Chapter 8

N icholas arrived late that night in Rovenheim. But even so, the village was still alive with the ongoing boisterous celebration of the coming Christmas season. Tonight was the bonfire night, where villagers gathered around the great bonfire in the center of town, roasting marshmallows, drinking ale, singing carols, and having a merry time. Even the falling snow could not keep the most merriest away. He hoped the concealment spell his mother cast on him would keep the villagers from seeing who he truly was. There was no time to explain why he was visiting the village.

One end of the village was the enormous Christmas tree rising up into the night sky lit up with hundreds of twinkle lights. Gold garland wrapped around it from top to bottom. The Rovenheim Christmas Star sat atop it. It was the same star that had been on the tree since the first celebration hundreds of years ago.

Legend said it was placed on top of the tree by a Christmas angel and that magic made it glow with its mysterious inner light, bringing peace and harmony to a land ravaged by war and death and destruction. From that season on, things had changed. Peace reigned. The Star brought joy and happiness to all those who lived in the village. It had been a part of their celebrations for generations. He simply couldn’t remember a time the Sar didn’t sit atop the giant tree.

He paused a moment, scanning the crowd for Ella, but she was nowhere to be found. He decided to walk through the crowd in the hopes he would spot her. Would she still be wearing the red ballgown? If she was, she’d stand out from everyone else.

He wove in and out of people as they ate and drank and sang. His eyes flickered over every face looking for the quiet beauty with dark hair and doleful eyes. Only when they were dancing did he see a spark of life deep within her. A spark he liked to think he put there. He saw it again when he tried to kiss her under the mistletoe in the greenhouse. The mistletoe that had mysteriously appeared when he wasn’t looking.

As he made his way around the far end of the village, thunder boomed overhead. Many people stopped singing to glance upward. Another boom but this time a bright red cloud followed it. When the smoke cleared, it revealed a woman clad in all black standing there. She had bright green eyes, hair the color of coal that hung in waves down her shoulders and back. She wore a tight-fitting black gown that splayed around her. It had a plunging neckline and the shoulders hosted what appeared to be black feathers. She surveyed the crowd with narrowed eyes, her dark red lips curled in a snarl. Those nearest her scurried backward to get away from her.

Nicholas knew exactly who she was.

Malvina, the self-proclaimed Queen of Darkness and Shadow in the land to the north of Rovenheim. Her dark fortress sat atop the Grimbrande Mountains. She’d been banished long ago for using her dark magic.

“Well, well,” she said, her deep voice echoing through the now silent village. “It appears I was not invited to your little party.”

The mayor of the village stepped forward. “We want no trouble here.”

Malvina moved toward the mayor, peering down her nose at him. “Oh, but there is trouble brewing, isn’t there?”

A few of the villagers exchanged worried glances. Nicholas shifted from one foot to the other. The mayor remained silent as he peered up at the dark queen.

She lowered her voice. “Where is she?”

The mayor shook his head, extending his hands as if in surrender. “Where is who?”

A tingling sensation went through Nicholas. The dark queen took a slow stroll, looking for someone. He suspected he knew who. She paused at the first young woman she came to.

“Your shoes,” she said with a menacing tone. “Show me your shoes.”

“M-my shoes?” the girl stammered.

“I believe my request was clear,” she snapped.

The girl cut a glance to her mother standing next to her who clutched her arm. Swallowing hard, the girl lifted the hem of her skirt and showed Malvina her boots with a dusting of snow.

Nicholas edged his way around the bonfire, eyeing the village exit to the snowy forest beyond. He had to find Ella.

“What about you?” Malvina pointed at the next young woman who shivered.

Without asking, she showed the dark queen her feet. She tested several more young women until she came to a girl with blonde braids on each side of her face ending in festive red bows. When the girl failed to produce the shoes Malvina was looking for, she emitted a deep frustrated growl.

“Where is the young woman with the slippers?”

She moved through the people, who were mostly backing away.

“There is a young woman among you who has something I want. One of you knows where she is.”

Her furious strides echoed through the silence as she stalked down the length of the group. The towering flames of the bonfire danced wildly behind her, casting an ominous glow matching her simmering rage. She came back to the girl with the braids, her narrowed focus fixed on her.

“And if you won’t tell me where she is willingly, I will make you tell me.”

The dark queen launched forward and wrapped her arms around the girl with the braids. Several gasped. Others cried out in fear. She spun the girl around in front of her with one arm around her waist and the other around her shoulders to keep her in place, close to her.

“This one goes with me, until such time one of you decides to confess and bring me the one with the glass slippers. And if you don’t …I will return for another!”

She laughed and then she was gone in a puff of red smoke.

The mother of the girl with the braids cried out as if in pain and collapsed to her knees. A man, presumably her husband, kneeled beside her and patted her back, trying to calm her with quiet soothing words. But Malvina had ruined the celebratory atmosphere by stealing the girl.

A sense of hysteria and fear trickled through those left. Others had taken their children and returned to their homes, some on the outskirts of the village.

His mother had mentioned she had stolen the shoes from Malvina. Why did the dark queen want them? They must have some powerful magic inside them if she wanted them enough to steal a girl from the village.

One more scan of the gathered people, but it told him Ella wasn’t there. She was a stranger to these people, after all. If there was a stranger in their midst, they would make a show of welcoming them into the fold.

He hurried to the edge of the village with no idea of how to find Ella and the glass slippers.

Ella awoke in a dreamy haze. It had been so long since she’d slept in a proper bed with proper blankets, she had forgotten how cozy it was. She burrowed deeper under the thick quilt just for a moment longer.

She’d eaten so much stew last night, she thought her stomach would burst. But it hadn’t. And this morning when she awoke, she still wasn’t hungry. It made her heart smile to know there was still kindness left in the world.

Or, wherever this place was.

She was fairly certain she was no longer in her world.

With a yawn and a stretch, she sat up. The tiny room was chilly but she didn’t mind. She was happy she had a place to sleep that wasn’t in a snowbank. She couldn’t stay there forever, though. She had to figure out how to get back home. But how would she? She needed help, but she was certain neither Agnes nor Lukas would be able to help her. Where would she go? Who would she ask?

After she retired to the room last night, when she was alone, she tried calling out—softly, of course—to Noella. But her fairy godmother refused to answer. Or she wasn’t able to hear her.

She pushed aside the blankets and rose. Getting out of the warm bed was difficult, but necessary. The one window in the room was covered with a thick drapery. She shoved it aside to peer out through the cold panes of glass.

The ground was covered in a thick blanket of fresh snow, glistening in the morning winter sun. She pressed her hand against the glass and shivered. It was as cold outside as it looked. She dressed, putting on the tall warm socks, the tunic and wool overdress and finally pulling on the boots. She picked up the glass slippers and her old gown and cradled them against her chest as she exited the room.

Agnes was in the kitchen humming a nameless tune. Lukas was nowhere to be found. A fire flickered in the hearth, warming the small confines of the common areas. Agnes turned from kneading her dough and smiled when she saw her.

“Good morrow, Miss Ella. How did you sleep?”

“Very well, thank you.” She hesitated, glancing down at the tattered dress in her hands.

She eyed it with curiosity. “You mean to leave, don’t you?”

“I can’t stay here. But your kindness and generosity has meant the world to me. I also wanted to ask if you wanted these clothes back.”

“Goodness, no. They belonged to my daughter. She’s long gone.”

“Oh,” Ella gasped. “I’m sorry to hear.”

She chuckled. “Oh, I meant she hasn’t lived with us for years. Married herself an apothecary in the village. Has three children of her own now. Two girls and a boy.” She gave a wistful sigh. “Ingrid is the oldest. She’s thirteen and quite the inquisitive one. Always wears her hair in two long braids.” Agnes paused to chuckle and shake her head as she thought of her granddaughter. “Listen to me going on.” She waved her hand as if to wave away the thoughts. “You keep those clothes. And take this.”

She wiped her hands on a kitchen towel before bustling to a tiny closet. She pulled out a long, fur lined cloak. Ella shook her head before Agnes could give it to her.

“Oh, I can’t. I shouldn’t,” she protested.

“Why not?”

“You’ve given me so much already.”

“Nonsense. You take this, too. You’ll need it out there.” She nodded toward the door.

Reluctantly, Ella took the cloak. She juggled the dress and slippers in her arms before she managed to drape it over her arm. Agnes noticed she carried her old things. A twinkle came into her eyes as if she had an idea.

“And you’ll need this.” She returned to the kitchen and rummaged through the pantry. She came back with a drawstring bag.

“What’s that for?”

“Your clothes there.” She nodded to the dress and slippers. “An old flour sack. I find them to be the most useful.” She opened the top of the sack for her.

Ella placed the dress in first, then the slippers. Agnes drew up the string tight and tied a bow. It left enough slack for Ella to put the sack over her shoulder. Then she pulled on the cloak. She gave Agnes a smile.

“Thank you,” Ella whispered.

Agnes kissed her cheek and gave her a quick hug. “You be careful out there. If you need us, we’ll be here.”

Ella nodded as the woman pulled open the cabin door. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out into the brittle morning.