Chapter 14
We circled the crowd like predators on the hunt, each of us scanning faces, movements, and anything that might give away the presence of a demon hiding in plain sight.
The festive chatter and laughter felt like nails on a chalkboard grating against my already frayed nerves.
Every time someone moved too quickly or glanced in our direction, my heart jumped, but each lead was nothing more than an innocent family or a bundled-up couple enjoying the night.
When it became clear we would be empty, we all regrouped near a small drink stand, the scent of spiced cider and hot cocoa filling the air. I crossed my arms to suppress my frustration as the others trickled in.
Eve was the last to join us, her face tight with frustration. “How the hell do we find him?” she asked, throwing her hands up, “When we can’t track him?”
“It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack,” Aurora muttered, rubbing the back of her neck. “Except the needle’s probably wearing a Santa hat.”
Tegan leaned against the stand, her fingers drumming on the edge of the counter. “Maybe we’re overthinking it. If he’s targeting the crowd, maybe we just need to wait until he moves.”
“That’s a dangerous gamble,” Salima pointed out, shaking her head. “If we wait for him to attack, we risk losing control of the situation entirely.”
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “There has to be something we’re missing,” I said, glancing at each of them.
Before anyone could respond, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and glanced at the screen, Carnell’s name lighting up the display. I quickly answered, putting the phone on speaker. “Carnell,” I said, the urgency in my voice clear. “Please tell me you have something.”
“I do,” he said, his voice steady but serious. “I’ve been digging into Krampus’ lore and found something that might help. He can make himself look human, but only for short periods. It’s a masking ability. Think of it like a temporary glamour.”
The words hit me like a slap, and I felt a mix of relief and frustration swirl in my chest. “That explains why we haven’t found him.”
“Yes,” Carnell continued, “but there’s a catch. It takes a lot of energy to maintain the disguise. The longer he holds it, the weaker he becomes. And if he attacks someone while in disguise, it’ll drain him even faster.”
Aurora nodded, her expression sharpening. “So he’s hiding, but if he makes a move, we’ll likely see it.”
“Exactly,” Carnell said. “Be vigilant. He won’t stay hidden forever, and when he drops his glamour, you’ll need to act fast.”
“Got it,” I said, my grip tightening on the phone. “Thanks, Carnell.”
“Be careful,” he added before the line went dead.
I tucked my phone back into my pocket, looking at the group. “Alright, now we know what to watch for. He’s hiding in plain sight, but can’t keep it up forever. The second he moves, we strike him.”
Eve nodded, her jaw tight. “Let’s find him before he finds his next target.”
As I scanned the crowd, something dawned on me, a piece of the puzzle sliding into place.
My breath caught, and I turned to the others, my voice sharper than I intended.
“I know how he got away the first time,” I said, my eyes narrowing.
“In the woods—he was the hiker. That’s how he evaded us. He shifted his form to throw us off.”
Eve froze for a moment, her eyes widening as she considered it.
Then she nodded, her expression tightening with realization.
“If he’s a demon shifter,” she said slowly, “then he’s constantly expending energy to maintain an alternate form.
That would explain how he’s been hiding, but also means he’s burning through his reserves faster than we thought. ”
I clenched my jaw, frustrated but also grateful for the revelation. “If I’d known that earlier, I could’ve stopped him. Damn it, I wish I had Dagna’s amulet. It would’ve ripped his glamour apart in seconds.”
Eve’s lips pressed into a thin line, and then her eyes brightened with a spark of an idea. “You might not need her amulet,” she said, her tone thoughtful. “I have another idea.”
I turned to her, my brow furrowing. “What kind of idea?”
She hesitated, her gaze flicking to the crowd before settling back on me. “Let’s just say… I might be able to disrupt his glamour another way.”
My chest tightened at the thought of Eve putting herself in harm’s way, but I also knew we didn’t have time to debate. “If you can pull it off, do it,” I said, my voice unflinching. “But you’re not doing it alone.”
She smirked, though the seriousness in her eyes didn’t fade. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
I glanced around. “Whatever it is. We can’t do it here.”
Eve caught my eye and tilted her head to motion for us to follow.
Without a word, we trailed behind her, weaving through the crowd and slipping behind a small brick building on the edge of the square.
The noise of the gathering faded slightly, and the relative quiet wrapped around us like a thin shield against the chaos of the night.
When we were far enough from prying eyes, Eve stopped and turned to face us, her hand reaching for the silver locket she always wore. She held it up, the small oval pendant catching the soft light from the streetlamps.
“I’ve got an idea,” she said, her voice controlled but tinged with urgency. “This locket—it’s enchanted already, but I can layer a temporary spell on it. It won’t be as strong as Dagna’s amulet, but it’ll work the same way. It’ll disrupt any glamour or masking spell Krampus is using.”
“How?” Liam asked, his arms crossed but his expression curious.
Eve took a deep breath, her fingers brushing over the locket as she explained.
“The spell will amplify the locket’s natural magic, creating a sort of pulse.
Think of it as an EMP for magic. It’ll strip away his disguise and reveal his true form.
The catch is that it won’t last long. Once I cast the spell, we’ll have maybe ten minutes before the enchantment burns out. ”
I frowned, my gaze flicking to the locket. “And what happens if he’s not close enough when you activate it?”
“It’ll still pulse outward,” Eve said, “but the range is limited. He has to be within fifty feet, maybe sixty at most, for it to work.”
“And it’s safe for you?” Salima asked, her tone cautious.
Eve smirked faintly. “As safe as any spell is when you’re messing with magic this potent. I’ll be fine.”
I looked at her, studying the determination in her eyes. She wasn’t hesitating—she never did when it came to magic. She’d already made up her mind, and I knew arguing with her would be a waste of breath.
“Do it,” I said, my voice firm. “We don’t have time to waste.”
Eve nodded, stepping back and clutching the locket tightly in her hand. “Stay close,” she said, her gaze flicking to the rest of us. “When this goes off, we’ll have to move fast. If he’s anywhere near that tree, he won’t stay there once his glamour drops.”
Eve looked up from her locket, her eyes narrowing slightly as she glanced at Salima. “You’re wearing a silver locket too,” she said, tilting her head toward the pendant hanging from Salima’s neck. “I can enchant that one as well.”
Salima blinked, her hand instinctively going to the locket resting against her collarbone. “How did you know it was spelled already?” she asked, her voice tinged with surprise.
Eve smirked, her fingers still wrapped around her own locket. “I can feel it,” she admitted. “It’s faint, but there’s definitely magic woven into it. Something protective, I’d guess?”
Salima hesitated for a moment, then nodded slowly, her expression a mix of curiosity and caution. “It was my grandmother’s,” she said quietly, her fingers brushing over the smooth surface of the locket. “She gave it to me for luck.”
Eve held out her hand, her expression softening slightly. “Then let’s give it a little extra kick. Between the two of them, we might double our chances of catching Krampus off guard.”
Salima hesitated, her fingers lingering on the chain for a moment before unfastening it and handing it to Eve. “Be careful with it,” she said, her voice steady but laced with a hint of vulnerability.
“I will,” Eve promised, her tone unusually gentle as she took the locket. She held it alongside her own, the two pendants glinting faintly in the dim light. Closing her eyes, she murmured the spell, her voice low and melodic, the ancient words wrapping around us like a tangible force.
The air grew heavier, and a subtle hum vibrated through the surrounding space. I watched as Eve’s fingers glowed, the magic pulsing through her and into the lockets. The light flickered briefly, almost like a heartbeat, before fading back into the pendants.
When she opened her eyes, she handed Salima’s locket back to her with a small, satisfied smile. “There,” she said, her voice tinged with pride. “It should work just like mine. A single pulse to disrupt his glamour and reveal his true form.”
Salima took the locket, her expression thoughtful as she refastened it around her neck. “Thanks,” she said quietly, her fingers lingering on it for a moment before she looked back at Eve. “I didn’t know you could do that.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” Eve said with a small smirk, though there was no malice behind it. “But we can talk about that later. Right now, we’ve got a demon to unmask.”
I nodded, my gaze flicking between the two of them as the magnitude of what we were about to do settled over us. “Let’s hope those lockets work,” I said, my voice low. “Because if they don’t, we’re going to need a hell of a backup plan.”
Eve’s smirk widened slightly, her confidence unwavering. “They’ll work,” she said simply. “Now let’s find Krampus and ruin Dagna’s little Christmas chaos party.”