Book Six: Chapter 171

“Ah, here we are,” Santa said warmly as he reached the end of the corridor. He placed one gloved hand against the massive double doors and pushed them open with a practiced ease, as though their immense weight meant nothing to him. “Go on, then.”

He stepped aside and motioned for the others to follow him inside.

The North Pole awaited them beyond the threshold, glowing with an intensity that made Mike instinctively squint. The crystalline structure rose from the floor like a frozen star, its surface faceted and impossibly smooth. Light pulsed within it, sparks of gold and silver swirling just beneath the translucent surface as if a captured tornado were struggling to escape. The air hummed faintly, vibrating against Mike’s bones in a way that made his teeth ache.

“This is a new room to most of you,” Santa continued, clearly pleased by the effect. “Welcome to