Page 84 of Finding Cheer

She studied the man and woman more closely, tapping into the intensified elf eyesight she’d been cut off from for years, and thought she detected the faintest trace of magic in the air around them.

It’s not possible,she thought as she watched the woman cling to the kite. She had lost her ability to detect and use magic years ago.

Before she could contemplate what she was doing, the Kringle elf swiped another kite from her shelf and approached the couple.

“Take it,” she said, the words sliding out of her mouth.

The woman with the freckles and caramel streaks in her hair turned toward her, her eyes wide.

The elf held out the white kite to the man, who accepted it without hesitation.

“Take them both. Those kites have been sitting on my shelf for far too long.” It was a relief to say the words, as if she had been waiting for that opportunity her entire life.

The young woman reached toward her purse, but the elf shook her head. “It’s my treat. I’m just glad to see them going to a good home after all this time.” Again, the words seemed to flow out of her as naturally as the brook bubbled in the park just up the path.

“Are you sure? That’s very generous.” The young woman turned toward her, and the elf thought she saw a flash of surprise pass across her face. She quickly turned away, wondering if she’d forgotten to put her contacts in that morning. She didn’t wear them all the time anymore. Most people skimmed right over her golden eyes, their gazes drawninstead to the bejeweled bright silver strands she wore in piled curls to obscure her too-long ears.But this woman…The elf was pretty sure she had noticed.

Just then, another customer entered the shop, and she quickly turned to greet them, not giving the woman a chance to take a second look at her eyes. She let out a breath of relief a few moments later when she heard the bells over the door chime again and saw the couple slip back onto the street.

The elf had no idea who the couple was or where they had come from. All she knew was that for the first time in years, she had experienced North Pole magic once again. And for the first time in as many years, the Kringle elf was filled with hope.