Page 28 of Tis The Season for Secrets
“Right. Um, sleigh rank?”He must not have understood.Before she could correct herself, he’d gone on his way, the child waving at her over his shoulder.
Across the street, a sign read ‘Yule Postal Office’, and Juliet recognised the symbol in the window as the same one from the chest back home and Will’s cufflinks. Inside, the brightly lit post office was crowded with people waiting to send their parcels. Shesqueezed past the queue to get a look at the map on the wall. Everyone else seemed too busy to notice her.
Scanning the old map, she frowned when she saw a pin over the North Pole with the inscription ‘Village of Yule’. Along the side of the map was a list of all the delivery times for those wishing to send a parcel from Yule to the list of Outside countries.
Everything Will had told her rushed through her mind, and it felt as though all the oxygen had been sucked out of the post office. Desperate to catch her breath, Juliet hurried out of the post office and hunkered down in the closest alleyway.
I never should have left the house! Why didn’t I listen to Will? How can I be in the North Pole?Her mind struggled to believe what her eyes had told her. A sleigh passed her alley, mocking her ignorance.I must get back to the house.How hard could it be to find her way back? However, looking up and down the narrow alley, she had no clue which direction to start in. Burying her face in her knees, she tried to steady her heartbeat so she could figure out her next step.Hell, how am I supposed to think rationally when I’m thousands of miles from home in a magical winter wonderland that isn’t even supposed to exist?
A gentle voice from above interrupted her racing thoughts. “Are you okay?”
“I’m lost, and I just want to go home.” Juliet hated that she sounded like a pathetic child as she talked into her knees.
“Don’t worry, you wouldn’t be the first! With all the alleyways and lanes, even I get turned around. Maybe I can help? I saw you rush out of the post office. I figured either you saw the price of shipping to the Outside, or you’re new to Yule. I’m Lyla, by the way.” Lyla came down to her level, greeting her with warm eyes and a mess of snow-frosted dark curls. “Can you tell me your name?”
“Juliet, but can I just ask, before I lose my mind completely… are we really in the North Pole? Did a bell really bring me here?” She needed to stabilise her sanity before she lost it completely.
“Afraid so,” Lyla nodded, “but you’re safe and this reaction is totally normal. The first time Klaus brought me here, I thought it was some dream.”
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Juliet warned, wondering if it was the hangover or fear of being in a strange place straight from some Christmas movie on steroids.
“How about we get you somewhere warm? I promise nothing is going to happen to you, and we can try and get you home,” Lyla reassured her, offering her a hand up.
Juliet took it, needing the support, and stood on shaky legs. Lyla’s kindness thawed her distrust, and it was nice to get some confirmation that Will had been telling the truth, even if she felt like she couldn’t trust him entirely after everything he’d hidden from her.
“You’re not from here?” she asked, following Lyla out of the alley. She guessed they were around the same age.
“No, it’s how I was able to spot another newbie. I’m from Dublin but my fiancé, Mason, is from here. I’ve only been coming here for about a year now,” Lyla explained. “I know finding out about a secret village and magical bells can be very overwhelming at first, but even though you don’t know me, I promise you can trust me.”
Lyla was so open, and there was something so welcoming about her energy, that Juliet couldn’t help but feel safe.
“I was staying in one of the townhouses near the giant Christmas tree, and I went out for some air. I think the end of the road said Cane Lane? Then I got lost in the alleys,” she admitted, worrying about how much Will would want her to reveal about herself. Thankfully, Lyla didn’t push for more information.
“We’ll figure it out, but the snowfall is due to get heavier soon, and we should get something hot in you. I know where we can get the best hot chocolate in the world.”
Eager to be indoors, Juliet followed Lyla down a busy street, noticing how others smiled and waved at her new friend, wishing her a good morning as they passed.
By a frosted front window,Juliet sat in the armchair nearest a small fire and read the name on the dark green napkin: Peppermint & Pumpkin Coffee Shop. Lyla ordered their drinks at the counter. Juliet had offered to pay, but when Lyla removed some gold coins from her pocket, Juliet realised she had a lot more to learn about Yule. Yet it all seemed so normal, like she was back in the city during the morning rush and everyone was grabbing their morning coffee and pastry.
“Here we go, drink this. Hot chocolate– I don’t think you need caffeine right now, but the sugar will help with the shock,” Lyla said, placing two giant spotted mugs on the antique table. She removed her bright orange scarf and sat opposite her.
“Thank you, and I’ll pay you back when I figure out how.” Juliet grasped the mug, letting the warmth sink into her bones.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s my treat.”
There was something calming about Lyla, with her wild curls and bright colours. Juliet felt herself starting to trust her; she was going out of her way to help a stranger when not many would. The strong smell of chocolate assaulted her already overwhelmed senses, but once she took a sip she was won over by the bittersweet chocolate and the giant pumpkin-shaped mugs.
“When did you arrive?” Lyla asked, removing her fluffy purple gloves as they got down to the nitty-gritty.
“Last night. I was at a Christmas party in New York. I said I wanted to go home. Before I knew it, we were here, by the big Christmas tree.” Juliet reached for the phantom necklace.
“Sounds familiar. Was there a gold bell involved?” Lyla asked with a sigh. Juliet nodded frantically. Clearly, she wasn’t the only one who’d had a bell mishap.
“I didn’t know what it could do. I thought it was just a family heirloom, but in future I’ll be a lot more careful with what jewellery I wear. It was only a charm on the end of a necklace, I didn’t expect…” She still struggled to believe such a dainty bell could transport her to the North freaking Pole.
“Travel by bell can be rather volatile the first time. I take it you didn’t know about Yule until you got here?” Lyla asked, taking a sip of her own drink.
“Not a clue, or I sure as heck wouldn’t have worn the damn thing. Will should’ve warned me—” She cut herself off, not sure whether she should mention him or not. She didn’t want to get him into trouble.
