Book Six: Chapter 96

“I’ve got it.” Lily took the bag, kicked a troll away from her feet, then ran back toward the stairwell. It occurred to her that the trolls probably didn’t realize that this wasn’t Santa’s sack, but a smaller version. The trolls fighting Death let go of him and gave chase. Lily was back at the stairwell when she saw the one she had tossed over the side wheezing at the top. His eyes widened in terror as she grabbed him by the hair and sent him plummeting down the stairwell once more.

“Gotta go up,” she muttered, climbing the stairs. Some of the smarter trolls turned into that eerie green mist and floated up the stairwell after her, reforming at the top of the stairs. She fought through them, then ran down the hallway. It occurred to her that she didn’t have an actual plan. There was no way to deliver gifts, and if there was a way to kill the trolls, she didn’t know what it was.

Movement caught her eye, and she looked out the window just as the Yule Cat swatted the window.