Page 18 of Elven Kisses & Winter Wishes

Frost chuckles, a sound like tinkling icicles. “I can imagine. It’s not every day that a human discovers a magical town hidden between realities.” He slants me a glance. “Or forms such an immediate connection...”

We walk in companionable silence for a few moments, our breath forming small clouds in the cold air. The streets of Evershift Haven are quiet at this hour, the magical shops closed for the night, and tension pervades the town. Everyone is clearly on edge, waiting to see if we succeed. Only the occasional glowing fairy light illuminates our path.

“Evony,” he says softly, “There’s something I need to tell you.”

I turn to look at him, curious. “What is it?”

He takes a deep breath, looking at me. “I’ve dreamed about you for years.”

I blink, not sure I heard him correctly. “You’ve...what?”

Frost runs a hand through his hair, leaving a trail of snowflakes and mussed hair escaping the braid in its wake. “I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true. I’ve had visions of you in my dreams for as long as I can remember, always clearly in my future. When you were born about three decades ago, they increased in frequency and detail. When you appeared in Evershift Haven, I immediately knew who you were.”

My mind reels. “Are you saying...you knew I was coming?”

He nods. “In a way, yes. I didn’t know exactly when or how, but I knew you would arrive someday. You’re my mate, Evony.”

I stop walking to stare at him, mouth agape. “Your mate? Frost, we barely know each other. How can you possibly believe that?”

He turns to face me, his expression earnest. “In the fae world, we have something called dream prophecy. It’s a rare gift that allows us to see glimpses of our future, particularly when it comes to our destined partners. I’ve seen you in my dreams for centuries, Evony. I’ve watched you grow up and seen snippets of your life in the human world. Over the past year, I’ve dreamed about you almost every night, so I knew you’d be coming soon, and now, here you are.”

I shake my head, trying to process this information. “That’s a lot to take in.”

“I know. I don’t expect you to feel the same way immediately. I’ve had years to come to terms with this, but for you, it’s all new. I just wanted you to understand why I’ve been so drawn to you since you arrived.”

I inhale deeply, and the cold air almost burns my lungs before I exhale. “I appreciate your honesty, Frost. I won’t lie—I’ve felt a connection to you too, but this is moving so fast. Imean, magical prophecies? Destined mates? It’s like something out of a fantasy novel.”

He laughs softly. “Welcome to Evershift Haven, where fantasy becomes reality.”

We start walking again, and I mull over his words. Despite the overwhelming nature of his revelation, I’m surprised to find I’m not entirely freaked out. There’s a part of me that feels...right about this. Like a puzzle piece clicking into place. “So...” I say, breaking the silence. “These dreams you had about me. What exactly did you see?”

He gives me a sweet smile. “Oh, so many things. I saw you as a child, playing in a park near your home. I saw you in high school, winning a math competition. I saw you graduate college and start your first job as an accountant. Little snippets of your life, spread out over years. More than that, I saw snippets of our future together.” His gaze softens. “There are two children in our future, both a perfect mix of us.”

I stare at him, amazed. “That’s...incredibly accurate, and a little freaky about the kid thing, but why me? I’m just a normal human. Or I was until I came here and discovered I have some kind of magical heritage.”

Frost smiles. “You’ve never been ‘just’ anything. Your elven blood has always been a part of you, even if you didn’t know it, and as for why you... That’s the mystery of fate, isn’t it?”

We walk in silence for a few moments while the snow falls gently around us. I’m struck by how comfortable I feel with Frost, despite the bombshell he just dropped on me. There’s an ease between us that defies our short acquaintance. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“If you’ve known about me for so long, why didn’t you try to find me in the human world?”

His expression turns serious. “It’s forbidden for magical beings to interfere with the human world unless absolutely necessary. We have to let fate take its course. I knew you would find your way here when the time was right.”

I nod, understanding. “And now that I’m here?”

He smiles, a hint of mischief in his eyes. “Now, I hope you’ll give me a chance to court you properly. Dream visions are all well and good, but I want to get to know the real you.”

I smile back. “I think I’d like that.” I’m supposed to go home after Christmas, but the idea suddenly holds no appeal. I love my family and have friends there, along with enjoying my job, but I never seem to quite fit in either. Since coming to Evershift Haven, I haven’t felt that low-grade compulsion to figure out my place in the scheme of things. I just seem to...fit.

Approaching the edge of the Whispering Woods, I see Throk and Candice waiting for us. Candice waves excitedly, her blonde hair glowing in the moonlight.

“There you are,” she calls out. “We were starting to worry.”

Throk nods in greeting, his massive form dwarfing Candice beside him. “Everything okay?”

I glance at Frost, who nods and smiles. “Yeah,” I say, smiling. “Everything’s great. So, what’s this about talking trees?”

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