Page 1 of Cherished By Her Guardian

Five days.

There were only five days until Christmas, when Santa’s magic was at its absolute lowest, depleted from his travels around the world delivering toys.

It was also the most likely day that his brother, Jack Frost, formerly known as Angel Nicholas, would attack sometime around dawn as Santa made his way back to Northernmost to replenish his magic at the Well.

There was a time when Angel and Saint, Santa’s given name, had been as close as two siblings could be. Then Angel had decidedheshould take on the role of Santa and control the Well of Magic, a right that he was not due as the youngest sibling. Saint took the mantle of Santa from their father and Angel took on the mantle of Jack Frost.

The two should have worked in harmony, supporting each other as the bringers of winter and Christmas. Instead, they were locked in a battle for control of the Well that had raged for years.

Jack Frost had chosen the path of dark magic. He abducted magical people—mostly the elves who called Northernmost home—but also warlocks, witches, fairies, with the occasional dream walker and reaper. Jack replenished his magic by stealing the magic of those who followed the good path. He could thenturn the magical person evil or refuse to turn them evil, leaving them magicless forever.

He could, and had, killed those whose magic he’d stolen in the past.

There was no end to his treachery.

Recently, Frost had snagged two of Santa’s elves—Ivy and Bruce. Ivy had been retrieved by her mate and saved from turning evil by Santa’s magic and the Well, but they hadn’t known Bruce was taken until it was too late. He was now evil, his skin gray and his eyes black, lost to goodness forever.

Santa rubbed his eyes and turned from the window of his office. He could see the Northern Lights and the glow of the Well, but that was it. Just darkness and stars, and somewhere in the distance, Frost and his followers were making plans.

Tomorrow was the winter solstice. It was tempting to follow his brother as he roamed the world and attack him at his lowest, pulling the dark magic from him and binding him to serve out the remainder of his life in a cell somewhere he couldn’t hurt anyone. But in order to take out Frost, he had to replace him with a member of the Nicholas family, and the same went for himself. If he and Frost both died, heirs had to take their place.

As far as anyone knew, he and Frost were the last of the line, but that wasn’t true. There were rumors of other family members, but while some of his closest staff knew there was truth to the rumors, no one knew for certain that therewereothers in the Nicholas family line.

They were hidden from Frost, even hidden from knowing the truth about themselves.

It was time he made contact and began training in secret. Just in case.

Someone knocked on the door and he called to enter.

“Hi, Santa,” Ivy, his assistant, said. “I’ve got the Nice List for you to look over.”

He smiled at her. She was now mated to a snow leopard, and after the holidays, they were moving to his leap in Northern Kentucky.

“Thanks, Ivy. How’s packing going?”

“Good,” she said. “I’m a pack rat. Alder complains a lot.”

He chuckled. “Brothers can be like that.”

“I’m going to close up for the night. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Of course.”

She paused, then said, “You look worried.”

“I am. But I’m always worried this time of year.”

“Me too.” She shivered involuntarily, and he suspected she was remembering what it felt like to be captured by Frost and nearly turned evil. Then she smiled at him. “Goodnight, Santa.”

“Goodnight, Ivy.”

When the door shut, he turned back to the scenery outside the window. If he could get through this holiday alive and well, and still in control of the Well of Magic, he’d ready the heirs for their eventual takeover of the positions. For now, he’d focus on Christmas and keeping himself alive until he could replenish his magic at the Well after the holiday toy run.

Turning to the Nice List, he smiled. It was good to see a long list.

Some years were worse than others.

Sitting at the desk, he put his reading glasses on and picked up the list.

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