by penny watson
She thought she saw the hatchet spinning through the air, sparkling with intent, just as it buried itself in the Yeti’s forehead. But that couldn’t be possible.
“Damn you. Damn you. I told you to stay down. I was trying to keep you safe. Just hold on. We’re almost there.”
Sven’s arm hooked around her waist and dragged her to the gate. It was only a few more feet, but it felt like an eternity. She saw him remove a glove and grab onto an icy railing with his bare hand.
“Mach auf! Open up!”
Just as her vision finally dissolved, she saw their saviors. Rushing to the gate on the other side. Tiny and frantic, pulling open the enormous door, dragging them to safety.
Elves.
“That’s Andrea De Luca?” Nicholas peered down at Andi, now cradled in Sven’s arms, with a look of confusion on his face. “The reporter who’s been harassing you?”
“The reporter who’s been threatening you?” Wolf asked.
“The tabloid journalist who writes Yeti and Bigfoot stories?” Oskar added. “I finally Googled her and found quite a few interesting articles.”
Wolfgang’s forehead furrowed in concentration. “She’s the same woman from the gala. Are you saying the woman from the Children’s Literacy party is—”
Sven’s throat felt tight. “Yes. The woman I danced with at the fundraiser is also Andrea De Luca, the tabloid reporter who writes for The Scoop.”
Oskar whistled. “Jay-sus, Sven. Dad is going to kill you. Why the hell did you bring her here?”
Before Sven had time to reply, Hector rapped his cane on the floor. The leader of the elfin Council of Seven and chief healer for Glasdorf was suturing the gaping wound on Andi’s side.
“I need some room to work, please.” Hector pushed Sven’s arm out of the way so he could continue with Andi’s stitches. She hadn’t resumed consciousness since they were pulled inside the gates by a stunned group of elves. Within minutes of their unexpected arrival, his brothers had appeared at the Gatekeeper’s Cottage. So had Hector, prepared for an emergency.
Sven was shaking when the healer assured him Andi would be fine. In fact, Sven had been shaking since he’d glanced over his shoulder to see a second Yeti dragging her away. It had been surreal, like a blurry nightmare shrouded in snow. It was such an odd sensation, as though he’d been watching his future disappear as the beast hooked her. In that moment, he’d been struck by an all-encompassing desperation and need. Nothing would stop him from getting through the gate with Andi De Luca by his side.
Nothing.
She looked like she’d been through a war. Covered with ash and blood and bruises. His brave little warrior.
He obviously didn’t look much better judging by his brothers’ reaction to his appearance.
“I had no choice. She followed me after the party, sneaked onto my plane at JFK, and when we got to Barrows, the airport shut down. It was either leave her in a Category Four snowstorm to freeze to death or let her tag along.” He rubbed a hand along her arm, relieved to feel her skin finally warming up. “I had no choice,” he whispered.
“Meeting her at the fundraiser was a set-up?” Wolfgang asked.
Sven glanced at his brother and sighed. “Yes. She set me up. From the very beginning.”
“Damn. You don’t seem…um…too perturbed with her right now.” Oskar raised an eyebrow as Sven kissed her knuckles.
Sven smiled. “We’ve come to an understanding.”
“Does that understanding imply complete discretion about the existence of Glasdorf?” Nicholas asked.
“We haven’t gotten that far. But we will.” Sven tried to reassure his brother. “I trust her, Nick. She saved my life in the tunnel. The frost flowers attacked.”
Nicholas blanched. “We had no idea you were heading home. We thought you were staying in Manhattan to find—” He glanced down at Andi, still quiet and unresponsive in Sven’s arms. “Well, her. We would have turned off all the safeguards if we’d known you were headed back home the “old-skool” way.”
Wolf shook his head. “I don’t understand. Why didn’t you just use your sleigh to come home?”
That caught Sven’s attention. “Because the magik sleigh wasn’t working. How did you get home so fast?”
“My sleigh was working. Only took me thirty minutes to get home.” Oskar placed a thick blanket over Sven’s shoulders.
“Our sleigh was fine, too. Lucy and I were anxious to get Noelle to bed in her own crib, so we rushed back,” Nicholas said.
Sven’s jaw clenched. “Ulrich told me the sleigh was out-of-order. You mean I risked her life—both of our lives—for nothing? The magik was working?” Sven pounded his fist on the ground.
Hector tied off the final stitch. “It was out for you.”
Sven stilled. He looked at the healer as a spike of anger rippled through him. He answered very quietly. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Hector shrugged.
Sven raised his voice. “What, Hector? Out for me? Not everyone else? Was there any particular reason I had to risk my life to get here? And hers? She didn’t deserve this.”
Hector stood up to his full, three-foot height. His wispy gray hair was pulled back in a long braid that exposed his pointed ears and a face creased with wrinkles. The Healer took his walking stick and leaned over it for support.
“I can’t answer for the magik in Glasdorf. I don’t know why things happen the way they do. All I can say is…it was meant to be. You’re both here now. She’ll be fine. But I’m wondering what prompted you to bring home a woman who poses such an enormous threat to our entire way of life? Our very existence?”
Disappointing Hector was almost as bad as disappointing Santa. Sven took a deep breath.
“I didn’t have a choice.”
“We all have a choice.” Hector narrowed his eyes at Sven and then hobbled away. He looked over his shoulder one last time. “I will contact you when the council decides on a time for the Tag der Rache.” He slammed the door as he exited the Gatekeeper’s Cottage.
“Shit. Well that sucks.” Oskar shook his head. “Sorry about that, Sven. It’s gonna be bad.”
“I know. I was expecting it.” He smoothed a strand of hair from Andi’s slumbering face. “Where is Greg? He never answered my texts before I left. Is he with Hannah?”
“Did the sister know? About her plan?” Wolf asked quietly.
“No. Hannah seems like an innocent bystander. What is going on with her and Gregor? Where are they?”
“According to Greg, he’s busy in Manhattan, and he said Hannah is safe. I’m not sure why your texts and calls weren’t working. But something tells me elfin interference might have something to do with it.” Nicholas stood. “I have to get back to Lucy and Noelle. If you need anything—anything at all—call us right away.”
Sven nodded. “I will.” He felt something tug on his sleeve and realized Andi was regaining consciousness. “Hey, honey, wake up. Everything’s okay. We made it.”
Her eyelids fluttered. “Yeti didn’t make us deady?” she croaked.
Sven laughed. “No. We are both alive and kicking.”
She cracked open one eye. “Has Yeti ever made anyone deady? I find it hard to believe giant snowmonsters are running around Alaska and no one has ever been hurt.”
“They rarely venture far from the gates, and no other humans can find us. Their roars are so intimidating, it scares off explorers right away. They probably think it’s a polar bear den.”
Andi struggled to sit up.
“We’re in Glasdorf?”
“Yes.”
Sven propped her up gently. She winced and clutched the bandage on her side. When she realized the Klaus brothers were staring at her, she flashed her brightest fake smile. Sven squeezed her hand.
“So am I finally getting a tour or what?”
Oh, sweet irony.
Andi’s number one claim-to-fame, “YETI WILL MAKE YOU DEADY”, had almost made her deady. For real. Alth
ough she’d spent years fabricating stories about the abominable snowmonster, he wasn’t make-believe after all. If her body weren’t throbbing in pain, she would have laughed out loud. But then she might bust the sutures out of her side—the ones a real live elf had stitched, according to Sven.
She felt like she’d been run over by a truck. Her incision throbbed, her blisters stung, and a killer headache hammered her skull. But she was still alive, thanks to Sven Klaus. He’d fought for her. Battled the beast, dragged her to safety. He could have chosen to leave her there, to save his own hide and protect his secret. But he hadn’t. No one had ever made such sacrifices for her. Andi was used to slaying the beast for everyone else—for her family, at work. It was odd to have another person protecting her for a change. Unsettling.
She tamped down her conflicted emotions about Sven. Nothing could squash her excitement about this moment. She’d survived lunatic plants and a Yeti attack. And it was all worth it. Because at this very instant, she was on a sleigh racing through a magical town in the North Pole.
Glasdorf.
And it had elves!
Real elves!
If her boss could see her now, she would so be getting a raise!
The frosty cold air smelled like a cinnamon stick. Stars twinkled above in the inky black sky. Sven tightened his arms around her and whispered in her ear, “We’ll be back to my place soon. You can get a hot shower and rest.”
She snuggled into his side but avoided eye contact. She refused to feel guilty. She’d been through hell and back—and barely survived—for a shot at this story. Groundbreaking story. The elves waved cheerily at them as the sleigh glided through the icy streets. They were so damned sweet and accommodating. It would be like taking candy from a baby. They offered them mugs of hot chocolate, freshly baked cookies, and homemade gifts. Some elves were short and plump. Some were scrawny and thin. They were dressed in jumpers and woolen coats, long tasseled hats and scarves, and even the pointy shoes. With the bells! The photo opportunities were fantastic.
“That’s my brother’s bakery—Klaus Küche. We’ll stop by later. You’ll love it.”
Andi strained her neck to get a glimpse of the bakery. Peppermint-striped awnings framed enormous windows frosted with snowflakes. Inside she saw hundreds of elves hustling about. There were baskets filled with candy canes, boxes filled with cookies, cakes and pies and gingerbread.
It was a diabetic coma waiting to happen.
Christmas Cheer or Diabetic Threat?
Elves Crushed By Immense Holiday Orders!
Depression In The North Pole…Not So Ho Ho Ho!
“When do we get to see the toyshop? I want to see where you work. I want to see where all the special Klaus toys are created.”
Sven laughed. “We’ll get there, I promise. I need to check in with Ulrich anyway. But first things first. You need some R-and-R after our…adventure.”
She rolled her eyes with frustration. “You know, I’m not some wilting flower, Sven. I really don’t need to be pampered. If we could just do the tour now—”
“There’s Dag’s place. Rowdiest bar in Glasdorf.” Sven pointed out an extremely noisy establishment with neon signs and the blaring sounds of ZZ Top spilling from the front door.
“A bar? In the North Pole? Oh, that is the best! Can we add that onto my tour, please?”
The dirty underbelly of life with Santa? Alcoholism? Gambling? This was just too good to be true!
Forced Perkiness Turned Me To Booze
Santa’s A Slave-Driver!
Secret Eggnog Recipe Cures All
There was too much potential material here. Andi felt positively giddy. After this big break, she could retire from tabloid reporting. Get a real job in journalism, finish her book of poetry. It was the opportunity of a lifetime, the chance she’d been waiting for.
She tugged on Sven’s jacket. “How much longer until we get to your place?”
“Almost there. I just have one stop along the way. Shouldn’t take long.”
The sleigh turned off the main street and continued through a residential area for several blocks. The elfin cottages were ridiculously charming. They looked like miniature gingerbread houses, in all the colors of the rainbow. With puffing chimneys, garlands of greens, strands of twinkling lights adorning their front doors. Every house had evergreen trees dusted with snow and myriad ornaments.
But the details that really caught her attention were the touching tableaus she viewed through the windows. The elf families were busy with their lives. Real lives, not cartoons. She saw mothers baking with their children, fathers helping their kids with homework, and little ones playing with malamute puppies. Outside, elves shoveled snow and hung wreaths on their front doors. Through the icy pane of one window she saw two little sisters snuggled on a sofa, reading together. And a bittersweet memory of her and Hannah washed over her. They’d been just like that…two peas in a pod.
She swallowed nervously and tried to shake the memory.
Focus on the story.
“We’re here.” Sven parked the sleigh in front of a lovely green cottage. “I want to check in with Dietmar. I delivered some toys for him recently and I need his feedback.”
“The dreaded day job, huh?”
“Actually, no. This is the only part of toy design I still enjoy. The innovative part, where I get to work on new projects. It’s the same old-same old that’s driving me nuts.”
“Well, I’m happy to tag along if you’re sure it’s okay. I’m a stranger here.” She grabbed his hand and jumped onto the cobblestone path.
“Of course. You’re a friend of mine. And elves are extremely welcoming and generous, if you haven’t noticed.”
“I noticed. That perky thing must be genetic, huh?”
Sven laughed. “They are naturally kind, for the most part. This is a big change from Manhattan, isn’t it?”
“Why? Because the elves aren’t picking my pockets, running me over with a taxi, or screaming about the end of the earth?” Andi raised a brow. “There is plenty of magic in Manhattan, too. You just have to look for it. It’s there.”
Sven stepped closer to her and tightened the scarf around her neck. “I agree. It is there. I see it everyday. I think you’re a more optimistic person than you realize, Andi De Luca.”
She froze. “Don’t kid yourself. I’m as optimistic as the crazy guy on the street corner screaming Prepare for the end of the world!”
“I don’t think so.”
She grumbled under her breath, and Sven answered with a quick kiss.
He pointed to a brass button on the front of the cottage. “Try it. See what happens.”
She depressed the button, and a charming rendition of “Carol of the Bells” greeted them.
“That is awesome! Do all the elves have that?”
“Not all. But every house has something—lights, music, magik. Offering a warm welcome is an important part of elfin life.”
An old woman opened the door and clapped her hands together. “Sven! It is so nice to see you. Please come in. Dietmar will be overjoyed.”
He leaned down and gave her a hug. “Danke, Natascha.”
“Bitte.”
The elderly elf ushered them into her home. It was chachki heaven. The cottage was filled to the rafters with bric-a-brac—on every shelf, table, and wall. All Christmas-themed of course. In a funny way, it was almost a hipster, kitschy version of Santa Land. Andi sort of liked it. Scented candles were lit on the mantel, and Christmas music played softly in the background.
Sven took off his hat as he entered the living room. “Natascha and Dietmar, this is Andi, a friend of mine from the Sudenwelt.”
“Very nice to meet you, ja. Would you like a mug of cocoa, or perhaps some hot apple cider? I have cookies, too!” Natascha clutched Andi’s hands in greeting.
“Oh, no thank you. The elves at the Gatekeeper’s Cottage already stuffed me with gingerbread and hot chocolate.”
Natascha nodded. “Fr
om Klaus Küche? Nicholas’s bakery is so very delicious.”
“My favorites are the gingerbread men!” A little voice piped up from the corner of the room. Andi realized a young boy was seated behind a table covered with toys. The tiny elf touched them reverently, smelled them, and then shook them next to his ear. But his eyes were focused across the room. Unseeing.
He was blind.
“Sven! You’re here!”
Sven hugged the freckle-faced boy. “How is our project coming along? I was hoping to get your top choices into production for this Christmas.”
Dietmar smiled. “I love these toys, Sven. I have chosen my favorites. I can’t wait to share them with my friends.”
Sven beckoned Andi to the table. “Come check these out. Didi and I have been designing toys for visually-impaired children, focusing on other senses, like smell, touch, and hearing. This little guy is brilliant.” He patted him on the back.
She sat at the miniature table, feeling awkward and out-of-place. “I don’t want to interfere with your discussion. Really—”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You have two nephews. You’re a great judge of toy effectiveness.” Sven winked at her.
Dietmar’s hand crawled along the table until he found Andi’s arm. He squeezed it encouragingly and pushed a toy in front of her. “This is one of my favorites. What do you think?”
Sven whispered to her, “Close your eyes and experience the toy. Use your other senses.”
She closed her eyes. This is surreal. I’m sitting in an elf cottage in the North Pole, inspecting toys. She lifted the item in her hands. The wood was polished so smooth, it felt like satin under her fingertips.
“How does it feel?” Dietmar asked.
“Wonderful. Silky.”
She turned the pipe-like piece of wood over and touched the back part. “And this feels wavy, like ripples in the sand, next to the ocean.”
Dietmar laughed. “Ja! I know. Someday I would like to visit the sea.”
As Andi tipped the pipe, it produced a tinkling sound as sand-like particles flowed through the wood. “This sounds like waves. It’s incredible!”
Sven whispered in her ear again. “That was Dietmar’s idea. Keep your eyes closed. Now smell the toy.”
