Page 10 of Elven Kisses & Winter Wishes

I watch in amazement as the townspeople rally, each offering their unique skills to fill the void left by Grizelda’s absence. It’s touching, really, how this eclectic community comes together in a crisis.

Frost leans close, his cool breath tickling my ear. “We need to go,” he whispers. “Time’s running out.”

I nod, realizing how long we’ve been standing here. We slip away from the crowd, their voices fading as we hurry down the cobblestone street toward Frost’s shop.

Chapter 4

I PUSH OPEN THE DOORto “Frost’s Festive Finds,” and a wave of peppermint and pine washes over me. The shop’s interior is a kaleidoscope of Christmas colors, but something’s off. The shelves aren’t neatly arranged as I remember from my first visit. Instead, they float in midair, shifting and rearranging themselves like a giant 3D puzzle.

“This is new,” I say, eyeing the moving shelves warily.

“Not entirely. The shelves often rearrange themselves, but not to this extent.” Frost steps in behind me, eyeing the chaos. “The Heart’s instability is affecting the shop’s magic. We’ll need to navigate carefully.”

I scan the room, trying to spot the Christmas Star among the chaos. “Any idea where you last saw it?”

“It should be on the top shelf near the back,” he says while looking around the room. “But with everything moving...”

A shelf zooms past us, narrowly missing my head. I duck instinctively. “Great. So we’re looking for a needle in a haystack, and the haystack is trying to decapitate us.”

Frost’s lips twitch, almost smiling. “Your human sayings are quite amusing. Shall we begin our search?”

I nod, stepping forward cautiously. A path seems to open up between two shelves, but as soon as I move toward it, they slam together. I jump back, bumping into Frost. He steadies me with his hands on my hips, creating a strange tingle where we touch.

“Perhaps we should approach this methodically,” he says. “I’ll start on the left, and you take the right. We’ll work our way to the center.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Methodically? In this chaos? We don’t have time for that. We need to grab that star before midnight.”

“Patience is key in magical endeavors.” He sniffs. “Rushing could lead to mistakes.”

I roll my eyes. “And being too cautious could mean we don’t find it at all.” As an accountant, it’s odd for me to argue that we should rush in, but the situation is extraordinary. “I get that you’re the expert on magic here, but I’m pretty good at problem-solving. How about we try it my way first?”

Without waiting for an answer, I dart forward, ducking under a low-hanging shelf and weaving between two others. Frost calls out behind me, but I’m focused on the task at hand. I spot a glimmer of gold near the back of the shop and make a beeline for it.

As I reach for the star, a shelf swoops down, forcing me to roll out of the way. I end up behind a display of nutcrackers, their painted eyes seeming to follow me.

“Evony?” Frost appears beside me, his silver hair slightly disheveled. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.” I brush off my clothes. “I think I saw the star over there.”

He gives me a stern look. “We need to work together on this. The shop’s magic is unpredictable right now.”

I’m about to argue when I notice something odd. The shelves seem to be moving in a pattern, almost like... “It’s a dance,” I whisper.

“What?”

I grab Frost’s hand without thinking. “Look. The shelves are moving like they’re dancing. If we can figure out the rhythm...”

His eyes widen in understanding. He squeezes my hand, and that strange tingle returns. “Brilliant observation, Evony. Shall we dance?”

Together, we start moving through the shop, stepping in time with the shelves’ movements. It’s like a complicated waltz, with Frost leading and me following his cues. We weave between floating displays, duck under swinging signs, and twirl past precarious stacks of gift boxes.

When we near the back of the shop, I spot the star again. “There.” I point with my free hand.

Frost nods, guiding us closer. Just as we’re about to reach it, a group of small, fluffy creatures hop into view. They look like a cross between rabbits and cotton balls, with big, innocent eyes.

Frost stiffens. “Floffels,” he whispers, his voice tense. “Don’t make any sudden moves.”

I stare at the adorable creatures. “They’re so cute. What’s the problem?”

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