Romancing Mrs. Claus

Chapter Three

The next day was incredibly busy as Damaris and staff checked out a multitude of guests and prepared for new arrivals. The sun beat down upon the city and there was no hint of a breeze to relieve the intense heat of the day. When she had a moment, Damaris headed for the stables. She knew she wouldn't find Quicksilver there yet she was filled with intense disappointment when she saw all traces of Nikolai were gone. Her heart ached and she wondered briefly if she'd erred before reminding herself what was at stake. 

Returning to the hotel, Damaris shut the doors and windows to the heat of the day. She crossed to the reception desk when an explosion knocked her to the floor. The ground began to undulate as if it were made of liquid instead of rock and she screamed as she bounced and rolled along the floor. Suddenly something landed on her head and she cried out in pain before everything went black.

When Damaris came to she realized the shaking stopped and the room was pitch black. The air was hot, thick and heavy like soup, making it difficult to breathe. Her body was covered in sweat and her head pounded. She crawled out from beneath a massive table and slowly climbed to her feet, trembling violently. She tried to call out for her father or anyone but the air was even heavier now than near the ground so all she could do was gasp. Her eyes burned as she peered through the smoke and haze. 

What happened, where is everyone? Did the hotel catch fire after the quake? All she knew was she had to get fresh air or she would die. The doors wouldn't budge, she guessed the frames probably shifted during the last quake. Feeling her way in the darkness, Damaris made her way to the roof. She was weak and dizzy but managed to break the door open and fell into her precious garden. 

Somehow the day was even hotter now and instead of the bright sun, she was greeted with an angry red sky. The air was filled with the noxious odor of rotting eggs and screams of the dying. Why was there so much screaming? She peered through the haze to see her beloved flowers and trees scorched. She stumbled to her pond for a handful of water but reeled back from the stench that met her nose. In the black water, multitudes of fish were swollen and floating on their side. Another explosion rocked the city and threw Damaris on to her back. She cried out at the terrifying sight of black plumes of smoke belching forth from the great mountain in the distance as rivers of fire poured down into the valleys.

By the gods, Damaris thought, we're all going to die!

She climbed to her feet and ran to the edge of the building as the ground continued to shake. If only she could get to the sea! The streets below cracked open into great caverns as ash fell from the sky. Tears streamed down her face as she remembered Nikolai's story about snow. Oh why hadn't she gone with him? Her people were dying. The great angry god, Vulcan, was reclaiming the city and her legacy would sink into the flowing fires of his kingdom. 

Suddenly she wondered where Nikolai was. He only just left that morning. Would he have ridden out of harm's way by now? Staring out into the sea as the clouds turned inky black, Damaris closed her eyes and said,

"Nikolai Klaus, I love you!"

"And I love you, my Damaris!"

Damaris gasped and rubbed her bloodshot eyes. How was it possible? Soaring above her was Nikolai and Quicksilver!

"Take my hand!" he called and lifted her up behind him.

"I know there is much that I don't know about you but are you Perseus and Quicksilver Pegasus?" Damaris asked as she clung to the large man.

Nikolai laughed.

"We are not. Quicksilver is not a horse but a reindeer in disguise. Come, I have much to tell you and we don't have much time."

He reigned in Quicksilver and they flew away while Damaris tearfully watched her city be consumed by streets of fire.