This is a special Christmas-themed novella set in the world of Veil of Next Generation. The story takes place after These Thorns Are Sharpest, following Rue, Dacre, and their friends as they attempt to celebrate a quiet winter holiday together. But when a mysterious gift—a book bound in frost and forgotten runes—is unwrapped, their night of warmth and reunion becomes a fight for survival. As snow falls and the Veil thins, ancient magic stirs beneath the Hollow Winter, unleashing the Krampus and awakening something far older. What begins as a holiday gathering soon becomes a battle against myth, shadow, and the debts that refuse to stay buried. Because in the world of Veil of Shadows, even Christmas comes with a curse.