Page 27 of Once Upon a Midnight Clear

Ella saw it happening but was too slow to move. Nicholas was lifted over her and thrown backward into the crowd. She watched in horror as he landed on the cobblestones with a grunt. Somehow, he managed to keep a grip on his sword.

Malvina reached for her then, clutching a handful of her cloak and yanking her toward her. Their noses touched and for a long, horrible moment, Ella stared into the dark, terrifying eyes of the Queen of Darkness and Shadow.

“You.” Her breath flickered over Ella’s face. “You have them, don’t you?”

“I-I—”

“Release her, you witch.” Nicholas stood right behind her.

Ella’s heart leapt into her throat. Malvina’s head snapped up.

“I am no witch!”

“She doesn’t have the slippers,” Nicholas said, ignoring her. “Release her. She’s not the one.”

“You lie! I sense the magic of the slippers.”

She jerked Ella closer, if that were even possible. Ella sucked in a breath, the death scent on the queen invading her mouth and nose. She forced away the gag that wanted to erupt. Malvina stepped backward, dragging Ella with her. With every forced step, the sack bumped against her hip with the tell-tale weight of the slippers.

“Since she won’t give them up, she comes with me.”

Malvina lifted her arm in a motion to release more magic. But then she jerked forward with a strangled gasp. In that one moment, her hand loosened on Ella’s cloak and she stumbled away from her. Surprise flickered through her when she saw the dagger sticking out of Malvina’s shoulder.

“Run!” Nicholas shouted.

Chaos erupted. When Nicholas’s dagger hit Malvina, it released her dark spell holding the townsfolk hostage. Men surged forward, some wielding their swords. The women and children took off toward the south entrance of the village, putting as much distance between them and Malvina as possible.

Nicholas spun to face her where she was still frozen by fear. “Get to the alley. Now!”

Malvina’s dark magic smacked into him. His face contorted in pain as he fought to stay upright. Ella didn’t waste another moment. She turned and ran with the others toward the alleyway next to the tavern. Somehow, though, she felt like a coward running away from the fight even though that was exactly what he told her to do.

When she made it to the alleyway unscathed, she pressed her back against the stone wall and then peered around the corner. Men fought Malvina’s guards but one still had hold of Agnes’s granddaughter as he dragged her away from the fray.

Meanwhile, Malvina yanked the dagger from her shoulder and threw it to the ground. She flung more magic at Nicholas, but this time he lifted his sword. The shiny surface of the blade reflected it back to her, hitting her square in the gut.

She emitted a frustrated shout as she stumbled away. She vaulted herself into the sky, her wrath evident on her face. She glowered at the group of townspeople and then turned toward the star on the top of the tree, pausing to peer at with a mischievous grin.

“I’ve had enough of your cheerful, yuletide spirit,” she spat, her voice dark and menacing. “And so, I will take away the symbol of your hope and joy.”

In a fit of fury, she spun to the giant Christmas tree behind her and flung her magic toward the top of it.

Someone gasped. Nearby someone else shouted, “No!”

Her magic hit the twinkling star on top. There was a pop as it shattered into a thousand pieces, the light inside sparking, exploding, and then winking out as shards of glass rained down around the tree.

Malvina cackled with her glee.

“Let that serve as a warning,” she said, her voice booming across the village. “Bring me the slippers or I will destroy your village and the Spirit of Christmas with it!”

And then she was gone in a cloud of red smoke. Her henchmen and Agnes’s granddaughter were also gone.

Nicholas stood a long moment gazing at the tree, his gaze fixed on the top where the star previously sat and his face drained of color. The man Ella recognized as the mayor rushed over to the base of the tree, picking up the biggest shards of what was left. He held them in his hand, looking down at them with a frown.

“The Christmas Star…” The mayor’s voice was soft as he ran a finger over the broken pieces. “It was the light of our season. The essence that makes Rovenheim what it is.”

Nicholas sheathed his sword and stared in disbelief at the top of the tree, now devoid of the shining beacon.

Ella watched it all happen from the safety of the alley. A lump formed in her throat. The queen had destroyed the star in vengeance, because she didn’t get what she wanted.

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