Page 90 of The Naughty List Agreement

Attendance at the festival had surged, yes, but what mattered more was what people were doing once they arrived. Families lingered longer. Strangers helped one another with skates and strollers. The charity tent—Cora’s idea—had expanded quietly after the first night, offering more than just raffle entries. She’d adjusted pricing tiers. Added a community tree where anyone could hang a wish without purchase.

She hadn’t announced the changes. She’d simply made them.

Nick could feel it in the Yearweave. Lumen didn’t bloom from grand gestures alone; it gathered in moments of generosity layered atop one another. Cora’s festival had become a conduit, and his presence within it—encouraging, nudging, believing—had amplified the effect.

Giving her all the credit might be overkill, but denying her impact would be dishonest.

He wasn’t married and wouldn’t be by Christmas Eve unless the council would grant him a temporary reprieve, but he’d done the right thing by Cora Quill.

“You summoned me?” Pete strolled through the portal, shoving a hand through his hair as he plopped down on the leather guest chair.

“Wanted to discuss something with you before we meet with the other Legendaries.”

“The wife thing?”

“How’d you guess?”

“The Magic Coffers are almost full and this year’s batch of Naughties are turning Nice without much effort. Your work with Cora has paid off. I’m impressed.”

“Thanks,” Nick said, but he didn’t want to think of Cora as work. Though she had been, even if only at first. “She’s who I want to talk to you about.”

“I figured. You two have some wicked chemistry,” Pete said, taking a piece of gum out of his pocket and unwrapping it slowly before putting it in his mouth. “What’s the problem?”

“She’s amazing,” Nick said. “I’ve been over the contract, and while I do have to be married this year, there is some wiggle room if I’m engaged and the woman in question agrees to reside in Hearthvale. I’d need half the votes at the council to reach an agreement.”

“You asking me to vote with you?”

“Yes, Pete, I’m asking you to vote with me.” Nick had already spoken to Jack and he was going to talk to Finn. If he had the two of them and Pete on his side before he went into the meeting, Nick would feel better.

Pete rested his foot on his knee and stared at Nick. The silence grew between them. They were the same age, had been raised together like brothers—brothers who didn’t always get along, but Nick believed that they had always supported each other. Now was the moment when he would find out if he was right.

“I do have some plans already in the works for Krampus Nacht’s star moment,” Pete said. “Black Lumen has been doing a lot of the work to keep the realms alive these last few years.”

Nick stared at his cousin, unable to tell if he was joking or not. It seemed the sort of thing that Pete would do. “It’s goodwill that strengthens the coffers. Repentance matters, but it comes after harm. I’d rather build a world where less harm needs repairing.”

“Red boy, you are too easy tease. I don’t want your holiday. I’ve got my hands full with my own. I’ll back you. No one wants to see you kicked out, Nick.”

Nick blinked at him. Pete wasn’t the type to hand out reassurance. The rivalry he’d always felt disappeared leaving only the cousin who’d grown up beside him. Both of them feeling the weight of duty on their shoulders. Their roles in December had been defined long before either of them had been born. Pete didn’t want Christmas to fail any more than Nick did.

“Thank you. I mean it. I’m not feeling confident yet this year,” Nick admitted.

“You’ve had a lot on your plate,” Pete allowed. “Cora’s almost off the Naughty List. I’m going to put her back on the Nice List. Wanted you to be the first to know. What you did with her was spectacular. If the council denies your request for an amendment, I’ll hire you.”

Nick rolled his eyes at Pete, which made his cousin laugh.

“You bringing her to your folks’ for Christmas?”

He hoped to but he still had to tell her the truth about him being Santa, which wasn’t going to be easy. Not only because she didn’t believe in him but because he’d lied to her. He could excuse himself not telling her up until Thanksgiving. That moment when he’d stopped wanting to find a wife and wanted to spend all of his time with Cora, that was when he should have spoken up.

He’d apologize to her when the time came. He wasn’t even sure she’d believe him when he did tell her.

“Did you say your parents are here?”

“In the west wing, why?”

“Auntie Wendy always has fresh cookies. See you at the meeting,” Pete said as he left Nick’s office. He leaned back in his chair and reached for the Naughty List, hefting it up on his desk. Cora’s name was barely visible. As he watched, the last of the ink faded. There, he’d done it.

Jack strolled into his office on a swirl of icy wind. It swept around the room, blowing out candles and leaving crystalline snowflakes on the windows.