20
Kashif blinked and stared at the sight before him.
“Pretty!” Arella said in wonderment. She immediately lunged forward, but Kristy had a firm grip.
“Hold on, baby.” Kristy muttered. “Kash, I thought you said your family doesn’t do Christmas.”
“We don’t,” he said with a frown. “I can’t even begin to explain any of this.”
The normally polished and clean foyer was covered in Christmas decorations. Blue and silver balls hung from the massive chandelier, and an ornate garland swung from the bannister. Standing at the base of the staircase was an ancient looking stuffed Santa holding a candy bowl. Kashif reached out and gripped Kristy’s hand.
“My mother,” he breathed. “These are my mother’s decorations. How in the world?”
Unable to contain her excitement anymore, Arella broke free and went racing through the palace shrieking with glee. Kristy’s eyes widened in horror, and she went to take off after her, but Kashif held her back.
“It’s okay,” he said with a smile. “This is her home too, and she should learn to enjoy it.”
“She’s liable to break something expensive,” Kristy protested. “I thought that maybe we’d wrap everything up in bubble wrap before we turned her loose.”
Kashif shook his head and kissed her. There was nothing in the palace that was worth more than his daughter’s happiness. “I don’t know what is going on, but I’m glad that you’re here with me.”
“What do you mean?”
“These are my mother’s Christmas decorations. I haven’t seen them since she died twenty years ago. I remember father giving a strict order to give them all away. You’d be hard pressed to convince me that he did this, but I don’t know who else would have managed to get them all back. Or how they even got them all back.”
Suddenly, a familiar voice boomed down the hallway. “Does anyone know who this monkey belongs to? I think she’s trying to climb the Christmas tree.”
“Oh, God,” Kristy gasped and took off. “Arella! You come back here this instant!”
“Pretty,” the little girl shrieked.
“Jarik?” Kashif asked as he followed after her. Turning the corner into the main room, he stopped short. Arella was squirming in his younger brother’s arms, but what was even more surprising was that Samir was there as well, frozen by the tree with an ornament in his hand. Standing by his side, helping, were a pretty blonde and an equally pretty brunette. Everyone had a huge smile on their face.
“Kashif?” Samir said uncertainly. “I didn’t expect you to be here.”
“I was about to say the same thing,” he said as he shook his head. “I should have known. No one but you would be able to find all of mother’s things.”
“These were at the safe house,” Samir explained.
“And why were you at the safe house?”
“That’s a story for another time,” he said quickly. “Kashif, I’d like you to meet Poppy Milenne, the love of my life.”
“Really?” Kashif asked with a raised eyebrow. He would have been skeptical had he not seen the look on Samir’s face when he took the blonde’s hand.
“Pleasure to meet you. Jarik and Samir have been swopping stories about past Christmas’s, and I have to say, you don’t look like a bully at all.”
Kashif laughed while Samir frowned. “Who’s side are you on?” he mumbled as he kissed her cheek.
“While we’re making introductions, this is Maria Walken. She’s the owner of Christmas Crates, a wonderful charity that donates toys to refugee children,” Jarik said proudly. “She’s also going to be my bride.”
“We haven’t discussed that yet,” the brunette said hastily. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You two have been busy,” Kashif said with a twinkle in his eye. “Very well, I guess I should explain my beauty as well. Samir, Jarik, I’d like you to meet Kristy Cohen, she is the dog sled trainer. We’re moving her operation to our side of things,” he said with a grin.
“Dog sledding in Al-Harmid?” Jarik said slowly. “I’m not sure that’s going to go very well.”
“We’re thinking sand sledding. I first met Kristy four years ago at Mistywood Farm when I tried to enter the Iditarod race the first time.”