Book Six: Chapter 17

Now, Yuki was suspicious, but couldn’t put her finger on why. Her instincts prickled, the hairs on the back of her neck standing at attention. She scanned the room, the muted glow of the fireplace casting long, flickering shadows over the frozen decorations and abandoned chairs.

“Holly.” Mike waved at the elf, his voice steady but laced with urgency. “Can we use the sled to unlock any of the others?”

Holly lifted a hand from her ear, removing a small muff, and blinked up at him. “Whoever is with it when it leaves the North Pole is the only person who stays unlocked,” she said carefully, adjusting her earmuff. “Since I brought it through the fireplace as the lock went up, the field worked on everyone inside your house—but that’s it.”

“Bloody fucking convenient,” Lily muttered under her breath, the corner of her mouth twitching in irritation. “If this turns out