“Dagna,” I said, my voice clipped. “She sent Krampus. We just had a lovely little chat, but she was an astral projection. Is there a way to track her?”
There was a pause, followed by a frustrated sigh. “No,” Eve said, her voice tinged with annoyance, though not at me—at the limits of her magic. “Projections don’t leave traces. She could be anywhere.”
Liam frowned, crossing his arms as he looked at me. “We need to track her down. If we don’t stop her, this is just going to keep happening.”
I shook my head, my grip tightening on the phone as I locked eyes with him. “The witch isn’t the priority right now. We have to get to the Christmas Village.” My voice softened, though the edge of urgency still lingered. “I’ve learned not to waste time chasing my tail when it comes to Dagna. She’s always two steps ahead. We can’t follow her if Krampus is attacking. He’s the immediate threat.”
Liam didn’t look thrilled, but he nodded reluctantly, his jaw tightening as he processed my words. I turned my attention back to the phone. “Eve, I need you to bring Nishi and the others to Mystic Falls. Meet us at the Christmas Village as soon as you can.”
“Understood,” Eve said, her voice even. “We’ll head out now. Stay safe, Faith.”
I hung up and slipped the phone back into my pocket, exhaling shakily as I glanced around the park. The quiet felt too heavy, too tense, as if the night itself was holding its breath.
Liam adjusted his jacket, his eyes narrowing with determination. “So, what’s the plan?”
I met his gaze, a flicker of pride warming my chest despite the storm we were walking into. “The plan,” I said firmly, “is to stop Krampus before Dagna gets the chaos she’s hoping for. Let’s move.”
And with that, we headed into the night, every step pulling us closer to whatever nightmare she had set in motion.
Liam and I sprinted back to the car, our breaths fogging in the freezing air as our boots crunched against the frost-covered ground. The adrenaline hadn’t worn off—it was still pounding in my veins, pushing me forward as I unlocked the car with shaking hands. Liam slid into the passenger seat without a word, his jaw set and his gaze focused straight ahead.
I didn’t waste time and took a one of Eve’s healing potions to speed recovery. The tires squealed as I pulled out, the engine roaring as we raced through the dark streets toward the Christmas Village. The lights of the town blurred past us, but neither of us said a word. The air was thick with unspoken tension, but I couldn’t focus on that now. There was too much at stake.
When we arrived at the village, the others were just pulling in. Eve’s car was parked beside mine, and Nishi, Aurora, Tegan, and Salima all stepped out, their faces tight and determined. Eve had her satchel slung over her shoulder, the light clinking of potion bottles audible even over the distant hum of holiday music.
The cold hit me like a slap when I stepped out of the car, but I ignored it. Eve immediately began handing out small vials to everyone, her movements efficient and practiced. “Take these,” she said, her voice steady. “It’ll keep your energy up and sharpen your focus.”
Each of us downed the potion without hesitation, the familiar, distinct tang of magic burning briefly in my throat. Liam hesitated for only a second before following suit, his face unreadable as he tipped the vial back.
When the vials were empty, I stepped forward, my voice firm. “Liam knows everything,” I said, meeting each of their gazes in turn. “There will be no more memory potions.”
Eve froze for a fraction of a second before nodding, her lips pressing into a thin line. I could see the sadness in her eyes, and when I glanced at Nishi, Aurora, Tegan, and Salima,I saw it reflected there, too. They all knew what it meant. What Liam now carried with him.
Liam stood beside me, stoic and calm, but I could see the tension in his jaw and the tightness in his shoulders. He was prioritizing the hunt, throwing himself into the mission the same way I always did. But I knew him too well. Beneath the calm facade, he was hurting. The magnitude of everything he’d learned and been through tonight was pressing down on him. He was good at hiding it—another thing we had in common.
I stepped closer to him, my shoulder brushing his as I whispered, “You okay?”
He didn’t look at me, his gaze fixed on the village ahead. “I’m fine,” he said, his voice low and even.
But I knew the truth. He wasn’t fine. Neither of us was. But we’d deal with it—later. Right now, there was a demon to stop, and if there was one thing we both knew how to do, it was push everything aside for the hunt.
I glanced around the group, the cold air biting at my face as the holiday lights twinkled cheerfully, entirely at odds with the tension hanging between us. My mind raced through Dagna’s words, her smug warning about the tree lighting ceremony. She was playing with us, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t serious. If she wanted chaos, the tree lighting would be the perfect stage for it.
“We need to divide and conquer,” I said, breaking the silence. “If Krampus is here, we can cover more ground faster if we split up.”
The others nodded, their expressions grim but focused. I turned to Liam and Salima. “You’re with me. We’ll take the northern side of the village—the main street and the shops near the square.”
Eve didn’t argue, though her gaze lingered on Liam, a flicker of concern in her eyes. “Fine,” she said, noddingtoward the others. “Nishi, Aurora, Tegan, and I will take the southern side. The tree lot, the skating rink, and the residential streets.”
“Stay alert,” I said, meeting each of their gazes. “Dagna mentioned the tree lighting, which means she’s planning something big. If you see anything, don’t engage alone. Call for backup.”
With that, we split off into our groups. Liam, Salima, and I moved quickly, heading toward the bustling main street where families strolled through the snow-dusted village, utterly unaware of the danger lurking nearby. The scent of cinnamon and roasted chestnuts filled the air, blending with the faint sound of carolers singing in the distance. It all felt so normal, so safe—if I hadn’t known better, I might’ve believed it.
We checked each shop carefully, moving methodically through the village. Liam was quiet, his eyes scanning every corner, every shadow, while Salima trailed close behind. I couldn’t shake the tension in my chest, the gnawing feeling that we were missing something.
Time dragged as we searched, moving from the glowing toy store to the small bookstore that smelled of pine. Each time we came up empty, the frustration grew heavier. The same holiday displays greeted us at every turn, twinkling lights, fake snow, and cheerful decorations, but no sign of Krampus or Dagna.
An hour later, we met the others at the nearby coffee shop. The warm, inviting scent of coffee and baked goods did little to ease the tension as we gathered around a table in the corner.
