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“Enough, Kevin!” Mason said, before looking to his mother. “To answer your earlier question, so we can put this topic to bed: what Frederick wants or doesn’t want is of no concern to me. We went before the council as requested. They asked their questions, Lyla answered, and we left.”

“Did they ask you what your decision will be?” Mrs Klaus asked, though she didn’t look up from her dessert. Lyla guessed she was too nervous.

“They can ask as much or as little as they want. I don’t know yet,” Mason answered. Wiping his lips with a napkin, he rose from the table.

“I don’t want to press you, but—” Mrs Klaus said, but Mason was already pushing in his chair. He kissed her on the side of the head, silencing her.

“I’m going to feed the reindeer. Kevin, since you’re so eager to get to know me, you can help me,” Mason said, motioning for his brother to join him.

Kevin groaned, but Lyla caught a sly smile as he got up and took their dishes.

Mrs Klaus sighed as her sons left. “I think I’m going to have an early night,” she said. “There’s some food for Sara in the dishes in the fridge.”

She left looking ten years older than when they had first sat down to eat. Lyla couldn’t imagine the stress she was under, trying to help run the village, grieve for her husband, and try to get her son to stay. It would be too much for anyone.

“Can I ask what the seatis?” she asked Lou once they were alone and the table was cleared. “I don’t really understand what a Klaus does.”

“They lead the council and oversee the village,” Lou said. “Think of it as like a president or a king – or queen,” she added, sounding more uncertain.

“Not so much about a red suit and a sack of presents then?”

Lou burst out laughing. “No, that’s more of a team job. The sleigh drivers, those who deliver the gifts to the outside world, number more than fifty. You can’t expect one person to get around the whole world in one night!”

Lyla didn’t expect even fifty people to be able to get around the whole world in one night.

“And you’re in charge of the sleighs?” she asked, desperate for clarity.

“Yes, I train the drivers and make sure the sleighs are maintained. Sara manages the engineering department, and we’ve made some advancements lately that will speed up our deliveries, but the new tech is wreaking havoc on the old system.”

Lyla could offer her nothing but a puzzled frown.Sleigh technology?

“Not that you need to worry about any of that,” Lou promised.

That was a relief. “So, Mason wouldn’t have to do anything on Christmas Eve?”

“It’s our busiest night – he would oversee the whole operation,” Lou explained, “he would make sure everything gets to where it’s supposed to be at the right time.”

Lyla was slightly frustrated about the lack of details.What’s ‘everything’?She assumed it was presents, but considering she had been wrong about so many other things, she wasn’t sure.

“Are you happy working with the sleighs? You could have taken your father’s place. Your mum mentioned something before…”

Lou reared back, waving her hands. “I’m happy where I am. I used to get in trouble sleigh racing; being the best driver then allows me to teach others now. The eldest is supposed to accept the role, but I never truly wanted it. After my accident, I wasn’t going to do anything in this life I didn’t want to, and I make sure the sleigh workshop is safe so that what happened to me won’t happen again,” she said firmly, moving away from the table and towards the fridge.

“Did Mason want to become Klaus, before or after you declined?” Lyla asked, leaning against the kitchen counter.

“He did, and even Dad knew Mason would be the better fit. He loves micromanaging, and he was great with all the workers and the council. The issue between them was that there were many things Mason wanted to do first.”

“And he wasn’t allowed?”

“There’s more to it than that. You’d have to talk to him about it.”

Lyla nodded, understanding Lou’s desire to protect her brother’s secrets.

Lou took the dishes from the fridge and placed them on her lap. “I sensed some distance between the two of you this evening. Don’t let the council frighten you. They might seem scary, but they’re all just terrified that Yule will one day be exposed.”

“Are you?” Lyla asked, wondering if everyone in Yule wanted it to be kept a secret.

“Scared of exposure?” Lou nodded. “I think it’s inevitable– but I also think it’s a waste of time worrying about something that might or might not happen.” They headed to the front door. “Mum!” she called up the stairs.