Will he? Will I have to break out my taekwondo moves? Would that even work on a magical, mythological creature?
“No. I don’t do work for Nicholas anymore.”
Nicholas…does that mean Santa Claus? No. That can’t be it.
“Alright. You’re going to have to explain that.”
His brow furrows in confusion. “Truly, this can’t be interesting information to you?”
I laugh. “This might all be a dream that could turn nightmarish at any moment, but I assure you none of it is boring. Tell me about this Nicholas.”
He sighs and stands up. “Alright, I’ll tell you everything.”
I’d thought he was about to pace around the room like some kind of orator, but no, he stands because he feels the need to pick me up again. And once again, we are seated in front of the fire, and I am caged in his arms like a pet. I’ve stopped scanning the room to look for an exit. And now, I’m not sure I have any hope of leaving.
Maybe, just maybe, I do not want to leave. Yet.
Eldrin begins his story. “Every Christmas elf has a contingent of human children to look after, record their behavior, and report back to Nicholas.”
My jaw drops. I have no words.
“Well,” he continues. “How else do you think Old White Beard manages a Naughty or Nice list? Think he does all that organizing himself? He loves to take all the credit.
“Along with thousands of other children all over the world, you were one of my charges. Unbeknownst to you, of course. Humans are not supposed to be aware that we’re surveilling their every move.
“When you think about it, it’s a pretty terrible system. Determining whether or not a child deserves a gift based on whether they made too many bad decisions at a time when their brains haven’t fully developed yet. Who does that? The current man in charge is the answer to that.
“We Uncommon elves, possessing a life span of six to seven hundred years, have the magical ability to teleport, remain invisible, and to be in more than one place at a time. So the List Making fell to us. The Common elves’ magic is limited to crafting, building, and manipulating nature, making them the perfect candidates for Santa’s workshop.
“Yet the big elf in the red suit likes to let everyone assume he does all of it—making the toys and maintaining the lists.
“But it wasn’t always that way. Previous Nicholases were far less interested in glory. It wasn’t until this one took over in the middle of your nineteenth century that gift-giving was based on human merit.
“I’m still one of the younger elves, but I know my history. Maybe my rebellious young ways landed me in my current predicament.
“It goes against our code to form attachments to humans. It goes against our code to fall in love at all. And to fall in love with a human is something the elven community likes to sweep under the rug…until it starts to ‘cause problems.’
“Those so-called problems began almost the second you, Clara, were placed in my charge. I wanted nothing more than to make myself visible and be your friend. You were such a lonely girl who only asked for books for Christmas, and I made sure you received all the books you asked for and more.”
A strange sensation sweeps through my stomach. “I did. I always had books,” I murmur. Eldrin smiles. I’m starting to fall for this charade, or whatever this is.
“Of course, I doctored your lists to include fantasy, science fiction, anything at all that I knew would possibly connect you to my world. It was futile, I knew that. And even the best human stories of elves and elven lore are woefully watered down. Still, I was desperate for any kind of connection with you.”
Although I am still processing all of this, Eldrin skips on to another subject—the only subject he seems interested in. “You have eaten. When do we commence with the mating?”
Studying his eyelids and his facial expressions, I’m beginning to be able to tell where he’s looking and what he’s staring at.
And right now, it’s the same thing almost all men stare at. “If I say no, will it matter?”
Eldrin sits up straight as if offended. “Of course it matters. I don’t want to touch someone who does not wish to be touched. The thought of that is vile to me.”
I nod, sure that my relief is visible. “Would you let me leave if I asked to leave?”
He smiles in that amused way he did before. “That I cannot do.”
“Why not?”
“Because you are the entire reason for my exile, and you are my only key to happiness.”