I screamed. Felix’s hand slipped from mine, and I heard his body thud to the floor. I dropped to my knees and felt around in my pockets for my phone, but of course my phone was back in my room.

“Felix,” I said.

My heart pounded so loudly I could almost hear it in my ears. I reached out into the darkness, trying to figure out where he’d fallen.

Only the light from the pole’s bulb interrupted the pure blackness of this windowless room. It cast a dancing blue and red Aurora Borealis onto the wall.

“Felix? Felix!”

My hand landed on him, and I clutched at his clothing to be sure he stayed close. He was still breathing, but he felt cold—as cold as the room.

“He’ll be fine,” a voice said behind me.

I jumped up to a crouch and swiveled to face Frost, who was smiling down at me with triumph on his translucent bluish face.

No, not translucent. He was here this time—here and solid and carrying a chill that made my teeth chatter.

“Thank you,” he said.

He bowed a little and tipped an imaginary hat, then laughed in a low, cold voice that made my skin crawl.

“I must say, Miss North, I underestimated how much you wanted to get home. I thought it would take you at least a few days to get this door unlocked.”

I glanced behind him. He gave off enough of a cool blue glow that I could just make out the door behind him. It was closed, but of course Felix hadn’t locked us in. Neither of us had dreamed that Frost was here to follow.

Stay calm, I silently coaxed myself. Play it cool. Play it as cool as him.

“Santa didn’t think you’d managed to get into the Workshop,” I said.

I stood and put a hand on my hip, fighting the urge to wrap my arms around myself to stay warm. I glanced down at Felix.

“It’s freezing in here,” I said. “Can you warm it up a little?”

“For you?” Frost said. He reached out a slender-fingered hand as if to touch my face. I smacked it away. He laughed. “Of course, my dear.”

The temperature of the room rose a few degrees, from below freezing to barely above it.

“See? I’m terribly good at compromise.”

Frost’s eyes flickered up and he looked hungrily at the pole behind me.

“I really thought it would take longer,” he said. He looked at me, and his eyes flashed with a blue light. “Christmas came early!”

He moved past me like a ghost and stepped up onto the platform in one stride. He swung his long legs over the railing and approached the pole.

I looked down at Felix. He was coming to; I could see his dark form shifting slightly in the dark. I crouched and shook him gently. He blinked at me, his eyes only visible through their reflection of Frost’s blue glow.

“Hush,” I hissed as quietly as possible, and stood back up before Frost could notice.

He was standing on the platform now with his hand outstretched. The pole trembled, and I made a silent wish that it would blow up in his face or melt him into a puddle of glowing blue goo.

His hand closed around it.

The instant his icy skin touched the pole, my stomach fell through the floor. I’d been able to feel the pole’s power in this room before. Now, I felt the energy shift slightly, like a wind changing direction.

It was back in the hand of its creator, and its power sharpened in response.

Frost lifted the pole from its golden stand and raised it into the air. The lightning and fire sparkled and threw eerie red light onto his face.

Slowly, staring at the pole in wonder, he turned to face me. His eyes glinted with reflected light.

“You have my gratitude, Miss North,” he said.

I had to get out of here. I had to figure out how to escape and get to Santa. He was the only one who could fix this.

“You promised me a ride,” I said. My voice was full of false bravado. I trembled inwardly at the thought of him seeing through it. “I need to get my things first.”

“All in good time,” Frost said.

He held the pole up and slowly, his body lifted into the air. He hovered over the railing and sank to the ground as gently as a snowflake.

“I keep my promises, generally, and you’ve been an enormous help. For now, though, I need to escape. I am sorry about this. I’ll be back soon.”

He raised the pole and slammed it down on the ground. A wave of icy air swept through me, and the room went dark again as I crumpled to the ground.