Time seems to slow down in the Great Hall. The clink of glasses and the muffled whispers of guests seem like they are coming from far away. I can hear my heart beating in my ears. The scent of Christmas spices is suddenly too heavy, too thick. It's suffocating.

St. Nicholas leans across the table. Jack Frost is sitting beside him with his fingers steepled and his eyes glinting with amusement. Maggie is breathing fast, her gaze darting between Krampus, Friedrich, and the wine that could kill them both.

Friedrich's arm brushes against mine as he moves the goblet filled with poison to his lips. Krampus does the same.

I have wanted death for both of them my whole life. I have imagined doing it myself. Only last night I intended to take my blade to Friedrich's throat and leave him dying in the snow.

And yet now. . .

I want to stop this.

My pulse quickens.

Because I understand the game Friedrich is playing with his father. It is the same game I have played with him my entire life. It is the reason I grabbed the hot poker in the throne room, the reason I held a blade to his throat even though it could have killed me.

And even now, when I'm not playing, I am playing.

I cannot stop this.

I understand.

To yield is weakness.

I cannot yield. Friedrich cannot yield.

It must be Krampus.

Friedrich tilts the goblet.

My hand clenches into a fist at my side and my fingernails dig into my palms.

Krampus must yield.

The red liquid touches Friedrich's pale lips.

My breathing quickens.

And in a sweeping movement Krampus puts his goblet back down on the table. He lets out a cruel, high-pitched laugh. With a deliberate flick of his wrist he knocks his poisoned wine glass over. "Oops."

Relief swells inside me as the red liquid spills across the table and pools around the glittering pinecones. Friedrich's lips are tainted red as he carefully places his glass down beside it. He smiles coldly.

The hall is silent.

"What is the meaning of this?" says St. Nicholas.

I step forward. "The wine –"

"The boy obviously slipped something in the wine," Krampus says. "I will have him disciplined. Don't worry."

St. Nicholas frowns.

Fire surges through my body. "That's not true."

"Of course it is true," says Krampus with a cold chuckle. "He and this girl are plotting to kill you, Nick. It is my fault, I profess. I have been too soft on her. She's one of the children from the mortal world. A bad one. Yet I did not have it in my heart to discipline her with the others. But I will have her punished now."

His eyes are hard when they meet mine. They are filled with dark promises. My mouth dries.

I do not know what to do. I am so close to what I want. And yet, how can I possibly fight the Great Krampus?

"We will go immediately," says Krampus. "It cannot wait. Guards! Arrest these traitors. They will be tried for breaking the Winter Accords, and punished accordingly."

The hall descends into chaos. Ten of Krampus's men march toward us and their swords glint in the blinking Christmas lights.

I cannot let them take me. I have to do something.

Our lives depend on it.

"No! Wait!" I rush toward the table, toward St. Nicholas. His blue eyes are searching as they lock onto mine. "It is Krampus who has betrayed the Accords. He is plotting against you."

"Guards!" Krampus shouts.

"Please, St. Nicholas," I plead. "You have to believe me. You are in danger."

Friedrich watches the chaotic scene unfold with apparent boredom.

Before I can yell at him to do something, one of the guards grabs me. I grab a goblet from the table and swing it at his face, breaking his nose. Another charges at me. He grabs my arms and pulls them behind my back. I buck against him.

Then another holds a sword to my neck.

I freeze, my chest heaving, my hair in my face.

"I'm so sorry for such a scene, Nick," says Krampus as he strolls around the table. "Come now. You are just making it worse for yourself, girl."

"Get your hands off me," snaps Friedrich. "I'm your prince."

He stumbles forward, his blond hair in disarray. Haughtily, he brushes the sleeves of his grey jacket then locks eyes with St. Nicholas.

Two guards move toward him, but St. Nicholas raises a hand.

"Let the boy speak," he says.

"It is true that if one of the kings of the three Winter Kingdoms should die, then their eldest born will take the throne, isn't it?" says Friedrich.

"Aye, that is true, lad."

My heart races and my mouth dries. Friedrich is about to reveal my identity. I'm not ready.

I'm not ready to meet my biologic father. I'm not ready to face the man who abandoned my mother and me.

And I definitely don't want it to happen while there is a sword held to me neck.

"Friedrich, please," I say.

"It is also true that an heir can challenge their king on the eve of Christmas, yes?" says Friedrich. "A challenge of combat, witnessed by the three thrones."

"The winner takes the throne, the loser faces death or banishment, aye," agrees St. Nicholas.

My eyebrows lift as I realize what he is about to do. Krampus halts.

"I, Friedrich of Yule, eldest born of Krampus, challenge my king for the Yuletide Throne."

A deathly silence fills the hall. The guards slacken their grip on my arms and the sword drops from my throat. I'm filled with dread.

Friedrich is no warrior.

I do not know what he is thinking.

How is he to win?

Krampus's eyes fix on Friedreich's and they're darker than a winter's night. He chuckles coldly. "I accept."

"Very well. Whoever draws first blood, wins," says St. Nicholas.

Without warning, Krampus charges.

It seems to happen in slow motion. Friedrich's cool blue eyes widen. Krampus's beard ruffles in the breeze he creates as he runs.

He knocks Friedrich back, and the Yule Prince is thrown into the air like a ragdoll. He lands on his back and skids across the flagstones. With a grunt, he scrambles to his feet as Krampus pulls a long birch whip from his sleeve.

Friedrich's face pales at the sight of it, and I recall the scars lacing his back.

It is then that a cold storm seems to rise within me. Ice crackles in my veins, and a blizzard rages in my chest.

I lurch forward, placing myself between the two men. I raise my arm and wait for the pain as Krampus brings down his whip.

But it does not come.

Instead the sound of crackling ice fills the great hall. A great force pushes me to my knees. Slowly I raise my head.

Krampus is flying back and a dome of ice is growing around Friedrich and me. My breath mists in front of my face as it encases us completely.

"First blood has been drawn." St. Nicholas's voice is muffled and far away.

I stare in horror through the thick ice as the Yule guards surround their king. Krampus rises.

"Come out and face me, coward." His voice is barely audible from in here.

"It's over, Krampus." St. Nicholas's reply seems to come from a great distance. "Blood has been drawn."

"I do not accept the results of the challenge. You will both pay for what you have done." A promise from Krampus that turns my blood cold as he and his guards retreat.

I fall back onto the ground, wrenching my arm from the ice. It's so thick now that it has become opaque, frosted with white.

I cannot believe I did that.

"Well, that was new," drawls Friedrich. "It appears your power doesn't just come from spite toward me, but from your desire to protect me, as well. How very touching, Joy."

I spin around to face him, feeling the familiar flicker of irritation.

Friedrich is on his back, propping himself up by his elbows. His shirt is crumpled, and a lock of his pale blond hair hangs in front of his forehead. There's a smirk tugging at his lips.

"I have no desire when it comes to you, Friedrich. I can promise you that."

"You know, with this new protective instinct perhaps you would not have made such an unsuitable bride, after all."

"I am not protective of you. I don't care what happens to you."

He raises his eyebrow. "Then why did you just risk your life to save mine, then?"

I glare at him. And I wish I knew how to melt this stupid shield I just created. I need to get away from that smug look on his pale face.

"I . . . Look, I just. . ."

"It's okay, Joy. I know why you did it."

"Yes? Well please enlighten me."

"Because you like me."

"I most certainly do not."

"Yes, you do."

He pushes himself into a sitting position, bringing his face close to mine. I can feel his warm breath on my face. I have room to move away but I do not. I glare at him, my breathing quickening. And despite the cold air, I am hot. My eyes drop to his lips, and heat floods my cheeks.

I hate myself for it.

He notices and his smile widens.

"It's okay, Joy. We both know the truth. And I don't blame you. I am the Prince after all."

"You are insufferable, and arrogant, and completely pig-headed. You waltz around the place like you –"

His lips brush against mine, softly at first, but then more urgently.

Before I'm aware of what I'm doing, my fingers are threaded in his hair and I'm kissing him back. I feel the smile spreading on his lips as I part my mouth. I should pull away and slap him for it. But instead I pull him closer, my tongue moving against his as his hands slide to the sides of my face.

When he pulls away his cheeks are flushed and we're both breathing fast. He looks at me, serious and intense. Then a slow smile spreads, triumphant, onto his face. He opens his mouth, no doubt to say something obnoxious.

"Oh, shut up," I snap. I look up at the ice dome encasing us. "We need to get out."

"True. They'll think we're getting up to all manner of perversions alone in here."

"Just. . . just. . . Shut up!"

I shuffle on my knees, banging at the roof like a woman possessed. I'm flustered. Heat floods my face and my silver skirts are crumpled beneath me.

Friedrich laughs, leaning casually back on his hands.

"I'm glad this is amusing to you, Friedrich — being trapped together in the center of an icy tomb. Very hilarious."

His laughter increases. When I turn, there are tears roll down his cheeks.

"What's so funny?"

"You!"

"Friedrich, I'm serious. I don't know how to melt this thing. Can you. . . I don't know . . . do something?"

I fold my arms and glare at him until finally he shrugs. A ghost of a smile still plays on his lips.

"If you insist." He meets my eyes and touches the domed ice above him. "But there's something I think you should know first, Joy. Because we find ourselves in much worse a predicament than your little ice dome."

My heart sinks. "Really? What?"

"Well, despite my better judgement, it seems that I like you too"

I stare at him dumbfounded as the dome turns into snow and falls around us.