dated and worn, but he couldn’t do anything about it. His hands were tied and the magic of the place wouldn’t reignite until he could officially take the throne. The best he could do for the time being was keep the structure from crumbling to the ground.
“Think about it, Nick. I walked into the old Chinese restaurant looking for a part-time gig. I expected I’d be assigned to a store to wrap gifts or something. Nope. I found myself face-to-face with a guy who claimed he was Santa, but is really an elf, and who is apparently some sort of king. And this king seems to think I’m supposed to marry him. You don’t think that would be a shock to anyone’s system?”
“Perhaps it would be.”
At the top of the stairs Nick slid his arm around her waist yet again and gently guided her down a long, dim hall.
“Someone lives here?” Gillian asked, obviously spotting the light at the end.
“Yes. Someone still does.”
“What happened to this place?”
“As I said, my sisters happened to it. With a bit of help from some traitors I’ll eventually root out, they enchanted the throne, and the palace along with it.”
“How so?”
“By adding a loophole, my dear.” Mother stepped into the doorway of her chambers. Her silver silk dressing gown’s bluish tones made her iridescent skin and hair look even paler than usual.
“Come in.” She wrapped her hands around Gillian’s and drew her into the sitting area. “I’m Eldora Roth. It’s a pleasure to have you here. I’ve been waiting to meet you—the one who can see through all our charms.”
“Word carries fast around here, huh?” Gillian cut her gaze toward Nick.
He busied himself at the sideboard where he poured himself a drink. It was early for it, probably, but he didn’t think anyone would blame him, given the past few…well, centuries he’d endured.
“Agnes contacted me before she sent you back to speak with Nicholas,” Mother said. “At the restaurant, I mean.” Releasing Gillian’s hands, she fell gracefully onto a chaise and then indicated the settee behind Gillian.
Gillian sat.
“What did Agnes tell you?” Gillian asked.
Mother narrowed her eyes and stared up at the ceiling for a moment. A creature as old as her often needed time to pull the right memories. “She said your gaze wasn’t tracking correctly and that you weren’t looking at her where you should have been. I think at first, she thought you just didn’t want to make eye contact, but then you seemed proof to the magic she spins that keeps people calm and patient.”
“I was having a long day. I was cranky.”
Mother shrugged. “The fact that you were out of sorts meant something was wrong. There’s a reason why worker elves always seem so happy. It’s because of people like Agnes.”
“Handy trick. I could use her around my preschoolers.”
Mother laughed. “Indeed, you could. I’m certain Nicholas has told you that he had to make himself available to meet with you. He needed to see for himself.”
“I’m finding it hard to believe that people like me are so rare.”
“Well, you are, dear. I wouldn’t go as far as to say one in a million, but I’m certain Nicholas sees it that way. There aren’t so many magic-proof people who could catch his gaze. He didn’t want to go look, and I had to convince him not to waste the opportunity.”
Nick sighed and took a long sip of gin. Mother had always had a knack for touching on the exact points he would have her avoid.
“And you’re quite young, aren’t you? You could bear children?”
“Mother.” Nick set down his drink and glared at the ancient nymph.
Mother was completely unaffected, though Gillian wasn’t. Her cheeks were cherry red and eyes wild.
Mother folded her hands primly atop her lap. “I had to ask. They don’t age as we do, so it’s hard for me to discern.”
Gillian locked her wide, dark gaze on Nick. “How old are you, Nick?”
“It doesn’t matter, pet.”
“I think it
“Think about it, Nick. I walked into the old Chinese restaurant looking for a part-time gig. I expected I’d be assigned to a store to wrap gifts or something. Nope. I found myself face-to-face with a guy who claimed he was Santa, but is really an elf, and who is apparently some sort of king. And this king seems to think I’m supposed to marry him. You don’t think that would be a shock to anyone’s system?”
“Perhaps it would be.”
At the top of the stairs Nick slid his arm around her waist yet again and gently guided her down a long, dim hall.
“Someone lives here?” Gillian asked, obviously spotting the light at the end.
“Yes. Someone still does.”
“What happened to this place?”
“As I said, my sisters happened to it. With a bit of help from some traitors I’ll eventually root out, they enchanted the throne, and the palace along with it.”
“How so?”
“By adding a loophole, my dear.” Mother stepped into the doorway of her chambers. Her silver silk dressing gown’s bluish tones made her iridescent skin and hair look even paler than usual.
“Come in.” She wrapped her hands around Gillian’s and drew her into the sitting area. “I’m Eldora Roth. It’s a pleasure to have you here. I’ve been waiting to meet you—the one who can see through all our charms.”
“Word carries fast around here, huh?” Gillian cut her gaze toward Nick.
He busied himself at the sideboard where he poured himself a drink. It was early for it, probably, but he didn’t think anyone would blame him, given the past few…well, centuries he’d endured.
“Agnes contacted me before she sent you back to speak with Nicholas,” Mother said. “At the restaurant, I mean.” Releasing Gillian’s hands, she fell gracefully onto a chaise and then indicated the settee behind Gillian.
Gillian sat.
“What did Agnes tell you?” Gillian asked.
Mother narrowed her eyes and stared up at the ceiling for a moment. A creature as old as her often needed time to pull the right memories. “She said your gaze wasn’t tracking correctly and that you weren’t looking at her where you should have been. I think at first, she thought you just didn’t want to make eye contact, but then you seemed proof to the magic she spins that keeps people calm and patient.”
“I was having a long day. I was cranky.”
Mother shrugged. “The fact that you were out of sorts meant something was wrong. There’s a reason why worker elves always seem so happy. It’s because of people like Agnes.”
“Handy trick. I could use her around my preschoolers.”
Mother laughed. “Indeed, you could. I’m certain Nicholas has told you that he had to make himself available to meet with you. He needed to see for himself.”
“I’m finding it hard to believe that people like me are so rare.”
“Well, you are, dear. I wouldn’t go as far as to say one in a million, but I’m certain Nicholas sees it that way. There aren’t so many magic-proof people who could catch his gaze. He didn’t want to go look, and I had to convince him not to waste the opportunity.”
Nick sighed and took a long sip of gin. Mother had always had a knack for touching on the exact points he would have her avoid.
“And you’re quite young, aren’t you? You could bear children?”
“Mother.” Nick set down his drink and glared at the ancient nymph.
Mother was completely unaffected, though Gillian wasn’t. Her cheeks were cherry red and eyes wild.
Mother folded her hands primly atop her lap. “I had to ask. They don’t age as we do, so it’s hard for me to discern.”
Gillian locked her wide, dark gaze on Nick. “How old are you, Nick?”
“It doesn’t matter, pet.”
“I think it
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