Page 69 of Once Upon a Midnight Clear

Ella’s head snapped in his direction. “Noella is yourmother?”

“Ah, yes, of course dear.” Noella blew a handful of fai ry dust their direction. It landed on all three of them, removing the concealment spell.

Ella stared at her fairy godmother and then cut a glance at Nicholas. “She’sthe queen of Rovenheim?”

“She is.” Nicholas gave her an affirmative nod.

“And you are…the crown prince?” Which was something she already knew, but she wanted to confirm that she was, in fact, standing in the arms of the prince of Rovenheim.

“Of course, he is, dear,” Noella said.

She looked from Nicholas to Noella and back again. It was as if her vision cleared and she saw the family resemblance. He had his mother’s eyes and the same cheeky smile.

It was all too much for Ella. The blood rushed to her head, leaving pinpricks of tiny dark spots and making her lightheaded. She did the only thing she knew to do and fainted straightaway.

Chapter 24

“…andthenhepickedher up and carried her thewholeway to the gate!”

Ella awoke to Ingrid’s excited voice and the soft rocking of the ship. She wasn’t sure who she was regaling the tale of their escape from Malvina’s fortress, but hearing her enthusiasm for the way Nicholas carried her to the gate made her smile.

“Well, then, I’d say he’s a hero.” It was Gustav who replied with a smile in his voice.

“He is. Oh, she’s awake!”

The edge of her bed bounced as Ingrid perched on the side of it. Ella opened her eyes to the girl’s dirty but beaming face and was unable to stop the smile that erupted.

“Hi, Ella!”

My goodness, she was a ball of energy now that she was out of the fortress and in safe hands. She had deep brown eyes in a pixie face. Despite her beaming face, she had dark circles under her eyes. Even so, one day, she was going to be a stunning beauty.

Her long hair was plaited on each side of her head. Sprigs of hair sprouted from the braids. Her face was smeared with dirt. Her hands looked as though they had a good scrubbing, but there was still dirt under her fingernails. She still wore Nicholas’s cloak.

“Hi, Ingrid,” Ella said with a grin.

She took in her surroundings. She was in a spacious cabin that could only belong to the captain. Gustav sat in a chair on the far side of the room, his foot propped up on a table. He had a bandage around his other leg. Noella stood off to one side, her lovely face creased with concern and then relief when Ella opened her eyes. And, then, there was Nicholas. He perched in a small chair next to her bed and smiled when their eyes met. A knee-melting smile of relief that told her everything she needed to know.

“Let me see to the patient,” Nicholas said.

He gave the girl a gentle nudge. Reluctantly, she shifted down to the end of the bed. He lifted her hand, holding it. It was only then Ella realized her wrist had been bandaged. Both of them, actually. Her twisted ankle still throbbed, but it appeared to be nothing more serious. She still wore the slippers as she laid on top of the blankets in what appeared to be the captain’s quarters.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, concern lining his face.

“Better, I think.” When she recalled fainting in his arms, her cheeks flushed hot burning to the roots of her hair. “I-I’m sorry about—”

“Now, don’t you worry your pretty head about that.” Noella moved to stand behind Nicholas.

Her silvery hair was once again piled high on her head and she wore the most beautiful silver gown trimmed in white sparkling fur. Her blue eyes twinkled with mirth. Ella should have made the connection sooner, especially when she learned Nicholas was the crown prince of Rovenheim. But she hadn’t.

“Glad to see you’re awake.” She grinned.

“Me, too,” Ingrid added, still beaming.

Ella struggled to sit up. Nicholas helped her, fluffing pillows behind her back to give her some cushion. She got a good look at her surroundings and saw she was, in fact, in a spacious cabin on the ship.

“It seems Captain Bart took a liking to you,” Nicholas said. “Especially after you fainted.”

“This is his cabin?” she asked.

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