Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

NICK

T he sun hung low in the pale blue sky, its golden rays intensifying the glare as I finished strapping down the last of our supplies on the sleigh. My coat was bloodstained and torn, but it still held enough warmth to keep the chill at bay. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the map Helka had given us, the worn edges creasing under my fingers as I unfolded it.

Alva stood beside me, her cloak pulled tightly around her small frame, her hands resting on the reins of the snow dogs.

“Ready?” I asked.

She met my gaze, her blue eyes twinkling. “As ready as I can be.”

I snapped the reins, and the dogs lunged forward. The crisp morning air nipped at my face, but I barely noticed. My thoughts were tangled in everything that had happened—the fight with the leopards, Jack Frost’s cryptic warning, and the way Alva had stayed by my side, keeping me alive through the night. Her touch, her presence… I would’ve been lost without it .

The hours passed in silence, save for the rhythmic panting of the dogs and the crunch of snow beneath the sleigh. My mind drifted as the landscape stretched before us, glittering with frost and untouched snow. Despite the danger we faced, I couldn’t stop thinking about Alva. Her body pressed against mine the night before, her warmth pulling me back from the brink. How could I ever explain to my parents that she was the only one I wanted? The only one who’d ever made me feel like I was more than the title waiting to swallow me whole.

A distant sound brought me back to the present—the gentle murmur of running water. I pulled the reins, slowing the sleigh as we approached the edge of a stream. The dogs whined, eager for a rest, and I climbed down, scanning the area.

And then I saw him.

“Icebreaker,” I called, happy to see he was unscathed. My horse stood at the edge of the stream, his silvery mane glinting in the sunlight as he dipped his head to drink. He looked up at the sound of my voice, his ears twitching before he trotted toward me.

“You found us,” I said, running a hand along his neck. The steadiness of his presence felt like a gift, and I couldn’t help but smile.

Alva joined me, her own smile soft as she stroked Icebreaker’s flank. “Looks like someone missed you.”

I nodded, gripping his reins as I glanced at the mountain looming in the distance. “We’ll need him for the rest of the journey. The sleigh won’t be able to handle the terrain ahead.”

Unhooking the dogs from the sleigh, I ordered them to return to the village. With any luck, they wouldn’t encounter any more leopards. We packed what we could onto Icebreaker, securing the essentials before I helped Alva climb onto his back. She settled behind me, her arms wrapping around my waist, and I fought the shiver that ran down my spine. Her touch was a distraction I couldn’t afford, yet it was one I craved more than anything I’d ever wanted in my whole life.

As Icebreaker’s hooves trotted through the wooded hills, I couldn’t help but think about the conversation I needed to have with my parents. They’d have no choice but to accept Alva. There was nothing in the old magic that forbade an elf from becoming Mrs. Claus. And yet, the weight of their likely disapproval gnawed at me. Would they see what I saw? Her strength, her heart, her devotion to the realm?

Would they see that she was my heart?

By the time we reached the foot of the mountain, the afternoon sun had begun to wane, casting long shadows across the frozen landscape. The air grew thinner as we ascended, the snow deepening with each step Icebreaker took. Alva’s grip tightened around my waist, her warmth a small comfort against the deep chill.

“We should stop for the night,” I said, pulling Icebreaker to a halt. The mountain loomed above us, its peak hidden by swirling clouds. “We’ll make better progress in the morning.”

Alva nodded, and together we set up a small camp in a sheltered alcove. The fire crackled as the night deepened, stars winking into existence above us. Alva sat beside me as I stared at the map, tracing the route where it showed we’d find the Heart of Yule. All we could hope for now was that the Heart would find us worthy enough and reveal itself.

The sun barely peeked over the horizon when we broke camp. The first morning of winter was exceptionally frigid, and wind snapped at our skin like a whip. Alva’s cheeks were pink from the cold, her lips slightly chapped, but her eyes burned with the will to keep searching.

The weight of the day ahead settled over me like the chilled dew clinging to Icebreaker’s mane. “We have to be close,” I said, stopping my horse and pulling the map from my coat. “According to Helka’s directions, the artifact is said to be hidden in a grove near the summit. If we’re lucky, we’ll reach it before midday.”

Alva nodded, her breath puffing in the cold air. “Let’s hope luck is on our side.”

Icebreaker carried us higher, his hooves clicking against icy rock as the path became narrower and more treacherous. Alva leaned her head against my back, trying to seek some rest. I placed a hand over hers as we continued to trot upward toward the mountaintop.

The journey grew steeper as the sun climbed higher. The world around us seemed to hold its breath, the silence broken only by the occasional gust of wind.

Finally, the grove came into view.

It was unlike anything I’d ever seen. Ancient trees with trunks as wide as houses circled a clearing, their branches interwoven to create a canopy of twinkling icicles. The air shimmered with an ethereal light, as if the entire circle was protected by a translucent magical shield. In the center of the grove stood a pedestal of ice, carved with runes that seemed to pulse faintly with magic.

We dismounted, our boots leaving footprints on the snow as we crossed the magic threshold. It was like stepping through an icy membrane that caressed your skin with moist fingers. Alva looked up at me, a hand grazing her cheek. She must have felt the strange moisture on her skin as well.

With slow steps, we approached the pedestal. My breath sharpened when I saw what rested atop it. It was a crystal, roughly the size of a fist, glowing with a soft, golden light. Its facets refracted the sunlight, casting rainbows that danced across the snow. It pulsed like a heartbeat, each thrum resonating in my chest.

“This must be the Heart of Yule,” Alva said. “If it’s revealed itself to us, that means…”

As I reached out to touch it, a figure materialized before me, emerging from the shimmering light. It looked like a spirit from an ancient past, cloaked in robes that billowed even though there was no blowing wind inside this circle. Its eyes glimmered like molten gold. Its presence radiated both warmth and power, and I instinctively stepped back.

“You have come for the Heart of your realm,” the spirit said, its voice like chiming bells. “But it is not freely given.”

I glanced at Alva, then back at the spirit. “What sacrifice do you require?”

The spirit’s gaze swept over us. “The Heart of Yule is a relic of balance, a beacon of light to repel the darkness. To wield its power, it requires a sacrifice born of love and selflessness.”

Alva grabbed my hand. “We’re ready to do what is necessary for our realm.”

The spirit’s eyes softened as it looked at her. “Look upon the crystal and let your heart speak its truth in silence. If it accepts your sacrifice, then the relic will awaken.”

I swallowed hard, my thoughts racing. What could I possibly give that would be enough? I looked at Alva, her brows furrowed in contemplation, and an invisible tether tugged at my heart. She’d already given so much for this realm, for me. How could I expect her to give up more? But I knew if I tried to tell her to let this be my burden alone, she’d only argue me into submission.

The spirit extended its hand toward us. “Place your hands upon the Heart.”

Together, we stepped forward, our hands meeting over the warm, pulsing crystal. The moment my skin touched it, a surge of magic coursed through me—a burning, all-consuming light that drove out the cold and filled me with hope.

The Heart began to glow brighter, its light spreading outward in rippling waves. The grove itself seemed to come alive, the frost melting away to reveal vibrant greenery beneath.

“Take it to the heart of your village,” the spirit said, its voice fading as its form dissolved into light. “Only there can its full power be unleashed.”

We didn’t waste a moment. With the crystal cradled in my arms, we mounted Icebreaker and began the descent. The sky had begun to darken with an unnatural cluster of ashen clouds, and that sentient cold that had arrived with the snowstorm the previous night stretched its icy fingers across the land once more. I could only pray we weren’t too late.

The journey back to the Christmas Village was a blur of trees and snow. Icebreaker raced through the terrain, his breaths puffing in the air. I couldn’t have been more grateful for his magical stamina. Any other steed would have collapsed under the weight of our bodies by now.

By the time we arrived, the sky was pitch black, though it was only midday. The village square was silent, everyone still on lockdown. I practically leapt off my horse and helped Alva dismount. Together we carried the Heart to the center of the square, where this year’s Christmas tree stood, tall and proud, like a giant sentinel, lights shimmering despite the Frost Queen’s oppressive malice lurking in the shadows.

“Where do we place it?” Alva asked.

“I know just the spot…” I closed my eyes and summoned a drop of Odin’s magic, the magic that had lived in the veins of every Jólfaer who’d come before me. With a slight flick of my wrist, my magic carried the crystal to the top of the Christmas tree, where I rested it next to the star. The moment it touched the tree, a wave of magic erupted outward, a golden light that pierced through the dark clouds, disintegrating them on impact, allowing the sun to shine brightly, illuminating the entire village in a whimsical glow.

The shields around the North Pole shimmered into existence as well, high above in the sky, creating a protective dome over our realm. My heart sank with relief. Hopefully, we’d been able to erect the shields before the Frost Queen’s army marched through the southlands. Slowly, the village started to come alive once more. Doors and windows creaked open, and townsfolk filled the square, everyone in awe at the brilliant crystal shining atop the tree.

Alva threw her arms around my neck, and I hugged her tight, lifting her off the ground. “We did it,” I whispered into the crook of her neck, inhaling her pine and cinnamon scent. Gods, she felt amazing tucked in my arms. I kissed her before setting her back down. “None of this would’ve been possible without you, Alva. Tell me, what sacrifice did the crystal require of you?”

“I offered my happiness. I was willing to step aside as your partner if that’s what your father demanded of me, in exchange for your father seeing that you are more capable than he thinks of taking up his mantel and ruling our realm. And you?”

I chuckled, but it was more out of disbelief for what we’d been willing to give up for each other. “I offered it my life, in exchange for your happiness. That you might shed that burden that hangs heavy on your shoulders. So that you could be more than the head elf of Santa’s operation and instead find the path that leads to your true fulfillment. Because you have so much more to offer this world, Alva. And everyone needs to see the light that shines within you. The light that pierced through my heart and drove away the darkness that had kept me from finding true love.”

A tear trickled down her cheek. “Nick…”

I wiped the tear with my thumb. “It’s okay, little elf. I have a strong feeling the crystal never meant to claim those sacrifices, but only to know that our hearts were true.”

“Nicholas!” My mother’s voice boomed from the crowd as she rushed toward the center of the village, her white cottony hair swirling in the wind. “Oh, Nicholas! Thank Jove you’re okay.”

I smiled as she took me into her arms. “ Thank Alva, actually,” I said, returning her hug. “If it hadn’t been for her, I would be dead.”

My mother pulled away, eyeing me from head to toe, then to Alva as I took my elf’s hand. “Mother, I would like you to meet my betrothed, Alva Brightwinter.”

I wasn’t sure what to expect the instant I introduced Alva as my betrothed. Alva sure hadn’t been prepared for it, her eyes darting between me and my mother. “Is this true?” my mother asked her. “You saved my son?”

Alva’s body went completely stiff, but I squeezed her hand, reassuring her that no matter what, I was here with her, and nothing would get in the way of our love. “I… All I did was give him a potion to heal his wounds.”

“She did more than that,” I said. “She went after me; she found me in the middle of the woods practically bleeding to death. She kept watch over me through the raging storm, and not only offered me her warmth, but her love. Without her, none of this would’ve been possible.” I gestured to the village, to the crystal atop the tree. “Her belief in me, her trust that I was capable of more, gave me the strength to seek out the Heart of Yule, and together we brought it back.”

My mother took Alva into her arms. “Thank you, Alva. For loving my son, and for your devotion to the realm. I know I speak for everyone in this village when I say we are indebted to you, to both of you.”

“Does this mean you accept her as my bride?” I asked her more pointedly.

“It is clear from the way you two look at each other that you love each other deeply. Who am I to stand in the way of your happiness?”

“I accept her, too,” my father’s voice chimed in from the crowd. Everyone gasped as my father made his way to the center, the Crimson Guard trailing behind him. “We received a missive from an unknown messenger regarding the queen’s plan of attack. And of what happened to you in the woods when you set out to intercept the leopards. We were on our way to the southlands when we saw a light show in the sky, and I immediately knew you’d managed to find the Heart, so we rushed back home.”

My father drew closer to me and took me into his arms. “I’m sorry for not believing in you, son.”

The words got lodged in my throat and all I could do was hug him back. When he pulled away, he eyed me, then he looked to Alva. “You not only managed to save the realm from the Frost Queen, but you found your bride, too. Pity it’s my head elf. Those will be some mighty big shoes to fill, Miss Brightwinter. I will miss having you as the manager of my operations, but I welcome you as a future daughter and the next Mrs. Claus.”

Alva was speechless, but the rest of the square erupted into pure North Pole cheer. If there was one thing we were good at, it was celebrations, and this solstice we would make sure to send the Frost Queen a clear message… You don’t mess with the Clauses, and you definitely don’t fuck with Christmas.

We knew the threat of her evil wasn’t gone, but we also knew that we had an unlikely ally in her court, and that was all the hope I needed.