CHAPTER 2: NEUTRAL GROUND IS A LIE

Sebastian Volkov woke up at exactly 5:32 a.m. with the distinct feeling that something in the universe had gone terribly wrong.

This was unusual, because his instincts were rarely wrong and never dramatic.

Today, they were screaming.

He sat up in bed, scanning the dark cabin. Snow tapped softly against the window. The fireplace had burned low. No gunfire. No alarms. No screaming men.

Still wrong.

Then he heard it.

“Daaaaddyyyy.”

Sebastian closed his eyes.

“No,” he muttered. “Absolutely not.”

The door creaked open.

Noelle padded in wearing reindeer pajamas that blinked. Literally blinked. Red lights flashed on her chest like a distress signal.

“I’m hungry,” she announced.

“It’s before sunrise.”

“So?” She shrugged. “Santa eats cookies at night.”

Sebastian rubbed his face. “We are not Santa.”

“No, but we’re close,” she said confidently. “He lives in cold places too.”

Sebastian gave up.

Twenty minutes later, they were in the lodge cafeteria. Noelle had hot chocolate. Sebastian had black coffee and a bad feeling that refused to go away.

He felt her before he saw her.

Nyra Valen sat at a corner table like she owned the entire building—boots crossed, red sweater slipping off one shoulder, stirring her coffee slowly while reading something on her phone.

Sebastian’s jaw tightened.

Of course.

Of all the cabins. Of all the tables.

Noelle spotted her instantly.

“Oh!” She waved enthusiastically. “Daddy! It’s your not-friend!”

Sebastian choked on his coffee.

Nyra looked up.

Her eyes met his.

She smiled.

“Good morning, Grinch.”

Sebastian stood. “We’re leaving.”

“No,” Noelle said. “I’m still drinking my chocolate.”

Nyra rose gracefully and walked over, stopping far too close for comfort.

“You look tense,” she said lightly. “Did someone put coal in your stocking?”

“Stay away from my daughter.”

Nyra glanced down at Noelle. “She’s adorable.”

“She’s also perceptive,” Noelle added. “And you two are definitely enemies.”

Nyra laughed. Sebastian did not.

“Sweetheart,” Nyra said, crouching, “what makes you think that?”

“You’re smiling too much,” Noelle replied. “Daddy only smiles when he’s about to threaten someone.”

Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose.

Nyra straightened, eyes glittering. “Smart kid.”

“She gets that from her mother.”

The air shifted.

Nyra’s teasing softened. “I’m sorry.”

Sebastian nodded stiffly. “Don’t.”

Noelle slurped loudly. “So… are you fighting today or later?”

Nyra blinked. Sebastian stared.

“Later,” Sebastian said flatly.

Nyra grinned. “I’m free all day.”

By noon, Sebastian had already encountered Nyra three more times.

Once near the ski lift.

Once in the lodge hallway.

Once when she accidentally—on purpose—bumped into him, spilling snow down his collar.

“Oh no,” she said, not sorry at all. “Clumsy me.”

“You’re doing this intentionally.”

She leaned in. “Prove it.”

Sebastian wanted to throttle her.

He wanted to kiss her.

Both thoughts irritated him.

Noelle, meanwhile, had decided Nyra was the most interesting thing to happen all year.

“Can she come sledding with us?” Noelle asked.

“No.”

Nyra gasped. “That hurt.”

“She’s dangerous.”

Nyra placed a hand on her chest. “I am festive.”

Sebastian lost.

The sledding hill was chaos.

Noelle screamed with laughter. Nyra laughed when they crashed. Sebastian spent the entire time bracing for bullets that never came.

“You’re stiff,” Nyra told him as they trudged back up the hill.

“I don’t relax around enemies.”

“Good,” she said. “I’d hate to bore you.”

They crashed again.

Sebastian ended up on his back. Nyra landed on top of him.

They froze.

Snow fell around them. Her hair brushed his jaw. His hands were on her waist.

“You’re heavy,” he said.

“You’re lying,” she shot back.

For a heartbeat, everything else disappeared.

Then—

“DAAAADDYYYY!”

Noelle slid into them like a missile.

Sebastian groaned. Nyra burst out laughing.

“This,” Nyra said between laughs, “is the best Christmas I’ve had in years.”

Sebastian stood, brushing snow off. “You’re enjoying this far too much.”

“Of course I am,” she replied. “I get to annoy my rival and bond with his daughter.”

“I am not bonding,” Noelle said. “I’m observing.”

Nyra winked. “Future boss energy.”

Sebastian stiffened. “She will not be involved in this world.”

Nyra’s smile faded slightly. “Neither will I.”

That surprised him.

Before he could respond, his phone buzzed.

A message from an unknown number.

NEUTRAL GROUND DOESN’T LAST FOREVER.

Sebastian’s blood turned cold.

Nyra noticed instantly.

“What?” she asked quietly.

“We’re leaving.”

“No,” Noelle protested.

Nyra scanned the area. “You got a threat too.”

Sebastian’s eyes snapped to hers. “Who?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “But it’s not me.”

For the first time, he believed her.

A gunshot cracked in the distance.

Screams erupted.

Sebastian grabbed Noelle, pulling her behind him. Nyra moved instinctively to his side, back-to-back.

“So,” Nyra said calmly, “truce?”

Sebastian drew his gun.

“Temporary.”

Noelle peeked out. “Is this the fighting part?”

“Yes,” Sebastian said.

Nyra smirked. “Merry Christmas.”