Page 51 of Return of the Nutcracker Prince

“We need to take out the bridge.”

An explosion rocked them then, and the surrounding soldiers cheered.

“Already taken care of.”He gave her a tight smile.“But I like the way you think.”

She sighed.“Hopefully that will slow them down.”

“I can still call Uncle Ludwig.”Blue eyes burned down at her.“I will do anything to ensure your survival.”

“And I will never forgive you if you do that.”She reached up and pulled his head down to meet her lips, pouring her heart and soul into that one kiss.It didn’t matter if she was out of her depth, she still had Klaus.“There is no life without you.”

Klaus bit his lip and his gaze grew watery.“As you wish, my love.”

As the sky grew darker, the wind blew colder, and the surrounding chaos quieted.In the distance, war drums drilled ever closer, their cadence heralding the mouse army.

White mage robes rustled next to them, and she turned her head.The Sugar Plum Fairy herself stood on the ramparts like a beacon of hope.Soldiers and mages alike turned and bowed.

“Citizens of the Land of Sweets and Toys!Today, the enemy thought to surprise us.That after our feasting and celebrations last night, we would be weak.”

“No!”called the people.

“We would be unprepared.”

“Never!”they answered back.

“That he could take this land for his own!”

Shouts of disgust radiated through the gathered crowd.

“Now rise and crack him like the Crackatook nut!”

A roar of voices and stomps took over the Süssland forces, Clara absorbing their enthusiasm with glee.Until she heard a return roar from deep inside the darkened village.

“Gingersnaps,” Klaus muttered next to her ear.

“What is it?”

“I thought they couldn’t live outside the Land of Ice and Snow.”

“Who?”She looked at her husband.His face was ashen.

He pointed in the far distance, the waning light difficult to make out the shapes.“See those tall, lumbering creatures?”

Squinting into the distance, Clara could see them as the mouse army drew nearer.“What are they?”

“Yeti.”

The three yeti were twenty or thirty feet tall, covered head to toe in long white fur, with fearsome claws and fangs.Dull red eyes shone in the dim light, and a spiked metal collar sat around their necks.As the army drew closer to the shore, she could see each had two mice sitting on their shoulders, whips in hand.

A strange trumpeting sound drew Klaus’s attention.“No!”

“What now?”She turned to follow his gaze.“What in Heaven’s name…”

Two enormous creatures, not quite like the elephants in Papa’s books, moved toward the castle.Every step of their flat feet sent tremors through the structure.Covered in white fur like the yeti, they had two icy tusks that curved around in front of their long trunks, which dragged towards the ground.

“Ice mammoths.They’re using both to raise siege towers!”Klaus was right.He started shouting orders.“Bring down the mammoths and the yeti!Don’t let them raise the towers!”

She ran to join the other mages and pass along the information.Together, dozens and dozens of fiery magic missiles flew over the wall.The beasts continued on, unphased.But her enhanced senses told her something else needed to be done.

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