Chapter Five: Traditions, Ties, and Tension

Ever since Hazel had, quite literally, picked up shop and moved her establishment to the North Pole, she’d had the quietest Christmas mornings since she could remember them being a thing. The tavern looked festive enough, strung with garland, cranberries, and paper chains, and the tree twinkled in the corner with the light of just enough candles sprinkled through its leaves. It was cozy enough to invite even the most cranky of forced early Christmas risers. But the only ones who were awake (and had decided to meander down for breakfast) were her, a handful of the inn’s tenants, and her huldra waitstaff. Although, in the end, it didn’t matter if anyone saw them now. They weren’t up for the elves anyway.

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