Page 25 of Once Upon a Midnight Clear

“At my feet,” she said.

He stared at her with uncertainty, his brows drawing together in question. She smiled. “In a flour sack.”

He looked her over again, as though seeing her for the first time. “Where did you get those clothes?”

Another bite as she chewed, savoring the sweet buttery taste. “When I arrived, it was nearly dark. A kind couple took me in, gave me food, and a place to sleep for the night. The next morning, the woman…” She paused, thinking of Agnes and her granddaughter. “Agnes was her name. She gave me the clothes, the boots, the cloak, and a flour sack to carry…well, you know.”

He seemed twitchy about her saying the wordsglass slippersaloud, so she refrained.

“Agnes…her granddaughter was the one who was taken last night,” Ella said.

“How do you know that?” he asked.

“Agnes said her daughter married the apothecary. His shop was closed today. A woman on the street told me what happened. That the apothecary’s daughter was taken. I managed to put the pieces together,” she said.

Before he replied, the beef stew arrived. The woman didn’t linger at their table as she had other meals to deliver. Nicholas picked up the wooden spoon and stuck it in the thick stew.

“It’s true,” he said. “I saw it happen.”

Ella stared at him from across the table, surprise flickering through her. “You were here last night?”

“Yes. Looking for you.” He tore off another piece of bread and dunked it in the stew. “I’m glad I found you.”

“Me, too,” she whispered.

She picked up her spoon, unable to resist the delectable aroma of the beef stew. She didn’t want to admit to him how relieved she was to see a familiar face. Everything she wanted to say to him sounded much too pathetic even for her own ears.

“Where is here, anyway?”

“Rovenheim,” he said.

“It’s quite a festive place,” she said.

“This is the place where Christmas magic comes to life.” He sounded proud when he said it and it gave her such a brilliant smile, she couldn’t help but return it. “Ella, I’m afraid the queen will not stop until she has what she wants.”

She swallowed the bite of stew and reached for her ale. “You mean, the slip—”

“Yes,” he said cutting her off. “No one can know you have them.”

“Why?”

“Because everyone knows she’s looking for you.”

“Who isshe? This queen.”

“Malvina. The Queen of Darkness and Shadow. Self-proclaimed, of course. Not a true queen. Not the ruler of Rovenheim.”

“Who is then?” she asked.

“Why, the royal family, of course.” When he smiled, something inside her lit up.

She liked him. A lot more than she should. She hardly knew him. But he was nice to her and seemed to really want to help her. He’d come looking for her and found her, though, one question still remained. How did he know she was in Rovenheim? She was about to ask him when the tavern door burst open. A man stood in its doorway looking frazzled.

“She’s back!” he announced, and not like he was happy.

“Who does he mean?” Ella asked.

Nicholas swallowed hard and his face turned grim. “The queen.”

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