Page 55 of Once Upon a Midnight Clear

“You took her to the castle?” Her voice trembled with disbelief as she clutched her chest as if trying to steady herself. The color drained from her cheeks, leaving behind a pale complexion that accentuated her distress.

“I had to.”

She paced a small length of the walkway, worrying her hands. “Now she’ll know who we are.”

“She doesn’t,” he said, trying to reassure her. “Well, she knows I’m a prince.”

“A prince?” She cut him a glance over her shoulder, then turned to face him. “Are you going to tell her the truth?”

“I don’t know. Mother, what are you doing here?”

“When I discovered you were here, I thought you might need some help,” she said. “Now, I know you do.”

His eyes narrowed to slits. “Are you following me?”

“No!” she said, though there was a hint of a lie in her voice. “It’s just that, well, Ella is extraordinary.”

He folded his arms over the guard’s thick cloak. “And?”

“And nothing,” she fired back. “She’s special. That’s all.”

“You’ve arranged this whole thing, haven’t you? From meeting her at the ball to sending her here.”

“I never intended for you to bring her into Malvina’s lair,” she said, her tone sharp. “Nor did I send her here on purpose. That was purely accidental.”

He heaved a sigh, his breath pluming in front of him. There was no arguing with her. Once she got something in her head, she was determined to see it through no matter the cost.

“If you want to help, then find out where Malvina is holding Ingrid so we can get her and get out as quickly as possible,” he said. “In the meantime, I’m going to go back for Ella.”

“I’ll see what I can find out. But Nicholas…” She paused, grasping him by the hand and giving it a squeeze. “Don’t let Ella bring the slippers into the fortress.”

“Why?”

“Because Malvina will sense their magic. In fact, she may already sense them being so close as it is.”

“Perhaps you better tell me why she wants them so badly,” he said.

“They’re linked to the wearer’s emotions,” Noella said. “If Malvina gets them, she will use them to manipulate and deceive others into getting what she wants.”

“And what is that?”

“The throne,” she said matter-of-factly.

She didn’t have to explain. Nicholas understood she meant Malvina wantedherthrone. She wanted to crush the Spirit of Christmas once and for all, thereby destroying Rovenheim altogether. He also understood that letting Ella bring them into the fortress would be a mistake, but then, Ella wasn’t going to part with them either.

“I understand,” he said at last.

“I’ll see what I can find out for you.” Noella stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “Be careful.”

He gave her a nod. “You, too.”

Then she was gone as quickly as she had appeared.

Nicholas crossed the bridge and made his way up the path carved into the side of the cliff and returned to Ella’s hiding place. When she heard his footsteps, she poked her head out. Relief washed over her face when she saw him.

“Told you I’d be back,” he said. “And I have a plan.”

“Good. What is it?”

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