Chapter 14 #2
We split into two groups, the urgency of the situation pressing down on us like a stone.
Eve came with Liam and me, her fingers brushing the enchanted locket around her neck at regular intervals as we moved.
Salima led the others in the opposite direction, her own locket ready to expose anything that wasn’t what it seemed.
Our steps were quick but measured as we weaved through the decorated streets, scanning faces and watching for anything out of the ordinary.
Eve touched her locket again, the faintest shimmer of magic pulsing outward.
It wasn’t enough to draw attention from the crowd, but I kept my focus sharp, hoping for any sign of Krampus.
As we turned down the next block, I caught a flicker out of the corner of my eye. A man’s image wavered, like a heat mirage on pavement, his edges blurring for a split second before snapping back into focus.
“There!” I hissed, pointing toward him. Without hesitation, we broke into a run, the sounds of the village fading as adrenaline took over.
He bolted as soon as he saw us, weaving through the crowd with an unnatural speed. We followed, pushing past families and couples who barely had time to step aside. My pulse pounded in my ears, and I could feel the chase tightening my chest.
Then, just as I was closing the distance, he turned and shoved a little boy directly into my path. The child stumbled forward, hitting the ground hard with a startled cry, his little hands scraping against the cobblestones.
I tried to stop, but my momentum carried me forward, and I tripped over him, landing awkwardly on my side. Pain shot through my arm, but it was nothing compared to the sound of the boy’s wails.
Eve and Liam caught up a second later, but by the time we regained our bearings, Krampus vanished like smoke in the wind.
“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath, crouching down to check on the boy. His face was streaked with tears, and his little hands were red from the impact. “Hey, hey, it’s okay,” I said, my voice softening as I gently lifted him to his feet. “Let’s get you back to your mom, okay?”
He sniffled, nodding shakily as he clutched my hand. The others stayed behind, scanning the area for any trace of Krampus, but I had no choice. I guided the boy back toward the tree lighting, weaving through the crowd as he clung to my side.
When we reached the square, he spotted his mother near the edge of the crowd. She ran to us as soon as she saw him, her face pale with worry. “Thank you,” she said breathlessly, pulling him into her arms.
I nodded absently, my eyes already scanning the crowd again. The tree loomed ahead, its ornaments glinting in the soft glow of the lampposts, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Families, couples, and children were laughing, utterly unaware of the danger.
And then I saw him.
A young man standing near the edge of the square, his posture too still, too deliberate. As our eyes locked, a sneer spread across his face, and for a moment, his features wavered, the edges of his form flickering just like the man we’d chased earlier.
“Got you,” I muttered, my heart leaping into my throat as I bolted toward him.
He laughed, a low and mocking sound, before darting into a small Christmas store across the street. I didn’t hesitate, sprinting after him, my pulse pounding as I burst through the door. The scent of cinnamon and pine hit me like a wall, mingling with the jingle of the shop’s bell.
I barely made it three steps inside when the shelf nearest the door tipped forward, crashing down on top of me.
A cascade of hand-blown glass ornaments shattered against my shoulders and onto the floor, the tinkling of breaking glass ringing in my ears.
Pain shot through me as I hit the ground, shards of glass digging into my coat, some slipping past the fabric to prick my skin.
The shop owner yelled, outraged from behind the counter, his face twisted in shock and fury. “What the hell are you doing? Look at this mess!”
Before I could respond, Liam and Eve barreled through the door. Liam was at my side in an instant, his hands gripping the edge of the shelf to lift it off me, while Eve knelt beside me, carefully brushing the shattered ornaments away.
“You okay?” Liam asked, his voice tight and concerned.
“Yeah,” I muttered, wincing as I shifted under the weight of the shelf. “Just get this thing off me.”
With a grunt, Liam heaved the shelf upright, and Eve helped me to my feet, her hands steadying me as I brushed shards of glass from my coat. My knees wobbled slightly, but I steadied myself, ignoring the sting from the tiny cuts on my hands.
The shop owner stormed over, his face red as he waved his arms at the wreckage. “You’ve ruined my inventory! Do you have any idea how much those ornaments cost? These were handmade—handmade!”
I raised a hand to placate him as my patience stretched thin. “I’ll pay for it,” I said quickly, pulling out my phone. “I’ll cover everything.”
His mouth opened like he wanted to argue, but the mention of payment masked him, if only slightly. “You’d better,” he muttered, his tone still sharp. “This is a disaster.”
I ignored the rest of his grumbling as I texted Drin and Dran, knowing they’d sort things out with him faster than I ever could. The shop owner huffed, crossing his arms as he returned to his counter, still muttering about lost inventory and shattered glass.
Once he was distracted, I hurried back outside, scanning the street for any sign of Krampus. My heart sank as I saw nothing but the usual holiday crowd—smiling families, couples holding hands, and clusters of kids pointing at decorations—no flickering figures, no telltale signs of magic.
“He’s gone,” I muttered, the frustration curling hot in my chest as I turned to Liam and Eve.
Eve’s jaw tightened, and Liam’s hands clenched into fists. But neither of them said anything. We’d been so close, and now he was slipping through our fingers again. My eyes flicked toward the glowing Christmas tree in the distance, and I swallowed hard, the pit in my stomach growing deeper.
Liam took my hand and removed a small shard of glass from it. “Damn, this demon plays dirty.”
I pulled my hand from my son after he dropped the piece of glass. “The tree lighting is in ten minutes. We are running out of time.”