Something ancient comes to collect its debt.
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.
This is a special Christmas-themed novella set in the world of Veil of Shadows: Next Generation.