Evergreen Falls had always loved its Christmas market.
Strings of golden lights stretched across the square, vendors sold spiced cider and handmade ornaments, and laughter echoed between the buildings like warmth given a voice. It was the kind of place where people believed nothing truly bad could happen.
Maya stood near the edge of the square and tried to believe that too.
The charm rested beneath her coat, warm against her chest—but restless. It pulsed in short, sharp beats, like a warning knocking from the inside.
Rowan noticed immediately.
"Something's wrong," he murmured.
Maya glanced around. Families moved between stalls. Children tugged parents toward the carousel. A choir gathered near the tree.
"It looks normal," she whispered.
"That's how he likes it," Rowan replied. "Eirwyn never destroys joy outright. He corrupts it."
Maya's stomach twisted. "What do we do?"
Rowan's gaze scanned the square. "We stay visible. Calm. And we don't panic."
Right on cue, the lights flickered.
A collective murmur rose from the crowd.
Then the temperature dropped.
Frost spread unnaturally fast across the metal railings, climbing stalls and freezing garlands mid-sway. People laughed nervously at first, thinking it was a prank—until someone screamed.
A vendor slipped.
A glass ornament shattered.
The carousel ground to a violent halt.
Chaos rippled outward.
"Maya," Rowan said sharply, grabbing her hand. "He's testing you in public."
Her heart slammed. "I can't—there are too many people."
"That's the point," Rowan said. "He wants you to choose."
The charm burned hot.
Maya saw it then—thin veins of ice threading beneath the snow, racing toward the center of the square. Toward the children.
She didn't hesitate.
"Rowan," she said, voice shaking but firm, "get them away from the tree."
He stared at her. "Maya—"
"Please," she whispered. "Trust me."
The charm flared.
Rowan nodded once and moved fast, shouting instructions, pulling people back, his presence commanding even without explanation.
Maya stepped forward.
For the first time in her life, she didn't feel unlucky.
She felt certain.
She closed her eyes.
Protect them, she thought. Not me. Them.
The charm answered.
Warmth surged outward—not explosive, not violent—like a tide turning. The ice halted mid-creep. Lights steadied. The carousel groaned… then slowly restarted.
Gasps filled the square.
Maya staggered, dizziness rushing in.
Rowan was there instantly, arm around her waist.
"You did it," he breathed.
"I didn't mean for them to see," she whispered.
But it was too late.
People were staring.
A hush fell over Evergreen Falls.
Whispers rippled through the crowd.
"Did you see—?"
"That girl—"
"What just happened?"
Maya's chest tightened. "Rowan… they know."
"Yes," he said quietly. "And so does he."
A laugh echoed—not loud, not human.
The air rippled.
Snow froze mid-fall above the tree.
A figure materialized at the edge of the square.
Tall. Elegant. Cold.
Eirwyn Vale.
He wore winter like it belonged to him—silver hair dusted with frost, eyes pale and sharp, a smile carved from cruelty and patience.
"Well done," he said, voice carrying effortlessly. "You exceeded expectations."
Panic erupted.
Rowan stepped forward, fury radiating off him. "Stay away from her."
Eirwyn's gaze slid to him. "Ah. The broken Guardian. You still cling to warmth. How disappointing."
"You don't get to speak here," Rowan snarled.
Eirwyn laughed softly. "This town was built on winter bargains. I'm simply reminding it."
Maya forced herself upright, legs trembling.
"Leave them alone," she said.
Eirwyn's eyes snapped to her.
Interest sharpened.
"So this is you," he murmured. "The Bearer who bends probability without understanding its price."
"What do you want?" Maya demanded.
Eirwyn tilted his head. "To see how much you'll sacrifice before you break."
He lifted a hand.
The Christmas tree groaned—ice forming rapidly up its trunk.
Children screamed.
"No!" Maya cried.
The charm burned like fire.
Maya reached—not in fear—but resolve.
Enough.
The charm exploded with golden light.
Luck twisted.
A support beam snapped at the exact angle needed—sending the ice crashing harmlessly away from the crowd.
The tree stood.
The people were safe.
Maya collapsed.
Rowan caught her before she hit the ground, holding her tightly as the square erupted into chaos.
Eirwyn stepped back, smiling wider.
"Excellent," he said softly. "You've made your choice."
He vanished into swirling frost.
Sirens wailed in the distance.
Rowan pressed his forehead to Maya's hair, voice breaking. "You saved them."
She trembled in his arms. "At what cost?"
He didn't answer—because he already knew.
High above Evergreen Falls, the balance shifted.
The Bearer had revealed herself.
And destiny had collected its first debt.