I shot Jack a scowl before I focused on Dash. “Jack has some crazy idea that I’m part claus and part god.” I whispered the last bit because even saying it aloud felt ludicrous. I knew I was different, but I wasn’t that different. There had to be another explanation.
I clenched my teeth as I waited for Dash’s reaction. I thought that maybe he’d chuckle at the ridiculous claim, but instead, his eyes turned serious.
My shoulders slumped as I took in his reaction. “Why aren’t you laughing?”
“Because I’m thinking,” he said before focusing on Jack. “Is that even possible?”
Jack nodded. “There have been children of gods before. Though none in any recent times.”
“And what makes you think Clio is one?” Dash asked.
“Many things,” Jack replied. “Her magic remains strong outside the Christmas season, and it has a unique scent to it that I’ve only ever experienced with godly magic. But the main thing is her power to create. She created an antidote that shouldn’t exist, and that ice shield on the wall earlier certainly wasn’t something she summoned. She created it. That is a magic only gods have.”
Dash’s eyes grew increasingly thoughtful as he listened to Jack. “You’re right, it didn’t feel like they were summoned.”
“That doesn’t mean I’m part god,” I objected. “There are any number of other reasons that could explain why I’m somewhat unique.”
“Oh really?” Jack said.
“Yes, really.”
“Then give me one.” He waved a hand at me as if to indicate I had the floor to speak.
I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came. The truth was that I didn’t have another logical explanation. All my life I’d simply accepted that I was different. I hadn’t ever thought too hard about the reasons behind it—not until recently, at least. I didn’t like being railroaded into accepting whatever Jack was suggesting though. Just because he thought it was the truth, that didn’t mean it was.
“I don’t have another explanation yet,” I finally said. “But that doesn’t mean another one doesn’t exist.”
Jack shook his head at me like he thought I was being foolish, but Dash gave me an encouraging smile. “We’ll figure it out,” he said.
“But, in the meantime, could you please use your ‘non-godly’ powers of creation to make us a sleigh point where we need one?” Jack asked.
I scowled at Jack, not appreciating his attitude. “Any time I’ve created something, it’s been an accident,” I said. “I wouldn’t know how to create a sleigh point. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”
“I’m sure it’s not that difficult,” Jack said.
“Says the frost who thought he could cover the entire Northern Realm in snow and ended up nearly dying because of it,” I replied.
“It might be worth a try,” Dash said before Jack could argue back at me. “We’ll be able to get to the queen much quicker, and none of us would be risking our lives in the battle that’s going on in the North Pole.”
“But what if it doesn’t work?” I asked.
“I saw what you did with that cure for Roan, Clio,” Dash replied. “You weren’t sure what you were trying to do then, but you somehow managed to create it, and it worked. I know you can make this work too. I believe in you.”
I stared deeply into his eyes, and I could see his words reiterated in his gaze. It left me speechless that he could have so much faith in me and believe in me so completely. When we first met, Dash never would have suggested that I come to the South Pole with him to meet with the dark queen, and yet something must have changed because now he never seemed to doubt me. Now, he asked me to be at his side when he needed help.
“And if you mess up, it’s not like we’ll be hurt,” Jack added. My gaze suddenly dropped away from Dash’s as I realized I’d been staring into his eyes for a few seconds too long. I blushed as I focused on Jack, hoping he hadn’t noticed the way Dash and I had been looking at each other.
“I’m pretty sure the worst thing that could happen is that we’ll all just stay here or end up in the wrong place,” Jack continued, apparently completely oblivious that Dash and I had been having a moment. “It’s not like we’ll end up lost forever in the sleigh line.”
“Please don’t say stuff like that, it’s not funny,” I replied.
“And also not possible. No one’s ever been lost in a sleigh line before,” Dash added, glaring at Jack in an effort to stop him from teasing me.
“Anything’s possible,” Jack replied. “But here’s hoping it won’t happen.”
He wasn’t exactly giving me the confidence I needed to attempt his plan.
“Don’t worry about Jack’s crazy theories,” Dash said. “We’ll be fine.”
“Stuck in a sleigh line for all eternity doesn’t sound fine,” I muttered.
“There are worse things that could happen,” Jack replied. “And besides, this will be a good way to prove once and for all if you have the power of creation.”
I could think of several, easier, less deadly ways to test the theory. But, if I managed to pull this off, we would be able to get to Queen Ciana faster, and it would help us avoid the battle raging in the North Pole. “Okay, you guys win,” I conceded. “Let’s do this.”
Jack grinned and clapped his hands together, while Dash smiled at me and nodded. I shook my head at the two of them. I wasn’t sure where they gained such confidence in my powers, but I really wished I shared some of it.
I stepped into the sleigh point, feeling the light buzz of power brush against my skin as I entered it. The scent of peppermint magic wafted around me, and I took a deep breath in to calm myself. I closed my eyes as Dash and Jack both placed a hand on my shoulder and allowed my magic to flow to my fingertips.
Normally, when I used a sleigh line, the process involved channeling the power of the line through me rather than using any of my own magic, but I didn’t think that would work this time. I could feel my own magic intermingling with the sleigh line’s power. They seemed to flow easily together, and it felt as natural as breathing.
In my mind’s eye, I pictured the vast castle and the water fountain in front of it that Jack had frozen over when we had last been there. I visualized the way the icicles had solidified mid-motion and how the tiny stone fairies at the center of the fountain had become frosted over. I painstakingly built the picture up in my mind and then began to direct my own magic toward it.
As my magic started to flow from my hands, I heard a loud banging sound behind me, jerking me out of the trance I was in. The picture I’d built scrambled, and my eyes blinked open as I spun around. It was just an old krampus throwing several bags of trash into the can outside the backdoor of his house.
“Ignore him, just keep focusing,” Dash said.
I nodded and blanked out the noise as I closed my eyes once more and attempted to refocus. I started rebuilding the picture of the Northern Realm castle in my mind again, but it was far more difficult this time. My heart was still racing after the shock I’d experienced from the sudden burst of noise. Dash gave a tight squeeze of my shoulder though, and I took a deep breath in as I started to feel calm once more.
Once the picture was clear in my thoughts again, I focused on how desperately we needed a sleigh point outside the castle and started to draw on my powers. A feeling of lightness and joy rushed through me as my magic began to combine with the power of the sleigh point. The two threads seemed to weave together in an intricate dance as they spun around me before they finally clashed together and burst outward, rippling down the invisible sleigh line toward the Northern Realm castle.
My body sagged with exhaustion after such a big release of power. It felt like I’d accomplished the task, but there was only one way to find out for sure. I needed to try to transport us to the new sleigh point. That was if it was even there.
I fixated on the water fountain once more, only this time I imagined Dash, Jack, and myself traveling there. Nerves rushed thr
ough me as I felt the familiar pull of the sleigh line. Cold immediately enveloped me, and sparks of energy zapped against my skin. The sensation only lasted a brief second before I was jerked out of the cold and thrust back into the real world.
I was too scared to look and find out where we’d arrived though. And I only opened my eyes again when I felt someone shaking my shoulder.
“You did it, Clio!” Dash shouted.
I looked up at him, bewildered. He was grinning broadly at me, and there was a hint of pride in his eyes. Beyond him, the tents that covered the castle grounds stood just as I remembered them. I then spun around to take in the frozen fountain I’d imagined. The scent of peppermint filled the air around us, and I looked down at my hands as I started to realize what I’d just achieved.
“I created a sleigh point,” I whispered. I didn’t know whether to feel terrified or proud about it though. Right now, there was mostly fear pulsing through me. I didn’t understand these new powers I was exploring. They felt foreign to me, and the feats I could achieve with them scared me a little.
The sound of shouting pulled me from my daze, and I looked up to find the two guards Jack had frozen earlier yelling at us from the castle entrance. Thankfully, they were no longer icy statues, but they didn’t look happy to see us appearing so suddenly on the castle grounds.
They didn’t seem to realize who we were at first, but the moment their eyes landed on Jack, they cowered and ran inside—probably to get reinforcements. Jack didn’t seem to notice them though as he was still focused on the sleigh point I’d created.
“Huh, I really wasn’t sure you’d be able to do that,” he said, finally turning toward me.
“You were the one who told me to do it in the first place!”
He shrugged. “I didn’t want to go through all that fighting again, and this seemed quicker and easier.”
I punched him in the shoulder. “What is wrong with you?”
“You’re not the first person to ask me that,” he replied.
“I could have really hurt us!”
“Clio, it’s fine,” Dash said. “We all got here safely.”
“Plus, we learned that I was right,” Jack said, his lips curving up in a proud smile. “You have a god’s powers running through you. Only a god or a young one could accomplish what you just did.”
He was looking at me like he’d just announced I’d won the lottery. I didn’t feel like a winner though, and his words made me feel like throwing up. I just wished he’d stop trying to tell me I had a god for a parent. It made me question everything I knew about myself and made me feel like my whole life had been a lie. My mother had always been so protective of my powers. Was this why? And if so, why would she keep such a huge secret from me?
They were questions I didn’t feel ready to have answered.
“It doesn’t prove anything,” I murmured, trying to push my confusion from my mind.
“I guess the question we all want to know is: which god is your father?” Jack continued, ignoring me.
I opened my mouth to tell Jack to stop, but then his question seemed to register in my mind. “What did you just say?” I asked, my voice suddenly quiet.
I swayed on my feet, and it wasn’t only because of the huge amount of magic I’d just used. Jack’s question legitimately rocked me to the core. Dash grabbed hold of my arm to support me, but I barely felt the contact.
“Well, one of the gods has to be your parent, and I’m just wondering who it is,” Jack said. “Here’s hoping it’s not Belsnickel. I’d hate to think what kind of father he’d make.”
“You think he could be my father?” I asked.
“Well, it’s either him or Bethalial. Although, I guess Belphia could be your mother, but that would mean your claus mother isn’t really your mother,” Jack continued. He really didn’t seem to understand that it was all too much information for me. I could barely process what he was saying.
“My mom was really my mother,” I ground out between gritted teeth.
“Jack, you’re not helping,” Dash warned.
“What?” Jack tried to protest, but then he looked at me and sighed apologetically. “You’re right,” he said. “I’m sure she is really your mom. There’s only a thirty percent chance she wasn’t.”
His attempted reassurance was hardly comforting. I was already struggling to come to terms with the idea that one of my parents might be a god. I couldn’t deal with the thought that the only parent I had ever know might not be my real mother.
“Can’t we just focus on the task at hand?” I asked.
“Right, the light queen,” Jack said, with a swift nod. “Yes, we should probably sort that out.” He turned and started up the stairs to the castle entrance. The guards from earlier had returned with reinforcements, but they all stood back as Jack approached. He waved to them as he passed, whistling merrily like he didn’t have a trouble in the world.
I shook my head, blowing out a long breath as I watched him go. “That frost really knows how to drop a bomb on you and walk away before it detonates, doesn’t he?” I said.
Dash nodded, his eyes filled with concern as he looked at me. “Don’t let him get to you. It doesn’t matter who your parents were, you’re still the same Clio.”
I smiled up at him gratefully. Dash was right. I was still the same person I was when I went to sleep last night. I just wished Jack hadn’t rattled me so much and placed so many doubts in my mind.
“It’s just hard to ignore what he says when there’s a chance it’s true,” I said. “I could be the child of a god, and Belsnickel really could be my father. Even what he said about my mother is possible.”
“We don’t know any of that for sure,” Dash said. “Just because you have these powers doesn’t prove anything. We’ll figure this all out eventually, but there’s no point in freaking out until you know the truth behind your magic for certain.”
I nodded though there was a torrent of doubt swirling through my gut. Jack had been able to predict exactly what my powers could do. He knew I was different from the moment he’d first seen me, and he’d always called me young one, just like the other children of the gods. I felt like he’d been telling me the truth even if I wanted to deny it.
“Look, once we get the Christmas star, we can try to uncover the truth behind your powers,” Dash said. “I’ll spend every moment of every day helping you, just please don’t let it unsettle you now. I need you with me.”
His eyes were so earnest, and I could see that he meant what he said, so I nodded. “Okay, we’ll focus on the star first.”
“Good.” Dash’s face relaxed as he gave me a smile. “Do you feel up to talking with Queen Ciana?”
I squared my shoulders at his question. “Of course.” I wasn’t going to let a little inner turmoil stop me from doing what we came here for. “We should probably get moving though. Jack really can’t be trusted on his own; I don’t care what the queen said about his past.”
Dash chuckled. “The frost is certainly unpredictable.”
“That’s an understatement,” I muttered.
We started up the steps toward the castle. As we walked back past the fountain, I glanced at the space next to it where the new sleigh point had been created. A soft shimmer of green magic with a tinge of gold hovered over the ground. It was so faint it was almost invisible, but it was definitely there.
I pushed down a shudder as I considered what I had done. If I could create a sleigh point, what else could I create? The thought both intrigued me and terrified me, and I wondered whether or not I wanted to know the true extent of my powers.
Chapter Nine
Jack had already made his way into the royal audience room and was standing before the king and queen. A host of armored guards surrounded him, but he didn’t seem the least bit deterred by them. If anything, they looked nervous to be so close to him.
“Why didn’t you tell us about the tattoo?” Jack asked. He sounded calm despite the tension in the room
, and his question was drawing some very confused looks from both the royals and the guards.
The queen frowned as her gaze darted between Jack and the king. “What are you talking about?” she asked.
“You don’t have to play dumb with me, Queen Ciana. We know how to find the star,” Jack said. “Just show us your tattoo.”
The queen looked more confused then ever, and her gaze flicked to the guards that circled Jack. “Guards, please leave us,” she commanded.
The armored men and women lowered their weapons and filed out of the audience room in one long line. Everyone was silent as we waited for them to leave, and it was only once the door closed behind the last guard that the queen spoke again.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Jack. I don’t have a tattoo.” Ciana’s blue eyes were wide and filled with concern.
“You must do,” Jack said. “The dark queen had a tattoo with the first half of the Christmas star’s coordinates, and she said you would have the second half of them. It should be on your inner arm.”
The queen pulled up the sleeves of her dress, but all that she revealed was the pale skin of her forearm. “I don’t have a tattoo,” she repeated.
We all fell silent at the queen’s revelation. It appeared she hadn’t been lying after all, and that could only mean one thing. “If you don’t have one, it means that you never inherited it,” I said. My words were soft and cautious as I wasn’t fully certain whether what I was saying was correct. “And according to the dark queen, the only way to inherit it is when your mother dies. Is your mother still alive?”
It felt strange asking the question, and my uncertainty was clear in my voice. The whole kingdom had mourned the death of Ciana’s mother when I was a child. But perhaps it wasn’t such an outlandish claim after seeing the way the dark queens had hidden themselves away in the Southern Realm for centuries.
The queen’s face paled. “My mother is dead,” she replied firmly.
Jack shook his head though. “See, that’s the thing. I agree with Clio. It’s the only explanation that makes sense.”
Christmas Curse (Christmas Magic Book 3) Page 8
