Page 24 of Once Upon a Midnight Clear

“I’ve been looking for you. Are you all right?” He looked her up and down as if to inspect her.

“Yes, I’m fine. But I don’t understand any of this.”

He took her by the hand, leading her back to the village square. “It’s a lot to take in, I’m sure. I’m glad I found you before anyone else.”

“You mean the queen?”

He halted so quickly she came to a jarring halt. “What do you know about her?”

“I know she kidnapped a girl from the village. Is she looking for the glass slippers?”

“Shhh.” He glanced around, concern creasing his face that someone may have overheard. “I’ll explain as much as I can, but not here.”

Taking her hand again, he hurried through the streets to the local tavern. The creaking sign over the door readThe Merry Elf Tavernand something about that made her stifle a grin.

It was warm inside the tavern. On one side, a roaring fire in the hearth to keep it that way. The bar was on the other with a few patrons perched on stools nursing their ale or mead. Tables scattered around the rest of the place, which was busy with more customers who were enjoying a meal of bread and stew.

Nicholas led her to one of the tables at the back of the tavern in the corner, pulling off his cloak and draping it over the back of the chair. Ella did the same, sliding the sack off her shoulder in one fluid motion so no one would see it. Not even Nicholas. She placed it under the table at her feet just as one of the tavern maids bustled up. She placed a bowl of bread on the table in front of them.

“What’ll it be?” she asked.

“Beef stew and ales for both of us,” Nicholas said.

She gave a nod and hurried away. He reached for the bread in front of them and tore off a hunk while Ella waited for him to explain.

When no information was forthcoming, she finally said, “Well?”

He chewed, a thoughtful expression on his face. “I’m trying to decide where to begin.”

Ella reached for the bread and tore off a piece. The soft white interior steamed with its freshness.

“Perhaps with how you got here,” she suggested.

Leaning forward, he said in a soft voice, “By magic.”

She lifted a brow. “Magic?”

“You doubt me?” He leaned back in the chair and popped a small piece of bread in his mouth.

The tavern maid returned with their ales and plopped the wooden steins down with a slosh. Then she dropped a slab of butter next to the somewhat demolished bread. Ella contemplated his words as she reached for the butter knife and swiped it through it, then slathered it on her bread. It had been so long since she’d had butter to go with her bread, her mouth salivated at the thought.

It made sense he was here by the use of magic. Surely, that was how she arrived because she was certain the glass slippers at her feet were magical and brought her here.

“I do not,” she said at last.

He reached for the butter knife then and added butter to his next bite. “Do you…still have them?”

“The slippers?” she whispered.

He nodded.

“Yes, of course.”

“But you’re not wearing them,” he pointed out.

“No,” she agreed. “They’re safe.”

“Where are they?”

---