Page 43 of Santa Daddy, I'm Not the One

Nils!

16

NILS

Iplaced the gift under the tree with care. That was the last name checked off my list. I should be on my way back to Twinkle Glen, but I had one more task to accomplish before I could return home, one that weighed heavily on my heart. My sleigh cut through the crisp night air, the stars twinkling above like distant beacons as I flew to Landon’s hometown. I’d deliberately saved it for last.

The house was dark, but I knew who I was looking for would lurk around, waiting for his chance to ruin another Christmas. I landed the sleigh with practiced ease on the roof.

“Stay here,” I told Eirik, who had accompanied me tonight. “I won’t be long.”

The snow crunched under my boots as I tiptoed across the frost-kissed shingles. Down the chimney chute, I landed in the living room. I opened the small endless sack and plucked out the toys for the kids in the orphanage. I laid them out nicely, then stopped to eat the cookies that had been left behind.

While munching on one, I tiptoed up the stairs and found the bedroom. I slipped inside and came face-to-face with the horrified occupant. I knew all his tricks. He’d been doing this for years, and it was time to put an end to it. Landon had proved that the world didn’t necessarily fall apart because of breaking one rule.

The man’s mouth bobbed open, and he sat up against the headboard.

“Who are you?” he croaked. “There’s nothing in here. All the gifts are under the tree. Take them and go.”

“I don’t want your gifts. I brought them.”

He furrowed his brow. “What?”

“I know what you have been doing all these years. Stealing the children’s gifts and pawning them. I’m here to put a stop to it.”

“How…did you know? Who are you?”

“Can’t you tell?”

He shook his head.

“Yes, you do. Tell me, what’s my name?”

“Santa Claus? You’re not real.”

“Am I not?” I crossed my arms. “I can list every gift I’ve put under your tree. And every misdeed you’ve done, like stealing little Mary’s doll and the bike that was meant for Tommy last year. You took all the presents I brought for Landon. I know it all.”

“How…?”

“Because I’m Santa. In the spirit of Christmas, I’ll give you one chance to make it right. The next time you rob from these children, youwillregret it.”

With one last warning glance, I turned, but at the door, I blew a swirl of frost into the bedroom. In case he woke up tomorrow and thought the whole thing was a hallucination. He would have the devil of a time getting the frost out of his bedroom.

On the roof, Eirik was waiting for me, his expression concerned.

“Is everything all right?” he asked as I climbed back into the sleigh.

“It’s taken care of,” I said, my thoughts already racing back to Twinkle Glen, to Landon and our ball. I couldn’t wait to dance in the square with him, the lights from the tree shining on us. “Let’s go home.”

The sleigh soared above the sleeping town, leaving a trail of stardust in its wake. I looked down at the world below, satisfied. Our task for the year was done. In the months of rest, I could properly woo Landon before we had to get busy working on new toys for the next Christmas.

The familiar sight of the frosted forests and twinkling lights of the workshop welcomed me home. The air was crisp and filled with the magic that always seemed to permeate everything here. But as we descended into the clearing, my heart sank. A crowd of elves huddled together, their faces etched with worry and fear.

I landed the sleigh and leaped out, Eirik close on my heels. “What’s happened?” I scanned the faces but didn’t see Landon among them.

“Santa, it’s Landon!” one of the elves said, her eyes wide with panic. “He’s missing! We think Frostheart might have taken him. One of the elves spotted him in the forest when we cut down our tree.”

A cold dread filled me, chilling me to the bone. Frostheart had already lost. Why was he still going after Landon?

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