“I should be there too.” Mom rose gracefully, her silver-streaked hair catching the light.
An older reindeer with snow-white hair cleared his throat. “While you’re handling that unpleasant business, the rest of us should organize the annual antler competition. It’s been too long since we’ve determined whose rack truly shines brightest.”
My mouth dropped open as all of my men’s faces lit up, even Rudy’s. “Excuse me, a what now? Please tell me everyone is doing their own polishing.”
Every face in the room turned to me with expressions ranging from scandalized to amused that I’d assume otherwise.
“It’s a traditional competition,” Dad explained, smoothing his beard. “Each reindeer’s antlers are judged on luster, symmetry, and?—”
“Girth.” Blitz wiggled an eyebrow.
Heat crawled up my neck. “Sounds like it’s literally a dick-measuring contest, but with antlers.”
Kip snorted hot chocolate through his nose while Cole patted his back.
Don winked at me. “You can be the judge this year, princess.”
“Perfect,” I deadpanned. “I always dreamed my first official duty would be scoring antler porn.”
And just like that, the meeting was officially over.
Chapter 34
Nice Rack
The snow crunched under my boots as we approached the clearing. The stables stood behind us, their silhouettes silent witnesses to what was about to unfold. Silven waited in the center of the clearing, flanked by two stoic elves.
He looked smaller somehow. The fierce, menacing presence that I remembered had diminished, his shoulders hunched against the cold, or maybe against the weight of his actions. His gaze remained fixed on the ground as we approached.
My dad stepped forward, his imposing figure casting a long shadow across the snow. “Silven.”
Silven’s head lifted slightly. “Santa.”
Rudy tensed beside me, his breath coming out in a controlled exhale. His emotions were churning with anger, hurt, and beneath it all, a festering wound that had never healed.
“You have served as my advisor for decades.” My dad’s voice held none of its usual warmth, which made me sad for him. “I trusted you with the training of our reindeer and with the safety of my daughter.”
Silven’s jaw clenched. “Everything I did was necessary. The North Pole needs?—”
I cut in, stepping forward as ice crystals spread across myfingers. “What the North Pole needs is support, not cruelty disguised as training.”
“You know nothing of magic, girl.” Silven’s gaze finally landed on me, sharp and dismissive.
“You nearly destroyed us both.” My voice shook with fury as sparks of blue danced around my hands. I was completely in control of it now and wouldn’t be sending any snow monsters after him. “You told me I was a mistake, and you made your own son believe he was broken.”
Maybe one little snow shark would be fine.
The snow beneath my feet began to shift and swirl, responding to the storm building inside me. My mom’s gentle touch at my elbow calmed me.
“I did what needed to be done.” Silven straightened his spine, attempting to reclaim some dignity. “Strict training builds character. Flouncing around the North Pole making snow butterflies and?—”
“Enough.” Dad’s voice cracked like ice breaking. “Neve told me about all the things you’ve said to her over the years, and I’m sure it’s just the tip of the iceberg.”
The clearing went quiet, and Silven flinched, his eyes darting to my dad’s face. There was a slight tremor in his fingers, and it gave me a tiny spark of vindictive pleasure that I wasn’t entirely proud of, but I wasn’t about to apologize for either.
“You once flew at the head of my sleigh.” Dad’s disappointment hung heavy in the air. “How could you betray that trust?”
Something flickered across Silven’s face, a small fracture in his composure that surprised me. Dad’s disappointment seemed to cut deeper than any threat could have.
