She'd originally passed by the store in the mall without a second glance, fervently shopping for the perfect Christmas gift for her father. What exactly did you get the man who had everything? Only so many Armani ties could be custom ordered; only so many fine clothes given before that seemed mundane. Adira had spent the last week and a half pouring over the internet and shopping catalogues before giving up and attempting the mall. The second time Imperial gifts had flown by with barely a pause.

By the third time, however, something about the store had caught her eye. Pausing for a moment, the young woman headed towards the display, a tower of snow globes encased behind glass that had been polished crystal clear. They were interesting little things, well made, pretty. The most interesting thing about them is that they didn't have a price tag. Seeing the drawing, Adira had entered immediately. Perhaps one of these snow globes could go to her father? It seemed like a trivial Christmas gift, but she couldn't think of anything else.

Adira hadn't won a globe the first two times she'd entered the drawing, watching enviously as people boasted about getting their third or fourth of the collectible. Silver blue eyes looked at them in disdain, jealous of their luck. After all, this was the Christmas season, weren't they supposed to share or something?

The first time she'd won a snow globe, only her sense of dignity in public kept her from dancing (she may have secretly danced at home instead). Adira had rushed home with the knickknack, setting it in the middle of her coffee table. It was followed fairly shortly by several other identical snow globes. They were fantastic! After a while, she began to notice the similarity of the figure inside of the snow globe and the ghostly figure that had shown up at the Halloween Ball.

Sighing, Adira lay across the top of her open law book, staring at the small figurine in front of her. She was supposed to be studying, but she simply couldn't focus. It seemed that the only thing she could focus on as of late was her collection of snow globes. It was odd really, the way they were so entrancing. Like something was magical about them. The girl turned, standing up to go get some water, hoping that it would clear her mind a bit. In her haste the corner of her lawbook spun, the corner sending a snow globe flying off of the table.

Adira hadn't felt so panicked in months. Eyes going wide, she dove in vain, pretty little globe slipping through her fingertips onto the carpet. In a rush, she ignored her aching elbows and picked up the trinket, searching it for any sign of crack or break. Thankfully there was nothing to be seen on the pristine surface, and she carefully placed it back on the coffee table. Shaking her head, she went back to her original task of getting water. What had gotten into her?