Sleigh Bells and Dragon Spells (Whispering Pines #8)

Chapter 1

ONE

B riar Rhee’s fingers tapped an enthusiastic rhythm on the steering wheel, matching the upbeat tempo of “Jingle Bell Rock” blaring from her car’s speakers. Her dark red hair, usually neatly braided, had come loose during the long drive, framing her heart-shaped face in waves that caught the warm glow of the dashboard lights. The clock on the display read 8:47 PM, but the inky blackness beyond her headlights made it feel much later.

“Almost there,” she murmured to herself, a mixture of excitement and nerves fluttering in her stomach like a kaleidoscope of butterflies. The compact SUV, packed to the brim with boxes labeled “Enchanted Essences for Kids,” groaned as it climbed higher into the mountains. Each mile took her closer to Whispering Pines and her new life, a thought that sent a thrill of anticipation coursing through her veins.

Briar’s light brown eyes flecked with gold like autumn leaves catching the sun, darted between the road ahead and the GPS on her phone. The app estimated another forty-five minutes until she reached her destination, but technology had its limits in these remote areas. Magic, on the other hand...

She smiled, remembering the location spell she’d cast on her luggage. If all else failed, she could always follow the faint magical signature emanating from her belongings, a comforting pulse of energy that echoed her own excitement.

As if sensing her thoughts, a snowflake drifted past her windshield, then another. Within moments, a light flurry had begun, adding a layer of enchantment to the pine-lined road. Briar’s smile widened, revealing the dimple in her left cheek that always appeared when she was truly happy. What could be more perfect for her arrival than a gentle Christmas snow?

“You picked the right time to move, Briar,” she told herself, turning down the music a notch. The quiet hum of the engine and the soft pat-pat of snowflakes hitting the windshield created a cozy atmosphere inside the car. “New job, new town, and just in time for the holidays.”

The position at Enchanted Essences for Kids was a dream come true, a thought that still sent a surge of disbelief and joy through her. After years of working her way up in Fia Barlowe’s main skincare line, learning every aspect of the magical beauty industry, Briar had jumped at the chance to manage the new children’s branch. And to do it in a town like Whispering Pines? A place where magic was celebrated rather than hidden? It felt like coming home even though she’d never set foot in the town before.

Briar’s mind wandered to the stories she’d heard about Whispering Pines. A haven for magical beings of all kinds, where witches could practice their craft openly and shifters could run free under the full moon. A place where the veil between the magical and mundane worlds was thin, allowing for wonders that most humans could only dream of. The thought of being part of such a community made her heart swell with longing and hope.

Lost in visions of twinkling Christmas lights reflected in shop windows, the scent of pine and cinnamon wafting through decorated streets, and the sound of carols sung by a choir of magical voices, Briar almost missed the sudden intensification of the snowfall.

The flakes, once delicate and sparse, now pelted her windshield with increasing urgency like a flurry of tiny, insistent fists demanding entry. She frowned, leaning forward to peer through the glass as her wipers worked overtime, creating hypnotic arcs in the gathering snow.

“That’s... not ideal,” she muttered, slowing the car as visibility dropped sharply. The warm glow of anticipation in her chest cooled, replaced by a tendril of concern that coiled in her stomach like a restless serpent. Mountain weather was notoriously unpredictable, but this felt different. Almost... unnatural. The snow seemed to swirl with purpose as if guided by an unseen hand.

Briar took a deep breath, centering herself as she’d been taught in her magical training. Years of practice had taught her to trust her instincts, to feel the ebb and flow of magical energies around her. Something about this storm felt wrong, charged with an energy she couldn’t quite place. It prickled along her skin, raising goose bumps on her arms despite the warmth of the car.

She reached for her phone, intending to check for weather alerts or to call ahead to Whispering Pines, but the screen showed no service. The cheerful app icons seemed to mock her with their uselessness.

“Of course,” she sighed, setting it aside with a rueful shake of her head. “Guess it’s just you and me now, old girl.” She patted the steering wheel affectionately, grateful for her trusty vehicle. The SUV had been with her through countless road trips and adventures, a faithful companion that had never let her down. Briar hoped that track record would hold for just a little longer.

The road narrowed as it wound higher into the mountains, the trees pressing closer on either side like silent sentinels guarding an ancient secret. Their branches, heavy with new snow, created a tunnel effect that added to the claustrophobic feeling growing in Briar’s chest. She leaned forward, straining to see beyond the reach of her headlights, which seemed pitifully inadequate against the growing darkness.

A gust of wind rocked the SUV, and Briar’s hands tightened on the wheel, her knuckles turning white with the force of her grip. “Easy,” she murmured as much to herself as to the car. “We’ve got this. Just a little mountain weather. Nothing we can’t handle.”

But even as she spoke the words, a part of her wondered if she was trying to convince herself. The rational part of her brain, the part that had aced every magical theory class and could recite potion recipes in her sleep, knew this was more than just a typical winter storm. There was a malevolence to it, a hungry energy that pressed against the windows of the car, searching for a way in.

As the minutes ticked by, each feeling like an eternity, the storm intensified. Snow swirled in dizzying patterns, obscuring the road ahead and creating the unsettling illusion that she was driving through a void, untethered from the earth. The wind howled, a mournful sound that seemed to carry whispers just beyond the edge of understanding. Briar caught herself straining to make out words in the cacophony, only to shake her head and refocus on the treacherous road.

Her earlier excitement had long since given way to focused concentration, her entire being devoted to keeping the car on the increasingly treacherous road. Every muscle in her body was taut, her jaw clenched so tightly that a distant part of her mind worried about cracking a tooth.

“Come on, Whispering Pines,” she said through gritted teeth, her voice barely audible over the storm’s fury. “Any time you want to appear would be great. I didn’t come all this way to become a cautionary tale for winter drivers.”

As if in response to her plea, the trees on her right gave way to open space. For a heart-stopping moment, Briar caught a glimpse of lights far below – the town, it had to be – before the view was swallowed again by the swirling snow. Hope surged in her chest, a warm flush of relief that momentarily banished the chill of fear. She was close. Just a little farther...

The SUV hit a patch of black ice.