me a smile, but it’s completely empty. Devoid of emotion, empathy, and answers. “I told you, Ice Queen. I go where the nightmares call.”
He disappears then, my eyes widening as he simply slips away. For just a moment, inky blackness surrounds him before he winks out of existence. It reminds me of Ban’s shadow magic.
But that can’t be right.
Glaring down at the kingdom again, I try to see what he alluded to. Is it a warning, or another trick? I haven’t mentioned anything to Ban about seeing the Sandman, just the details about him being Jasper’s brother. I really thought he was just part of my twisted dreamscape. And other than a history lesson he didn’t feel important enough to bring into our discussion. Maybe I was wrong.
