I smiled as I looked at the new creation before me and felt a sense of rightness fill me. I went to step toward the tree, but the moment I did, I felt dizzy. I’d used more magic than I thought possible, and it was catching up with me.
I swayed on my feet for several seconds before collapsing to the ground in a heap. The last thing I saw as I started to black out was the way the moonlight highlighted the top of the tiny tree, casting a soft glow over it as though the moon itself welcomed the new life.
Chapter Twenty-One
I woke to the feeling of light water droplets slapping gently against my cheek. I groaned and wiped away the cold water that was pooling on my face as I opened my eyes. My vision was blurry at first, but as I blinked my grogginess away, I saw Tomi standing over me with a small bucket of water in his hands that was tipped precariously over my face.
“Finally,” he said. “I thought you’d never wake up.”
He jumped away, and I groaned as I pushed myself to sit up. My body felt heavy and unresponsive. I pushed my exhaustion to the back of my mind though when I sat up and looked around the room I was in. I was no longer in the palace courtyard where I’d passed out. I was in a bedroom that was entirely unfamiliar. Muted light crept in through an open window on the far wall, and luxurious furniture was placed neatly around the room. Even the bedding was made from fine red silk and felt soft to the touch.
“You didn’t die,” Tomi stated bluntly. He almost sounded disappointed.
“Tomi, where are we?” I asked, deciding to ignore his comment as I was still looking around the room in shock. Everything in it looked so new, and there wasn’t so much as a speck of dirt on the wooden floor. The large sandstone bricks that made up the walls were a familiar shade of yellow-white, but I was still quite groggy and wasn’t sure where I’d seen them before.
“We’re in the Dead Lands palace,” he replied.
The moment he said the words, worry made my heart race, and memories started to crash through my dazed mind. I tried to push myself out of bed. “What happened to Dash? The battle? Is everyone okay? We need to go help them…”
“Glad to hear you’re so concerned,” someone said from the doorway. I spun around to find Dash leaning against the doorframe. I didn’t hesitate as I raced across the room and flung myself into his arms.
He pulled me tightly into his chest and wrapped me up in the firmest of hugs. It was such a relief to draw in a breath and be enveloped in his woodsy scent. The smell of his magic was stronger too, and I was hit by the unique fragrance of snow and cinnamon in a way I’d never experienced before.
“I’ve been so worried,” he murmured into my hair. “You’ve been asleep for days.”
“Days?” I repeated, pulling out of his embrace.
He nodded. “We were beginning to worry you wouldn’t wake up again, but you started stirring early this morning.”
I shook my head, disbelief coursing through me. I knew I’d used a lot of magic in my fight with Belsnickel, but I hadn’t realized I’d been so thoroughly depleted that I nearly died. I thought most of the power had come from Sage’s heart, but I guess a lot of it must have come from me too.
“What happened in the battle?” I asked.
Dash blew out a long breath and shook his head as a hint of sadness entered his gaze. “It was like the dark beings were possessed,” he muttered. “They were relentless and almost impossible to put down. Even though the light beings were far better trained for battle, we struggled to get an advantage. But then suddenly, during the heat of the battle, Belsnickel’s dark green magic started rising up off of all the dark beings we were fighting. It swirled out of their bodies before disappearing into thin air, and a whole battlefield of creatures froze in front of us. Almost immediately, the dark beings all either fled or surrendered. It must have been when you defeated Belsnickel. They were under his persuasion, and it seemed none of them really wanted to fight.”
My heart skipped a beat at the mention of Belsnickel. “Did you see what I did to him?” I whispered.
Dash’s eyes grew serious as he nodded. “I don’t know how you did it, but yes. Tomi found us and brought us straight here after the battle. When we got here, you were lying right by the tree, and we could all sense the magic within it.” He shook his head though. “Belsnickel’s magic didn’t smell the same as it did in Incarceror.”
“That’s because I combined his life force with the mother’s to create something new. I couldn’t kill him…”
Dash pulled me into another warm hug. “You did the right thing.”
I nodded against his chest, trying to push down tears I could feel welling in my eyes. I was overwhelmed by everything that had happened and my exhaustion seemed to be striking me anew.
“Come on,” Dash said, pulling out of the hug and taking me by the hand. “There are some very worried people who want to see you.”
I allowed Dash to lead me from the room. The palace was quiet, and the only sounds I could hear were our breaths and footsteps as we walked down a long corridor. I could hear the soft patter of footsteps behind me too and knew that Tomi was following.
I glanced over my shoulder, and he shot me a glare as we made eye contact.
“He’s been especially worried about you,” Dash murmured to me when I turned back around. “He didn’t leave your bedside for one minute while you slept.”
“This is Tomi we’re talking about, right?” I said, disbelief coloring the tone of my voice.
Dash nodded. “I think he likes you a whole lot more than he’ll ever admit.”
A warm sensation filled my heart. I didn’t like that I’d made Tomi so worried, but it meant more to me than Dash would ever realize that my tomten had stayed by my side.
We emerged from the passage through a large archway that led onto the courtyard where I’d faced off against Belsnickel. The small Christmas sapling stood off to one side of the open space, and even at a distance, I could see the threads of Sage’s colored magic dancing around the small trunk. A tiny part of it glowed with the deep green color of Belsnickel’s magic, but the way it intermingled with Sage’s put me at ease. A small part of him was still here, but he was now so thoroughly bound with his mother that they had become a whole new entity, and I knew he would never be a threat again.
I had thought I’d be sad or upset to see what I had done to the god, but if anything, the sight of the small budding tree filled me with hope. Seeing the way Sage’s magic lit up the sapling made me feel like Adara had been right: Sage wasn’t gone after all. She’d become one with Belsnickel and had found new life in my creation.
I barely had time to take it all in before a body slammed into mine, and delicate arms wrapped around me. I turned around and smiled when I realized Melody was squeezing me in a tight hug. The embrace stopped nearly as quickly as it started, and she gave me a firm slap on the arm.
“Are you crazy?” she yelled. Her eyes were wide and her normal calm demeanor was nowhere to be seen. “You took on a god by yourself and didn’t tell any of us! We could have helped you!”
“I wish I’d had another choice, trust me, but it was something I had to do alone,” I replied. “I’m sorry for worrying you though.”
“Yeah, well, you should be sorry,” Melody replied before her expression finally softened and she let out a smile. “I’m just happy you’re okay.”
“I’m happy you’re okay too.” I was grateful to be alive, but also so relieved that Melody hadn’t been hurt in her own battle. I wasn’t the only one who’d acted crazy; she too had risked her life in the war that was fought.
The other reindeer in Dash’s herd made their way over as we spoke. I could see looks of worry in their eyes, but there was also pride in their gazes as they took me in.
“You gave us all quite a scare. I’m glad you’re up and moving again,” Coop said. I focused on him and found a huge black scar running down one of his arms and a thick bandage around one of his legs. The wounds had to be from the battle. He must have been pr
etty badly injured if he hadn’t recovered already.
“Me too,” Vixen added, as she came to stand at Coop’s side. I was surprised by how much she seemed to mean it. She was actually smiling warmly at me, which was just unnatural. I hoped she didn’t make it a regular thing, because I didn’t know how to handle a smiling Vixen. I really hoped her usual taunts would return soon.
Alfie popped into existence right next to her. His ghostly figure was barely transparent, and he was just as discernable as he was at Christmas time, which shocked me. “I nearly died with worry,” he said, making me laugh.
“He’s not joking, the ghost clearly needed a sedative,” Blitz said before scooping me up in a hug. “That was badass though. Who would have thought such a small claus could defeat a god?”
“Well, I had a little help,” I murmured as he let me go.
They all looked at me with confusion in their eyes, but then Jack stepped forward with a knowing smile. He too looked bruised and battered from the battle. There was a long, deep blue scar running down his cheek, and he stepped forward gingerly as if he was trying not to put weight on one of his legs.
“She had the one weapon that could kill a god: the mother’s heart,” he said, his eyes boring into mine.
I shook my head at him. “How do you know that?”
“Frosts just know these things.”
“He asked me,” Tomi grunted. “I told him.”
“That too,” Jack added. “I suspected you were up to something, but I certainly didn’t expect this.” He waved toward the sapling across the courtyard. “You’re nothing if not original.”
“Yeah, I’ve been told that before,” I grumbled before shaking my head. “So, what’s been happening?” I asked, not so subtly changing the conversation.
“The queens of the two magical realms have been in treaty talks here in the palace,” Dash replied. “They’ve been discussing an arrangement whereby light and dark beings will stay in their respective realms, but in the interests of a continuing relationship of peace, the Dead Lands will be a place where both kinds of beings can reside.”
“They’re thinking of calling it the New Realm,” Melody added.
“Has a nice ring to it,” I said, but I wondered how well it would go. Light beings and dark beings had centuries of bad blood between them. If the two queens could agree on a treaty though, then maybe our old feuds could be put aside.
“They’re still in discussions, and it could be months before anything’s agreed upon,” Coop said. “They’ve returned to their own realms for now, but they will meet again to continue negotiations soon.”
“We’ve been waiting here for you to recover,” Melody added. “But since you’re awake now, I think we can go home.”
I smiled at the mention of home. As I imagined it though, the thought of my cold empty apartment flickered through my mind, and it no longer seemed quite right. I’d been happy in Bramblewood, but returning there before the battle made me realize that it no longer felt like somewhere I belonged. Staring at the group surrounding me, I realized that my new friends had come to feel far more like home than any place I’d ever lived.
Dash reached out and took my hand warmly in his own; he gave it a squeeze like he could see the sudden dilemma I was experiencing even though I hadn’t said a word. “You can come stay with me, if you like.”
My heart swelled at the idea, but I slowly shook my head as a small smile pulled at my lips. “I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to take me on at least one date before you ask me to come live with you.”
Dash chuckled. “I think that can be arranged.”
A throat cleared behind me, and I glanced down at Tomi, who was standing there giving me a pointed look. “I better not have to come on the date too,” he grumbled, making me laugh.
“Me neither,” Melody added. “You realize we’re all a package deal, right?”
“Of course.” Dash was smiling as he nodded, but his eyes were focused entirely on me. “So, how about it?”
“I’m not sure,” I replied, tapping my fingers against my lips. “Moving in together is a pretty big deal. Plus, I’m not certain if we should date. I’m fielding a lot of offers right now.”
Dash started to growl, but I reached up and brushed my lips against his. “But, I’ve thought about it, and it’s a yes to both.”
Dash didn’t hesitate as he pulled me in for a strong kiss. I could feel him smiling against my lips, and I knew that we were already well past first date territory.
“Want to go right now?” he asked. “I figure we get this first date nonsense over with, and then we can shack up and live happily ever after.”
I laughed and pushed back from him. “You get points for eagerness,” I said. “But how about I get my life a little more in order before we rush off on our date?”
“Fine. But be quick about it,” he said.
I laughed and started to walk away from him.
“Where are you going?” he called after me.
“You told me to be quick, so I’m getting my life in order,” I called back.
“I’m really sorry, Sam, but I have to quit.” The Rusty Gate was surprisingly empty for the afternoon. Even the lunch crowd had thinned out, leaving Sam with little to do as he stood behind the bar.
He frowned at me in reply. “You don’t need to quit; I already told you I fired you.” It would have been easier to take him seriously if he wasn’t wearing a pair of the light-up reindeer antlers he’d once forced me to wear.
I shrugged. “I think we both know you didn’t,” I said, which only brought a frustrated sigh out of him. “Anyway, I just thought I should let you know that I sorted everything out with my family, so I’m going to be moving home. But I really enjoyed our time together.”
“You were only working here for a few weeks, Clio,” he said.
“It was a fun few weeks.”
He laughed and nodded. “It was,” he agreed. “I don’t think you’re quite cut out for bartending though.”
“No, probably not,” I agreed, making him chuckle again.
“So, where’s home?” he asked.
“It’s pretty far from here. A small place in the middle of nowhere that you probably wouldn’t have heard of,” I said. “But Melody is coming with me, so I guess I’m handing in her notice as well.”
Sam shook his head at me. “I think this place is going to be very quiet without you,” he said.
“Yeah, don’t miss me too much,” I replied.
I leaned over the bar and gave him a kiss on the cheek before nabbing the reindeer antlers off his head. “Mind if I take these?” I asked. “I happen to have a date tonight, and I’m pretty certain the guy I’m going out with is a fan.”
He laughed and nodded his head. “Go for it.”
I smiled and turned to leave the bar. I was sad to say goodbye to Sam, but I felt at peace leaving my old life behind because I knew I was making the right choice. I was returning to the place I belonged—to the people that had become my family.
“I thought you didn’t like Christmas,” Sam called to me as I reached the front door.
“It’s growing on me,” I replied before I turned and walked out of the bar.
The End
Thank you so much for reading the Christmas Magic series! It was such a fun series to write and I hope you enjoyed it!
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Also by Alexandra Moody
Christmas Magic Series
Christmas Magic
Christmas Chaos
Christmas Curse
The Liftsal Guardians Series
The Liftsal Guardians
The Brakys�
� Lair
The Oblivion Stone
The Rift War
The ARC series
Tainted
Talented
Fractured
Destined
Stand-alone books
The Wrong Bachelor
About the Author
ALEXANDRA MOODY is an Australian author. She studied Law and Commerce in her hometown, Adelaide, before going on to spend several years living abroad in Canada and the UK. She is a serious dog-lover, avid snowboarder and has a love/hate relationship with the gym.
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Christmas Curse (Christmas Magic Book 3) Page 21