“Alright so…this will be a bit of a shock, luckily I’ll take us to the parlor of the workshop, so you won’t instantly be in the snow, but…hold your breath and do not let go of my hand.” She explained as she held her hand out towards me, the two of us standing in front of the fireplace, I went to grab her hand, but she shifted her hand against mine so she was holding my wrist, her fingers easily…easily able to wrap around my wrist, her iron like vice grip shockingly warm, her hands were like sticking your hands into the roaring fireplace. “Hold your breath on three, you…might want to close your eyes, it’ll be a little uncomfortable for the senses.”

“I’m used to my shadow travel” I offered, she laughed softly

“This is quite a bit different than shadow traveling.”

“You’ve been?”

“Uncle Kam can do that too, he used to take me around Everwinter for weekend trips all the time” she said before resting her other hand out and resting it on the mantle, her breath started fogging as the mantle stretched like taffy around her hand, widening and stretching upwards as it grew to that door frame size.

“What about the fire?”

“I’m fire-proof, but sense I’m taking you, you’ll be alright.” She added as she just stepped into the fireplace, the flames crackling around her ankles and legs shifted to white the moment she stepped past the edges of the hearth, “Ready?” she asked, I nodded softly, “1…2…3…let’s go, go, go” she said, I quickly held my breath as I felt…ripped forward, a ripcord doesn’t give the feeling justice, it was the most…intense and painful forceful lurch forward I had ever felt as I focused my eyes closed, the world seemingly twisting and moving in wrong styles and ways around me, I could feel this intense warmth against my skin as the sound of crackling flames filled my ears before there was a heavier heft sound and I was pulled forward a little and my boots stumbled on the lip of something as Viktoria caught me. “There you are.” She said

I breathed deeply to settle my stomach, my hands latched onto her shoulder and upper arm as her hands rested against my arms, nearly holding my elbows as I held my head low as I focused on steadying myself.

“Stomach needing to catch up?” she asked, I nodded softly.

“That was…violent” I said pausing to swallow hard and clear my throat. “Do…you need to like say that to do that?”

“Yeah, Dad says ho, ho, ho…so, when I learned how to do that, I needed something along those lines, so…I just picked the word go which fits best and is the easiest to use.”

I tightly closed my eyes as I cleared my throat before righting my posture as I let go of her arm and shoulder before looking around, the intensely loud crackling of a very large fireplace made me look over to see this massive fireplace of white marble beside me, set in a wall of glass and dark wood overlooking this massive city encased in ice and snow, the walls covered in all sorts of artwork and things, thick carpet and rugs covered the floor, a chandelier of reindeer antlers overhead lit with soft flames at the points of the antler prongs.

“It’s so warm in here.”

“We keep it comfortable here” she said with a laugh

“Miss Viktoria!” A voice called, “You need to tell us when you wish to depart!” A figure snapped rushing in, they looked like a child, maybe only twelve or so years old, but intensely pointed ears, long blond hair and dressed in what looked almost like some kind of Halloween costume, but heavier and richer.

“Sorry, Dedra” Viktoria said with a laugh

“Oh…I’m sorry, I didn’t know you’d be…returning with a guest” the elf added, holding a clipboard to her chest as she noticed me, “Hello, I am Dedra, Miss Viktoria’s PA.”

“Gabriel Von Dulce” I said

“Oh…the candy prince?” she asked, I looked at Viktoria

“How is that title of mine known here?”

“Your mom is more day of the dead in her leadership and composition, you’re far more Halloween than her.” Viktoria said, “Plus, there is only one Holiday with nearly as much candy as you, but it’s also not us.” She added with a shrug of her shoulders making me laugh a little. “Your name gets around here a little. Dedra, could you please procure Gabriel a heat talisman?”