《Mystery at Santa's Village: a cosy Christmas romance》 Bk. 1, Ch. 0: 13 days before Christmas Lacey looked up from the Polar Family Roofing financial statements on her desk and at the woman sitting across from her. It was the twelfth of December and only eleven more days until Wesstlar Brothers and Associates, the accounting firm Lacey worked for, closed for the holidays on the 23rd. Not that Lacey was counting down the days. She was one of those people who were genuinely invigorated by their job. To her, accounting was like solving a giant puzzle, which she constructed ledger by ledger until she saw the real financial picture. This was also almost certainly why Matty Polar had come to see her, with dark circles under her eyes accentuated by worry lines. ¡®So, your brother asked you to bring in the family business¡¯s statements for review?¡¯ Matty nodded, ¡®Yes, but I am also part of the business. My brother runs the day-to-day operations while I manage human resource issues. In our small business, this basically means dealing with the work roster, personnel squabbles, and work-related injuries.¡± ¡®Ah, that sounds like a very diverse job description,¡± Lacey replied with a smile. ¡°And you asked for me specifically?¡¯ ¡®No, I asked the receptionist who to talk to about financial oddities, and she brought me to you.¡¯ It was true. As Robert Wesstlar, the managing partner, liked telling clients, Lacey was their number one detective. Financial oddities were Lacey¡¯s bread and butter. ¡®Oh? You think there might be fraud?¡¯ Matty twiddled her fingers nervously before leaning forward, dropping her voice, ¡®We think there¡¯s ¡­ you know ¡­ someone ¡­ ah, something¡¯s not right.¡¯ Lacey pulled a notepad closer. ¡®What have you and your brother noticed?¡¯ ¡®Well, we¡¯ve had a terrific year. The business should have a bunch of money in the bank, but we¡¯re barely squeaking by. Peter, my brother, even had to take a pay cut so that we could afford the materials for the last few jobs. He just bought his own house too. It¡¯s been really rough on him.¡¯ ¡®That doesn¡¯t necessarily mean it¡¯s fraud though. It could be that the business¡¯s pricing is off or that there are too many outstanding accounts.¡¯ ¡®We know, and that¡¯s what Uncle Albert also said.¡¯ ¡®Wait,¡¯ Lacey stopped her. ¡®Who¡¯s Uncle Albert?¡¯ Matty hesitated, clenching her hands, and then breathed something. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t hear you. Could you say that again, louder?¡¯ ¡®I said, he¡¯s our financial manager.¡¯ She grabbed her handbag and rifled through it, pulling out a travel pack of tissues. Taking one, she blotted at her eyes, which Lacey belatedly realised was tearing up.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡®You think he¡¯s stealing from the business?¡¯ ¡®Oh, I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s been with us for ages. He wouldn¡¯t betray us, we¡¯re family.¡¯ Lacey didn¡¯t respond to that, as they both knew it was quite possible and, under the circumstances, maybe even probable. And, if it were true, as HR manager, Matty would be the one who had to deal with it. ¡®Okay, let me take a look at it. Can you and Peter come in tomorrow so I can speak to both of you?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯ll just have to be early so Peter doesn¡¯t miss work. We don¡¯t want Uncle Albert to know what we¡¯re doing.¡¯ Lacey didn¡¯t mind early. Most of the time, she was in the office well before work hours anyway. ?? A singer bellowed about his candy cane of joy to the sound of screaming guitars. Lacey blearily focused on the television, which was happily streaming Christmas music on autoplay. It was close to midnight. Something crinkled as she lifted her head off the dining room table. She ran a hand over her face, dislodging a cash flow statement stuck to her cheek. It belonged to Polar Family Roofing. Outside, snow fell in thick flurries, obscuring the Christmas-light-decorated houses up and down the street. Her and her direct neighbour¡¯s houses were the only ones not decorated yet. Hers, because she was still working, and the neighbour¡¯s because he had only recently moved in. Not that she¡¯s had a chance to meet him yet with her work schedule. Maybe over the holidays if he doesn¡¯t go on vacation. She hoped his renovations would be done before Christmas. She was getting tired of seeing the building-rubble skip bin outside. Christmas tended to be a lonely time for Lacey, having grown up in a foster care group home. According to the group home¡¯s mom, she was found one Christmas morning when she was two. She had a card pinned to her coat with her name and date of birth. No explanation, no letter from her parents, nothing. The story gave Lacey a special connection to the season, and she had always found solace in the twinkling Christmas lights. Watching them, she imagined the wonderful ways she and her family might have celebrated it if they were together, and she liked to think that maybe her parents were thinking of her too. Turning back to her work, she was afraid she didn¡¯t have good news for the Polars. The more she read, the more certain she became that someone was embezzling from the business. Her money would be on Uncle Albert since he was in charge of finances, but she needed to gather more information to confirm it. As always, the thought excited her. Nothing could beat the rush of pursuing a trail of clues embedded in the numbers to its conclusion. A part of her even wondered how she had managed to fall asleep in the middle of such an exciting challenge. By tomorrow morning, she would have everything Matty and Peter needed. ?? Lacey could barely force her eyes open when her alarm went off the following day. It was still dark outside, and there was a familiar winter chill in her bedroom. Why am I so tired? She wondered as she drifted back to sleep. Oh, yes. Polar Family Roofing. Half an hour later, she woke again with a start. What time is it? Oh no! She flew out of bed and rushed through the shower. Coming out of the shower, a petite, fair-skinned blonde with tired green eyes caught her eye for a moment in the mirror as she ran a toothbrush through her mouth. Then they both bolted away, Lacey grabbing coffee and dashing out the door into the silent white landscape outside. This would¡¯ve been fine except for the layer of ice that had formed overnight on the bottom porch step. Time slowed as the world gyrated around Lacey, the ground dropping away under her feet and the sky flying across her vision. She fell flat on her back, hearing her breath whoosh as the impact thumped through her body. Something hot was spilling down the back of her head. Oh no, my coffee! Reaching up to touch it, she couldn¡¯t feel the mug, but her fingers came away covered in sticky red. Complete exhaustion flooded her, making her body feel like lead while a monotonous whistle blew in her ears. She tried to lift her head, but that made the world spin in nauseating circles. So she stayed on her back, watching the sky gradually become darker until all was black. ?????? Bk. 1, Ch. 1.1: A partridge in a pear tree ¡®Ahg! Agh! Krrrrrrr¡­ kut kut kut!¡¯ Once again, Lacey blearily opened her eyes. Waking up to strange sounds seems to be my thing now, she wryly thought. ¡®Ahg!¡¯ the maker of the noise agreed. The world was blanketed in white, and her head hurt something fierce. The pounding only increased as she slowly sat up. ¡®Ahg!¡¯ She looked over at the noise, shook her head and looked again. A partridge was sitting in a pear tree. And she knew it was a pear tree because even though the landscape was covered in snow, it was in full leaf, lush and green, and bearing giant golden-ripe pears. It was also the largest pear tree she had ever seen, standing tall and proud. ¡®Hey! Hey you, elf! Why are you sitting in the snow? All the others are at the workshop already!¡¯ a voice demanded. It was a smartly dressed man wearing a uniform of black trousers and a red coat. The coat was edged with black trimming and topped off with golden brocade on the shoulders. He was the most handsome male she had ever seen. Tall, with short, dark hair, piercing black eyes, prominent high cheekbones and the most sensuous mouth. She could almost feel the warmth and softness of his lips as she looked at them. Suddenly, she felt unseasonably hot, even though she was in a snowdrift. Resisting the impulse to fan herself, she looked over her shoulder, trying to see who he was calling to. ¡®No, I¡¯m talking to you, worker elf!¡¯ Confused, she looked back at him. He was staring straight at her with his penetrating black eyes. Then she noticed her clothes. Instead of her usual work suit, she was dressed in a vibrant green dress reaching about mid-thigh in length, with red and white trimmings and horizontally striped woollen tights alternating between red, white, and green. At least her shoes were sensibly black, although that sensibility was somewhat spoiled by the mistletoe decorations attached to the toes. ¡®But I¡¯m not an elf!¡¯ she protested. ¡®What are you talking about? Of course you¡¯re an elf! You won¡¯t make your daily quota of toys if you lounge in the snow all day. Are you trying to catch a cold?¡¯ As if his words conjured it, Lacey sneezed and then frowned. There were green woollen mittens on her hands, with a furry white trim where they ended on her arms. ¡®Can you see this?¡¯ she asked, holding up her hands for him. ¡®See what?¡¯ ¡®This¡¯, Lacey replied, waving her hands. ¡®Yes, those are your hands.¡¯ ¡®But these aren¡¯t my mittens. I have black gloves.¡¯ ¡®So, why did you put them on? Also, why are you sitting in the snow?¡¯ A frown creased his face as he studied her. ¡®I don¡¯t know. I think I fell this morning, and then I guess I went to sleep.¡¯ ¡®Oh, that¡¯s not good. Did you hit your head when you fell? You¡¯re not supposed to go to sleep if you have a head injury.¡¯ ¡®I think so. I don¡¯t quite remember¡­¡¯ ¡®Stay still, and let me get you to the nurse.¡¯ The stranger picked her up in his arms like she weighed nothing. His thick coat made it hard to get a good idea of his figure, but his shoulders were broad and square. Smiling, she leaned into his chest and put her head on his shoulder. Then she realised what she was doing with a stranger and tensed away. Why did this strange man feel so good? Her fall must¡¯ve really rattled her.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡®Okay, you just relax. I¡¯m glad I found you. We really do need all hands on deck in the workshop. At this rate, I don¡¯t know how we¡¯ll get all the toys done on time.¡¯ Lacey stiffened even more. ¡®What do you mean ¡°in the workshop¡±? Is this a sweatshop? I have friends, and they¡¯ll come looking for me!¡¯ she lied.¡¯ The man paused, ¡®You don¡¯t remember the workshop? You really must have hit your head hard.¡¯ Then he fell silent. The mistletoe decorations on her shoes jiggled as her feet bounced with every long stride he took. ¡®Well, answer me. I might not remember the workshop, but I do remember my question from a minute ago.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but in your current condition, I¡¯m not sure whether I should.¡¯ ¡®Oh, just tell me and get it over with.¡¯ ¡®Okay then. You are an elf in Santa¡¯s workshop. We make Christmas toys here for all the little boys and girls on earth.¡¯ ¡®Santa¡¯s workshop? Elf?¡¯ Lacey squeaked out. ¡®Yes, Santa¡¯s workshop. And also, yes, you are an elf. Feel your pointy ears if you don¡¯t believe me.¡¯ Lacey touched her ear. It was pointy. A lot pointier than usual. And so was her other ear. There was also a roaring sound, getting louder and louder until the world went black again. ?? When she woke up, she was lying on a bed with a light blanket thrown over her. The blanket had a candy cane motif, and she could hear the stranger talking with someone else. She slowly blinked her eyes open. ¡®Oh look, she¡¯s awake,¡¯ the man said. Another elf in a nurse¡¯s uniform stood with the man. She looked a bit familiar. ¡®Matty? Is that you?¡¯ ¡®Oh, pretty close, dear. I''m Nurse Mathilda. Have we met before?¡¯ ¡®I, ah, I thought so, but I guess I¡¯m mistaken.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t worry about it. It happens to the best of us. Peter tells me that you fell in the snow and are feeling a bit confused.¡¯ ¡®I guess so. I don¡¯t quite remember,¡¯ Lacey replied. ¡®Am I an elf now?¡¯ At that the nurse elf giggled a little. ¡®Yes dear, you are an elf. That must¡¯ve been some bump to your head! Do you remember your name?¡¯ ¡®Yes, I¡¯m Lacey.¡¯ ¡®Well Lacey, nice to meet you. I don¡¯t recall seeing you before. Are you new?¡¯ Lacey thought about it. Yes, she was an elf. Yes, she wasn¡¯t one before. Logic. ¡®Yes, I¡¯m a new elf.¡¯ Nurse Mathilda lost her amused expression. ¡®No, I meant, are you new here at our settlement on the North Pole?¡¯ Given that she had never seen this place before, Lacey nodded silently. At this point Peter interjected, ¡®Sorry Mathilda, but I need to leave now if you don¡¯t need me. I still have to do my rounds in the village and check on the reindeer encampment.¡¯ ¡®No problem Peter,¡¯ Nurse Mathilda replied. ¡®I¡¯m glad you found her when you did. This could¡¯ve been even more serious if she had been left out in the cold. Good luck with your rounds, and I¡¯ll see you again later.¡¯ He ducked out the door, and Lacey listened to his footsteps retreating down the hallway. She felt a bit disappointed at him leaving and also that he¡¯d see Nurse Mathilda again later. ¡®Okay, Lacey. Now that my brother¡¯s left, you and I can chat better.¡¯ Lacey tried not to show her relief about their family relationship. ¡®I thought I knew all the workshop elves, but I don¡¯t remember you, which is probably a good thing. I mostly get to know elves when they come here with workshop injuries.¡¯ Then she clapped her hands over her mouth. ¡®Oh no! Now I¡¯ve done it! Thirty-six days injury-free, and I go and jinx it! At least you remember your name. That¡¯s a good start for us.¡¯ ¡®But you and Peter keep talking about the workshop. I don¡¯t work at a workshop, and I¡¯m not an elf! I don¡¯t know why my ears are pointy! I¡¯m an accountant!¡¯ ¡®Hush, it¡¯s okay. Why don¡¯t you try to relax? We¡¯ll take it from the beginning. Do you remember how you fell?¡¯ ¡®Well, I was late to work this morning and slipped on the ice. I think I hit my head on the front step of my house. See, here,¡¯ she said, pointing to the bump. ¡®Oh yes, you''ve got quite a lump there. And do you remember what happened afterwards?¡¯ ¡®The world went dark, and then I woke up underneath the pear tree.¡¯ ¡®And you don¡¯t remember anything in between?¡¯ Lacey shook her head. ¡®Okay, let¡¯s get your hat off and see what¡¯s going on underneath.¡¯ Lacey hadn¡¯t even realised she was wearing a hat. She patted her head. There was a gentle tinkle, and she felt a thick, rough material under her hand. When she pulled the hat off, she saw that it was green, with a white fur trim and a golden bell at the end. It matched her mittens lying on the bedside table. She gave it another shake, and the bell jingled again. Then she noticed Mathilda''s focused gaze on her. ¡®Sorry,¡¯ Lacey apologised. ¡®I didn¡¯t realise I was wearing a hat.¡¯ ¡®I see. How many fingers am I holding up?¡¯ ¡®Two.¡¯ ¡®And now?¡¯ ¡®Three, one on this hand and two on the other.¡¯ ¡®And now?¡¯ ¡®Two on your one hand again, and I can¡¯t see your other hand since you¡¯ve put it behind your back.¡¯ ¡®Answers worthy of an accountant. Keep your eyes on my index finger now.¡¯ Lacey watched the figure eight Mathilda drew. ¡®So, you didn¡¯t realise you were wearing a hat. Anything else you forgot?¡¯ ¡®Like I said, I don¡¯t know how I got here. One moment, I was lying in my front yard, and the next, I was in the snowdrift where Peter found me.¡¯ Mathilda paused and gave her another searching look. ¡®And where is your house?¡¯ ¡®19 Broadstreet, Farmington.¡¯ ¡®Oh dear.¡¯ ?????? Bk. 1, Ch. 1.2: Making toys ¡®Oh dear,¡¯ Mathilda said. ¡®That sounds like one of the Earth houses.¡¯ ¡®Earth houses? But isn¡¯t this settlement at the North Pole?¡¯ ¡®Ahh, it kinda is, and it kinda isn¡¯t. It would be more accurate to call it the Cosmic North Pole Space. Meaning, we are located at the North Pole but occupy a different dimensional space than the rest of Earth.¡¯ ¡®How does that work? And, are you saying I¡¯m a dimensional traveller?¡¯ Lacey hadn¡¯t said anything about Mathilda¡¯s claim of being in the North Pole settlement when she had originally mentioned it, but a different dimension? This story was becoming hard to swallow for a logical thinker like herself. ¡®Oh no, Santa¡¯s the only one who can freely transverse the dimensions. How do you think he manages to deliver a toy to every Earth child on Christmas Eve? The rest of us can only move between the spaces with his assistance. Oh.. Oh.. Oooh! If you come from Earth, he must¡¯ve brought you here! You¡¯re a Helper!¡¯ Her awestruck appearance was at complete odds with her words, and Lacey didn¡¯t understand what she meant. ¡®You mean like all the other elves are Santa¡¯s little helpers?¡¯ ¡®No, not a ¡°helper¡±, a ¡°Helper¡±, with a capital H,¡¯ Mathilda drew the different h¡¯s in the air as she spoke. ¡®There¡¯s a difference. As a child of Earth, you must know of Santa Clause and our operation here at the North Pole, right?¡¯ Lacey nodded in agreement, being willing to play along for now. ¡®Well, what¡¯s lesser known is that sometimes, when even Santa needs help, he will bring an Earthling over to assist.¡¯ ¡®You mean that me falling, bashing my head against my front step, probably being dead on Earth already, and turning up here in a snowdrift was Santa¡¯s way of giving me an opportunity?¡¯ ¡®Of course,¡¯ Mathilda replied with no hint of irony. ¡®If you are here, then you are here for a reason. Wow, I wish Santa would pick me for a mission. I can just imagine the feeling!¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t know. At the moment it feels like confusion with a side of headache.¡¯ Mathilda laughed and said, ¡®I guess it would! Despite your headache, I think we can safely rule out a concussion. So you are cleared for Santa¡¯s work, whatever that may be. Has he given you an instruction yet? Lacey shook her head. ¡®Don¡¯t worry about that. Most other Helpers in history also didn¡¯t get an immediate instruction. It makes sense. He just transported you to a completely new place in a different dimension. You need a bit of time to get acquainted with it all before starting the mission. For now I suggest you fall in, figuratively speaking, at the workshop and help with the toys. Also, it¡¯s probably better that you don¡¯t tell the other elves you¡¯re a Helper unless you want a gaggle of followers watching every step you make.¡¯ ¡®And you won¡¯t tell your brother?¡¯ ¡®Of course not. I¡¯m a medical professional! No, this will stay between you and me until you are ready to let others know.¡¯ ¡®Any chance I can get an appointment with Santa to discuss this?¡¯ ¡®Absolutely! Santa¡¯s door is always open to us! But at the moment he and Mistress Clause are busy making the final calculations for Christmas Eve, so you¡¯ll have to wait a few days.¡¯This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡®I see,¡¯ Lacey drily replied. ¡®And, in the meantime, you think I should make toys?¡¯ ¡®Yes indeedy. You can meet some other elves and learn more about our cosy community before getting to your real work.¡¯ Making toys. Was that the point of this elaborate scheme? Could Matty¡¯s appointment from yesterday have been to scope her out as a mark before they trafficked her to the toy sweatshop? She¡¯ll admit it was a novel approach. It played into your most profound childhood memories, gave you a sense of importance, and a compelling motivation to work. And if your mind was addled by a hard fall, a person might believe it. The only thing she didn¡¯t know was how they had known she would fall and bump her head. Or maybe that was simply luck, and they would¡¯ve nabbed her at the early appointment. She did feel a bit let down that Peter, if that was his real name, was involved in this too. That¡¯s one man I wouldn¡¯t mind being abducted by. Ugh, what am I thinking? Like she had time for a relationship anyway. As for this scheme, she supposed she had to play along for now. Only until she found out where she really was and had an escape plan. So she responded with, ¡®Sounds good. There¡¯s only one problem. I don¡¯t know how to make toys.¡¯ ¡®Oh, that¡¯s no problem at all! Every workshop bench has a complete primer on all the different toys. Do you have any experience following instructions to the letter?¡¯ ¡®Are you serious? I¡¯m an accountant. My whole life is following instructions to the letter. If that¡¯s all Santa needs, I¡¯ll be ready to go home in no time.¡¯ ?? ¡®Are you serious?¡¯ Lacey grumbled to herself an hour later. Making toys was hard. To clarify, Lacey could make toys. It just happened not to be very good ones. Curious, the elf next to her peered over. Then her eyes and mouth formed three perfect ohs at Lacey¡¯s attempt. ¡®Yeah, I know,¡¯ Lacey said. ¡®Not quite perfect, is it.¡¯ ¡®I, ah, it does look like you¡¯ve got a teeny tiny bit of work left on it,¡¯ the elf commented politely. ¡®Yes, a little bit more work,¡¯ Lacey replied bitterly. ¡®That¡¯s all it needs.¡¯ She sighed, then said, ¡®Hi, my name is Lacey. I¡¯m new here.¡¯ ¡®Greetings Lacey, my name is Jinxy.¡¯ ¡®Nice to meet you, Jinxy.¡¯ ¡®So where exactly do you come from?¡¯ Jinxy asked. ¡®I was born and raised here myself and have never wanted to live anywhere else.¡¯ Lacey felt her fear spike. There were people who had never left? No wonder everyone went along so calmly with the scheme. They didn¡¯t know any better. She felt more determined than ever to escape. These people needed help, and they didn¡¯t even know it! But for now she had to keep cool, so she continued the conversation like normal. ¡®Oh, I ¡­ Well, I guess I didn¡¯t have the privilege to stay in one place,¡¯ Lacey said. ¡®And you? What does it feel like to have lived here all your life? Don¡¯t you ever feel trapped?¡¯ ¡®All the time!¡¯ Jinxy replied, laughing. ¡®You know how it gets always having the same people around. I try to escape whenever I can. You should come with me sometime; we¡¯ve got some wonderful walking trails around the village.¡¯ ¡®That sounds fun. I¡¯ll absolutely take you up on it.¡¯ And maybe she can show me a trail out of here¡­ Now keep acting normal¡­ ¡®But, if I can go back to the toys for a moment, yours look fantastic! I love the sparkle!¡¯ The sparkle was intriguing, as it appeared nowhere on any of the primer blueprints. ¡®You think so? Not as good as Cynthi¡¯s, though. If you want to see the prettiest toys in the world, you should look at hers. I¡¯ll show you at the end of the day.¡¯ ¡®Oh, I don¡¯t believe it. Look how shiny this one is! In fact, where do you get the sparkle from? Did I miss something in the instructions?¡¯ Jinxy looked around furtively and then leaned closer. Surprised, Lacey also looked around cautiously before leaning in. She was making progress in gaining Jinxy¡¯s trust. ¡®Can you keep a secret?¡¯ Jinxy whispered. ¡®Yes, yes, of course.¡¯ ¡®I buy it myself. Please don¡¯t tell anyone. I already got into trouble for using my pay on sequined trimmings rather than requisitioning it through the workshop.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the type of secret Lacey expected, but now she knew there were other places to buy things from. Still, she was curious. ¡®It is charming, but why don¡¯t you just requisition it through the workshop then?¡¯ ¡®If all I use are workshop materials, then the gifts are so impersonal, don¡¯t you think? I also want to give something to the children. This way I get to add a flavour of my own on top of the workshop¡¯s,¡¯ Jinxy whispered, smiling happily at her little secret. Okay, so maybe Jinxy wasn¡¯t going to be her escape mate. But at least she had found a great coworker. She did feel a bit bad for Jinxy, though. What would it be like when she finally realised this outfit was only using her for cheap labour? Now that would be a tough transition back to the ¡®Earth world¡¯. Blissfully unaware, Jinxy returned to her work with a smile, furtively adding sparkling highlights to her toys every now and again. ?????? Bk. 1, Ch. 1.3: Jinxy’s disappearance Focusing on the blueprint, Lacey sighed again as she stabbed the leg seam closed. The doll she had been working on all morning was now finished. If only it didn¡¯t look like such a misfit toy. Its left foot bulged, the eyes weren¡¯t quite level, and one of the right arm¡¯s seams was on the verge of pulling apart. After she had already hand-stitched it closed twice, no less. Instruction manual or no, making toys was hard. ¡®Having a wee bit of trouble here, little lass?¡¯ Lacey looked up at the new voice and saw an ancient leprechaun leaning heavily on his shillelagh, staring at her doll with concern. He caught her look and chuckled. ¡®Surprised there¡¯s a leprechaun in Santa¡¯s workshop?¡¯ Lacey nodded, replying, ¡®Sorry, and please don¡¯t take it the wrong way, but I¡¯ve never seen a leprechaun with Santa¡¯s elves.¡¯ ¡®No hard feelings, lass. Santa¡¯s got a big enterprise, and a leprechaun is easy to miss. The two of us go way back. Even in Santa¡¯s realm, a little extra luck never goes amiss, so the old codger keeps me around. But you seem a bit new. Are you part of the transfer program?¡¯ ¡®I suppose I am. My name is Lacey.¡¯ ¡®And I¡¯m Albyrne. Nice to meet you, new elf Lacey. Let me guess. You must be from our settlement offshoot over in the Aurora Borealis. Very good at counting, your community; not so good at making toys.¡¯ Wait, does he know? He did say he and Santa go way back. But Mathilda had warned her, and Lacey was still pretending to be a good little elf. So she said, ¡®Quite true, I¡¯ve worked with numbers all my life. Because of that I thought making toys according to the instructions would be easy, but I don¡¯t understand what I¡¯m doing wrong. I mean, it¡¯s just putting parts together, right?¡¯ Albyrne squinted at her, saying, ¡®The problem is in your heart. You counters like everything in their place, adding up, and squaring all the bits away in tidy little lines. Although that¡¯s part of toy making, you also have to allow the toy a wee bit of freedom. Every toy is unique, even though they¡¯re from the same blueprint. Right now, you¡¯re so focused on making this doll perfectly like its pattern that you¡¯re suffocating her essence. Here, stand back and take another look at her with Albyrne.¡¯ Albyrne placed the doll back on the desk, pulled Lacey three steps back, and thumped his shillelagh on the floor once. Lacey gasped. It was as if the doll had suddenly come into focus. The left foot appeared a little larger, and if she looked closely the eyes would still be unaligned, but it wasn¡¯t a design flaw. Just like no person had a completely symmetrical face, the doll¡¯s irregular features became part of a unique expression. With this perspective it was easy to see where a couple of touch-ups were needed. The doll wasn¡¯t a misfit; she was an individual. Albyrne¡¯s eyes crinkled as he said, ¡®Now close up that last seam on the right arm, lass, and pick your next project.¡¯ ?? Time flew by as Lacey got into the rhythm of toy-making. She wanted to stay vigilant, but working in such a pleasant atmosphere, with toys all around and upbeat, chirpy elves, made it hard to be watchful. Even the task itself, once Lacey had gotten past the first doll, became satisfying. There was something to focus on, and then you ended with a pretty toy that you knew would go on to warm an Earth child¡¯s heart. She was so engaged in the train set she was working on, that she dropped a wheel when a whistle blew. Everyone stopped and started bustling out in chattering groups. ¡®Come on,¡¯ Jinxy said, getting up herself. ¡®Let¡¯s get some lunch!¡¯ ¡®Lunch?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that lunch was a foreign concept, it was just that Lacey rarely stopped for it when she was working. ¡®Yes, you can sit with us. I¡¯ll introduce you to everyone.¡¯ Lunch was served cafeteria style and consisted of mandarins, turkey sandwiches, deviled eggs, sweet mince pies, gingerbread cookies, and a mug of hot chocolate. Everyone consisted of three of Jinxy¡¯s very best friends. There was a dark-haired elf called Bethy, the purported master toy maker Cynthie, who was a slender blonde elf, and Danji, who had exotic eyes and wore candy-cane-rimmed glasses.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡®¡­ and I¡¯m going to show Lacey the walking trails!¡¯ Jinxy finished, concluding a lengthy introduction of Lacey. ¡®It¡¯s so ever so nice to meet you, Lacey,¡¯ Bethy said with a large smile. ¡®Albyrne says you had a bit of a bumpy start?¡¯ Lacey stared at her. Did she know? Were they all in on it? But Bethy¡¯s eyes stayed guileless, and all the others waited earnestly for her to answer. Danji came to her rescue, saying, ¡®Oh, we¡¯re sorry. Was he not supposed to tell us you fell and bumped your head when you arrived?¡¯ Oh, that was what she meant. ¡®No, no, I¡¯m sorry,¡¯ she replied, smiling apologetically. ¡®It¡¯s been a weird day, and I¡¯m still slightly out of it. Yes, I fell but luckily didn¡¯t get hurt too badly.¡¯ ¡®That is lucky!¡¯ Jinxy gushed. ¡®Gosh, maybe we should wait a few days before going for a walk. You need to rest your head!¡¯ ¡®Going for a walk? Just be careful of the abominable snowman,¡¯ Bethy teased, speaking before Lacey could reassure Jinxy that she wanted the walk. ¡®Oh, Bethy, don¡¯t encourage her. We all know the snowman never comes this close to the village,¡¯ Cynthie contributed. ¡®But he does,¡¯ Jinxy said. ¡®The other day, Melo and I were walking the Western trail past the candy cane fields, and we saw it! You ask him!¡¯ ¡®Jinxy,¡¯ Danji responded with concern. ¡®You have to stop going out looking for it. It¡¯s dangerous. There¡¯s a reason why it lives in The Wasteland.¡¯ ¡®But Melo was with me, so it was fine. And you would be cranky too if you were stuck out there all alone.¡¯ ¡®Sorry, abominable snowman? As in THE Abominable Snowman?¡¯ Lacey finally got a word in edgewise. ¡®The one and only,¡¯ Bethy replied. ¡®And Jinxy has this silly idea that it¡¯s lonely and needs company.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not silly, I tell you¡­¡¯ Whatever Jinxy was about to say was interrupted by a second whistle blowing. ¡®Time to get back to work!¡¯ Cynthie sang. ?? When the end-of-day whistle blew, Lacey leaned back and observed her completed toys with satisfaction before remembering that she was trapped and forced to make them. It was feeling less and less like slave labour, what with the camaraderie and uplifting atmosphere all around. I will not be fooled. I am not here of my own free will. It was becoming harder to hold on to that thought, however. Those thoughts were interrupted by a sudden commotion at the workshop entrance. ¡®Help, everyone, help!¡¯ A male elf called out. Even by elf standards, his appearance was quite strange. His coat was covered in feathers, and he had a butterfly net strapped to his back. He looked like a deranged fly fisher with a giant walrus moustache that wiggled as he spoke. ¡®Jinxy was supposed to meet me at the pub at the end of the day, but she¡¯s not there. I can¡¯t find her anywhere!¡¯ Lacey turned to her side, about to call out that Jinxy was right there, only to find Jinxy¡¯s seat empty with a half-finished stuffed horse on the desk. ¡®Oh, come now, Melo! The lass hasn¡¯t disappeared!¡¯ Albyrne called from a chair by the toy part dispensers. ¡®But, where is she then, Albyrne?¡¯ Melo wailed. ¡®Relax, the lass won¡¯t be far. Let Albyrne come and look with you,¡¯ he continued as he hobbled through the workshop with his shillelagh. ¡®After all, sometimes all you need is a little luck.¡¯ Lacey looked back at Jinxy¡¯s desk as the two men disappeared through the workshop doors. Would Jinxy leave a half-finished toy behind? The same elf who secretly added extra sparkle for the children? ¡®Don¡¯t look so worried, Lacey,¡¯ Danji spoke as she walked by with the others. ¡®Jinxy¡¯s not very good at keeping time, you know.¡¯ ¡®Oh yes,¡¯ Cynthie said with a laugh. ¡®The number of times she¡¯s disappeared. Sometimes she even loses track of days!¡¯ ¡®And it¡¯s not like she likes Melo that much anyway.¡¯ The others gasped. ¡®Bethy! You know that¡¯s not true!¡¯ Bethy¡¯s comeback was lost as the little group exited the workshop doors, leaving Lacey behind. She wasn¡¯t sure what to do. Maybe there was something to eat in the dining hall? It was as good a plan as any, so Lacey tidied her desk and headed that way. She needn¡¯t have worried, as Nurse Mathilda was waiting for her outside. ¡°I thought you might need a friend,¡± Mathilda said companionably. ¡®You thought right.¡¯ ¡®Well then, let¡¯s go have supper. By the way, do you have someplace to stay?¡¯ ¡®Uh, no. I don¡¯t think I have a house.¡¯ ¡®No problem, my guest room is open. Having a bit of company would be great.¡¯ ¡®Thank you. I was becoming worried about where I would sleep!¡¯ ¡®Oh, you should never worry about a thing like that in the North Pole Village. We take care of each other here.¡¯ Lacey nodded her gratitude again and then switched topics. Do you think they will find Jinxy?¡¯ ¡®Jinxy¡¯s missing again?¡¯ Mathilda asked with an eye roll. ¡®Yes. Melo said he couldn¡¯t find her, and then Albyrne went out to help him look.¡¯ ¡®Oh, that¡¯s okay then. With Albyrne¡¯s help they¡¯ll definitely track her down. Besides, Melo ¡°loses¡± her about once a week. She always turns up.¡¯ ?????? Bk. 1, Ch. 2.1: Still missing The cottage was quiet when Lacey woke up the following morning. The landscape was still completely dark, although the barest beginnings of dawn were visible in the distance. She supposed she could thank the fact that there was light at all to Santa¡¯s Village being in the Cosmic North Pole Space and not the actual North Pole. If Peter, Mathilda, and everyone else were telling the truth, of course. Lacey touched the tips of her ears. They remained pointy and very real. When they had gotten home last night, Mathilda had hustled her straight to bed, insisting that Lacey needed to rest even though there was no concussion. Initially, she had resisted, but once she was in bed she fell asleep so fast that she didn¡¯t even remember closing her eyes. Now, in the morning, she could appreciate her surroundings better. Her bed had a jolly quilted coverlet with images of striped candy and peppermint sticks. It suited the cosy little cottage, which was decorated throughout in peppermint stick, holly, and mistletoe patterns. Had Jinxy been found yet? Lacey hoped so. Even though nobody else seemed worried, she certainly was. Not having known Jinxy that long, she didn¡¯t share the familiarity with Jinxy¡¯s habits that the other elves did. But from Jinxy¡¯s little secret, Lacey found it hard to believe she would abandon her post in the middle of a toy. And to do what? Wander around? Look for the Abominable Snowman? It didn¡¯t seem likely. Lacey wished she had paid more attention to Jinxy in Santa¡¯s workshop, but she had been absorbed in crafting her toys. And then, if Lacey¡¯s theory about her own abduction was true, Jinxy¡¯s disappearance was even more alarming. Had she been gotten rid of? Was she being held somewhere else for a more sinister purpose? She sighed. All these possibilities brought her to the point where she¡¯d have to decide what was real. Was she truly recruited as a Helper for Santa? Or was she an abductee being indoctrinated to be a good little sweatshop worker? Either she started living her best elf life or she needed to keep looking for a way to escape. The choice would¡¯ve been easier if Jinxy¡¯s life weren¡¯t also in the balance. Or maybe it¡¯s not. Perhaps she did run off somewhere and is having the time of her life doing whatever she did when she disappeared. Which leads to the question of what she really knew about Jinxy. Counting the facts, she knew Jinxy was a fellow workshop worker who took great pride in her toys. She has a strong relationship with Melo, loses track of time easily, and has disappeared before. She was also trusting, as evidenced by sharing her secret with Lacey, a total stranger. Perhaps even a bit naive. Although, if this truly is Santa¡¯s Village at the North Pole, Jinxy would have no reason not to be. Then there were also all the people connected with her: Melo, her boyfriend, and Jinxy¡¯s other friends, Bethy, Cynthie, and Danji. Lacey was still running through her facts when Mathilda called, ¡®Lacey? Are you up yet? I¡¯m going to start breakfast for us!¡¯ ¡®Morning Mathilda, I¡¯m up, and I¡¯ll be down in a minute!¡¯ Lacey called back, getting out of bed and dressing. Downstairs, the cottage¡¯s little kitchen was snug, hot, and smelled like heaven. Lacey didn¡¯t know how she would leave to go to work in the workshop. If this was captivity, it was the most stunningly pleasant prison in the world. She could understand why none of the other elves were the least bit troubled about their employment here. Then Lacey realised what she had just thought. If? Am I willing to believe this is real? She gave herself a little pinch. It hurt, just like it was supposed to. Breakfast was a satisfyingly normal combination of eggs, bacon, and flapjacks with maple syrup. Lacey had just inserted a slightly too-large forkful of the deliciousness into her mouth when the back door slammed open. Peter entered, face pale and cheeks flushed, stomping his feet to remove the snow from his boots. Pulling his gloves off, he dropped onto an empty chair at the little square table.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡®Goodness Peter, go easy on the door and good morning!¡¯ Mathilda said with a laugh and added another place setting. ¡®Good morning to you too, and you, Lacey,¡¯ he replied. ¡®Feeling any better today?¡¯ Lacey mumbled something behind her hand, trying to chew and swallow in a ladylike fashion. Mathilda dropped a heaping plate of food in front of him, almost like she had expected him. ¡®You look like you¡¯ve been up for a while,¡¯ Mathilda remarked. ¡®Oh yes, another reindeer foaled last night. You should stop by and look at the little lad later today.¡¯ ¡®How wonderful, indeed I will.¡¯ ¡®That sounds so cute,¡¯ Lacey added. ¡®And have you found Jinxy yet?¡¯ Mathilda looked quizzically at Lacey, then said, ¡®Oh yes, Jinxy went missing again yesterday. I almost forgot. Has she turned up yet, Peter?¡¯ ¡®If only I were so lucky. No, unfortunately she has not. But you know how many times she¡¯s done this before. She¡¯ll probably be back in time for lunch.¡¯ It was the same phrase Lacey had heard half a dozen times by now from different people, and it didn¡¯t sit well with her. She decided to push a bit. ¡®I know people keep telling me she¡¯ll turn up, but I can¡¯t help worrying. She left behind a half-made toy on her workshop bench. I don¡¯t think she¡¯d do that¡­¡¯ ¡®Probably got distracted fetching a part or something,¡¯ Peter interrupted. ¡®I wouldn¡¯t worry too much.¡¯ ¡®I hope so, but it still bothers me. Where does she normally go when she disappears?¡¯ A flash of irritation darkened his tired eyes before he replied, ¡®I don¡¯t know, but how would you like to have walked every five of our five village trails in the dark last night? Because I did. Or check the most popular outlooks, including Petracki¡¯s deer hideaway and Melo¡¯s birding treehouse? Because I did. Anything else you¡¯d like me to do, Miss New Elf, when she¡¯s probably fine anyway? Just like the last five times she¡¯s put me through this?¡¯ Lacey took a breath to calm the angry response bubbling in her. ¡®Okay, look, I¡¯m sorry if it sounded like I thought you were not doing your job. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m worried, and no one else seems to be.¡¯ She instantly regretted the last part. It was unnecessary and sounded patronising even to her. ¡®And you thought that you, being a brand new outsider, know better when to worry than we do. Sure, why don¡¯t you go ahead and find her? Be my guest. In fact, why don¡¯t you take over my position entirely? I¡¯m sure you¡¯d make a fabulous town guard.¡¯ She instantly retracted her regret and substituted it with frustration. Sure, her words weren¡¯t diplomatic, but she didn¡¯t deserve to be talked to like this. ¡®You know what? Fine. Maybe I should be the town guard instead of you. Especially since you¡¯ve just told me she¡¯s not to be found in any of her usual places, and you¡¯re still not worried. You don¡¯t think that should concern you?¡¯ For a moment it looked like he might snap another wise-ass answer at her, but then he sighed and leaned back just as suddenly as he had gotten his dander up. ¡®Actually, it does. But I don¡¯t know what else to do at this point. The problem is, she¡¯s done it so often it¡¯s hard to take it seriously.¡¯ ¡®If only Jinxy were kind enough to let us know and provide a location every time she went off,¡¯ Mathilda said while rolling her eyes. She didn¡¯t appear the least bit alarmed at the way they had just snapped at each other. ¡®Indeed,¡¯ Peter said with a tired laugh. ¡®Well, I¡¯d better get back out there. Sorry for snapping Lacey. You¡¯re right, I am worried, but I¡¯ve done all I can for now. Once everyone is up, I¡¯ll start asking around the village too. A merry day to you both. Be safe out there.¡¯ ¡®The same to you. Be a reindeer, sure-footed and resourceful, and we¡¯ll do the same,¡¯ Mathilda rejoined. And today, I won¡¯t slip up, Lacey silently promised herself. Whether it was keeping her footing or being more aware of her surroundings, she would not miss something as crucial as Jinxy disappearing again. Also, if Peter was going to talk to villagers, she supposed she could chat to some of the workshop workers. Maybe they had noticed something. It sure couldn¡¯t hurt. Whatever Santa wanted from her as a ¡°Helper¡± would have to wait. Finding Jinxy was her priority for now. She ignored the part of her that whispered how impressing Peter by helping him wouldn¡¯t be so bad either. She cared about Jinxy, not about assisting her possible kidnappers. ?????? Bk. 1, Ch. 2.2: What happened at the workshop Worry gnawed at Lacey making it hard to concentrate. She wasn¡¯t the only one. Today a listless mood hung in the workshop. More than once Lacey found herself fidgeting with the buttons that were supposed to go on her toys. It made her think of Jinxy, the way she added the highlights of glitter to her toys, and how she described her dedication to her work. She needed more information if she wanted to solve Jinxy¡¯s disappearance. What would Poirot do? Okay, but she wasn¡¯t a detective like him, unless you gave her a set of accounting ledgers. Maybe she was more of a Miss Marple. Despite the situation, Lacey couldn¡¯t help but smile fondly at the thought of those Agatha Christie characters. When was the last time she read one of her novels? She used to love them. Shaking off her errant thoughts, she refocused on the information she had. It was time to start collecting more. Turning to the elf who had taken Jinxy¡¯s spot, Lacey said, ¡®Hi there, my name is Lacey. I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met.¡¯ The elf looked up from the desk and stared. Oh no, I did something wrong. She felt a sudden urge to fill the uncomfortable silence. No, she thought, no. What was this, a staring contest? She was not going to blink first. Don¡¯t talk, don¡¯t blink, don¡¯t give in. She carefully schooled her face to stay friendly and inviting and TO NOT BLINK! Finally the other elf broke the silence, saying, ¡®Hello.¡¯ Then it looked away and resumed working. Taken aback, Lacey studied the strange creature. The other elves haven¡¯t behaved like this. At least, not yet. Could this be normal? Lacey took a breath and tried again. ¡®Everyone¡¯s worried about Jinxy. Do you know her?¡¯ Again the elf looked up and gave her a very long look. Not to be caught off guard this time, Lacey noticed that there wasn¡¯t any particular malice or irritation in the look. Just ¡­ confusion? Changing tactics, Lacey tried again. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, am I not supposed to be talking to you? Is it a workshop rule or something? I¡¯m new here, and I¡¯m still learning.¡¯ Understanding finally dawned on the elf¡¯s face. ¡®No, apologies, I didn¡¯t realise you were new. I¡¯m part of the elf reserve. It¡¯s not so much that you¡¯re not supposed to speak to me; it¡¯s more that the other workshop elves usually don¡¯t. It¡¯s not their fault,¡¯ he quickly modified. ¡®It¡¯s just that we¡¯re not normally part of the workshop crew for very long, so we don¡¯t get to know each other very well.¡¯ ¡®I see. I didn¡¯t realise there was an elf reserve. What do you do then when you are not helping in the workshop?¡¯ ¡®We do all kinds of odd jobs here and there and all over the village. We take care of anything that doesn¡¯t have a dedicated elf or crew assigned to it. And, of course, we fill in whenever one of the other elves becomes indisposed.¡¯ Lacey didn¡¯t know whether Jinxy¡¯s absence counted as ¡®indisposed¡¯, but she supposed it was close enough. ¡®Well, it¡¯s nice to meet you, reserve elf,¡¯ she said, holding out her hand. ¡®What is your name, by the way?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m Elf.¡¯ ¡®No, I meant your name.¡¯ ¡®Elf,¡¯ the elf said, now glaring at her. ¡®Oh, I see. Well, nice to meet you, Elf.¡¯ Apparently, that ended their conversation, as Elf ignored her held-out hand and bent back to his work at the toy assembly desk. Uncomfortably, Lacey patted her hair instead. Elf? Really? The elf¡¯s name was Elf? Well, I guess it is what it is. Not to be stymied by one reserved elf, Lacey pricked up her ears, focusing on the various conversations around the workshop. Unsurprisingly, quite a few were about Jinxy, mostly speculating about where she¡¯s gone off to this time. She wished she had a way to take notes, as it always helps her to think. Come to think of it, she had seen notebooks in the toy parts storage. A notebook would help her make better toys, now wouldn¡¯t it? Yes indeed.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ?? ¡®Hmm, mmm,¡¯ Lacey jumped, almost dropping the notebook in which she was jotting down her impressions from the surrounding conversations in the workshop. The teddy bear on which she was ¡®working¡¯ was long forgotten. ¡®Oh my Albyrne, you gave me a fright!¡¯ ¡®Working hard, are you?¡¯ Albyrne asked, curiously peering at the pages of her notebook. ¡®I guess you could say that.¡¯ Lacey closed the notebook. ¡®Say, I see Jinxy still isn¡¯t here. Did you and Melo find anything last night?¡¯ Albyrne¡¯s face became troubled. ¡®No, we did not. With my luck, we should¡¯ve discovered something, but it¡¯s like she had just disappeared. I worry about the lass.¡¯ ¡®Yes, me too.¡¯ ¡®Oh well, she¡¯ll either show up or Peter will find her. Let me add a little luck to this bear for you, and I¡¯ll be on my way.¡¯ He gave the bear a soft thump on the head with his shillelagh and hobbled over to the next elf. ¡®That¡¯s what you get for slacking off,¡¯ Elf muttered next to her, his eyes focused on the drumming set before him. Lacey glared at him before resuming work on the bear. Such a disagreeable elf she had never met. But she soon noticed that he wasn¡¯t all that absorbed by his toys either. Every now and again, his eyes wandered over to Jinxy¡¯s friends before he would quickly refocus on the project in front of him. Was he looking at anyone in particular? Following the direction of his gaze, she accidentally met Cynthie¡¯s eyes, although it didn¡¯t seem like Cynthie was entirely focused on her. Cynthie frowned, dropping her gaze back to her work. Beside her, Bethy was sewing on a sleeve, her tongue sticking out as she pulled the thread through with exaggerated motions. Was that what Elf was watching? Lacey surreptitiously pulled her notebook back out, noting her impressions down. However, this time, the lucky bear interrupted her thoughts. His black button eyes stared at her, seemingly begging to be finished. ¡®Okay, okay,¡¯ she muttered and got back to work. Time flew until the end-of-day whistle blew. ¡®Oh my, what an adorable bear!¡¯ It was Danji, exclaiming in awe at the lucky bear still sitting on Lacey¡¯s desk. ¡®Look, Cynthie! This one looks almost as good as one of yours!¡¯ That remark drew in not only Cynthie but Bethy as well. Elf huffed and got up as they approached, making a wide circle around Bethy as he scurried out. ¡®Awe, what a precious bear!¡¯ Cynthie exclaimed. ¡®But we all know Jinxy makes the prettiest toys.¡¯ ¡®No way, Cynthie,¡¯ Danji added. ¡®No one¡¯s toys compare to yours, and Jinxy knows it.¡¯ Cynthie blushed lightly, waving the compliment away. ¡®Speaking of, has anyone seen Jinxy since yesterday?¡¯ Lacey jumped in. Everyone shook their heads. ¡®It¡¯s hard to know what to think,¡¯ Danji said. ¡®It happens so often. I feel like she should be fine, but I worry about her.¡¯ ¡®Yes, I wish she would tell us when she wants to leave, but she never does,¡¯ Cynthie added. ¡®I just hope she hasn¡¯t gone to The Wasteland.¡¯ ¡®Stop it, Bethy, of course she hasn¡¯t gone to The Wasteland! Jinxy might be a dreamer, but she¡¯s not stupid.¡¯ ¡®Do we know that, Cynthie? She¡¯s always talking about reaching out to the Abominable Snowman and where else would she be this time of year? It¡¯s too cold to stay overnight in her usual places.¡¯ ¡®So, she¡¯s gone somewhere else then,¡¯ Danji firmly interjected. ¡®Jinxy knows the outside and the weather. Maybe she¡¯s visiting someone.¡¯ ¡®Without telling her darling Melo?¡¯ Bethy raised an eyebrow. ¡®Let¡¯s just eat and get back to work. Peter will find her wherever she is.¡¯ The little group followed Cynthie out of the hall, not noticing Lacey staying behind. Abominable Snowman? Lacey wrote and circled in her notebook with a frown. Does that fit? But Jinxy had been talking about taking Lacey for a hike on the trails. Everyone said she was absentminded, but would she forget her plans so quickly? Sighing she also packed up to head out. Stepping through the door she gave a small scream as two grey shapes whizzed past her face. Her scream startled Mathilda in turn, who had just turned the corner. ¡®Lacey?! Are you okay?!¡¯ ¡®Aside from almost having a heart attack? What were those things?¡¯ Lacey gasped. Mathilda¡¯s face relaxed. ¡®Oh, it must have been the two turtle doves. They¡¯ve got a nest up in the workshop eaves, and they dive-bomb people occasionally. Don¡¯t worry; they¡¯re just trying to distract you from their nest. There must be either eggs or chicks in there.¡¯ ¡®My heart,¡¯ Lacey muttered, laying her hand dramatically on her chest. Mathilda giggled. ¡®If you want to learn more about the birds we have here, Melo is the elf to talk to. He is our resident avian specialist.¡¯ ¡®That sounds very interesting, what a good idea.¡¯ And maybe I can also ask him a few other questions¡­ ?????? Bk. 1, Ch. 2.3: About buttons and jolly Danji Getting to Melo turned out not to be an immediate option, as Mathilda headed out into the polar night. ¡®Where are we heading?¡¯ Lacey asked, following. ¡®The Reindeer Common Room. Everyone¡¯s meeting up there for an update on Jinxy.¡¯ ¡®So they don¡¯t think she¡¯s just wandered off anymore?¡¯ ¡®I suppose it¡¯s possible, but it is odd that she¡¯s staying away so long this close to Christmas. She knows how important it is to keep on schedule with the toy-making, especially now.¡¯ The Reindeer Common Room was easy to spot. Maybe it was because it was located on the edge of Santa¡¯s village, close to the reindeer enclosure and stables. Or perhaps because it had a set of giant reindeer antlers above a red front door, with inviting yellow lights spilling through the windows on the sides. The atmosphere inside the room was muted, though, with unspoken fear for Jinxy¡¯s safety. Melo sat on a sofa in the corner, surrounded by murmuring elves. Mathilda and Lacey were barely through the door when Jinxy¡¯s three friends closed ranks around them. ¡®Hey Mathilda, do you know anything about Jinxy yet?¡¯ ¡®Has Peter told you what we¡¯re going to do?¡¯ ¡®Do you think she¡¯s okay?¡¯ ¡®Girls, girls,¡¯ Mathilda pacified them. ¡®I know as much as you do, but Peter will be here soon. Meanwhile, I¡¯m going to get a glass of gl¨¹hwein. Lacey, would you also like one?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll skip this one, thanks.¡¯ Nodding, Mathilda weaved off to the refreshment table with Cynthie and Bethy in tow. Several elves crowded around it, likely motivated by the cold gloom outside and undeterred by the upcoming serious discussion. ¡®Not a fan of gl¨¹hwein?¡¯ Danji asked. ¡®It¡¯s not that; I¡¯m just not used to having alcohol when there¡¯s work to do.¡¯ ¡®What work though? We have nothing specific to do, and it¡¯s only one little glass. Besides, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve never had a glass of wine in the evening, even if you were working?¡¯ Lacey laughed, replying, ¡®I guess I can¡¯t deny it. Although it was always by myself and never with anything important.¡¯ Danji¡¯s eyes crinkled. ¡®See, not so bad, and I bet you¡¯ve never tasted anything over at Aurora like we have here. Why don¡¯t you and I share a glass?¡¯ Suddenly, loud voices came from the other side of the room, Bethy¡¯s rising above the rest. ¡®No, I¡¯m telling you, Cynthie! My toy would¡¯ve been the prettiest of the day if YOU hadn¡¯t taken the last golden buttons!¡¯ ¡®I didn¡¯t TAKE them; they were there for anyone to use! I can¡¯t help it if I got to them before you did! And by the way, golden buttons don¡¯t make the toy. If yours were the prettiest, it would¡¯ve been so even without the buttons.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s not what you say whenever Jinxy wins!¡¯ ¡®Doesn¡¯t matter, I WON today!¡¯ She could see Mathilda raising her hands in a peacemaking gesture, trying to calm the pair down. Rolling her eyes at them, Danji giggled good-naturedly and said, ¡®Those two get so competitive sometimes. They forget it¡¯s about the children.¡¯ Lacey laughed too, saying, ¡®Is Jinxy also like that?¡¯ ¡®Oh, not at all. Don¡¯t get me wrong, she likes it just as much when one of her toys is named Toy of the Day, but she doesn¡¯t get upset when it¡¯s not her. She¡¯s just as happy for whoever else it is. Now, how about some hot wine?¡¯If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡®Why not.¡¯ Although she hesitated again when they reached the refreshment table and the tubby, red-cheeked elf behind it gave an excited whoop when he saw Danji. ¡®Danji, my favourite customer!¡¯ ¡®Hiya Golly, can you please split a glass for me and Lacey here?¡¯ ¡®Of course, of course,¡¯ he replied, pulling up two giant highball glasses. ¡®Split tall glass, bottom of the bowl, coming right atcha!¡¯ ¡®Thanky Ganky,¡¯ Danji replied and then the two of them giggled together at what was obviously an inside joke. Lacey accepted the drink, although she was slightly alarmed at the murky contents, which included some swollen raisins spinning around the bottom. Danji, on the other hand, took a giant swig with no qualms whatsoever and gave Golly a parting wave as they moved away. Taking a cautious sip, Lacey felt a zingy tingle on her tongue. It was a lot more spicy than the drinks she was used to, although she wasn¡¯t sure how it compared to the much lighter liquid most of the other elves were drinking. A matronly elf caught her eye, gave her and Danji¡¯s glasses a once over, and then moved off while tsking. ¡®I wonder what Peter¡¯s going to say to us when he gets here,¡¯ Danji said, seemingly not noticing the elf''s disapproval and taking another sip. The level in her glass was swiftly dropping. ¡®I don¡¯t know. I hope he¡¯s found something about Jinxy, though. Melo seems really worried.¡¯ It was true. From where he was sitting, Melo¡¯s face was haggard and criss-crossed by worry lines. ¡®Yeah, if he doesn¡¯t find Jinxy, he¡¯ll have to make do with number two.¡¯ Danji¡¯s words were beginning to slur. How fast do elves get inebriated? Wait, how fast will I get tipsy? Alarmed, Lacey looked down at her drink and then realised what Danji had just said. ¡®What do you mean? Who¡¯s number two? Cynthie?¡¯ ¡®No, not Cynthie, Bethy. Everyone knows Melo chose Jinxy instead of Bethy because Jinxy is a prettier elf.¡¯ Lacey looked at the slightly swaying elf with surprise. This was the first time she had heard anyone say anything uncharitable about another elf. And especially coming from one of Jinxy¡¯s friends. ¡®Do you really think that¡¯s the only reason why he likes Jinxy?¡¯ The question caused Danji to pause, looking deep into her glass as she contemplated. Before she could answer, Golly interrupted them by calling, ¡®Danji-li-li, look at me!¡¯ He was precariously balancing three glasses on top of one another. ¡®Oh Golly-gee-gee, be careful!¡¯ Danji hurried over to help stabilise the tower. Lacey watched the scene in horrified amazement. ¡®I see you¡¯ve met our jolly Danji and Golly,¡¯ an amused voice spoke from her side. It was Peter, carrying a wooden crate. His uniform still looked as crisp and fresh as when they had breakfast in Mathilda¡¯s kitchen that morning. She took a moment to appreciate his perfectly styled red coat and gold brocade while doing her best not to notice how his thigh muscles rippled under the tight black pants that rose from his knee-high boots. ¡®Jolly Danji you say. I never would¡¯ve guessed.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t worry; by tomorrow she and Golly will be their old selves again. Although she might get to the workshop a little later than usual.¡¯ Lacey just shook her head. She wanted to say more but was interrupted by Melo rushing up to them. ¡®Ho there, how went the search?¡¯ Peter shook his head with a slight shrug. ¡®Nothing yet. The reserve elves and I have combed through the snowfields north and west, and as far as we could go into the southern forest.¡¯ ¡®And the east?¡¯ Lacey asked. Melo and Peter simultaneously stared at her. ¡®Ho there,¡¯ Mathilda said, joining their little group. ¡®Any news yet?¡¯ ¡®None so far,¡¯ Melo responded. Feeling a little peeved, Lacey replied, ¡®They¡¯ve searched everywhere but the east.¡¯ Mathilda also looked at her strangely, and then realisation lit her face. ¡®Oh, you don¡¯t know, do you.¡¯ ¡®Ahhh,¡¯ Melo and Peter responded in unison. ¡®Know what? What about the east?¡¯ ¡®The wasteland where The Abominable Snowman lives is located to the east. Everyone knows how dangerous it is, so we never go there,¡¯ Mathilda explained. ¡®Are you sure though? Jinxy has quite the fascination with the snowman.¡¯ ¡®Even so, it¡¯s extremely unlikely.¡¯ Unlikely it may be, but to Lacey it still felt that they should at least check, Abominable Snowman or no. But she supposed they would know better than a total stranger, so she let it go for the moment. ¡®Okay then, here goes,¡¯ Peter dropped the crate upside down, stepped onto it, and gave a few loud claps. The all-round murmur of voices quieted as everyone turned to look at him. ¡®Good evening everyone, and thank you for coming round tonight. To give you an update, Jinxy hasn¡¯t returned yet and we have been unable to find her. I¡¯m sure you would¡¯ve told me already if you knew anything, but to be thorough, I need to ask anyway. Does anyone know anything about Jinxy¡¯s whereabouts?¡¯ There was silence while some elves looked quizzically at each other, and others just shook their heads. No one had any information to add. ¡®Okay, well, the conditions are too bad to continue our search outside tonight. Be vigilant as you move around town, and keep your eyes open around your own places. If you see anything, or think of anything, please come tell me immediately.¡¯ Lacey¡¯s heart ached as she watched Melo slump. Peter patted him on the back as two of his friends led him away. ?????? Bk. 1, Ch. 3.1: The chicken chase Lacey was still mulling over the meeting in the Reindeer Common Room from the night before as she walked over to the toy workshop in the icy dawn of a new day. The morning''s breakfast had consisted of steaming waffles topped with chocolate syrup and cream, rounded off with gingerbread-men cookies and eggnog. Elves must have a different metabolism from humans because if Lacey had a breakfast like that on Earth, she would be useless for the rest of the day. She hoped she could transition back to normal food if she ever got back home. Her thoughts were interrupted by a dishevelled elf racing past her and down the street. ¡®Help!¡¯ he called out, his voice echoing against window shutters of the cottages on either side. ¡®The French hens have flown the coop! Help!¡¯ ¡®Oh, Santa¡¯s beard, when it snows, it storms!¡¯ Melo appeared from a sidestreet just as Lacey was about to cross the intersection. Wheeling around, he grabbed her and said, ¡®Come girl, come! We need to catch those French hens!¡¯ Together, they dashed down the streets, following glimpses of the screaming running elf as he careened up and down streets and around corners, presumably hot on the spurs of those hens. Finally, he collapsed onto his knees, looking just about ready to pass out in the snow. Melo skidded to a stop by him as Lacey also bent over, gasping for breath. He looked about wildly and then shouted, ¡°There!¡± Lacey could see a light brown bird where he pointed in the distance. They dashed off once again. Lacey felt like her chest was on fire, but she kept going. They were getting close enough to hear the hens cluck and screech as they pumped their little legs to stay ahead. But Melo and Lacey were gaining, forcing the birds to jump and flap as they pushed through the building snowdrifts. But hens weren¡¯t made for snow, and Lacey was getting close to the plumpest one of the absconding flock. Desperate, it tried to take off, causing little eddies in the snow as it wildly flapped its wings. But it was too late, and Lacey grabbed the hen, lifting it above her head in triumph. The hen proceeded to peck angrily at Lacey¡¯s fingers, forcing her to hurriedly adjust her grip. ¡®You got her! Good!¡¯ Melo was puffing as he caught up with Lacey, a hen under each arm. ¡®I got her? You got both of the others; how did you do it?¡¯ Melo laughed, the sound rumbling out from deep in his stomach. ¡®Well, little Aurora city girl, I¡¯ve been running down birds ever since I could crawl. My mom used to say I might as well have hatched with the other chicks!¡¯ ¡®I can tell, that¡¯s an impressive catch.¡¯ ¡®Let¡¯s get them home before they cause more trouble. The last time they were out for the morning in winter, we had to get the little ¡®uns to comb through the snow for their eggs. We kept finding frozen eggs all through the spring thaw.¡¯ Lacey laughed at the visual as she followed Melo to the hen house. ¡®I¡¯m sorry Jinxy is missing,¡¯ she said while they walked. Melo¡¯s shoulders slumped. Sensing an opportunity, the hens started struggling, but Melo clamped down on their insurrection by tightening his hold with practised ease. ¡®Do you also think she went hiking alone?¡¯ Lacey continued. ¡®You know, Lacey, that¡¯s what everybody¡¯s been saying, but they are wrong. Jinxy and I were going to meet after work. She would¡¯ve taken me with her when we met up if she had wanted to take a walk. We often do that, you know. Take a walk before we have a drink. Or after. It just depends on the light and the season. She wouldn¡¯t have gone without me.¡¯ ¡®People also say that she was very absentminded. Could she have forgotten?¡¯ ¡®Is,¡¯ Melo corrected. ¡®Don¡¯t you go talking in the past now. Yes, she forgets many things and gets distracted by every bird, feather, and butterfly, but we always do the twilight walks together.¡¯ He sighed, chewing on another thought. ¡®It¡¯s just that we can¡¯t find her anywhere else. So she must¡¯ve gone for a walk. But why would she go for a walk without me? But at the same time, she isn¡¯t in the village.¡¯You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡®Are you sure she¡¯s not in the village, though? I mean, if you know she wouldn¡¯t go for a walk without you, then she can¡¯t have left. Have you looked everywhere?¡¯ ¡®Why yes, we looked everywhere. We looked in the workshop, the reindeer compound, the cookie and toy component factories, the infirmary, her house, the logging mill, everywhere!¡¯ Lacey mulled it over. The places he named were all public. Could Jinxy be in a private place, on someone¡¯s property? But Peter had asked everyone last night to look around their homes, too, so they all knew. But wait. They were assuming that all the villagers knew that Jinxy was missing. But were they? ¡®Does everyone know that she is missing?¡¯ she asked. ¡®Of course they do. We were all at the Reindeer Room last night.¡¯ ¡®Oh, I was just wondering whether she might be with someone at their house.¡¯ Melo stopped with a puzzled expression. ¡°What would she be doing in someone¡¯s house for all this time?¡± Seduced, kidnapped, murdered? Lacey quietly thought to herself. Or just distracted, she amended, since it was Santa''s Village. It didn¡¯t really matter, did it. They still had to find her. But obviously, those possibilities haven¡¯t crossed anyone¡¯s mind out here. It was such a different place than on Earth. ¡®Maybe she went to visit someone and lost track of the time? We¡¯re assuming that everyone knows already, and they may not even have realised that people are looking for her yet,¡¯ Lacey tried to frame her suspicion more innocently. ¡®You know, you¡¯re right. Maybe I should knock on the doors of the ones that don¡¯t get out that much. Maybe they know something.¡¯ ¡®I can help you.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯ll be great. Ah, here¡¯s the coop. Let¡¯s drop these hens, and then we can start our own search.¡¯ The chicken coop turned out to be another revelation in and of itself. The term ¡°chicken coop¡± could, at best, be interpreted as inaccurate and, at worst, as insulting. This was no ordinary chicken coop. It was more of a crazy, candy stripe-coloured mish-mash conglomerate that was part chicken coop, part dovecote and part aviary. Melo led Lacey through the crazy structure to the hen house section, where nesting areas, separated by dividers, lined three tiers of shelves. The three French hens happily reoccupied their individual spaces, completely belying the earlier urgency with which they fled the coop. Leaving the crazy coop, Melo and Lacey didn¡¯t get far before a different voice called. It was Peter, marching towards them through the snow. Lacey¡¯s heart quietly skipped a beat. She had missed seeing him this morning in Mathilda¡¯s kitchen. ¡®Ho Melo, ho Lacey,¡¯ he called. ¡®Where are you two headed this morning?¡¯ ¡®Ho Peter,¡¯ Melo responded, briefly filling him in on their idea. ¡®Why yes, good thinking! How about we split up? Melo, why don¡¯t you take Farmer Barnes and the reserve elves? Lacey and I can drop by Widow Bonbon and Old Man Trouble. We can meet up by the reindeer pen afterwards.¡¯ ¡®Sounds good. I¡¯ll see the two of you again in a little bit then,¡¯ he said, walking off into the snow. ¡®Old Man Trouble?¡¯ Lacey asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡®That doesn¡¯t sound like a pleasant man.¡¯ ¡®What gave it away?¡¯ Peter said with a sardonic grin. ¡®But, yes. And also, he won¡¯t be our biggest problem. Melo and Widow Bonbon have a standing disagreement about who has the better eggs ¨C his hens or her ducks. That¡¯s why I thought it would be better if you and I covered that angle.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re taking me along.¡¯ He coughed a little, looking out into the distance. ¡®Well, the Old Man does get a bit unnerved in female company. And since you¡¯re a new elf here, you can distract Widow Bonbon from the topic of eggs. So you see, you¡¯re a weapon of sorts.¡¯ Lacey had been described as many things in her life and work. Weapon was a new one. If it meant she was included in the investigation, she was all for it. ¡®Weapon, you say? You mean I need to wield my feminine wiles?¡¯ She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. She¡¯d meant it as a joke, but now it added a whole new layer to her conversation with Peter. ¡®Oh no. No wiles are needed. You only need to stand there, and I¡¯ll do the rest. Your mere presence will be enough to fluster them.¡¯ Lacey breathed a small sigh of relief. ¡®Although, I wouldn¡¯t mind seeing some wiles sometime,¡¯ he said with a little wink and held out his arm for her. Since the earth didn¡¯t open up to swallow her, she hooked her arm in his and hoped he didn¡¯t notice the blush she felt. Maybe Widow Bonbon had enough duck stories lined up to make him forget she ever spoke of her feminine wiles. ?????? Bk. 1, Ch. 3.2: A view of the village Belying his name, Old Man Trouble turned out not to be much trouble at all. The most he did was stare at the floor of his front porch, going ¡®uh huh¡¯, ¡®hmm mmm¡¯, and ¡®ya¡¯, turning pinker with every response to Peter¡¯s questions. Jinxy had not been there, and he had no idea where she might be. Walking away, Lacey said, ¡®I suppose it might have been better had you come by yourself. You may have been able to get more out of him.¡¯ ¡®Nah, he would¡¯ve told me much the same, only in more words and while complaining that we¡¯re not properly keeping the forest around his property. Which, of course, we are, but he just doesn¡¯t like being in the shadow of the trees most of the time.¡¯ Lacey nodded. She could appreciate that, seeing as the sun was out today and its rays felt good on her even if she was still dressed for the icy temperatures. The trail to Widow Bonbon¡¯s place skirted the outsides of the town, winding through brief stretches of forest and gently inclined and declined through the hilly landscape. Though it was still cold and snow lay everywhere, it was a beautiful day in a frosty kind of way, with the sun¡¯s rays reflecting on the little pieces of ice that had formed all around. She couldn¡¯t help wondering how often Jinxy had walked this trail. It must¡¯ve been one of her favourites. Lacey certainly loved it. Reaching the top of the hill, Lacey paused to take in the view. ¡®Charming, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Peter spoke. ¡®Sure is.¡¯ From their vantage point, she could see elves moving along the village¡¯s streets and some figures further out in the surroundings. In one spot behind the village, elves were pushing snow around in what looked like little black, reindeer-powered excavators. ¡®What are those elves doing over there?¡¯ she asked. ¡®Ah, that¡¯s our snow-enchantment team at work. They collect snow from the northernmost point of the village, where the northern lights shine the brightest. Those lights add an ambient magical charge to the snow it lights up. We sprinkle that snow into the air all over Earth during Christmas, enhancing the potential for miracles and magic to appear. This is important because that magical charge also builds throughout the season. It¡¯s what drives Santa¡¯s sleigh, along with the reindeer, of course, and gives it the magical lift to fly all around the world on Christmas Eve.¡¯ ¡®Wow. But it doesn¡¯t snow everywhere on Earth during the Christmas season. In fact, it¡¯s summer in half the world.¡¯ ¡®Doesn¡¯t matter. As long as the snow is in the atmosphere, whether it sifts down with the other snow or just hovers as water vapour, the magic is there.¡¯ Lacey watched the little elves with new eyes as they carted snow around in the distance. Every new detail she learned about the elves and Santa¡¯s village filled her with more wonder. ¡®And what happens in the other directions around the village?¡¯ she asked. ¡®Well, we have the Southern Forest here on our side, where the reindeer enclosure is, and some residents also live, like Old Man Trouble and Widow Bonbon. Then, over there in the Western Snowfield lies our candy farms. There we grow crops of candy throughout the year, which we distribute to the elven community and a select few Earthen shops. This time of the year we focus almost exclusively on peppermint candy canes, but you will find a great variety during the other seasons. And lastly, over there, you can see the beginning of The Wasteland leading off into the East. That¡¯s Abominable Snowman territory, and we avoid it as much as possible.¡¯ Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. From where they stood, the candy cane fields appeared to have an uneven texture, dotted with deeper shadows and a slight pinkish hue. The beginning of The Wasteland just looked like an empty plain with snow piled up on it. Deeper into it were foothills dotted with broken trees and craggy boulders. It looked like a very inhospitable place. Would Jinxy have wanted to see the Abominable Snowman badly enough to venture there? Lacey didn¡¯t know. Peter broke the silence, saying, ¡®Seeing it every day, it¡¯s easy to forget just how special it is. I constantly have to remind myself how blessed I am to live here and be part of Santa¡¯s Village.¡¯ ¡®It certainly is fantastic. No wonder I was convinced I was kidnapped the day I woke up here,¡¯ Lacey remarked without thinking, enraptured by the village¡¯s surroundings. ¡®You thought you were kidnapped?¡¯ Peter asked incredulously and then tempered his tone almost immediately. ¡®Ah yes, you had a bit of amnesia from your fall in the snow. It¡¯s easy to forget ¨C no pun intended ¨C with how well you¡¯ve recovered. Although, why would you think you were kidnapped? The Aurora Borealis settlement can¡¯t be that different from here?¡¯ A part of Lacey wanted to trust him with the truth, but a more visceral fear warned her to hold back. It was one of the hard-earned lessons she had learned as she grew up in the group home. If you told people too much, your secrets either got spilt or used against you. Peter might be a trusted village guard, she might owe her life to him, and yes, he was Mathilda¡¯s brother, but Lacey had grown used to holding her own council over the years. ¡®You¡¯d think so,¡¯ Lacey said, trying to laugh it off, ¡®but every place is more different than you¡¯d expect.¡¯ ¡®From how you were talking when I found you, it almost seemed like you weren¡¯t expecting to be an elf.¡¯ And there it was. He was, after all, a guard for a reason, and that extra bit of perceptiveness fitted the calling. ¡®Yes, I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I,¡¯ he said, looking almost as surprised as she was at his insight. ¡®When I found you in the snow, you didn¡¯t know where you were and you denied being an elf. You¡¯re not from our settlements, in fact,¡¯ and at this he lowered his voice, ¡®you¡¯re not even from anywhere around here at all, are you.¡¯ Lacey opened her mouth and then closed it again. Peter kept quiet as he watched her, no doubt learning all kinds of things from the expressions flitting over her face. She didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡®The workshop!¡¯ she squeaked. ¡®I¡¯m falling behind on my toys! I¡¯d better get back there right now!¡¯ And she ducked past him and started jogging back to the village. ¡®What about Jinxy?¡¯ he called after her. She reluctantly slowed to a stop. What was her secret worth against the life of Jinxy? Could she allow a secret to get in the way of her mission? And then she had her own realisation. Jinxy. Finding Jinxy was her mission; she could feel it in her heart and couldn¡¯t allow anything to interfere with that goal. Lacey muttered a few curses as Peter¡¯s footsteps halted beside her. ¡®I hope you don¡¯t mean that. Or wait, that last part sounds like it might be fun.¡¯ ¡®What?¡¯ Lacey stared at him suspiciously. She wasn¡¯t sure whether he was teasing, flirting, or both. ¡®I mean, I don¡¯t know about flogging a dozen tipsy trifles but having one together might be good.¡¯ She cursed her tongue, and this time she did it silently. ¡®Tipsy trifles aside though,¡¯ he continued, ¡®please don¡¯t run away from me. You¡¯re not in trouble, and I know you¡¯re also trying to help us find Jinxy. Why don¡¯t you just tell me what¡¯s going on?¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s nothing to tell,¡¯ she replied. ¡®You know I¡¯m just an elf visiting from the Aurora Borealis settlement. It¡¯s not my fault I got amnesia on my first day here.¡¯ ¡®No, you didn¡¯t, and you¡¯re not from anywhere remotely close to here. Heck, I¡¯m not even sure you¡¯re an elf.¡¯ Then, realising the truth, he gasped and stepped back as if to see her completely. ¡®A Helper. That¡¯s what you are, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re a Helper.¡¯ ??????