Yuletide (Matilda Kavanagh Novels Book 3) by Shauna Granger Page B
Authors: Shauna Granger
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this thing like it was a ball of slime or something?” Joey leaned over to get a closer look at the bag.
Even without trying, I felt the power of the bag pressing at me, pushing at my aura and making my cheeks warm.
“Whoa,” Joey whispered when her eyes landed on the plaque. “They’re kidding, right? I mean, it’s not real?”
“No, they’re not, and yes, it is,” I said, not realizing I was taking a few steps away until Joey looked back at me.
“So you were right?” She blinked slowly, and the look on her face was heartbreaking, like when a kid finds out Santa isn’t real. “Krampus is back and snatching those kids?”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “No. That the bag is here proves he’s not.”
“What?”
“All the stories say that if you were bad enough to get snatched instead of switched, you were stuffed in the bag and taken to his lair,” I explained. “If the bag is here, then he has nothing to take the kids in.”
“Are you serious?” Joey gaped at me, but I shook my head.
“That’s how the legend goes.”
“You think a demigod needs a bag to snatch kids? C’mon, Mattie.”
“Listen,” I said, checking my phone, “the shop is gonna open in an hour. We need to get you back before you’re late.”
“So you’re just gonna stick your head in the sand?”
“What?” I stopped and looked at her.
“It’s an expression,” she said with an exasperated sigh, throwing up her hands. “I mean, you’re not going to do anything?”
“No, I’m gonna go home and finish baking cookies and get ready for the Solstice tomorrow.”
“About this,” Joey said, pointing at one of the stuffed Krampus statues.
“No, I am not going to do anything about this. Not everything is my damn job.”
“But Mattie—”
“Enough,” I said, making a cutting motion to stop her. “This is the first time in my adult life that I get to fully enjoy the holiday, okay? If the bag is here, then it’s not him. There isn’t a damn thing I can do anyway, so just drop it.” Joey glared at me, and I felt my temper rising. “Nothing is stopping you from going to the cops and telling them these theories.”
“Me?” If it was possible, her eyes got even bigger.
“Yes, you,” I said. “You’re half human. Those are your people, not mine, so you go tell them and see how they take it. I’m going to go home and bake some friggin’ cookies.”
Chapter 8
It was Winter Solstice, just a few days before Christmas, and the night was alive with energy and people. I could smell the fires lit all around town as people celebrated in their homes and on rooftops. The scents of sage and pine filled the damp night air, and I breathed them in, letting the smoke fill my lungs and cleanse me.
I should be at home, lighting my own fire, burning my spices, and cooking a feast to celebrate making it through the darkest part of the year, but I had a mission. I was lucky to get through the lobby unnoticed as Frankie tapped on her phone, no doubt texting Kyle. I was more than a little surprised they’d made it so long, but I was grateful for it too. Frankie had been much more bearable the last few months.
The city had strung lights along the roads, making the enchanted snow glitter. Wreaths were hung on street lights with massive red bows, and birch trees were temporarily placed along the sidewalks, their thin white branches strung with tiny twinkle lights. Innocuous holiday music was piped through the city as if we were in one massive shopping mall. It could have been obnoxious, but I kind of loved it, truth be told.
I tucked my scarf into the front of my short leather jacket and zipped it up against the cold. Tugging a slouchy knit hat over my head, but letting my bangs hang out so I wouldn’t get hat-head, I craned my head back to look at the sky. The enchanted snow was falling, so I couldn’t see the sky or the dome beyond it. They’d really done a fantastic job this year of giving the perfect holiday
Even without trying, I felt the power of the bag pressing at me, pushing at my aura and making my cheeks warm.
“Whoa,” Joey whispered when her eyes landed on the plaque. “They’re kidding, right? I mean, it’s not real?”
“No, they’re not, and yes, it is,” I said, not realizing I was taking a few steps away until Joey looked back at me.
“So you were right?” She blinked slowly, and the look on her face was heartbreaking, like when a kid finds out Santa isn’t real. “Krampus is back and snatching those kids?”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “No. That the bag is here proves he’s not.”
“What?”
“All the stories say that if you were bad enough to get snatched instead of switched, you were stuffed in the bag and taken to his lair,” I explained. “If the bag is here, then he has nothing to take the kids in.”
“Are you serious?” Joey gaped at me, but I shook my head.
“That’s how the legend goes.”
“You think a demigod needs a bag to snatch kids? C’mon, Mattie.”
“Listen,” I said, checking my phone, “the shop is gonna open in an hour. We need to get you back before you’re late.”
“So you’re just gonna stick your head in the sand?”
“What?” I stopped and looked at her.
“It’s an expression,” she said with an exasperated sigh, throwing up her hands. “I mean, you’re not going to do anything?”
“No, I’m gonna go home and finish baking cookies and get ready for the Solstice tomorrow.”
“About this,” Joey said, pointing at one of the stuffed Krampus statues.
“No, I am not going to do anything about this. Not everything is my damn job.”
“But Mattie—”
“Enough,” I said, making a cutting motion to stop her. “This is the first time in my adult life that I get to fully enjoy the holiday, okay? If the bag is here, then it’s not him. There isn’t a damn thing I can do anyway, so just drop it.” Joey glared at me, and I felt my temper rising. “Nothing is stopping you from going to the cops and telling them these theories.”
“Me?” If it was possible, her eyes got even bigger.
“Yes, you,” I said. “You’re half human. Those are your people, not mine, so you go tell them and see how they take it. I’m going to go home and bake some friggin’ cookies.”
Chapter 8
It was Winter Solstice, just a few days before Christmas, and the night was alive with energy and people. I could smell the fires lit all around town as people celebrated in their homes and on rooftops. The scents of sage and pine filled the damp night air, and I breathed them in, letting the smoke fill my lungs and cleanse me.
I should be at home, lighting my own fire, burning my spices, and cooking a feast to celebrate making it through the darkest part of the year, but I had a mission. I was lucky to get through the lobby unnoticed as Frankie tapped on her phone, no doubt texting Kyle. I was more than a little surprised they’d made it so long, but I was grateful for it too. Frankie had been much more bearable the last few months.
The city had strung lights along the roads, making the enchanted snow glitter. Wreaths were hung on street lights with massive red bows, and birch trees were temporarily placed along the sidewalks, their thin white branches strung with tiny twinkle lights. Innocuous holiday music was piped through the city as if we were in one massive shopping mall. It could have been obnoxious, but I kind of loved it, truth be told.
I tucked my scarf into the front of my short leather jacket and zipped it up against the cold. Tugging a slouchy knit hat over my head, but letting my bangs hang out so I wouldn’t get hat-head, I craned my head back to look at the sky. The enchanted snow was falling, so I couldn’t see the sky or the dome beyond it. They’d really done a fantastic job this year of giving the perfect holiday
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