Page 1 of Hunted in Holly

Chapter 1

Kill him.The intrusive thought pounded through my skull, and I rubbed the bridge of my nose in an effort to dispel it. The thoughts had been getting stronger and more clear the closer I got to the Pole. Maybe that was my subconscious trying to keep me motivated. It would have been easier to back down and roll over, but it would be impossible to truly grieve and move on so long as that need flared in my chest.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to crush any remaining doubt and hesitation, only to open them abruptly when the visions of flames started filling the dark space in my head again. I inhaled deeply, and exhaled slowly, once, then twice, then a third time. By the time I’d counted to ten, I’d found calm equilibrium.

My brother had taught me that trick.

Cresting the mountain pass, I gazed upon the fortress situated in a snow covered valley. An expansive forest covered its flank, while these white mountains protected the helm. December’s Cold Moon illuminated the blanket of heavy snowfall, creating an entirely too bright night in this frigid winter at the North Pole.

I hugged my arms around my waist, shrinking into the warmth of my fur-lined coat. A shiver shook through me, more from nerves than the subzero temperatures. Just one more day was all I needed. Once I took him out, I wouldn’t care what else happened to me. I would get revenge for those I loved.

I would survive until then no matter what.

With a heavy breath, I knocked fresh snowflakes from my eyelashes with my mittens, then I replaced my soft hood, dipped my chin, and started the long descent through smooth, unblemished snowpack. The champagne powder stuck to the fibers of my suede winter boots, while every step compacted the soft piles into hard, icy footprints. The sound of crunching snow beneath my heels had once been a comfort, but today, it was like war drums, beating slow and steady in my ears.

The path steepened, and I skidded down the hill with bent knees to keep my stability. At the bottom, the true size and grandeur of the fortress fully sank in.

A massive cylindrical tower in the center shot towards the sky, reaching so far into the heavens, I couldn’t see the top. It was identical to my own fortress in the south, only where my tower was green and radiated peace, his was redder than a slaughter. We were opposite sides of the same globe, polarized in both our colors and our moral character.

To think, I once believed we were the same despite the distance. I should have known better.

I flattened against the towering walls that enclosed his castle, doing my best to stay out of sight while I concentrated my energy. My power over frost and winter made conjuring icicles an effortless task. I pieced them together to form a ladder of frozen shards that would help me scale the high barrier. One day, I’d have the magicalstrength to control all of the seasons, but for now, this would get me by.

I started up the fifteen meter stone surface, while increasing wind speed and a swirling blizzard fought to throw me from my path. Just a few feet from the top, I stilled long enough to let a patrolling soldier pass by.

I wouldn’t be caught here. I might be able to overpower one of the elves using my magic, but I couldn’t see well enough to know if there was but one sentry or ten. It was safer to not draw any attention.

Nicholas’ elves were strong and lean and well trained warriors, and I never understood what fueled their unyielding loyalty to the northern dictator. Though he was known as one of the world’s seven immortal Saints, there was nothing good or kind or just about that man. He was evil incarnate in a red, tailored suit.

Another heavy gust pushed against my side, and I took that as my cue to get moving, lest I be thrown back into the waiting snow below. The blizzard had already covered my tracks, but I couldn’t risk the noise or spectacle of my fall.

Over the lip of the wall, I landed on the parapet on silent movements. Blazing fire rings were evenly dispersed in each well placed battlement, and the complacent guards were huddling by the fires, lingering there too long between patrolling the walls. On a nicer night, they may have been more vigilant, but not when the weather was bad, and they had no known enemies who could stand against them. I’d picked this night for exactly that reason. I’d always have the advantage in the snow.

The near white out conditions served as a helpful veil as I crossed the narrow stone walkway and started lowering myself into the courtyard. Within five feet of theground, I dropped into the building snow, and I landed in a squat to disperse the momentum.

Nicholas’ courtyard was a maze all its own, with interwoven walls of thick ivy, crowned with decorative red berries and poinsettias. It was beautiful despite its danger. The touches of life in a frigid winter would always speak to my heart.

My green coat blended into the leaves, offering the slightest advantage as I ducked the attention of more patrolling elves.

Why his compound was so intensely guarded, I honestly couldn’t say. It’s not like many people had the courage to attempt an assassination on someone like him.

You’d have to be an idiot to even try.

Heh.

The weather worsened, though I was thankful for every tree shaking howl and deafening gust that aided my infiltration. Footprints were ordinarily the most blatant tell in winter, but the well-worn path of pacing guards and the constantly blowing powder worked to my advantage tonight.

I hugged another ivy wall as an oblivious elf marched past, then I made my way to a bush at the base of a window that would serve as the perfect entry point.

Conjuring ice into a sharp scalpel, I drew a large circle in the glass, removing the first pane of his well-insulated windows. I set the glass behind the bush, out of sight, then I started on the next pane.

The room on the other side was pitch black. Based on my memory of this place, from when I’d come here as a child in a diplomacy meet-and-greet between the North andSouth Poles, I was confident this led to a conference room. At this hour, no one would be holding any meetings, so it seemed like a prime point of entry.

Once I cut through the final barrier, I slipped inside, and replaced the glass in the hole, gluing it in place with a ring of ice magic to prevent any loud blowing and whistling that might merit investigation from a passerby. The room was warm and toasty, but my magic ice would take a little longer to melt than standard frost.

I dusted the abundant snowflakes from my coat and my pants before they could soak through my clothes, then I removed my boots for better stealth. With a heavy inhale, I turned my attention towards the door to the hall.

Getting in was easy enough. Now the real challenge began.

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