Vulpine Summer

Esme spent most of her day in Billy’s grandmother’s room. She had ventured out but, with Billy out and the grandmother asleep so deeply her mouth hung open and her snores rattled the windows. So, after rolling her eyes at Fox’s demanding letter to stay put, as if she was stupid enough to leave the only place she could be safe in, Esme sat in the hot stuffy bedroom with only Absolon for company.

Lying flat out, trying to keep as cool as possible by wearing only her oversized shirt, Esme stared at Absolon.

He chirped and sang amongst the clumpy pillows, swaying back and forth. It got her thinking about Sodden and how to lower the chances of being found. She knew the reason why Sodden could follow Fox was only because of Absolon’s essence as her own essence was so feeble. It clung to him and the longer Absolon stayed, the higher the chance Sodden was going to find them. But she couldn’t get rid of the little Sprite. She didn’t have the heart and the only reason she was alive right now and even on this journey was because of him. He kept her alive in that fall and guided her to Fox. There had to be another way.

Esme stiffened when she heard the apartment door shuddered open. She quickly snatched up her trousers to hall them on as someone stomped about in the next room. Just as she pulled the suspenders up over her shoulders, the door was snatched open. Billy popped his head in.

‘Vic?’

Esme opened her mouth to speak then snapped it shut. She bobbed her head instead.

‘Warbler sent a note along with some boxes. Said Fox sent ‘em.’ He tossed them onto the bed. ‘Some kind of incense.’

Esme tilted her head and picked up one of the boxes. It was plain brown, no words printed upon it, and inside, as Bobby said, were several sticks of incense. They stank terribly, clogging up her small nose and making her cough daintily.

‘Says here that they’ll make your charge safe and that a bloke named Sodden is in town.’

Esme stomach dropped and her pale skin became clammy. The witch-trapper was already here. He was already on them. He moved so quickly and clung onto them like a rabid dog that Esme began to wonder if maybe keeping Absolon around was far riskier than she originally thought. Her stomach twisted in revulsion at the idea though. Absolon had to stay. He was the only family she had left.

Billy seemed to notice her change in demeanour and smiled. ‘He a problem?’

Hesitantly, Esme nodded.

‘Well Warbler sent them sticks for a reason and he won’t let you get hurt.’ Billy grinned. ‘I know you’re followin’ Fox with his task. It’s that he’s after ain’t it?’

Esme didn’t particularly like lying, especially to Billy whose eyes shined so happily, but she had little choice. She nodded.

‘We’ll keep it safe. This chaser of yours won’t cause a problem.’

Esme hoped Sodden didn’t but she didn’t quite understand how sticks of incense were going to do that. A new safe house seemed like a better option. Billy took the lead as Esme peered inside the strong-smelling boxes. He pulled out a stick and plonked it in the small stone handle that came with it. Grabbing a lighter that he used to fuel his cigarette habit, he used it to light the wick. Instantly the room began to stink. Mixing in with the hot air was a heady scent of lavender and sea-salt. Esme gagged.

Billy seemed to know what it was instantly. ‘Recognise this. It’s in Warbler’s clinic. He uses it to keep magic-sniffers from finding his hideout.’ Billy smiled. ‘Told you Warbler is a good boss. That task you have is magic, ain’t it?’

Again, Esme nodded with hesitation at needing to lie again.

‘This scent will keep the magic of it hidden.’

Esme stared at him in disbelief. Sodden couldn’t find them so long as this scent was around her? A smile of relief was instantly spreading over her features.

Billy came to slap her back. ‘Told you not to worry.’ He said laughing. ‘We Fingers look out for one another.’

After putting all the slim boxes beside the incense on the dresser, Billy left, inviting Esme to come join him. Esme hesitated, poking her head out to remind herself of the mess outside and watched as he began to care for his Gramma. She decided to give him a few minutes as the elderly woman woke up wearily, asking bewildered questions in her ancient voices, and ducked back into the room. She stared at the incense, glad she had some kind of shield for now, but what if Sodden still found them?

She plodded over to her bag and pulled out her Grimoire, laying it out on the floor to flick through its mostly empty pages. She didn’t have many spells to fight off the witch-trapper and she thought hard for a moment, recalling lessons that dealt with the various types of witches and how to fend them off. Usually disorientating them worked and creating small illusions of magic to trick their senses into thinking they were surrounded. Sealing their mouth or vanishing their whistles away were also tactics but she could do neither.

She sighed and slammed her book shut. She needed to practice more. Maybe when Billy left again she’d try. Along with her light spell, she had a fire and mist, both of which she was equally bad at. She had to improve them. She needed to be able to defend herself.

Tucking the book away again, Esme left her small sanctuary with Absolon nestled amongst the blankets and pillows, sleeping deeply. Billy had just finished feeding his grandmother and she was settled, happily gawping at the flickering TV. He waved at her and rubbed his hair nervously as he glanced about his messy home.

‘Sorry about the mess. I work part time on top of caring for gammy and helpin’ out the Fingers.’ He seemed confused why he felt nervous and his eyes flickered about Esme’s face as a red tinge began to grow. She wondered if instinctively he knew she was female, despite looking kind-of male.

She didn’t like the mess though and, as he was kindly giving her a place to stay, she decided to help out. Rolling up her sleeves, Esme began to try to clean up. She wasn’t good at it. She knew how to keep things tidy but clean? Someone else had done that for her her whole life. She never learnt about mops, dusting, vanishing, scrubbing floors and work surfaces or the various cleaning products. But she wanted to help all the same. And cleaning plates couldn’t be that hard. She was certain she could do that.

Billy seemed to appreciate it. After he took care of his grandmother, helping her to the bathroom to clean her and then brushing her very long grey hair, Billy helped Esme’s clumsy attempts at scrubbing plates, mugs and crusted trays in the sloppy grey suds.

He chatted to her merrily, not expecting her to respond at all. He’d speak about Fox mostly, the only thing he knew he and Esme had in common. He spoke about how they used to live together in Lakeside, how Fox was a bit of a daredevil and justice warrior. That made Esme’s brow raise. Apparently Fox used to get into fist fights with petty thieves, abusers and bullies, often with Elenore egging him on or helping. He’d desperately try to intimidate those who towered over their victims or stole from thieves to return the taken money to its poor small time businesses. And as Billy barrelled on, recalling stupid antics the pair of them got up to and the amount of times they had to evade the police, Esme found herself smiling softly.

She stopped scrubbing instantly when she realised and her eyes widened softly. When was she finding Billy’s childhood stories of Fox so endearing? By the sound of it Fox was as much as a menace to society as he is today; getting into brawls, breaking and entering, stealing. But she kept imagining the scenes of a young Fox fighting for a beaten homeless man or an abused wife and then she thought of him now, as a man, and how he was helping her out. How he’d keep her safe.

Because I am blackmailing him, she reminded herself sharply. All niceties, which were rare, meant nothing from him. He just wanted his Eye back and not die before he did. He didn’t care about her at all.

‘Vic? You okay?’ He asked at her sudden spaced-out expression.

Esme was not. She was suddenly feeling offended and upset. She had this dawning realisation that she might be growing fond of Fox, a thief and degenerate who was only sticking by her for his own benefits, and she felt her stomach twist in revulsion. Feeling quite stupid, Esme began to scrub the greasy pan hard in a flurry of dirty water and bubbles while Billy looked in with mild bewilderment.

As soon as Esme felt she had done her part in cleaning, she bundled herself back into the bedroom. Billy left her be only after she accepted some food, if she could call it that. The bread was old, the ham questionably edible and there wasn’t even any butter in it to add some kind of flavour. She accepted it all the same, reminding herself she couldn’t be fussy and not starve. So she sat on the bed, barely eating the dry sandwich given as it made her stomach curl at the bland taste, and hugged Absolon.

At first she had a slight scowl to her face. She didn’t like the fond feelings the rose from her chest at the thought of Fox. She didn’t like it at all. But then, as she inhaled the stench of the incense Warbler had sent, the mixture of annoyance began to turn into worry as she recalled who was now prowling about town. Sodden. Sodden was out there, hunting them down amongst the rundown streets, and Fox hadn’t returned yet, despite it being well into the afternoon. Was he safe? Would he get back okay?

She glanced down at the sleeping sprite. She would have sent out Absolon but her gut told her that would be an incredibly stupid thing to do. Sodden was only following Absolon’s scent, not Fox’s nor hers. Sending him out would only lure her hunter to her. No, Absolon had to stay and Fox had to handle getting back here on his own, no matter how much she fretted.

Esme flinched a little when her door opened violently by Billy. He smiled.

‘Goin’ to get milk. Won’t be long.’

Esme bobbed her head and Billy was gone in a second, leaving the door slightly ajar. She peered through the crack, waiting until Billy had shoved his boots on and left the apartment in various levels of thumping. The moment he left, she sighed. Now was as good a chance as ever to practice.

Esme very carefully lifted Absolon and let him snuggle down beside her, not breaking his deep heat-induced nap. She reached down and pulled up her Grimoire, settling it in her lap. She traced the plain cover, remembering the days of her childhood, wistfully dreaming of becoming a Wizard just like her aunt. Those days were long ago. Nothing more than dust in the wind. Even the memories of last week, where she had been planning her future and looking forward to the summer ball and seeking out potential suitors there. Her life now was so different that she felt like she was drowning sometimes or stuck in some kind of nightmare.

‘Do not dwell on the bad things. Think of what must be done.’ She told herself firmly.

She had to remain focused to survive and bring justice for Cassandra. The thought of seeing Suellen Denver clamped in chains and hauled up to face her crimes was the only thing keeping her going.

I can do this. I can show the world I am innocent, she thought firmly to herself and glared at her Grimoire. I can do magic too and protect myself, she thought and flipped open her Grimoire to her fire spell.

As she closed her eyes and placed the tips of her fingers, calling to the little sprite inside the net, as Billy watched her from the doorway. His pale eyes narrowed lightly before Billy turned away. He quietly left the apartment without alerting Esme to what he had witnessed and the growing danger she was in.