Pandora landed on the tarmac by eleven. Although The Ride would’ve usually taken her all night and part of the morning, she’d started her ride much earlier than usual. By leaving early, she could get her books out to as many readers as possible. That meant that they could start reading the books that night and hopefully, they’d start believing in the ice elementals, saving ice magic, and saving Jack Frost.

Pandora got out of her SUV and walked with the bears to the flight prep area, where there was a locker room and craft service. Pandora poured herself a cup of coffee while the bears turned back into men and changed back into their clothes.

“Hey,” said Pandora, as the first werebear came out. “You staying for the ‘party?’”

“I would, but…” started Sean.

“You would, but…?” asked Pandora, confused.

“But he’s got a family to get back to,” said Ryan, walking out of the locker room.

“We all do,” said Ethan, following after Ryan.

“Besides, you want us to have our wives read those romance novels of yours or what?” asked Cain, shooting Pandora a wink.

“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that,” said Pandora. “Of your families, I mean.”

“Don’t sweat it,” said Connor. “Tonight was a real trip.”

“It’s gonna be one heck of a story to tell our kids,” said Rowan, putting a hand on Pandora’s shoulder.

“Thanks for letting us save Christmas one last time,” said Kevin.

“Even though it was under these circumstances,” said Eamonn.

“Oh, you guys,” said Pandora. “I’m gonna start blubbering if you go on like that.”

“Sounds like somebody needs a big hug — Nuthusk style,” said Sean. “Guys, get in here. Your Alpha’s ordering it.”

“Wait, you mean —” started Ryan, but he was pushed into the group with everyone else.

“That’s right,” said Sean. “My father’s retiring. I’m going to be the new Alpha of Clan Marron — and that means that a lot of new things are happening. That means that you all better come up with a crop of bad boys we can eventually send to The Wreath. Now, pile on in, and give Pandora the biggest werebear hug you can!”

Sean and the other seven werebears pulled Pandora close and gave her big bear hugs.

“Ahem,” said a voice. The hug broke. Krampus was there, twiddling a familiar chain around his finger.

“What, you thought I’d make you find your own ways home?” asked Krampus. “Your wives are gathering the kids and taking them to ‘meet Santa,’ because they landed about thirty minutes before we did. I have a feeling those kids are getting everything they want for Christmas from The Jolly Fellow himself. I’ll take you to them. Now…Pandora, I believe you have something to see to in the ballroom.”

Pandora waved goodbye as Krampus led the eight werebears that had pulled her sleigh that night.

Sean Jackson. Ryan Rex. Ethan McLean. Cain Pellichero. Connor Brian. Rowan Hooligan. Kevin Murphy. Eamonn Costello.

Each of them had found their ‘happily ever after’ person in a fairytale romance worthy of a romance novel. Heck, they’d been turned into romance novels.

Now, hopefully, they’d helped Panda Claus write her own happy ending.

Pandora headed to the ‘ballroom.’ It was really just the most massive event space in The Workshop, used for the annual Christmas party. Although everyone at The North Pole was hard at work, making this Christmas a success, there was still the annual Christmas brunch, put on by the Christmas elves that worked in the kitchen.

This year, there was no party, but practically everyone who worked at The North Pole was present. There was a buffet, but it was filled with practical finger foods and carafes of coffee, with the kitchen Christmas elves working hard, pouring cup after cup of coffee before taking sips of their own lattes — spiked with eggnog, of course.

It was a somber night, but it was still a work night.

After all, at The North Pole, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were the work nights.

“Hey, move it!” called someone.

“That’s Pandora Claus!” hissed a voice.

“Pandora Claws?” asked a voice.

“No…Pandora Claus!” replied a voice.

Pandora turned. There was a large tube being wheeled into the ballroom. It was filled with many glittering and glowing balls.

“What’s that?” asked Pandora.

“A measuring device,” said one of the ice elementals curtly. He was wearing a pair of spectacles.

“But what does it measure?” asked Pandora, arms crossed.

“It measures the level of belief of various forms of magic around the planet Earth,” explained another ice elemental, a big buff man in spectacles and a white lab coat.

“How do you read it?” asked Pandora.

“Here,” said an ice elemental wearing a gray sweater…and spectacles. He passed Pandora a chart that was nigh unreadable.

“I don’t get it,” said Pandora.

“Each of the glass spheres inside the tube represents a kind of magic, which you can cross-reference here, on your chart,” said the ice elemental in the sweater. “As the level of belief goes up, the ball will rise through the tube. The blue and white sphere represents ice magic, the red and green sphere represents Christmas magic, the red and orange sphered represents demoncraft, et cetera.”

“I can see the Christmas magic ball and the demoncraft ball,” said Pandora, looking toward the top of the tube. “Where’s the ice magic ball?”

“Look down,” said the man in the sweater.

“I am,” said Pandora.

“Look on the very bottom of the tube,” said the ice elemental in the lab jacket.

Pandora left the ice elementals and walked up to the tube, past the crowd gathered around it. At the very bottom of the tube was a blue and white sphere…nearly touching the bottom of the container.

“Wow,” said Pandora. “I had no idea…”

“Hey, girly,” said a familiar voice. Pandora turned. Her stepmom and Jack’s stepmom, Befana and Ginny, were nearby.

“Hey, Befana,” said Pandora. “Hey, Ginny.”

“We’re gonna go watch the tube up there,” said Befana. “Wanna join us?”

“Yeah,” said Pandora, following after the two magical women. “You two are more magical than me.” Pandora followed Befana and Ginny into a viewing area filled with loveseats, armchairs, and coffee tables. It was a cozy setting for such a somber affair. There were even throw pillows and cable knit blankets!

“More experienced, maybe,” said Befana, raising a brow. “What’s this about?”

“How are we going to know when the ice magic is strong enough to save Jack?” asked Pandora. Pandora took a seat on a large sofa and was promptly sandwiched between Befana and Ginny.

“If you ask me…it should be based on hunches,” said Befana. “A hunch-based system has never failed me.”

“But…if you ask my husband, it should be based on science,” said Ginny, crossing her arms and shooting Befana a look. “After all, magic is just a secret science, in his opinion. He’s marked a spot on the tube. When the ball reaches that level on the tube, the ice magic should be strong enough to save Jack.”

“And if it isn’t…” started Pandora, but it wasn’t a question.

“…Then Boreas will do whatever it takes to save his son — even if it means that he’ll need to wait a millennium to bring him back and try again,” said Ginny.

“Where is Boreas?” asked Pandora.

“In the freezing area,” said Ginny. “He’s preparing for the ritual.”

“What?!” asked Pandora. “He’s given up?”

“Not at all,” Befana assured Pandora. “He just…wants to be prepared, just in case. For a ritual like this…well, it requires a lot of power and a lot of preparation. If it turns out things didn’t end up as planned, well, this way, Plan B will be all ready. If he waits…well, Plan B can’t happen at all.”

“I understand,” said Pandora. “It’s a contingency plan. I get it. I just. Ugh. I’m really worried, you know?”

“I know,” said Ginny, taking Pandora’s hand and squeezing it. “We’re gonna go raid the buffet. Gotta keep our energy levels up. You want anything?”

“Maybe some eggnog,” admitted Pandora. “And a muffin. Cranberry.”

“With extra white chocolate chips?” suggested Befana. “You got it.”

Ginny and Befana left to get treats. Pandora scanned over the commotion below the viewing area. The tube that the ice elementals had wheeled in wasn’t very tall, only about ten feet or so. Suddenly, the base of the tube expanded, and then, the top of the tube shot straight up! Pandora peered and saw a familiar figure with black curly hair working with the ice elementals. Of course, Krampus was involved in the shenanigans.

“One eggnog latte for Pandora Claus, and a cranberry muffin — with extra white chocolate,” said a voice.

Pandora looked up. Avery had brought her her order!

“Hey, Avery,” said Pandora. “Do you know what’s going on with the tube?”

“Well, wouldn’t you know it — the ice elementals built the thing down South, to track the magic levels, but, couldn’t figure out a way to get it up North. They were gonna rebuild it, but, Krampus said that he could just move it with teleportation,” said Avery. “Of course, you know Boreas had to run a bunch of tests to make sure that the teleportation process wouldn’t mess up his precious toy.”

“So then why did Krampus have to expand it?” asked Pandora.

“He, uh…kinda teleported it to the wrong place on accident,” admitted Avery. “So…he shrank it down, so it could get wheeled in here.”

“Where did he teleport it?” asked Pandora.

“Let’s just say your dad’s office now has a new skylight,” said Avery, raising a brow. “He’s lucky he’s your dad’s best friend and all.”

Avery chatted with Pandora until Befana and Ginny came back up to the lounge, along with Krampus. The five talked and talked until soon, the hour of truth drew near.

A Christmas elf rang a large jingle bell which was hung up near the ceiling like a bell in a belfry, using a rope to ring it like a bell in a steeple. Everyone looked to see what was going on.

“It’s time!” called out another elf, using a megaphone. “It’s down to this, folks.”

The clock counted down the last ten seconds to midnight.

Avery took Pandora’s hand and squeezed it.

Krampus saw his wife taking their friend’s daughter’s hand and followed suit, taking Pandora’s hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.

Pandora felt a hand on her shoulder, a familiar touch. She knew the feeling, but she still had to see the face. She looked up. Her father was there, and he gave her a knowing nod. She nodded back, eyes welling with tears.

Pandora turned back to the clock. Everything she’d done this Christmas season came down to this. Her bear roared and told her to keep calm, that miracles could happen, that they’d seen them happen first-hand, every Christmas at The North Pole.

The entire North Pole fell silent, for the first time Pandora could remember. The chipper laughter of Christmas elves, the sound of tinkering in the workshops, the sound of reindeer’s hooves clip-clopping on the tarmac…they were all gone.

Pandora squeezed Avery and Krampus’ hands tightly.

Pandora forgot to breathe.

Pandora looked at the balls in the tube, hanging like Christmas ornaments hovering in the air. The balls had barely moved at all during the entire night, except for the Christmas magic ball, which had moved up in spikes. Pandora felt a pang of guilt. She’d had no idea that Christmas magic had such an advantage over so many other types. The level of belief for Christmas magic was stronger than most other kinds of magic…and that magic was used by relatively few magic users.

Pandora saw the ball still close to the bottom of the tube. The ball had barely moved at all. She knew what that meant. It would take a true Christmas miracle to change anything.

The last second seemed to take somewhere between an eternity and forever to tick.

Pandora snapped back to reality as the clock continued to tick on. She took in a deep breath.

She’d failed.

The level of belief in ice magic hadn’t risen enough to the point where Boreas could save Jack. Pandora saw one of the ice elementals lift up a communication device and knew who the ice elemental was calling, and what they were calling in. Soon, Boreas winter would start the ritual, and soon, Jack would be put into stasis — for a thousand years.

“How you doing, kid?” asked a voice. Pandora turned. Krampus and Avery were still holding her hands.

“I’m fine,” lied Pandora.

“You know, if you lie close to Christmas, you might just get on The Naughty List,” said Avery.

“Yeah, and there’s a whole lot of Christmas left,” said Krampus.

Pandora’s bear roared and told her to consider what Krampus had said.

“Wait…” said Pandora. “Krampus, what did you just say? About there being a lot of Christmas left?”

“I said there’s still a lot of Christmas left,” said Krampus. “After all, there’s all of Christmas day, and when you account for time zones…”

“That’s it!” said Pandora. “The time zones! I have to stop Boreas!”

Pandora’s bear roared again. This time, it told her to run.