Which was what brought me to my own current dilemma.

  I couldn’t keep lying to my kids.

  They deserved to know the truth, especially when it might mean the difference between them knowing to be cautious of someone, or being in danger. In this case, I was fairly convinced that ignorance wasn’t bliss.

  Also, they might be very young, but they still deserved the chance to decide for themselves if this was something they wanted to be involved in. They might be frightened by it. They might want to live somewhere else. It would kill me, but I’d send them to live with my parents if I had to. At least then I’d know they were safe and loved.

  The boys already knew something was up, that much was obvious. Even though I’d been meticulous about keeping my glamour in place, so they never saw the true changes Olwen was creating in my physical self, they still seemed wise to the fact that something was going on.

  Ever since the night of the fight with Janara and Lady Evergreen, Sean had been watching me oddly and asking a lot of questions about the ‘blizzard’. It would be hard to tell them the truth, but much better than whatever they might come up with on their own. Or even worse, them finding out the truth about me from someone else.

  So, when the worst of the damage was taken care of, and the concerned citizens stopped ringing the precinct’s phones off the hook, I took off work a little early, and sat the boys down for a long overdue discussion.

  I did invite Maverick and Sybil along, too. It was always better to have back up, and since Maverick and I were now technically married, they were family too. Though, after realizing just how tightly the two of us were entwined, it was starting to feel like more than just ‘technically’.

  Charlie was content to play with his plushy as I got them settled onto the couch, but Sean knew something was up instantly. He watched me with wary eyes, and I hated it.

  “What’s wrong,” he asked. “Did something happen?”

  The tension in his voice caught Charlie’s attention, and he hugged his plushy to his chest tightly, watching all of us with big eyes.

  “No, no, nothing happened. Everything is okay, I just… needed to talk to the two of you,” I finished lamely.

  If anything, that made them more nervous. They both went still, like baby bunnies in the grass, hoping the fox will pass them by. Great. One sentence in, and I was already making a mess of things.

  Charlie looked at me with big dark eyes. He was clutching his plushy so hard, he’d almost pinched all the stuffing out of its middle. “Are you going to send us away?”

  That thin little whisper broke my heart. “What? No! No, of course not. Why would you think that?”

  The boys exchanged a look.

  “During the storm,” Sean began cautiously. “We heard some of the grownups say that it might be better if you sent us away.”

  I had to clench my fists and breathe, or risk coating the walls in ice. “I’m not sending you away, and it would not be better, not ever.” Maybe safer, but better? Not a chance. I might not have birthed them, but they were still my kids. And they always would be.

  That had Charlie brightening instantly. Sean still looked wary, but he was three years older, and he remembered more of their younger years and the feeling of never belonging.

  “I just wanted…” My voice trailed off awkwardly. I didn’t know what to say. How the hell did I explain something I barely understood myself?

  What if they were scared when I told them? What if they hated me? What if they thought all of this was my fault? What if it was?

  I slapped at my pants, trying to brush away the traces of frost that had started to grow there, and let out a huff of air. I’d faced down armed criminals and been less freaked out. This was getting pathetic.

  I could almost feel Maverick’s presence, but I’d made him promise not to get involved until I gave the all clear. This was going to be confusing enough without everyone singing in a different pitch.

  “I wanted to tell you a story,” I said finally, stumbling across possibly the dumbest idea in the world. But I didn’t have another one.

  “A story,” Sean asked, giving me the look that I probably deserved.

  “Like from my book?” Charlie looked intrigued.

  I winced reflexively, having a war flashback of the eleven kajillion times I’d read ‘The Bear that Went over There’ as a bedtime story, but Charlie refused to switch it up. “Kind of like that.”

  Sean wasn’t as enthusiastic as Charlie, but at least they were both listening, and I’d just have to take what I could get. So, I took a deep breath, and let it out again, hoping I wasn’t making a huge mistake. “Once upon a time, there was a king and a queen of a magical fairy kingdom. They had a daughter, who was the princess, and would one day rule after them.”

  Sean stayed quiet, but Charlie kicked his feet, eyes shining. “What kind of magic kingdom? Were there dragons?”

  I actually didn’t know, about the dragons part anyway. Actually, I didn’t even know about the kingdom part either. And there wasn’t really anyone I could ask that I could trust not to yank my chain for their own amusement. “It was a kingdom of eternal winter,” I decided on, and pointedly ignored Maverick’s not-so-quiet snicker.

  At least Charlie’s little, “Coooool,” was pretty gratifying.

  “Does that mean it snowed there all the time?” Sybil asked, smiling pleasantly. Even though she was years older than the boys, she had basically been alive for a few months so she was learning as much as they were.

  “Yeah, all the time,” I answered, even though I wasn’t sure if that was true.

  I cleared my throat, trying to ignore the embarrassed flush climbing my face. “But there were people in the kingdom who wanted to take the throne for themselves, and the baby princess was in danger. So, her parents hid her away in the human world, with a very kind family, so that she would have a chance to grow up in safety.”

  Charlie looked enthralled, but Sean’s eyes had narrowed into a suspicious squint.

  “Now, the princess’s memories and her magic were sealed away, so that her enemies couldn’t find her. She grew up thinking that she was human, and never knew anything about the other winter world at all. Until one day, when the spell broke, and she became herself again.”

  My pulse sped. This was the tricky part. How was I going to explain it all? How was I going to find the right words?

  “And did the princess fight all the bad people?” Charlie made a big, flailing arm gesture, like he was holding a sword. Or a tennis racket.

  “Um.” I blinked. “Sort of?”

  He bounced excitedly in his seat. “And you’re the princess, right mom?”

  I stared at him, shocked as Maverick started to chuckle beside me. “I… what?”

  Sean laughed at my expression. “It’s not hard to figure out.” He shrugged, looking slightly bored.

  “What… what do you mean?”

  He shrugged again. “The whole house was full of snow that one morning. Plus, sometimes when you’re mad, your eyes change color and the other day I saw you getting ready in the bathroom and your hair was all white and down to your butt.”

  My mouth worked silently for a few seconds. “Oh.” Well, damn. “Then I guess it’s easy for me to tell you that… yes, I am the princess.”

  “Cool!” Charlie said.

  I looked at Sean. “Are you okay with that?”

  The boys glanced at each other.

  “Yeah?” Sean blinked at me like I was asking him the stupidest question in the history of stupid questions. “Why wouldn’t we be?”

  Charlie bailed off the couch, wrapping his arms around me. “Mom’s a fairy princess! It’s so cool!”

  My throat closed up, so my surprised laugh came out a little choked. Sean joined us, and I hugged them as tightly as I could. There was more, so much more really, but for right now, we were safe and the boys understood what I was. I could explain more in the weeks to come and answer the myriad questions they were bound to have.

  I turned my head to press a kiss to the crown of Charlie’s head, and caught sight of Maverick and Sybil. Maverick’s face was soft, a little smile turning up the corners of his mouth. Sybil, who had chosen the form of a young witch with long dark hair, was practically bouncing out of her seat, grinning wide enough that it had to hurt.

  “So,” I started awkwardly. “I should probably mention something else.”

  “There’s even more?” Charlie asked.

  I nodded. “Maverick and I kind of got… married,” I continued as I looked at the boys again. “So, I guess he’s kind of your stepfather. And Sybil is your new step sister.”

  Sybil squealed. “I always wanted brothers!”

  She dove into the group hug we had going on, and all I could do was laugh and shake my head, because just a couple months ago, Sybil hadn’t even known what brothers were. Eventually, we all pulled back, and I tried to surreptitiously wipe my eyes, but a few stray tears escaped all the same.

  “So, can we see it,” Sean asked a little shyly.

  I blinked. “See what?”

  “Your secret face.”

  My heart gave a painful little throb. They both looked so eager, but were holding back, ready to be disappointed.

  I squeezed them close again. “Of course.”

  It was still a bit difficult for me, peeling away the glamour that Bea had taught me to wear in order to hide all the physical changes I was going through. But the kids wanted to see. They were taking everything well, better than I’d ever hoped for really. I’d half expected they’d want to leave. If all they wanted was a look at my other face, then I’d do it happily.

  The last bits of magic faded, and my boys stared at my face, fascinated, as I sat there in all my Sidhe glory. Icy eyes, long white hair, porcelain white skin and gently pointed ears.

  Since they seemed to be taking everything so well, I actually did my best to summon a tiny swirl of snow into my hand, the delicate flakes sparkling in my palm, and Charlie actually clapped as Sean reached out to touch it. The snow dissolved under the warmth of his finger and he looked at it with a little smile. Then he reached out to touch the tips of my ears.

  “They’re pointy,” he said.

  “Yep,” I answered.

  “Like little fairy ears,” he continued.

  “Yep,” I replied.

  I’d never really thought of my magic as something special. First it was an annoyance to deal with. Then it was a tool to help protect myself. But sitting here, watching as pale blue light and silvery flakes were reflected into the wide, enthralled eyes of my sons, I started to wonder if maybe magic could be a good thing. Sometimes. In some very specific situations.

  Charlie started mumbling something, and it took me a minute, and Sean joining in, to realize that he was singing the lyrics to ‘Let it go’. Which was bad enough, but then Maverick decided to join in on the chorus, until the three of them were belting it out at just about the top of their lungs. Sybil just sat there, smiling absently, like a lobotomy patient.

  I scowled at Maverick, trying desperately to keep my lips from twitching up. “You are, without a doubt, the worst husband ever.”

  He gave a devilish little laugh and leaned forward just far enough to press a short, sweet kiss to my lips while Sybil clapped, and Sean made gagging noises.

  “Just remember, wife mine,” Maverick said with a grin. “You’re the one who chose me.”

  The End

  ~~~~~

  Return to Haven Hollow in:

  The Christmas Spirit

  Haven Hollow #25

  (Remarkable Remedies)

  by J.R. Rain & H.P. Mallory

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  Return to the Table of Contents

  THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

  Haven Hollow #25

  (Remarkable Remedies)

  by

  H.P. MALLORY

  &

  J.R. RAIN

  The Christmas Spirit

  Published by Rain Press

  Copyright © 2022 by J.R. Rain & H.P. Mallory

  All rights reserved.

  Ebook Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  The Christmas Spirit

  Narrated by Poppy

  Chapter One

  Christmas Eve

  The ring on my finger stared back at me like an accusation.

  I turned it around, and around again until it wore a red mark on my skin.

  It really was pretty, with a white gold band that looked nice against my pale skin. Yellow gold always looked a bit funny on me, just too much contrast, and not in a good way. But this ring… well, it was lovely, really. The diamond was done in a princess cut that sparkled with rainbows in the smallest amount of light. And the little flecks of sapphire that surrounded the center stone were the exact same shade as my eyes.

  The ring was elegant, tasteful, and more importantly, obviously picked out with a lot of care for the person who would be wearing it.

  Looking at it made me want to cry. And I couldn’t quite put my finger on the reason why.

  Eager for a distraction, I came around the counter of my store to straighten the shelves for the twentieth time that afternoon. The earlier crowds had decimated my stock, and on any other day, I would have been thrilled with the success. It seemed like potions were the hot ticket Christmas present or stocking stuffer this year which was… well, it was great. And, yet, I didn’t feel great. Staring at the cheerfully decorated and nearly barren shelves, I found myself hoping that a mess would appear for me to fix.

  Because then at least I could fix something.

  It was Christmas Eve, and my shop, ‘Poppy’s Potions’, was set to close early. I wanted a little extra time to get home to my son so we could get in some last-minute holiday festivities before the big day tomorrow.

  Finn was growing up so fast, already in his last year of middle school, and I wanted to squeeze in as much time as I could before he got too old to want to hang out with his mom. He was already less excited about the holidays than he used to be (ever since learning Santa wasn’t real).

  I couldn’t help but remember when he was younger how we’d have long debates over what kind of cookies to leave out for Santa, and the plate would end up piled high with chocolate chip, peanut butter, and sugar cookies. Then, in the middle of the night, I’d have to chew on a raw carrot to convince Finn that the reindeer had liked the snack he’d left out for them. One year I’d even gone so far as to leave boot tracks in flour leading from the fireplace to the Christmas tree, in the hopes Finn would believe Santa had tracked in snow (never mind the fact that it didn’t snow in Los Angeles).

  Lately, he was still excited about the holidays but not like he had been when he was a little boy. Thinking on it now made me nostalgic about his younger years. There was nothing quite like seeing your kid’s face light up with the magic of the season.

  I shook off the mood. Where Finn was concerned, I had a few more years of holiday movie marathons ahead of us still. No need to worry about things that hadn’t even happened yet.

  I had plenty of other things to worry about.

  At least sales had been way better than I’d thought they would be. Looking around at the almost empty shelves was pretty satisfying, even if it meant I was going to have a lot of work ahead of me to restock after the New Year, if not before. I’d even started to brew some of the more popular potions in the shop. I usually worked on them at home, but at least this way, when I had a lull, I could whip up a few things in the interim.

  Soon enough, daylight started to fade, the shadows stretching longer, and it was almost time to lock the doors and head home for the evening. I didn’t think there would be many more last-minute customers so close to closing time, especially on Christmas Eve, but I’d give it a few more minutes, just in case.

  Some of the fake snow I’d laid on the antique wooden shelves had fallen off and was now dusting the floor, so I carefully swept it up and dumped it back onto the shelves. Not only was the snow festive, but it, and the twinkling little fairy lights I’d strung up, had made the rainbow glass of my various potion bottles sparkle like something truly magical.

  As I deposited the fake snow back on the shelf, the fairy lights glinted off the engagement ring on my left hand, and my stomach clenched tight again. So much for the distraction.

  I cradled my hand to my chest, looking down at the ring as I breathed out a long and dramatic sigh. The guilt was almost suffocating. Why wasn’t I happy? Most women would have been ecstatic that their wonderful, caring, handsome boyfriend had proposed. So why was I filled with so much anxiety and this feeling of… being unsettled?

  It was true that I hadn’t had the best luck with relationships in the past, but I didn’t think that was what was causing my disquiet. Because even though all my other relationships had been disasters, Marty was different. There was nothing about him that in any way mirrored the jerkoffs I’d dated in the past. He was sweet, and caring, and a little goofy, true, but an overall good guy. No, he was a great guy.

  And yet… why did I feel like there was an anvil in my stomach when I thought about marrying him? Was this just fear speaking? Nerves?

  It was the exact same feeling I’d had when he’d proposed the night of Thanksgiving dinner when we’d been surrounded by friends and family. He’d asked, and I’d blurted ‘yes’ without much more thought. Well, those thoughts were making themselves known with a vengeance now, and they had my stomach turning into knots like I’d had too much caffeine.