Northern Magic: Love Potion Christmas Story

By Laura Strickland

When Santa asks his worker, Olja, to help make another elf’s Christmas wish come true, she believes the job calls for a love potion. Brewing it up will require her to travel all around the North Pole gathering unusual supplies, and to take a few dangerous risks. But she’s never failed Santa in the past and doesn’t intend to now.

Elf Runi’s in the business of guiding Santa’s sleigh and making other people’s wishes come true. This year he’s dared make a wish of his own, one from the heart. When he meets Olja, he hopes he’s found his forever. But it will take assistance from a reindeer, a generous helping of love and a whole lot of magic to make his wish come true. That is, if Olja and Runi can just outwit the three troublesome trolls who decide they’d make a fine winter’s snack.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Books To Go Now
• Release date: Oct 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386732501

Laura Strickland

Born and raised in Western New York, Laura Strickland has been an avid reader and writer since childhood. Embracing her mother's heritage, she pursued a lifelong interest in Celtic lore, legend and music, all reflected in her writing. She has made pilgrimages to both Newfoundland and Scotland in the company of her daughter, but is usually happiest at home not far from Lake Ontario, with her husband and her "fur" child, a rescue dog. She practices gratitude every day.

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Copyright

Northern Magic 2017

Books to Go Now Publication

Copyright © Laura Strickland 2017

Books to Go Now

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First eBook Edition October 2017

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Excerpt from Northern Magic

WHY, HELLO, A VOICE said from beside him. Would you like some apple punch?

Runi looked round and straight into the same emerald eyes that had been haunting him. The beautiful black-haired elf looked lovelier than ever dressed in a robe of deep green. She held a mug of steaming punch in each hand.

He smiled. It seems you are always bringing me refreshment.

I’m helping make sure everyone has what he needs.

I need you. Runi pushed that alarming thought to the back of his mind and accepted a mug. Well, thank you. And now would she move on through the crowd, this graceful elf who smelled of frankincense? But she showed no sign of stirring from his side and, instead, smiled back at him.

You don’t remember my name, do you?

I am ashamed to admit I do not. He inclined his head. I am terrible at names. Tell me, please. Tell me and I will burn it on my heart.

Chapter One

The North Pole, the 15th day of December

Olja, my dear, might I have a word with you?

The deep voice issued from behind Olja, who sat at her place in the workshop, wreaking magic. The lofty hall, which always seemed to smell of wood shavings and myrrh, bustled with noise and activity. So close to zero hour—or December 24th—every available elf labored with joyous devotion. It took a great deal of work and magic to pull off Santa’s yearly Christmas miracle.

But Olja knew this voice and it made her eyes go wide with surprised delight. She rose from her bench and turned to face the man standing behind her.

Was he a man? A wizard? A kind of god? Even Olja, born and raised here in the realm of the North Pole, couldn’t say. He’d been there all her life like the snow and the constant hum of magic, and the veil of radiance that shielded this place from the rest of the world. Olja knew him to be ancient, kind and little enough like the perception of the humans he served.

Oh, he fit the image in many ways, she acknowledged as she turned to face him. Tall and broad, he had a crop of wild white hair and dancing blue eyes. Today he wore his ordinary clothes, a pair of brown leggings and a great, padded tunic of deep green all edged in embroidered lattice-work. His wife, Mrs. Claus, was an expert needlewoman and loved to lavish her attention on him.

He looked, Olja decided now, more like an aged version of the Norse god, Thor, than the jolly elf of story.

She and the other residents of the North Pole were the elves, and as unlike humans’ concept