“Your heart still beats, your majesty. You’re simply afraid to let it beat for someone else.”
The storm around them vanished and the king released Dasher, who fell to the floor with a painful thud. Cupid and Blitz rushed to Dasher’s side, helping him to his feet. He was stunned at the stricken expression on the king’s face. The king stood motionless, his hair and eyes returning to their pitch-black color. For a moment Cupid thought the king might have become frozen himself. Dasher gingerly knelt before the king.
“Please, help us.”
The king blinked a few times, as if snapping himself out of a trance. He studied Dasher before reaching under his cravat to pull out the locket. Opening it, a tiny seed fell onto his palm. He held it out to Cupid.
“It’s an Elska seed from the queen’s garden. The only one that remained after it and she were… lost.”
“Your majesty….” Cupid didn’t know what to say.
“Take it. As a winter faery, you have the power to aid winter flora in their birth. Help it grow.”
Cupid took the precious seed. “I don’t know if I can….”
“You can.” The king blinked away his tears and smiled. “The Elska requires love’s warmth to grow. I’m certain you will do fine. Excuse me.” Without another word, the king disappeared behind the velvet curtain.
Dasher made to follow, but Blitz stopped him, his voice gentle. “I think he wishes to be alone.”
Dasher pursed his lips, his gaze going to the curtain. He pulled his arm out of Blitz’s hold.
“I think he’s been alone long enough.” Dasher gave them a curt nod before heading off after the king. Cupid didn’t know what to do.
“Leave him.” Blitz shook his head. “He’s made up his mind. Kringle help him. Let’s go find Jack.”
Blitz was right. Dasher had made up his mind, and there was no deterring him. He prayed Dasher would be all right. Every time he saw the king, he seemed to grow bolder. Cupid hoped that boldness didn’t get him in over his head, as if he weren’t already.
Cupid held on to the tiny seed, and with Blitz, they ran through the palace looking for Jack. The place was huge. They were forced to ask several servants where they might find the Prince of Frost. In the end they found him in the garden. He sat on a stone bench, among the red roses.
“Jack?”
Jack’s frown deepened. “You two shouldn’t be here.”
“Forgive me, but it’s terribly important.” Cupid came to stand before the imposing winter spirit. “You must forgive Rudy for what he did. I know he should have told you, but he loves you more than life itself. He couldn’t bear to hurt you. It’s like that when you care so deeply for someone. Their pain becomes your own.”
“Cupid, your loyalty is admirable, but—”
“Let him finish,” Blitz demanded gently.
Jack arched an eyebrow at Blitz, his boldness surprising Cupid as well.
“By all means, continue.”
“I too kept a secret from those I cared for very much. From my Rein Dear brothers, from my Captain, from you, and from… the elf who captured my heart centuries ago.”
Jack widened his eyes, and he looked from Cupid to Blitz and back before his expression softened. “Seems to be a lot of that going around lately.”
Blitz took hold of Cupid’s hand and gave it a squeeze, helping him gather his nerves.
“I knew it was wrong of me to hide what I was—what I am—but I was scared of losing those I cared for. Of hurting them, or worse. I feared I’d put them in danger. I see now that I should have had more faith in them.”
“And what is this secret?”
“It’s true I’m part winter faery and part elf. But I’m not a Christmas elf. I’m….” Cupid held his head high. “I’m Dockalfar. The elf who gave Hollis the spell to sabotage Rudy’s plane, the one who has torn us apart, is my brother.”
Jack jumped to his feet. “What?” He loomed over Cupid with a menacing growl, but Cupid stood his ground. He had to make things
The storm around them vanished and the king released Dasher, who fell to the floor with a painful thud. Cupid and Blitz rushed to Dasher’s side, helping him to his feet. He was stunned at the stricken expression on the king’s face. The king stood motionless, his hair and eyes returning to their pitch-black color. For a moment Cupid thought the king might have become frozen himself. Dasher gingerly knelt before the king.
“Please, help us.”
The king blinked a few times, as if snapping himself out of a trance. He studied Dasher before reaching under his cravat to pull out the locket. Opening it, a tiny seed fell onto his palm. He held it out to Cupid.
“It’s an Elska seed from the queen’s garden. The only one that remained after it and she were… lost.”
“Your majesty….” Cupid didn’t know what to say.
“Take it. As a winter faery, you have the power to aid winter flora in their birth. Help it grow.”
Cupid took the precious seed. “I don’t know if I can….”
“You can.” The king blinked away his tears and smiled. “The Elska requires love’s warmth to grow. I’m certain you will do fine. Excuse me.” Without another word, the king disappeared behind the velvet curtain.
Dasher made to follow, but Blitz stopped him, his voice gentle. “I think he wishes to be alone.”
Dasher pursed his lips, his gaze going to the curtain. He pulled his arm out of Blitz’s hold.
“I think he’s been alone long enough.” Dasher gave them a curt nod before heading off after the king. Cupid didn’t know what to do.
“Leave him.” Blitz shook his head. “He’s made up his mind. Kringle help him. Let’s go find Jack.”
Blitz was right. Dasher had made up his mind, and there was no deterring him. He prayed Dasher would be all right. Every time he saw the king, he seemed to grow bolder. Cupid hoped that boldness didn’t get him in over his head, as if he weren’t already.
Cupid held on to the tiny seed, and with Blitz, they ran through the palace looking for Jack. The place was huge. They were forced to ask several servants where they might find the Prince of Frost. In the end they found him in the garden. He sat on a stone bench, among the red roses.
“Jack?”
Jack’s frown deepened. “You two shouldn’t be here.”
“Forgive me, but it’s terribly important.” Cupid came to stand before the imposing winter spirit. “You must forgive Rudy for what he did. I know he should have told you, but he loves you more than life itself. He couldn’t bear to hurt you. It’s like that when you care so deeply for someone. Their pain becomes your own.”
“Cupid, your loyalty is admirable, but—”
“Let him finish,” Blitz demanded gently.
Jack arched an eyebrow at Blitz, his boldness surprising Cupid as well.
“By all means, continue.”
“I too kept a secret from those I cared for very much. From my Rein Dear brothers, from my Captain, from you, and from… the elf who captured my heart centuries ago.”
Jack widened his eyes, and he looked from Cupid to Blitz and back before his expression softened. “Seems to be a lot of that going around lately.”
Blitz took hold of Cupid’s hand and gave it a squeeze, helping him gather his nerves.
“I knew it was wrong of me to hide what I was—what I am—but I was scared of losing those I cared for. Of hurting them, or worse. I feared I’d put them in danger. I see now that I should have had more faith in them.”
“And what is this secret?”
“It’s true I’m part winter faery and part elf. But I’m not a Christmas elf. I’m….” Cupid held his head high. “I’m Dockalfar. The elf who gave Hollis the spell to sabotage Rudy’s plane, the one who has torn us apart, is my brother.”
Jack jumped to his feet. “What?” He loomed over Cupid with a menacing growl, but Cupid stood his ground. He had to make things
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