Ryder scanned the area for any patrols.  The Red Ravens took all their jobs seriously and protecting the king was no exception.  As such, they ultimately trust nobody with their secrets.  Richard himself didn't know how exactly the Ravens were protecting him.  It was good enough for him that since he hired them his life had not been directly at risk.  Ryder knew about the network of secret tunnels the castle already utilized as well as the tunnels the Ravens built.  They were in obscure and often hard to reach places to protect the secret.  Ryder picked out a tunnel that would take him to a spy post directly above the council chambers.

The trick was getting up to it.  The carved out stone that covered opening was about thirty feet above him.  Blocks of stone had been slightly pulled out to provide just enough of a fingerhold to scale the castle wall.  The ledges weren't pulled out even half an inch.  Ryder had nimble fingers and was one of the best Ravens at making the climb, but the sun was up.  Making it to the tunnel without being seen would require him to make haste.  One slip and he could tumble twenty feet and have to explain to soldier why he was up there.

Ryder rubbed his hands lightly in the dirt and took a few steps back.  One more quick look around to confirm.  He was clear, for the time being.  A running start and he jumped up the wall.  His fingers just barely found their target.  The dirt slipped a little as he landed, but kept him on the rough stone.  He planted his feet against the wall and looked up for the next notch on the wall.  It was a reach.  Ryder stretched out his arm and continued upward.

The climb was more graceful than Ryder had expected.  He made it to the odd colored two by two stone that marked the tunnel entrance.  He planted his feet on either side of it and balanced himself.  His fingers wormed behind the stone and a slight tug brought it out of the hole.  Ryder felt his body sway back too far.  The sensation of falling filled his gut.  He grabbed the inside of the tunnel.  A lip was intelligently designed for this very purpose.  His balanced recentered, Ryder crawled inside and placed the stone back in it's obscure placement.

The tunnel was clean.  It had been there for years now, but with the Ravens daily use it maintained free of vermin.  Ryder crawled until he could see light coming around the corner.  He knocked softly on the wood three times as code to warn the posted Raven of an ally.  He stopped crawling when no response knocks came.  He pulled out his dagger and scooted forward to peer around the turn of the tunnel.  Just five feet beyond the turn was the opening that led into the rafters of the King's Court.  The post was vacant.

"Very well, you and your men may eat and rest from their long journey before they take their posts."  Ryder inched closer to the rafters.  A still warm mug of coffee sat on the beam running along the tunnel entrance.  There was no other sign of Raven in the rafters.  Ryder scanned the walls, hoping to see an ally perched behind one of the phoenix statues perched around the room.  The feeling of falling returned to his gut.

"With all due respect, brother, Montierro's men should have arrived well before me.  I'd like my men to reinforce the guard immediately.  Your staff should remain clear of the halls and I shall accompany you to the throne room.  Should it please you, of course."  Roland genuinely seemed concerned for his brother's safety and now Ryder did as well.  Ravens don't abandon posts.  If the court was in session, then a Raven was to be posted at all times.  Something was wrong.  Ryder had to find Kayel.  He turned around on the beam and felt his foot push against something.

Ryder froze in place.  He could hear the wind splitting apart as the mug pierced towards the floor.  The splash of liquid and the clank of the mug restarted his legs.  Ryder scurried back into the tunnel like a rat.  He rolled over and tried to catch the air that jettisoned from his lungs.  He could hear the court below erupt in panic.  He had to find Kayel, immediately.  Ryder got back on his hands and knees and made for the exit.

As he crawled closer, Ryder could hear panic beyond the false stone.  The king's brother arrived with concern of an attempt on Richard's life and now something has given it legitamacy in the court chambers.  The castle would go in lockdown and staff would be hearded into the nearest safe rooms by soldiers.  Utter chaos would break out in the castle until the would-be-killer was found.  Ryder pushed the false stone and let it fall to the ground.  It went unnoticed by the soldiers moving into the castle or taking point at the castle walls.  Ryder jumped down and followed behind the troops into the castle.