Chapter 21

E lla awoke with a raging headache throbbing in her left temple. Her arms were strained behind her, the muscles at her shoulders burning with an intensity she had never experienced. It took several moments for her to pry her eyes open. She blinked, looking on unfamiliar surroundings.

She was tied to a chair, her arms behind her and her wrists bound. She tugged on the rope but found it held fast and chafed her skin. She was in some sort of chamber with an oversized fireplace on one end, a large bed on another. Balcony doors were open, letting in the bitter north wind, the curtains fluttering in the breeze.

On the balcony, Malvina stood with her back to her. Her hands were on the railing as she peered out at the mountains beyond. It was dawn as far as Ella could tell. The sky was lit in a pale indigo tinged with pink.

A guard stood at the entrance of the chamber. He stood with his hands clasped in front of him, wearing full armor. His face was concealed behind a helm.

A whimper next to her caught Ella’s attention. She turned her head to see Nicholas and Ingrid tied together to chairs, back-to-back, and gaged. Their wrists were also bound. Their ankles tied to the chair legs. His head hung down, his chin on his chest, as though he were still unconscious. Ingrid watched her with frightened eyes. She glanced from Ella’s face, down and back up again.

She was trying to tell her something.

Then she understood. Her boots and thick stockings were gone. One foot was bare. On the other, she wore one of the glass slippers. She held up her foot to examine it. The shoe seemed unharmed.

Malvina turned from the balcony, the wind whipping through her long, black hair as she made her way back inside. She paused in the doorway, her dark eyes falling on Ella.

“Awake, I see. Good.”

The train of her black gown slithered over the stones as she entered the room, leaving the doors open. The cold wind whipped through the room, sending a violent chill through Ella. Malvina paused at the mantle where she picked up the other shoe. She held it between her hands as she approached. Light sparkled through the shoe, giving it an iridescent glow.

“You’re going to tell me how to use this.” She waved the second slipper at Ella.

Ella lifted her chin in defiance. “I already told you I don’t know how it works.”

She stared at her a long, hard moment. Then she whirled around. She grabbed another nearby chair and pulled it over in front of Ella. She positioned herself on the edge, still holding the shoe in her hands.

“Let me show you something.”

She slipped off her black shoe, crossing her legs to reach her foot. Then she tried to put on the glass slipper.

It wouldn’t fit. Only her toes and the ball of her foot were able to slide inside. The rest of her foot was too big. She held it up for Ella to see, then cast an accusatory glance at Ella’s foot wearing the other one.

“Care to explain that?” the dark queen asked.

Ella peered down at her foot, then at Malvina’s as her heartbeat quickened. The shoe, it seemed, did not want to fit Malvina’s foot. Perhaps the magical properties of it had something to do with that. Alice’s words came tumbling back to her.

It is said they can only be worn by the person they’re meant for.

Ella’s mouth went dry. She swallowed hard as the realization came. The slippers, it seemed, were meant for her.

The slippers led her to her true love. Nicholas . It took all her willpower not to cut him a glance.

The slippers were connected to the emotions of the wearer. Her emotions. Right now, her emotions were erratic as they pounded through her. From fear to uncertainty to a glimmer of hope she and her friends had a chance to get out of Malvina’s fortress alive.

“Well?” Malvina prompted when she didn’t answer.

“Legend says they can only be worn by the person they’re meant for,” Ella said, her voice strong and sure.

“Legend!” she scoffed. She pulled off the shoe and shoved back from the chair and started to pace, the slipper clutched in her hand. “Do you expect me to believe that fairy tale?”

Despite her quivering gut, Ella remained strong. “Why does the slipper not fit you then if it’s not true?”

She halted, spinning to face her with narrowed eyes. “Who are you? And how did you get these slippers?” She shook the shoe at her.

“I told you. Someone gifted them to me.”

“Ha! And that someone was Noella Fairchild, that meddlesome fairy, I’ll wager.”

Heat swarmed up Ella’s neck as she clenched her jaw. Malvina flung herself around and headed for a tapestry on a nearby wall. She pulled it back to reveal the massive mirror in an ornate gold frame. Fog floated through the mirror and then a face with nothing but round holes for eyes, nose, and a mouth appeared.

“Dark Mirror, tell me what I seek. Who gifted the girl the slippers?”

“Noella Fairchild, my dark and beautiful queen,” the mirror said.

Malvina turned back to Ella. “The mirror never lies.” She took slow, methodical steps toward her. “But you do. Do you know what I do to those who lie to me?”

Ella remained silent. Her stomach clenched.

The queen chuckled, a sound deep in her throat. “I kill them. But you…you’re special, aren’t you?” She stood in front of Ella now and bent down, placing a long, slender finger under her chin and tipped her face upward so she stared right into those dark, depthless, terrifying eyes. “Noella chose you. What, then, will she do to make sure no harm comes to you, hm?”

“Enough, Malvina,” Nicholas snapped in a raspy voice. “Get away from her.”

Ella snapped her head in his direction. Somehow, he had managed to remove the gag to under his chin. Their eyes met. His were full of apology, as though he blamed himself for their capture.

Malvina straightened and pinned him with her best glare.

“Quite resourceful, aren’t you? But you are in no position to make demands, prince.” She tapped the ball of the shoe against the palm of her hand as she peered down at Ella. “Let’s put this other slipper on you, shall we?”

She bent and slipped the shoe on her foot. It was a perfect fit.

The moment the slipper was on her other foot, Ella felt a strong surge of what she assumed was magic shooting through her. It was as if the magic only worked when she had on both shoes.

Malvina pressed her fingertips together, tapping her forefingers in a rhythmic way as she considered Ella. She glanced from the slippers to her face and back again.

“Now, here’s what we’re going to do. You’re going to use those slippers to get what I want.”

“And what is that?” Ella asked.

“Why, Rovenheim’s throne, of course,” she replied.

“No,” Nicholas said. “You will never get that.”

“Silence!” she snapped at him.

“I will not help you,” Ella said, defiant.

She dropped her hands to her side, a sort of sadness coming over her features. “Pity.”

Without warning, Malvina flung her hands toward Ella. A blast of dark magic hit her square in the chest. She cried out as her head fell backward with the burning sensation clawing through her.

“That was a warning,” Malvina said.

Tears stung Ella’s eyes. Tears of anger and fear and pain. The slippers on her feet responded to that, sending a pulse into the room that looked like shimmering light. Malvina sucked in a sharp breath when it hit her. She pressed a hand against her gut. She faced Ella with suspicion creasing her face.

“Ah…so you do know how to use them.”

Ella blinked the tears from her vision as they fell down her cheeks. “I…will not…help you,” she repeated. The pain of speaking was nearly unbearable.

“Then perhaps you need a different sort of motivation.”

She waved her hands into a tight circle and conjured a table topped with an oversized hourglass. Inside, black sand rested at the bottom. Malvina grasped it, holding it, and pinpointing Ella with her evil glare. Then she turned it over to allow the sand to run from the top to the bottom.

“You have until the sand runs out to give me what I want.”

With a wave of her hand, she disappeared in a puff of purple haze.

Ella sniffed, trying to keep the tears at bay. A weight pressed against her chest with dread.

Another shimmering wave emanated from her, filling the room with sparkling air that reminded her of dust motes dancing in the sunlight.

“Ella?” Her name was a tentative question on his lips. “I know you’re scared and upset. I can sense it from here.”

Was that from the shoes? She glanced down at them. They shimmered with the same sort of wavy light dancing in the room. She took a deep breath. Crying was going to get her nowhere. She needed to pull herself together and figure out a plan. She worked at the knots behind her back, the ropes chafing her skin.

“I’m sorry, Ella,” he said.

“For what?” She glanced at him, trying to shove back her guilt. “It’s my fault. All of this. If I just removed the slippers before the last stroke of midnight like I was supposed to, none of this would be happening.”

“If you removed the slippers before the last stroke of midnight, I’d have never seen you again.”

Her heart lurched and her pulse raced at his words. He was right. She’d never be here in Rovenheim and he would be lost to her. Instead, she’d be stuck back at home with her terrible stepmother and stepsisters, slaving every day away as though she was nothing. At least here, she was made to feel as if she was something. Even if it was the dark queen’s prisoner.

She continued to work the rope around her wrists. Her hands were slick. She assumed that was due to either blood or sweat or both. It didn’t matter. She had to find a way to get out of those bonds so she could help Nicholas and Ingrid before the sands ran out.

If only the slippers could help her. She closed her eyes, thinking positive thoughts, trying to will the knots to come undone.

An idea struck her. She eyed the guard standing at the entrance of the chamber.

She scooted her chair, scraping it along the stone floor to face the guard. She hooked one foot around a leg of the chair and pushed. Her muscles quivered with the exertion, but she managed to turn it around to face him.

She planted her feet together in front of her, her toes pointing at the guard.

Think, Ella, think.

If the slippers were truly connected to her emotions, then perhaps she could use it to her advantage. What sort of emotion, though, would coerce the guard to free her?

“Hello, there,” she said and gave him her best smile.

If he looked at her, she was unable to see. He was several feet away and the helm hid his expression from her.

“Could you help me?” she asked.

The guard remained motionless.

She stole a glance to the hourglass to see about half the sand was gone from the top. Her heartbeat quickened. She had to get this guard to cooperate with her before the sand ran out and Malvina returned.

“My hands are tied, you see,” she continued, using her sweetest voice. “Do you suppose you could untie me?”

There was a flicker of movement as he flinched. She wasn’t sure, but she thought his head turned to her. He took a tentative step forward.

“I know your hands are tied,” he said, his voice gruff.

“Yes, well, if you untie me…” She paused, trying to think of some way to get him to cooperate. “I’ll reward you.”

He tipped his head to one side. “Reward me how?”

She flashed a bright smile. “I can’t tell you that until you untie me.” She scooted her feet forward. “Please?”

A wave of magic pulsed from the toes of the slippers. She watched the shimmering glow as it floated through the air and then settled around him. He was spurred into action.

“Of course, my lady.”

He moved behind her and tugged on the ropes. Moments later, she was free from the chair.

“There you are, my lady. Now, for my reward…?” He gave her a wicked grin and started to reach for her.

Ella’s heart was in her throat. Her hands shook as she spun and grasped the chair in both hands, picking it up. It was heavier than she expected and for a moment she faltered. She recovered quickly, swinging the heavy wooden chair and connected it with the side of his head. He stumbled backward, yanking off his helm. He spun, his face red with anger.

Sucking in a sharp breath, she swung the chair again. It smacked into him across his shoulder and the side of his head. He went down in a heap, landing on the floor with a muffled thump.

“Ella!” Nicholas gasped.

Ignoring him, she hurried over to first Ingrid. She pulled off the girl’s gag, then started working on her ropes.

“They’re too tight.”

“Get my dagger,” he said.

“They didn’t take it?”

“Worst guards ever,” he replied with a little laugh.

She grabbed the dagger out of his sheath and sawed through his bonds. It took precious long minutes but she finally managed to free him. He took the dagger from her and went to free Ingrid.

“Your wrists, Ella,” he said as he removed the girl’s ropes.

She glanced down to see her wrists were angry, raw, and bleeding. “I’ll be fine. Where are my boots?”

“I’ll get you more boots. Whatever you do, do not take those slippers off,” he said. “Now, let’s get out of here.”

She started to protest but then decided he had a point. Keeping the slippers on would keep them out of Malvina’s hands. She’d worry about walking back to the ship in them later. As they hurried out of the chamber, she stole a backward glance at the hourglass as the last few grains of sand emptied.

Malvina appeared in her cloud of purple smoke. Fury immediately crossed her face. She emitted a howl of frustration and charged after them.

Ella stumbled in the slippers. Nicholas wrapped a hand around her upper arm to help her maintain her balance. The delay caused them precious seconds as Malvina charged up behind them. She sent a beam of magic, punching Nicholas in the back. He stumbled forward, falling and taking Ella with him. Ingrid jumped out of the way, pressing her back against the wall.

Malvina stood over them, her face lined with anger.

“I see how determined you are to escape me,” she said. “But you will not leave this place alive.” Her eyes, filled with a burning rage, bored into Nicholas like fiery daggers. “Unless, prince…”

He pulled himself back up to his feet, helping Ella do the same.

“Unless what?” he asked.

“Unless your mother bends the knee, pledges allegiance to me, and steps down from her throne.” She held her hands open at her side, as though ready to fling more deadly magic at him.

“She will never do that,” Nicholas said.

“So be it.”

She raised her arms, purple flames dancing in her palms. Nicholas shoved Ella behind him to protect her. But she was more worried about him. She grabbed him by the hand and started tugging him backward toward the exit.

Ingrid scurried behind them, heading away from Malvina and her wrath. The dark queen released her purple flames.

As Ella watched the wave ripple toward them, something strange happened. Suddenly, a blinding white light emerged between them and the dark magic. And then, Noella appeared before them, blocking Malvina’s malevolence.

“That will be quite enough, sister .”