“You stay awake,” I ordered. “Bundle up with everything you have and stayawake.”
More movement. His voice was a little muffled when he spoke. “Talk to me, Delaney. Keep meawake.”
“I put up a Christmastree.”
“You told me thatalready.”
Right.Oops.
“I laid down under it and stared at thelights.”
Pause.
“Ryder?”
“Here. Still here. Was itnice?”
“Beautiful. You need to stay awake. Are your eyesopen?”
“Mmm.”
“Liar. Open youreyes.”
A sigh. Then, “Tell me something. A thing you liked aboutChristmas.”
“When I waslittle?”
“Yeah.”
“Presents.”
“If you want me to stay awake, better tell me a longerstory.”
“All right, hang on.” I wracked my brain and glanced at Jeanagain.
“Somewhere off of Highway 20 near Three Fingered Jack.” Jean’s fingers were flying. “Emergency services are stretched thin. There’s no way a vehicle can get through that. Highway 20 is closed under snow and ice. I’ll see if I can contact Santiam Ski Patrol. But that’s a lot of terrain tocover.”
“Hey,” Ryder’s voice was rough and whispery. “Thought I got astory?”
“Right. Hold on, I’mthinking.”
Jean speared me with a look. “We need to call on something other than emergency services if we want to find himquickly.”
That was one advantage to being a small town full of supernatural beings and vacationing gods. We could call on people with unusual abilities when things gotbad.
Of course, most supernatural beings wanted to be compensated for their effort and time. And some of them, I thought as my soul-losing deal with Bathin sprang to mind, set a pretty highprice.
“Get someone,” I told her. “Now.”
I turned all my attention back to Ryder. “Okay, you have to answer every time I say your name. Got that,Ryder?”
“Affirmative. Rogerthat.”
I started pacing again, envying the dragon and dog who were curled up and comfy in front of the fire as the storm ragedoutside.
The tree lights caught my eye, and I gazed up at the star. I knew what memory I shouldshare.
“When I was little, my mom read me a book about a Christmas star. It was supposed to be a sweet story about the little star that fell to earth and got lost. Finally, with some help from forest creatures, a snowman, and a couple children, the star was set upon a Christmas tree to shine brightly and bring joy to all. Are you listening,Ryder?”
