Page 6 of Falling for her Guardian

It would be helpful if she had some kind of dating prospect on the horizon. Maybe she’d take Noelle up on her offer to fix her up with someone from the library where she worked.

She could go for a nice, bookish man who wouldn’t cheat on her.

Snorting, she couldn’t believe her guy wish list only had one thing on it right now:

Don’t be a cheating asshole.

When she got close to the flickering light, she realized it wasn’t orange so much as a mix of yellows, greens, and ambers, and it wasn’t a campfire or a front porch light—it was a portal.

A woman was standing with her back to the huge magical portal and looking at a tablet.

“Dang it,” she muttered.

Seren had never seen a portal up close. Only magical people could make and use them, like witches or fairies. She didn’t see wings on the woman and figured she was probably a witch. There was a coven in Columbus, but she didn’t think they were in this part of the woods.

Deciding to ask her for help, Seren stepped from the tree she was lurking behind and her foot caught on a root.

Tripping, she pinwheeled her arms to get her balance, then slipped on a big patch of ice.

As she careened toward the portal, the witch gasped and shoutedNo!

Seren hit the portal, and the sound of crackling glass echoed and everything turned white.

She groaned as she lay sprawled on the ground.

She stared up at the sky, confused because it wasn’t the right sky.

She should see trees and stars.

But she was looking at the Northern Lights.

Was she… oh shit.

She was in Northernmost, where the Well of Magic, Santa, and his elves lived, and mainly? Where no humans were allowed.

Damn it.

“What do you mean someone just came through the Entrance who’s not supposed to be here?” Storm asked, his words echoing in the darkness. His bear rolled under his skin with a curious grumble.

“We got a request for a witch to come replenish her magic today,” Maverick, one of the snow leopards, said. “A few minutes ago, she sent a message saying something had come up and she was postponing until tomorrow. Then someone came through the Entrance.”

Storm frowned. He turned and jogged toward the Well. He was nearly on the other side of Northernmost, the magic from the Well sparkling green and yellow against the black of the night sky.

“Where was the witch from?” he asked.

“The Columbus, Ohio coven,” Maverick’s voice crackled as Storm leaped over a pile of snow.

Pressing his thumb to the button, he said, “I’m on my way. I’ll let you know what I find.”

“It’s a female,” Maverick said. “But she’s not moving, so beware. It could be a trap.”

Fucking Jack Frost.

It would be just like him to use a female to infiltrate the town. It was hard to believe that Santa and Jack were brothers and had been friends and allies at one time.

Hunger for power did strange things to people.

“Chase is on the way, and so is Gabriel.”

---