Page 1 of Red Light, Green Light
CHAPTER 1
TRYOUTS
Of course, I would get stuck in a fucking locker on Orientation Day for the Reindeer Games.
This all started because I wanted to pee before the tour of the Stable. The other twenty-four Hopefuls and I mingled in the main lobby. The whole venue looked less like a stadium and more like a luxury barn that had a baby with a winter palace. The white walls were bright under the recessed lighting and a huge wrought-iron chandelier adorned with crystal snowflakes hanging from the warm reddish-brown rafters. The arched doorways were modeled like stall gates with the same iron and wood in their design. High above each door was a larger-than-life golden statue of a reindeer flying magically, as though from the stall door beneath them. Names were written under them in big elegant cursive, but I knew from looking at them who they were.
Dasher’s stretching of her legs to cover more ground.
Dancer’s light hooves made it seem like she was doing ballet in the sky.
Prancer’s confident glint in her eyes.
Vixen’s beauty and grace in every movement.
Comet’s perfect form when she landed.
Cupid’s antlers held proudly for her manipulate the air.
Donner’s open mouth for her bellow allowing her to warn of dangers ahead.
Blitzen’s quick wit you could see in her smirk.
Then, on the far side, was Rudolph, greeting us as the proudest of them all. Her nose was a ruby-red crystal that pulsed softly like a beacon, guiding us closer.
These were the original Nine, the first runners of Santa’s legendary Sleigh Team.
And I couldn’t wait to be one of them.
Every twelve years, the best female reindeer-shifters from all over the world competed for a chance to join the Nine. Those currently on the team who wanted to continue driving the Jolly Old Man’s sleigh also had to re-qualify. Each reindeer-shifter fought to rank the highest in tests of speed, form, agility, teamwork, adaptability, durability, leadership, poise, and magic. Those who ranked in the Top Nine were assigned their name on the team, with the Top Seed being dubbed Rudolph or Captain of the Nine. The next two ranked after the Nine were alternates or Second-String Lights in case of injury, while the rest had to return to try again in another dozen years. It was insanely competitive and cutthroat, and I didn’t want to miss a single moment.
I looked around for a bathroom.What giant venue doesn’t have signs for a bathroom?Not wanting to waste any more time, I approached a group of women chatting nearby.
“Hey, sorry to interrupt, but do you know where a bathroom is?” I asked politely.
All the women turned to glance at me. Most of their looks were curious, with some whispering amongst themselves, but the one in the center narrowed her eyes at me like I had interrupted something important. “Do I know you?”
Her intense tone and attitude in her English-accented voice took me aback for a moment, but I maintained my friendly smile. “Uh, maybe? I’m Wynter Norwood. What’s your name?”
“As if you don’t know!” The girl snorted. “I’m Chrissy Beckett, the future first fifth-generation sleigh-runner for Santa. You probably know my mother. She’s a six-time Vixen and going forseventhis year.”
I nodded. I knew all the names of the current Nine, including Gloria Beckett, having studied them intensely to understand my competition. Gloria always received Second String Light scores in speed and adaptability, but what she lacked in athleticism, she made up for in her high-as-fuck scores in poise, form, and adaptability. Her everlasting beauty helped her, too, making her an easy choice for Vixen. But, she was a fourth-generation Legacy, which meant she generally gave the vibes of a woman who didn’t reach for the stars but assumed they’d rearrange themselves to her liking. Naturally, her daughter had inherited that.
“That is very impressive. I wish you both luck,” I said sincerely.
“Oh, we don’t need luck to win! We have pure talent.” Chrissy smiled confidently. Then she tilted her head. “Now, you still looksofamiliar to me, but I know you aren’t a Legacy. So, who are youreally?”
Before I could even open my mouth, one of the other girls enthusiastically answered for me as if Chrissy had been asking her. She likely was. Legacies often had many who latched onto them, hoping to ride their coattails to some form of success. “She’s Wynter Reese Norwood, the first draft pick and first to be chosen as a Sleigh Hopeful. People think she might be the first Rookie to rank as a Rudolph in her first Game.”
“Oh, really?” Chrissy’s dusty brown eyes looked me up and down. “Huh. I wasn’t expecting the next Rudolph to look likeyou.”
I chuckled dryly.Well, surprise, surprise. I was the first caribou-shifter hybrid to compete. There were no rules stating that a Hopeful had to be a full-blooded caribou or reindeer. They only had to be part-reindeer, able to wield wind magic to fly, and complete the other duties on Santa’s Sleigh Team.
Despite checking those boxes, I naturally looked nothing like the other Hopefuls around me. Most of them were copies of Chrissy: White with straight hair, a same-feeling conventionally beautiful face, height of at least 5’5”, and an athletic yet curvy build that accentuated muscular legs, fat asses, little waists with abs, and perfectly perky breasts. There were some outliers who were over six feet tall or skinny. More of the girls were brunettes, but some had white or even naturally colorful hair. Regardless, with my 5’2” height and curvaceous plus-size body, I was far from the norm. My dark taupe skin and voluminous curls didn’t do me any favors either, even if it was just as flawless and and two-toned with my lower half of my curls growing in snow white in contrast to my dark brown. I knew I was gorgeous, and my sparkle of white freckles only made me more of a stunner. I didn’t mind being visually unique from my competition. I already dominated them by breaking records in every single contest I had competed in leading up to the actual Games. What was one more reason to stand out from the rest?
“I will find the bathroom myself,” I said, turning away.
“Wait!” Chrissy called out. “I’m sorry. That was rude, and I didn’t mean it like that. I can show you where the bathrooms are!”
