Page 32 of Sleigh Bells and Dragon Spells

“Now we wait,” she said, but Falkor was already moving.

“We don’t wait. We prepare.” His voice carried the edge of command that reminded her he was centuries old, a dragon who had seen more battles than she could imagine. “The grove’s protective barriers will need strengthening before everyone arrives. Your magic works well with the old spells there—I’ve seen it. Start with that. I’ll secure the perimeter.”

Briar raised an eyebrow at his tactical shift but didn’t argue. He was right. They needed every advantage against what was coming.

The hidden grove lay deep in the woods where ancient magic still thrummed through the earth. Even here, Morganna’s influence tried to creep in—frost crackled along tree branches that had never known winter’s touch, and shadows writhed unnaturally in the corners of Briar’s vision. She walked the grove’s boundary, touching each of the sentinel trees that marked the sacred space. Her magic flowed into them,reinforcing protections laid down by generations of witches before her.

Falkor prowled the outer edges, his presence alone seeming to push back the encroaching darkness. Occasionally, his eyes would flash with inner fire, and another layer of warmth would spread through the grove, countering the supernatural chill.

Celeste arrived first, Kade’s powerful presence right behind her. The wolf shifter immediately went to help Falkor patrol while Celeste joined Briar at the center of the grove.

“It’s worse than we thought,” Celeste said without preamble, her green eyes troubled. “The magical barriers around town are starting to crack. Whatever this is, it’s not just a storm—it’s targeting our defenses specifically.”

Before Briar could respond, more footsteps crunched through the snow. Daisy burst into the clearing, her pink hair a shock of color against the gloom. Roarke materialized from the shadows behind her, his tactical training evident in the way he immediately assessed the space for threats.

Ellie and Reed came next, the sheriff’s badge glinting at Reed’s chest. “We had to leave three deputies dealing with dangerous ice formations downtown,” Reed reported grimly. “They’re spreading faster than we can contain them.”

Tabitha and Bram arrived last, their arms full of ancient texts from the library. “Jasper sent these,” Tabitha explained, setting them carefully on a flat rock. “He’s searching the restricted section for more information about spiritual warfare.”

The grove hummed with their combined power—witch magic mixing with shifter energy in a way that made the air itself feel alive. But the storm’s fury beat against their sanctuary like waves against a shore, testing for weaknesses.

“Thank you for coming,” Briar began then thunder cracked overhead with such force that the ground trembled. Several of the magical barriers flickered.

“Enough delays,” Falkor’s voice cut through the tension as he strode to Briar’s side. “You need to know what we’re facing. The spirit driving this storm belongs to my mother, Morganna. She was--”

“The dragon queen,” Celeste breathed, recognition dawning in her eyes. “The histories speak of her cruelty.”

“The histories are kind compared to reality.” Falkor’s words carried centuries of pain. “She corrupted everything she touched especially during the winter festivals. Her spirit has latched onto the town’s Christmas celebrations, feeding off fear and darkness, growing stronger with each passing hour.”

THIRTY-THREE

Silence fell as the others absorbed this. Briar watched their faces shift from shock to determination.

“Then we fight back,” Daisy declared, her usual cheer replaced with steel. “I can reach out to my spiritual contacts, see if they know any weaknesses in her manifestation.”

“The station has thermal imaging equipment,” Reed added. “Might help us track the cold spots where she’s gathering power.”

“Molly’s already noticed something off with her baking,” Ellie said, warming to the planning. “The protective charms in her recipes aren’t holding as well. But maybe we can modify them, create something specifically targeted against spiritual interference.”

Ideas flowed faster now. Celeste and Kade would reinforce the town’s magical barriers, drawing on their connection to earth magic. Tabitha and Bram dove into the ancient texts, looking for spells that might help contain or banish Morganna’s spirit. Roarke offered to coordinate with his tactical team, setting up defensive positions around key magical sites.

Despite the gravity of their situation, moments of lightness broke through. Bram suggested using his strongest beer asa spiritual deterrent, earning a playful swat from Tabitha. Daisy demonstrated her most dramatic ghost-summoning pose, making even Falkor’s lips twitch slightly.

“We need to coordinate our timing,” Briar said, drawing their attention back to the central issue. “Morganna’s power seems strongest at twilight and dawn—the in-between times. That’s when she’ll expect us to strike.”

“So we don’t,” Falkor stated flatly. “We hit her at high noon tomorrow when the sun’s power is strongest. She’ll be at her weakest.”

“But we’ll need a way to draw her out,” Celeste mused. “Something to force her to manifest fully.”

A cold smile crossed Falkor’s face. “She never could resist a chance to torment her children. I’ll be the bait.”

“Not alone,” Briar said firmly, matching his stubborn look with one of her own. “I’ll anchor you with a protection spell. The rest of you—” she turned to the group “—surround the manifestation point in a spiral pattern. Alternate witch and shifter at each cardinal direction. When she appears...”

“I’ll channel fire through the cardinal points,” Falkor continued, catching on to her strategy. “The shifters’ energy will amplify it, and the witches can use that power to seal the spiritual breach she’s using to maintain her form.”

Tabitha looked up from an ancient text, her eyes bright with recognition. “There’s a spell here—it’s complex, but with our combined power, we could modify it to create a spiritual containment field. Once she’s trapped inside...”

“My fire will end it,” Falkor finished quietly. “Permanently this time.”

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