“What do you think it will tell us today?” Zoey asked the others, as they went in through the back door of CrossWinds Books. It was cold out, colder than it had been, and the sky promised snow later.

 

“I don’t know,” Lily replied. “Maybe something to do with the Snow Queen?” She hugged herself tightly. “I can’t believe we’re going to go have tea with her today!”

 

Zoey could hardly believe it either. So much had happened since December had started, and this appeared to be the icing on the cake. She was going to have tea with a real faery. A snow faery. As they trooped into the kitchen, she found herself wishing for a moment that her friends from Evansville could see the magic was real too. Maybe someday in the spring, they can come up, she thought. I really want to share this with them!

 

Schrodinger bumped her gently with his head. You are such a good friend, Zoey.

 

Why do you say that? Zoey looked down at him, surprised.

 

Because you want to share your new home with your friends from your old home, he said. You want them to know the amazing things you found. That’s the mark of a really good friend.

 

She blushed at that. Well, I only want them to see it too, because they won’t believe me otherwise!

 

There is that, he said, nodding. Some things can only really be believed when you see them. And he winked at her.

 

“Okay, guys, why don’t you do the calendar while I finish getting things packed up?” Molly said. She nodded to the Advent Calendar, but Zoey was looking at the huge package that must hold the castle. How was it going to survive the trip to the Snow Queen’s?

 

Molly saw her looking and grinned. “Don’t worry, the castle is safe,” she reassured her. “Drew helped me package it, and it will arrive safe and sound. I promise.”

 

“Oh good.” Zoey gave her a smile in return and went to go help the others find the number hidden in the picture. As she looked, she realized that she loved how the picture repaired itself after it gave up its magic every day. It would be something they would be able to keep. One of them, anyways.

 

“Oh, here it is!” Lily said suddenly, and pressed her finger to the golden 19 that was almost invisible in the golden glow of the candle in one of the cabin’s windows. The window itself crumpled in and out floated the snowflake. Zoey held her breath – what would it do today? Would it be something to do with the Snow Queen? Or would it be something else entirely?

 

The snowflake spun on its axis, becoming a blur before it exploded and motes of light drifted down on each of them. Zoey felt a weight on her head and looked at Lily, who was looking back at her, and saw a lovely crystal tiara on her best friend’s head. “Tiaras?” she said, putting her hand up to her own head. Sure enough, she felt cool, slick crystal beneath her fingertips.

 

Then she looked at Schrodinger and Jack. Both of them had smart bow ties now around their necks. Schrodinger’s was black, edged with silver, and Jack’s was silver with red edging.

 

“Don’t you guys look awesome now?” Molly said, looking impressed. “Just what you need to go have tea with the Snow Queen!”

 

“But you don’t have a tiara, Molly!” Zoey and Lily said together. “What about you?”

 

“It’s okay,” Molly said, picking up the large package. “I have a castle, remember?”

 

“Still, you should have a tiara,” Zoey said stubbornly. “It’s only right.”

 

She’s right, Schrodinger agreed. You of all of us should have a tiara. He went up to the Advent Calendar and placed his paw on it. Don’t you agree, Calendar?

 

To everyone’s amazement, the window that the snowflake had come out of before crumbled again, and a new snowflake came out. It drifted over to Molly and dropped onto her head, transforming into a tiara like Zoey and Lily’s.

 

“Oh Advent Calendar, you are the best!” Lily said, clapping her hands. “I didn’t know you could do that!”

 

Me either, Schrodinger admitted. But I thought it was worth a try. He looked at everyone else. Let’s go!

 

Zoey looked back at Molly. “Can we help?” she said.

 

Molly nodded towards a bag on the island that had been hidden by the castle. “Can you get that?” she asked. “It’s some goodies for the Snow Queen.”

 

Zoey grabbed the bag, and then they all went out front. How are we getting to the Snow Queen’s? Jack asked. Are we walking?

 

“You’ll see!” Molly said, and then they stepped outside, back into the cold, and Zoey realized why it was so cold.

 

“Old Man Winter!” Lily shouted happily. “Are you taking us to see the Snow Queen?”

 

“I am!” he boomed, gesturing to the sledge behind him. “Climb aboard, my friends, and I’ll get you there faster than the wind can blow!”

 

Like Lisa and Neil’s sled, there were reindeer and not horses hitched to Old Man Winter’s sledge. But unlike the white reindeer that had cured her cold, these reindeer were huge and brown, with bulging muscles. These were very clearly working reindeer, with branching antlers that had holly and mistletoe twined around them. Their massive harnesses had garlands of pine boughs attached to them, with jingle bells that were almost the size of Zoey’s hand. It was hard to imagine these reindeer taking off into flight.

 

Old Man Winter took the wrapped castle from Molly and stowed it carefully in a large trunk that was strapped to the back of the sledge. “It won’t go anywhere,” he told her. “There are blankets wrapped all around it. It won’t move.”

 

“It better not – it took me almost three days to do that!” Molly retorted, but Zoey saw the twinkle in her eyes.

 

Once they had all climbed in, Old Man Winter jumped up onto the driver’s seat and picked up the reins. “Everyone secure?” he asked.

 

“Yes!” they all chorused from where they were snuggled among a sea of sheepskins, blankets and quilts. Zoey felt something warm against her foot and moved the coverings to see a small square package that glowed brightly.

 

“What’s that?” she whispered to Schrodinger, who looked down.

 

It’s a foot warmer, he said. There’s some sort of chemical reaction that makes it stay warm without igniting.

 

“Oh, so it isn’t magic?” Zoey felt a little disappointed somehow.

 

Schrodinger chuckled. Even here, not everything is magic. But don’t worry. I think this trip will give you plenty of magic.

 

“Hang on!” Old Man Winter shouted, and slapped the reins against the reindeer’s backs. They jumped forward and, to Zoey’s surprise, they jumped UP into the air, towing the sledge behind them.

 

Old Man Winter’s showing off, Schrodinger told her privately. He loves to make Lily laugh.

 

And Lily was shrieking with joy as the reindeer climbed into the sky. “Faster, faster!” she shouted, her hair flying back from her face in the wind, the magic tiara still firmly in place. “Go faster!”

 

Old Man Winter obliged, urging the reindeer to greater and greater speeds, until the land beneath them blurred. Then, just as Zoey thought they couldn’t go any faster, a flash of light burst in front of them, and they crossed onto a Road.

 

How did he do that? She thought at Schrodinger, since they were going so fast that she was afraid the words would be ripped from her lips before he could hear them.

 

He’s Old Man Winter, Schrodinger responded. Things like Gates are more like suggestions for him. When you’re a spirit like he is, you can go where you want to.

 

The sledge soared over the Road below them, with Lily whooping in glee and Jack baying. Zoey leaned out and looked down, but all she could see was more grey, so she snuggled back in next to Schrodinger and enjoyed the ride.

 

After about 10 minutes, there was another flash of light, and then the air went cold, colder than it had been in the Cove. There were snowflakes dancing around them as the sledge touched down gently, the reindeer never pausing in their run even as their hooves hit the ground. Evergreens reached their fragrant branches into the air, blessing them as they went by. Old Man Winter guided the reindeer down a narrow lane towards the Snow Queen’s castle.

 

“Wow,” Zoey said, looking up at the huge structure. “She lives here?”

 

Where else would she live? Schrodinger said logically. Everyone has to live somewhere.

 

The Snow Queen’s castle wasn’t grey stone, as Zoey had expected. It was more of a huge house than a castle, painted a deep green like the evergreen trees that surrounded it, and there were wreaths in every window, tied with red and gold bows. In the front yard, two trees were covered with yards and yards of cranberries and popcorn, and as the sledge pulled to a stop, Zoey saw a glorious peacock, brilliant blue and green against the snow, reaching up to take a berry from one of them.

 

Waiting on the wide front porch was the Snow Queen herself. Zoey wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but the lovely young woman in the teal blue dress sprinkled with silvery snowflakes and trimmed in silver fur with the welcoming smile seemed somehow too normal to be the owner of the castle, but the tiara on her head, a match to the ones the magical Calendar had given them, gave her away.

 

“Welcome to my home!” the Snow Queen said, as they climbed out of the sledge. “Did you have a good ride?”

 

“It was awesome!” Unlike Zoey, Lily appeared unfazed by the fact that she was addressing someone of stature. She ran up to the Snow Queen and threw her arms around her exuberantly. “Thank you so much for inviting us! Look, we even have tiaras too!”

 

“You do!” The Snow Queen, to Zoey’s surprise, knelt down and gave Lily a huge hug. “They’re lovely!” Then she turned to Jack, who had galloped up next to Lily. “And what a handsome bow tie! You all look so wonderful!” She hugged Jack, heedless of the dog hair and the kisses he gave her, and then moved over to Schrodinger. And then she looked at Zoey.

 

“Welcome to my home, Zoey,” she said kindly, and held out her hands. “Are you enjoying the Cove?”

 

“I am, thank you,” Zoey said shyly, coming forward. She was enveloped in teal velvet and warmth, and the Snow Queen whispered in her ear, “I’m so very glad you came. I hope you find everything you’re looking for.”

 

Before Zoey could answer, the Snow Queen let her go and rose, holding her arms out to Molly, who embraced her warmly. “Thank you so much for inviting us here,” Molly said.

 

“Thank you!” the Snow Queen replied. “Did you get my gift?”

 

“I did!” Molly turned back to Old Man Winter, who was carrying the carefully-wrapped castle. “I hope you’ll enjoy it.”

 

“I’m sure I will,” the Snow Queen said, linking arms with her and leading them all into the castle. “Come and let’s see it.”

 

She led them down a hall into a surprisingly cozy sitting room, with a fire burning merrily in a large flagstone fireplace. A table near the fireplace was set with a lavish tea spread, including a large tea pot that looked like a curled cat sleeping on a cushion. There was also a cleared table, where the Snow Queen indicated that Old Man Winter should put the gingerbread down. “I can’t wait to see it!” she said, taking off her fur-trimmed cloak. “Please open it, Molly!”

 

After taking off her coat, Molly obliged, revealing the nearly-three story castle.

 

“Oh, Molly.” The Snow Queen went up to the castle, her eyes drinking in the details. “You have truly outdone yourself.”

 

“Not just me,” Molly said. “I had a lot of help.” She indicated the others. “They did a lot of work on the other houses, so I could concentrate on this.”

 

“You all did amazingly,” the Snow Queen said. “Now come. I have tea ready.” She grinned. “And food that probably isn’t as good as Molly’s, but my talents lie in other directions, and kitchen witches are rarer than one would think.”

 

Molly blushed and said, “Well, you know, I never come empty-handed.” She took the bag from Zoey and opened it, handing several packages to the Snow Queen. “Although if you don’t want to share, Jade, that’s fine.”

 

Jade laughed. “I shouldn’t! How often do I get such lovely things? But I will.”

 

They had a wonderful tea party – Jade had a charmingly down to earth manner that even Zoey couldn’t resist. At the end, as they got their coats back on to leave, Jade left the room and came back with a couple of envelopes. “I don’t normally do this,” she said, as she handed an envelope to Lily and to Zoey. “But I think this year, you three have earned this.” She smiled at Schrodinger. “You have already received yours!”

 

Lily’s eyes went so wide that Zoey was afraid they would pop out of her head. “Is this…?” Her voice trailed off as Jade nodded. “REALLY?”

 

“Really,” Jade said firmly. “You will come, won’t you?”

 

Lily turned to Molly. “Do you think Mom and Dad will let me?” she said.

 

“I think so,” Molly said.

 

Me too? Jack said, his tail wagging.

 

“You too,” Jade said. “You need another occasion to wear that bow tie, after all.”

 

Zoey opened the silvery envelope. Inside, there was a thick white card, with the following invitation written on it in elegant black script:

 

The Snow Queen invites you to her annual Christmas Ball on Saturday, December 21, at 8 pm.

 

“Wow,” she said. “I hope I can go.”

 

“I hope so too,” Jade said.

 

“You have to, Zoey!” Lily said. “It’s the SNOW QUEEN’S BALL!”

 

When Molly and Drew dropped her off that night, Schrodinger leaned out the window and said, Don’t worry, Zoey. They’ll let you go. I know they will. Then he ducked back inside, into the warmth.