Ash’s voice nearly stopped her. Every ounce of her wanted to turn back, to run and tell him everything was going to be okay, but her duty to the North Pole propelled her forward, away from Ash.
Her thoughts began to spiral, building a pile of reasons she was in the right to go. The town would lose the contest, and it was possible the Christmas faire would be canceled altogether. Ash wouldn’t get the funding from his investors for the vineyard deal.How could I have been so naive about Lucas?Sofia had warned her his intentions weren’t good.Do I have time to fix any of it?The town was so much better off without her. She remembered the look on Ash’s face at the sight of the destroyed decorations and gritted her teeth.
“Holly, wait!”
Though she could hear Ash’s voice, it was far away. Holly ran to her reindeer and reached out to them before suddenly noticing Comet at her feet. He was looking from her to the reindeer, wagging his tail excitedly.
“I’m sorry boy. We have to go.” She gave him a quick scratch on the head, her eyes welling. Wiping a tear from her eye, she left the dog behind.
Holly ran deeper into the forest to where the sleigh was hidden. The reindeer looked at her in confusion, Ivy and Clove whining at Comet, before Dasher realized what was happening and flipped into professional mode, getting them all organized to fly.
Holly climbed into the sleigh and raised the reins. She waited for it to rise in the air, but it didn’t move. Her eyes flew to the reindeer, who were kicking their legs in frustration. She raised the reins encouragingly once more, but the reindeer shook their heads.
She froze. “What’s going on? Can’t you fly?” Dread suddenly formed in her chest. She climbed out of the sleigh in a panic, searching her pockets for magic lichen. They were empty.When was the last time I fed it to them?
She studied her watch again, fully panicked. The hand on the clock face was still spinning. She looked closer.
“No!” she gasped. The Cheer level had fallen to zero.How is this possible?Is this because I took it off?
She rubbed her fingers together in agitation as she walked around the sleigh in a circle, desperately trying to think of some way to give the reindeer her magic. If she didn’t get to the North Pole soon, the elves wouldn’t be able to finalize the Christmas Eve preparations. The Dreams wouldn’t go out into the world. And it would be all her fault.
ChapterForty-Four
Panic swelled in Holly’s chest. She couldn’t be stuck there. But there was no way to get back to the North Pole without her reindeer pulling her sleigh. She had failed everyone.
Her heart racing, she took a deep breath.Think, Holly. Think. She needed to get a message to Clementine to warn the elves.
Holly stopped pacing as she remembered something from her studies many years ago. Her watch could serve as a communication device with the North Pole in case of emergency, but she’d never had to use it before. She gripped her wrist behind her watch, studying it carefully.How do I activate the emergency call?
She tried poking, prodding, twisting, and turning, but nothing changed on the screen. She glanced over at her reindeer, tears pricking her eyes. Ivy and Clove’s ears were drooping so low that they practically touched the ground. Even the normally stoic Dasher hung his head.
“Come on. Come on,” she mumbled, tapping her watch face repeatedly in frustration. “Why aren’t you listening to me?”
Then she froze.Listening.An old memory worked its way through the gears in her brain.
If you find yourself in times of need, “Listen” shall be your creed.
The old nursery rhyme had popped into her head like magic, and she thought of her mother singing that line to her almost absentmindedly.
Holly tried to relax her muscles and her mind. She closed her eyes and held her watch near her ear. There it was—a faint pattern. She’d never heard it before and strained to listen more closely.
Tick. Tick-tick. Tick. Tick-tick. Tick.She took a deep breath and placed her finger above the snowflake in the center of her watch then tapped along to the pattern she heard.Tick. Tick-tick. Tick. Tick-tick. Tick.
Almost imperceptibly, her watch started to glow. The face blurred, and moments later, Clementine’s worried face appeared in the circle.
“Ms. Claus!” she exclaimed, seemingly out of breath. “Your house started shooting tinsel all over the front porch, and I rushed inside to see the round mirror above your fireplace glowing. Now here you are! What’s going on?”
Holly was so relieved to have finally contacted someone at the North Pole that her legs gave way, and she sank to the ground, still gripping her watch. “Clementine, something is seriously wrong with the magic. The reindeer can’t fly anymore. My Cheer meter is at zero. How am I going to get back to the North Pole? I can’t go back without the reindeer!”
Clementine’s ears shot up at Holly’s frantic tone.
Just then, Holly remembered something else, and her pulse spiked. Maybe there was still a chance to get back to the North Pole. “Clementine, can you find Lumi Kringle?”
“Wait just a few moments. I’ll be right back.” Clementine’s face disappeared from view.
Holly continued to tread deeper into the forest, not daring to look away from her watch face, and waited for what felt like an eternity.
When Clementine’s face reappeared, Holly stopped pacing and stood completely still.
