Tis The Season for Secrets (Village of Yule #2)

12. Juliet

J uliet snuggled her knees close to her chest as a cold breeze nipped at her toes. Thank God, it was just a crazy dream was her first thought. With a lazy stretch, she reached for her bedside lamp. Instead, she knocked over an old red alarm clock that didn’t belong to her.

Juliet leapt out of a strange bed, stumbling over a blanket on the floor as she went to the frosted window. This is not the view from my bedroom. There were no skyscrapers or beaming lights; instead she found fairy lights decorating the rooftops. Rubbing her eyes, she hoped the foreign view would change, but groaned when it didn’t. No, this was definitely not the view from her apartment, this was not her room, and she wasn’t home.

Her gaze darted up and down the street until she spotted that same giant Christmas tree standing above the village from her dream. Her stomach dropped; the dream was quickly becoming a nightmare. Her hand flew to her bare neck. The necklace! The bell is gone. Her dress had been replaced with a T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants that weren’t hers.

“You’re awake! I was beginning to worry.” Will tapped lightly on the door as he entered.

Juliet backed up to the window. “Where am I?” She hated how shaky she sounded.

“We arrived last night, and the alcohol you consumed before bell travel caused you to pass out. This is my house. I know you’re scared. The constant darkness can take a while to get used to, and you probably have a thousand questions, but I couldn’t bring you back to your apartment because it would worsen the effects, and Margot can’t find out about the bell or Yule,” Will explained, staying by the door to give her the space she desperately needed. He looked far more relaxed in his grey sweats and white t-shirt than when she’d last seen him in his penguin suit.

Margot is probably wondering where the hell I am. How am I ever going to explain this? Still, her best friend was the least of her concerns.

“Travel by bell? Right, okay. Well, I’m sober now, so I want to go home,” she said firmly, thinking he had to be insane. There was no way she was in the North Pole, or whatever the hell Yule was. “I want my clothes, my phone and my necklace, and I want to go home.”

“I’m sorry for taking the bell from you. I was afraid you’d use it once you woke up and hurt yourself. It’s not my intention to keep you here. You absolutely can go home, but I need to explain some things first.” Will laid some breakfast on the bed. Blueberry pancakes – her favourite. Her stomach rumbled, but her nerves had ruined her appetite.

“Whose clothes are these?” she asked, pulling at the T-shirt. “Did you change me?”

Scratching the back of his head, he suddenly found the pale green carpet fascinating. “My older sister’s. She stays here occasionally when I’m out of town, so she won’t mind. Please don’t misunderstand, I took no pleasure from changing you, but your clothes were damp from the cold… and when you came to from passing out you threw up.”

Juliet dug the palms of her hands into her eyes, mortified. At least she didn’t have any memory of it.

“There are some new clothes on the chair. I doubt you want to put on a ruined evening gown,” he said, frustratingly calm. But the kindness in his eyes tempted her to forget how angry and confused she was by all that had happened.

She glanced at the woolly navy sweater and sweatpants with leg warmers draped over the pink armchair in the corner. Judging by the bold floral print on the walls and the dressing table well stocked with makeup, this had been his sister’s room. And he’d left her a pair of winter boots by the door, making her think he was being honest about not keeping her here. He wouldn’t give me shoes if he didn’t intend for me to go outside.

“I don’t know if they’ll fit, but it’ll take some time before you acclimatise to the weather,” he said, following her gaze.

Juliet ran her hands through her hair, wishing he’d stop acting so normal. “They don’t need to fit, because I don’t plan on going back out there unless it’s to go home,” she snapped, turning back to the window. It was rather beautiful. Frighteningly festive– magical, even. What if this is real? What if I’m really in the North Pole? Her head was beginning to throb.

“This isn’t how I wanted you to find out about Yule, but you can trust me and trust that you’re safe here. I didn’t know the bell in the chest would work—” He cut himself off with a grimace as he stepped deeper into the room.

Juliet forgot how to breathe. He knows about the chest.

“How the hell could you know about that? I didn’t even know about it!” She crossed the room to stand before him, demanding answers.

“Because I sent it to you,” he snapped, clearly not as calm about the situation as he’d wanted her to think. He took a deep breath, pulling at his neck. “Well, I helped get it to you anyway. You should have read the letters first. I didn’t expect you to wear the bell as soon as you found it!”

“Why would I ever think that a magical bell necklace would transport me to a supposedly uninhabitable part of the world?! Where is the next letter going to take me to – Oz? How can you expect me to believe this is all real? You could’ve drugged me at the gala. I barely know you, and there are plenty of places in the world that could be festively decorated and covered in snow this time of year!”

“Oz is from a fairytale. You don’t have to worry about evil witches and munchkins here. But you’re right, you don’t have to believe anything I say. You’ll learn the truth in time.” Will shrugged, apparently sticking to his magical village story. “No, I didn’t drug you. If you remember, you were the one who left the gala alone, you wished to go home, and here you are. I was only responsible for having the chest delivered to you and making sure you didn’t do anything stupid with its contents.” He clenched his jaw, seemingly not impressed by her accusations. “And since you’re here, clearly I failed at that last part.”

“Home? This isn’t my home.” Juliet pointed to the window. “I look like I landed inside a snow globe. Love the mountains – are you going to tell me the Grinch lives there?”

“No Grinch, but there’s a lumberjack called Ted who doesn’t come to town much during the season.” Will half-smiled, and she wished it didn’t melt her insides. If he weren’t so damn attractive, I’d consider this kidnapping … even if she did believe him, for some reason, when he said she’d been the one to take them here. She couldn’t believe she was contemplating the idea that magic was real.

“Can you please not make jokes right now? I’m trying to figure out whether you’re a psycho or Santa Claus.” Juliet sat on the edge of the bed, hanging her head between her knees.

“Sorry. I wish I was a psycho, if it made this easier to digest. Not a Klaus either, but I can introduce you.”

She scowled at him, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Santa Claus? Is real?”

“Yes, in a way. Sorry – no more jokes, I promise.” He crossed his heart and knelt beside her. “I swear that no harm will come to you here. You weren’t supposed to come here for a few more weeks– not until you already knew about Yule.”

“Who are you? Really?” she begged. She’d felt bad enough finding out that Will had known all along about her dad wanting to set them up, but this felt like a new level of betrayal. How could she trust anything he’d said to her?

“I’m still me. The only part I left out was that I’m a Guardian of Yule. I help those who live in Yule assimilate with the Outside world when they leave. My recruitment company helps them with new identities, colleges, work– whatever my charges need to go to and from Yule with no risk of exposing its existence.”

“So… you’re my guardian?”

“No, but being a guardian gave me access to you. Getting you the Frost chest was a favour for a friend.”

“A favour? For who?” Juliet asked, remembering the letter had mentioned her mom. Her heart began to race. “Was it my mom? Is she from here?”

“I can’t tell you that for now.” Will clenched his jaw. “I was supposed to keep an eye on you while you discovered the truth about Yule and the Frost family, and to make sure you didn’t do anything to put Yule at risk. That night at the hotel bar, I crossed the line.”

He was watching me; that’s how he knew who I was. Oh God, how could I have been so foolish as to trust a stranger? Still, she couldn’t help feeling a little peeved that he sounded like he regretted what had happened between them.

“Too late for regrets, considering we’ve already slept together. Can’t really get more involved than that – or was that just a favour as well?” she demanded, glaring up at him. She felt like a fool. Of course he said all the right things that night. He already knew so much about me.

“I don’t regret that night or meeting you. I regret making this situation more complicated for you,” he said earnestly. “You might not trust me now, but I need to get you out of here. As I mentioned, you aren’t supposed to be here – not yet, anyway. Please get dressed and get some food into you. Eating will help with bell travel. We can get you home before Margot realises you’re gone, and I’m trusting you not to tell her anything about this place.”

She let that sink in. “You aren’t going to keep me here? Not afraid I’ll betray your secret village once I get home?”

Will shook his head, and she wished she could see into his mind. “As I said, I’m trusting you. I believe you’re more interested in finding out the truth. Until you do, you won’t say anything. You never told Margot about the chest, right?”

She was annoyed that he’d guessed right. “No, she doesn’t know anything.”

He smiled, and she realised she’d confirmed he was right about her wanting answers.

“Dressed, breakfast, and then I’ll get you home,” Will ordered, closing the topic. “When you get home, I suggest you go through the chest, and you’ll discover that I’m not lying to you.”

We’ll see about that. I need to see Yule for myself. Seeing was believing, and she definitely needed to see more of the winter wonderland outside the window if she was going to believe him one hundred percent.

“I’m going to take a shower. Try not to run off while I’m gone. Coffee is in the kitchen; I wasn’t sure how you liked it. Eat before it gets cold.” Juliet stared at him, bewildered. He’s just going to leave me alone? “I’ll give you some privacy– everything you need is in the bathroom. My sister keeps the ensuite well stocked in case she comes to stay.” He pointed to a door by the bed.

Juliet nodded, then glanced at the dresser and picked up a wedding picture of one big, happy family. A groom stood next to his bride, who was in a wheelchair. The beaming smiles of the family members around them made Juliet feel safe. Will and a woman who had the same features stood behind the groom, who she guessed was also related to Will.

“My sister was the maid of honour,” he told her as she tried to place everyone. “It was my cousin’s wedding.”

Juliet wondered if she’d get the chance to meet his sister and confirm his story, but he read her mind. “She isn’t here often, so you don’t have to worry about unexpected visitors. She lives with her wife in a cabin up the hill.”

“Good– I wouldn’t want to surprise her if she came home and found me in her room,” Juliet said, putting the frame back.

“Don’t worry, it’s just us,” Will said, putting her at ease. He reached for the door handle, and hesitated. “I know it’s a little late to say this, but I wish we could’ve met under different circumstances. I never wanted to cause you any hurt or confusion.”

With Will in the shower across the hall, Juliet felt better once she’d eaten and washed up in the ensuite. Finding the courage to investigate, she changed before creeping down the narrow staircase. Pausing by some family photos, she stared at a picture of a smiling Will in his teens with a group wearing ski jackets that read ‘Yule U18 Ski Team’. Yule might exist as a town, but there’s no way we’re really in the North Pole, right?

At the front door, she spotted her clutch on the coat stand. Good, she’d have money for a car to take her home. Grabbing a pair of gloves from the stand, she unlocked the door. The lock clicked loudly and she winced, but hopefully Will wouldn’t hear over the shower. Icy air hit her lungs, nearly changing her mind about venturing out, but her desire to call Will’s bluff and get home won out.

“Where am I even going?” she muttered as she stepped into the street, breathing into the over-sized gloves. Wondering down a series of streets and alleyways, she tried to avoid the hustle and bustle of the early risers in varied coloured overalls and excessive layers. She’d never seen any place so elaborately decorated to look like some kind of Santa’s village. Every door was marked with a wreath, and the shop windows each had a countdown clock to Christmas Eve.

“Sorry, could you tell me where I can catch a taxi?” Juliet asked a man carrying a stack of presents in one arm and a small child in the other.

“There’s a sleigh rank at the end of this street, though it’ll be a bit of a wait because of the morning rush,” he said, tipping his head down the road she’d already come from.

“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. She squeezed 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 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.

“Will? Not Will Duncan?” Lyla nearly choked on her coffee.

“You know him?”

Her new friend’s eyes widened. “A guardian brought you here?”

Juliet nodded, unsure of what that meant for her situation.

“It all makes sense now. You must be a legacy! Though Will should’ve explained the situation to you before giving you the bell. Legacies can return to Yule should they wish to, once they turn twenty-six,” Lyla told her, as though Juliet would understand exactly what a legacy was.

“What’s a legacy? And Will isn’t technically my guardian – he didn’t really get a chance to explain before we ended up here,” Juliet said, unsure of how to explain. Lyla was right about one thing; he should have warned her about the bell when she got the chest. Even a note would have spared her the past however many hours.

“Some families or individuals decide to leave Yule, and their descendants can return to Yule should they wish. Some descendants, or as we call them, legacies, aren’t informed about their origins, so it can be a bit of a shock. Happy Christmas, your family comes from a mystical winter wonderland that’s kept secret from the rest of the world!”

Nana Rose’s letter mentioned that the Frost family had secrets, but this is far from what I could ever have imagined. The chest was delivered a month after my 26th birthday. That explained why Nana Rose had waited, at least.

“I don’t know why the age is twenty-six – I’m still learning these things,” Lyla went on, then paused, seeing that Juliet was struggling to take it all in. “Sorry, I ramble when I’m nervous. It’s nice to meet someone who’s also new to Yule. Anyway, you’re in luck, because I know where Will lives. He’s a friend of Mason’s, so I can vouch for him. His townhouse is only one alley over on Cane Lane. If he isn’t your guardian, are you together? He is such a stinker for keeping his life private. Guardians can know everything about everyone, but Rudolph forbid they let anyone in on their secrets.”

“Tell me about it,” Juliet muttered into her creamy hot chocolate, before taking another sip. “You were right when you said this is the best in the world. I love the hint of spice.”

“That would be the chilli. My personal favourite flavour – thought you could do with a kick. Will hasn’t been home in a few months, so we figured he’d met someone while working on the Outside.” Lyla frowned, picking at the rim of her mug as though the idea troubled her.

“The Outside?” Juliet asked, diverting the topic away from dating to facts about her supposed ancestral home. Dad has a serious amount of explaining to do once I get home.

“The world outside Yule. Anything beyond the mountains that our little festive world sits in.”

“I don’t mean to sound rude, but you do know this is crazy? No one lives in the North Pole. It’s uninhabitable.”

“It’s—”

“If you say magic, I might scream.” Juliet buried her head in her hands.

“Scream all you like,” Lyla chuckled, “won’t make it any less true. I had a hard time believing when I first arrived, but it’s about faith. Yule is the heart of faith and hope in this world. I think I should leave the rest to Will to explain, though. I’m sure he’s going crazy wondering where you’ve gone.”

“He was in—”

Juliet didn’t have time to finish her thought before Will himself frantically opened the door. The bell chiming over the door made her jump, afraid she’d end up in some other magical universe.

Will glared at her. His cheeks were pink from the cold, and suddenly she thought that being transported anywhere else but here sounded good.

“Juliet! You scared me! How could you run off like that? Do you know what could’ve happened to you?” His outburst caused more than a few people to stare. Ignoring Lyla, he towered over Juliet as though protecting her from the onlookers.

“Will, can I talk to you for a moment?” Lyla asked, an edge to her voice that said it was a request, not a suggestion.

Will didn’t budge, his eyes on Juliet. He clenched his jaw as Lyla rested a hand on his forearm.

“Outside, before you cause a scene,” Lyla said quietly. “Juliet, do you mind if we catch up for a moment?”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Juliet promised, mostly to reassure Will. Where was she supposed to run to? He had her necklace.

Will’s nostrils flared; he stared at the ceiling for a moment before finally looking back down at her. “Don’t move.” He leaned over her chair. “And don’t mention your last name to anyone.”

“I won’t.” She gritted her teeth, trying not to let her irritation show.

He hesitated, holding the arm of the chair. She rolled her eyes. He could doubt her all he wanted, but he’d have to take her word for it if he didn’t want to cause a bigger scene than he already had.

“Cross my heart,” she mocked, making the X on her chest.

He huffed out his frustration before following Lyla outside.

A few eyes fell on Juliet once they left, and she shifted uncomfortably. She was used to people staring at her because of who she was; now they were staring because of who she might be. She didn’t know which was worse, but neither were pleasant.

Outside the window, Lyla appeared rather animated while Will crossed his arms over his chest, only nodding at intervals. Judging from Lyla’s flushed cheeks and the way she pointed at Juliet through the window, she was giving Will a piece of her mind about bringing her here with no warning. Juliet almost felt bad for him as he ducked his head. Lyla didn’t know that it was her mistake that they’d ended up in Yule. Then again, this was the last place she’d imagined when she said she wanted to return home.

Even if the shock was still wearing off, she took some comfort in knowing that Yule was real, and that somewhere in this snow-coated land was her mom. She was sure of it, especially after Lyla’s explanations. She was one step closer to figuring out the puzzle of her past. She sipped her hot chocolate while Will and Lyla went back and forth, finding that the sugar and warmth did wonders for her anxiety.

A tense silence fell over the table when they returned. Juliet wasn’t going to be the first to speak in case she revealed something she shouldn’t.

At last Lyla took a deep breath. “Well, you’ve both got yourselves into quite the pickle.”

“You’re not one to judge,” Will muttered, and Lyla rolled her eyes at him.

“Don’t start, Will. Mason was grieving when he brought me here from the Outside. Whereas you’ve broken several rules while under orders from the Chief of Guardians!”

Juliet had no idea what they were talking about, but she got the impression she wasn’t supposed to.

“Like I said outside, it was an accident,” Will snapped. “She didn’t know the bell would bring her here, and we were going to leave before Juliet decided to run away from me.”

Juliet was about to defend herself, but Lyla got there first.

“Can you blame her? A strange man enters her life, and all of a sudden she’s transported across the world and—”

“Are you talking about me or Mason?” Will cut in lightly, but Juliet wasn’t sure what the joke meant. Had Mason brought Lyla here under false pretences?

“Leave him out of this!”

“I’m not strange,” Will muttered.

Juliet had grasped enough to realise that Will must have told Lyla who she was. “You told me I shouldn’t tell anyone who I am!”

“I had to tell her, or she’d have blabbed to her fiancé about her new outsider friend. Mason would’ve enquired further, and we’d have both been outed,” Will said crossly.

“I don’t blab!” Lyla protested. Juliet believed her; she seemed genuinely concerned. “Don’t worry, you don’t have to marry him.”

“What?!” Juliet was feeling rather lost.

“Mason rewrote that rule when he took over as Klaus. Now, partners can be brought to Yule so long as there’s an intention to be together for the foreseeable future,” Lyla explained.

“You don’t have to make it sound like marrying me is a death sentence,” Will said.

“I didn’t even know there used to be a rule about being engaged,” said Juliet slowly.

Will shook his head. “You’re a legacy. You have a right to be here.”

“She’s a banished legacy– it’s different. Frosts are legends here, and not the good kind. You should remember that, Will, before you bring her back. There’s a procedure to all this, and Juliet will suffer the consequences if she doesn’t abide by it. Talk about throwing her to the wolves!” Lyla eyed her sympathetically. “Both of you should leave, and only return when you’ve got everything in order. I’ll help you handle things with Mason when the time is right.” She gave Juliet a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, Mason has a big heart; it’s the council you have to worry about,” she added, which was less reassuring.

“I agree, and we should go before we’re spotted,” Will said.

Juliet didn’t fancy running into any of these council members, but she was relieved to know she had one person on her side within Yule. It made the magical place seem more real, instead of some fever dream induced by the horrid mousse she’d eaten at the gala. She’d better start reading those letters in the chest before she made any other life-altering mistakes.

“Thank you for being so kind and for helping us keep our secret,” she said to her new friend.

“Happy to help. I know how hard it is to get used to the idea of this place. If you ever need any help, just ask,” Lyla said, giving her a small hug as they said goodbye. “And keep her safe!” she added sternly to Will.