Book Six: Chapter 97

“This is a good plan. Nothing will go wrong.” Death put his bony fingers on Lily’s shoulder. “You are a good helper.”

“You’ve jinxed us.” She shook her head and moved toward the window. Just how smart were these troll things? Would they expect this? Or could she just launch herself into the sky and get back to the sleigh while Death made a run for it?

“Ho ho ho,” she declared, then leapt through the half-inch opening, her body shrinking down.

Once on the other side of the glass, she unfolded her wings and drifted away from the building. She only made it about fifty feet before a barrage of snowballs from below blinded her and knocked her off course. Only seconds after takeoff, she crashed into the side of another building and tumbled into an alleyway, hitting a dumpster on the way down.

“FUDGE ME IN THE BEEHIVE, OWIE!” She rubbed at her bum and stumbled out into the street. “Death, where are--”

Lily went silent, her eyes on the once abandoned street. It