As soon as Scarlet saw Snow sneak out of a side door to freedom, she hurried back to the throne room. Back against the door to the room, she slowly turned so she could see inside.

Queen Nira stood before Alistair, looking into his eyes with her cold, emotionless face. She reminded Scarlet of Queen Victoria. She couldn’t hear what was being said but she assumed they were discussing the mirror.

"Miss, what are-“

Scarlet spun around, kicking the attendant across the room. He slid, hitting his head on an icy wall, and passed out. She hoped no one had heard that. Scarlet turned back to look in the throne room.

Queen Nira placed her hand around Alistair’s neck. His body went stiff, his face turning pale. With wide eyes, Scarlet watched as ice came from the queen’s hand and started to surround Alistair’s neck and travel throughout his body. He tried to move to get his sword, but his hand was too rigid.

Scarlet knew it was now or never.

She formed her hands into a sphere shape, flames licking between them. She jumped into the throne room, throwing the fireball at the queen. Queen Nira dropped Alistair and countered with an ice wall. Alistair fell to the ground, gasping as the ice started to thaw from his neck.

Scarlet ran over to Alistair, “Where is the mirror?”

Alistair pointed at the wall the queen was hiding behind.

“Great,” Scarlet sighed, “Get out of here. I’ll handle this.”

She ran at the ice wall, throwing flame after flame at it until a hole was created. She slipped through and narrowly dodged an icicle flying at her. More icicles flew at her as Queen Nira cackled.

Queen Nira laughed, “You really think you can face me, child?”

Scarlet rolled, her shoulder getting scratched by the point on an icicle. She looked up at the woman, who had a smug smile slathered on her face. Scarlet huffed, “Give me the mirror.”

“I don’t think so, sweetie,” Queen Nira smirked before continuing her assault.

Scarlet had a hard time dodging every attack. She looked around, trying to spot the mirror. She threw another fireball at Nira, who barely slid out of the way. A flash on Nira’s back alerted Scarlet. Feeling better, Scarlet increased throwing the fireballs. Sweat dripped down her face as the heat rose and was released time after time. Nira bumbled around, having a harder time keeping up. For the first time, Scarlet saw panic in her eyes.

Scarlet got close enough to reach Nira and threw a punch at her. Nira formed an ice shield to counter, but Scarlet flipped around her and grabbed the hand mirror from the ribbons of Nira’s corset dress. Nira spun around immediately as Scarlet jumped away from her, the mirror in her hand.

Nira let out a blood-curdling scream. Scarlet watched in horror as Nira’s eyes turned pure black. Although she couldn’t see her pupils anymore, she knew the queen was staring at her and seething. Nira threw her arms in the air, releasing a burst of magic. Scarlet stumbled back. The walls of the castle began to shake. Snow flew through the air and the icicles on the ceiling rocked and clicked.

The frozen wall burst, ice going everywhere. Scarlet put her arms up, trying to deflect the ice shards coming from all directions. Thundering footsteps came from where the wall used to be. Scarlet lowered her arm to see a massive ice statue coming toward her. The statue swung at her. Scarlet felt herself being thrown to the ground, the sword narrowly missing her.

“Run!” Alistair yelled as he got off her. She watched in surprise as he charged the ice statue.

Ice statues continued to march into the throne room from the hall. Nira stood on one side of the throne room, letting her statues work for her as she seethed. Alistair fought the ice statues, but it was more of him dodging and in a defensive mode than offense. Scarlet spotted some windows behind Nira. She didn’t know how high up she was, but that was her only exit.

Scarlet tucked the mirror under her arm and ran.

Nira greeted her with a barrage of icicles. Scarlet continued to run forward, ignoring the painful stings all over her body. She approached Nira and threw a punch, hitting Nira in the face. Nira fell to the ground and screamed, blood running from her nose. Scarlet had no time to feel proud. The ice statues turned their attention to her as their master screamed from the ground.

Scarlet tucked the mirror in the waistline of her pants and pulled herself up onto the window sill. An ice statue reached for her but missed as she jumped.

The air was freezing and her whole body stung. Scarlet could barely see as the snow blurred the world around her. She gasped when she saw she was falling toward an iced-over moat. It took much force to put her hands toward the moat and with all her power she blasted fire out of her hands. Her heart pounded in her chest as she got closer and closer.

The ice melted as Scarlet crashed into the water. Her body screamed in pain and felt as heavy as lead. She struggled to swim back up to the top of the hole she had produced in the ice. She grabbed the ice, her hands burning from the cold. Her body was heavy as she pulled herself out of the water. It took all she had to drag herself onto the frozen moat.

She felt herself being picked up. She looked over and was surprised to see Alistair throw her arm around his neck.

“We’ve got to get out of here!” Alistair yelled.

Excruciating pain coursed through Scarlet’s body as they made their way to the remaining horse at the gate. Soldiers were rushing their way as the hustled onto the horse. Alistair took the lead and got them out of there as fast as possible. Scarlet gripped onto Alistair’s back, trying to stay focused.

“Over here!” A familiar voice yelled from nearby.

Snow sat on the other horse, barely seen at the edge of a forest. The horse neighed as Alistair steered it toward the forest.

“Who are you?” Alistair asked, eyebrows creased.

“I’m Snow! Scarlet’s friend!” Snow proclaimed. She nodded toward the deeper forest, “Into the forest. They won’t find us in here.”

Alistair nodded, albeit confused and concerned, but followed her. Scarlet shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. The clomping of horse hooves and the crunch of twigs and snow beneath soothed her into a deep sleep.