Vulpine Summer

Fox lounged about on the luxurious red sofa beneath Warbler’s clinic. His head was flung back so he could stare at the ceiling, which stood out with its plain demeanour amongst the rich furniture.

Fox was bored. Incredibly bored. He’d spoken to Elenore, who’d told him to stay put as she only had half the picture of routes from Alton. All she knew was that the routes going anywhere near the massive city of Havern were definitely out of bounds.

‘Like I didn’t know that already.’ He had muttered to himself at Elenore’s unhelpful statement.

He tapped his foot and rubbed his hair. The boredom he felt was tinged with impatience and anxiety. To help himself, he needed to scout, to find out what routes were unavailable and figure out how the hell he was going to put some distance between Dupont and Havern’s College. He also had Sodden to worry about. Their stalker was still out Warbler’s clinic, preventing Fox from leaving, which made his boredom and annoyance even worse. Yes, he was safe in the clinic but the moment he left it, Sodden was going to sniff him out quickly and follow him back to Dupont. He was trapped.

Fox groaned and rubbed his hair harder. How does he get out? How was he going to scout without Sodden trailing after him? How was he going to return to Dupont without putting her in danger? He had no answers and it frustrated him to no end.

Just as he was ready to tip his hair out, heavy footsteps thudded down the stairs. Fox instinctively froze for a second, wondering who on earth was in Warbler’s hidden room, then realised he was being paranoid when Warbler himself appeared.

‘Bored yet?’

Fox scowled. Warbler seemed to be enjoying Fox’s predicament and how it was driving him round the bend.

Warbler came to sit opposite Fox, easing his massive body into the velvet chair. ‘I have some news.’ Fox stared, waiting. ‘Sodden is currently leaving.’

Fox furrowed his brow. ‘How?’

‘Police. I told them a blind man appears very lost and has been loitering outside my clinic for two hours. They are currently removing him and trying to help him find his lost ‘friend’’.

Fox sat up quickly. ‘So he’s gone?’

‘Currently leaving, yes. Give him ten minutes though just to be sure then you can slip out.’

‘Thanks.’ Fox grumbled.

Warbler laughed. ‘I also have more news. I think I know a route for you. I’ll check it thoroughly today but it shoulder clear sailing to Myrgate. You know where that is?’ Fox shook his head. ‘A large town few miles from here and the next safe zone for you. Lots of back-country and mountain roads leading to it, ones that aren’t used often. Travel through those and you shouldn’t be found by the White Wizards.’ Warbler grinned. ‘I won’t know for a while yet. Checking in with Shire. He’ll know if it’s safe.’

Fox bobbed his head, his spirits raising a little at the good news Warbler had brought him. He knew Warbler wouldn’t let him down.

Warbler slapped his thigh and rose rapidly. ‘Right. The police should have taken that Witch-Trapper away. Time to get you going while you can.’

Fox was trailing after Warbler, eager to get out of the stuffy basement. He had been in there too long, turning him stir-crazy from boredom. Warbler took him into the hall of his clinic and nonchalantly brought him to the fire-escape. He pushed open the door and held it, letting Fox leap outside. It was late afternoon and the intense hour of heat had long passed and a gentle breeze was growing, brushing Fox’s face.

‘Be careful out there. Call me if you need my help.’ Warbler said with an edge of seriousness. ‘I don’t want to fight the Witch but I will if you need me to.’

Fox nodded. ‘Won’t need it though.’

Warbler hummed then turned away, closing the door behind him and leaving Fox alone in the back alley of the clinic. Fox wasted no time to get going. With light steps, he tore down the surprisingly well kept alley, and joined the crowd of the run-down and grubby street. He slipped through the people, hurrying along and hoping Sodden was going to be occupied by the police for a long time; long enough for him to reach Billy’s and get those incenses burning.

As he ran, keeping his hat forward to shadow his face, Fox finally reached the road Billy lived on its all its rundown and shabby glory. Not many people milled about here and a gang of children were running about in the road, being a nuisance to the rusted cars trying to go by. Just as Fox veered to dive into the apartment block, he came to a sudden stop.

Coming out was Billy and, surprisingly, his grandmother. She was settled in an old looking wheelchair and, despite the heat, wrapped warmly. She didn’t appear to be aware of much and just stared, slack jawed, at the floor. Billy however smiled brightly.

‘You’re back!’

‘Warbler kept me for a while.’

Billy nodded sagely. ‘He does that.’

Fox glanced at his grandmother. ‘Where you takin’ in her?’

Billy’s face twitched oddly and his eyes flashed with a guarded expression. Fox frowned, especially when Billy’s eye suddenly couldn’t hold his gaze for long. He felt bad about something.

‘To the old people’s place. I take her there couple of days a week. Gives her people to talk to and change of scenery.’ Billy rubbed her shoulder. ‘Don’t know if she notices though.’

Fox grunted. ‘I can come.’

Billy shook his head. ‘I’ll go alone.’ He smiled. A guilty glint shined for a second. Fox’s suspicions rose. ‘I’ll be back soon. Key is under the mat’

Fox nodded and stepped aside, watching as Billy pushed his grandmother in the swaying, squeaking old wheelchair. His gut churned with worry. Billy wasn’t one to hide things easily and he was up to something. Fox frowned as he thought to the night before and his drunken and angry rambling about Dupont and her blackmail. Now, after seeing Billy’s suspicious manner, a small voice whispered maybe that hadn’t been a good idea, despite how better her felt for ranting about the cold, snobby woman who had cornered him into doing what she wanted. He suddenly felt a strong need to check on Dupont.

Swerving around, Fox loped into the complex and charged up the stairs, two at a time. His stomach twisted. Had Billy done something to her? Was that why Billy kept breaking eye contact and looking guilty? Billy was loyal to Fox and he hadn’t exactly painted Dupont in the prettiest of lights; in fact he downright demonised her. And with the huge bounty on Dupont’s head, Fox wouldn’t put it past Billy to do something about her. All that money would turn Billy’s life around.

Fox stopped sharply before the small apartment, fished out the key and unlocked the door. He did it quietly, not wanting to make a massive fuss and be mistaken for caring for Dupont’s wellbeing when he didn’t, and slipped inside. Nothing looked wrong, just a bit tidier and cleaner than yesterday. Dupont wasn’t in the main body of the apartment however. He moved with soft steps to the bedroom.

The door was already partly ajar so he could glance inside, hoping Dupont was simply asleep and this his instincts something had happened was wrong. But inside, he didn’t see Dupont sleeping, curled up upon the bed. Instead he saw her with her Grimoire out and growing angry at the pages.

‘Work! Absolon, why am I so bad at this?’

He watched as she pressed her fingers against the paper and, after a few seconds, pulled out a small splattering of lights. They glowed feebly and hovered about aimlessly. It was the first Fox had ever seen her use magic and, while it mildly surprised him that she was practicing after claiming it would lead the Tower right to her, he knew that spell wasn’t working well. He’d seen Elenore use lights spells before, pulling out great orbs that glowed strongly, splashing lights on everything nearby. These lights paled in comparison to Elenore’s. Dupont seemed to know this as she swatted away the spell and sat heavily on the bed looking down-trodden as Absolon sat on her head, stroking her unnatural blond hair comfortingly.

‘She didn’t do it.’ Cuckoo’s words rang out in Fox’s head from the day he left Clockton. ‘She's weak. Very weak. She's hasn't got much ego to spare.'

For the first time since he met Dupont, he realised she was innocent. It hit him hard, like someone punched him in the stomach. Dupont didn’t kill her aunt. She couldn’t have killed her, not if the Grand Wizard had been slain by magic and Dupont failed to do such a basic light spell.

Fox stood frozen by the door, staring at Dupont’s sad-looking back. He didn’t know what to do with this information. Elenore was adamant that he hand her over to the Wizards as the Tower would let her go if she was innocent. They’d test her truth, find out Dupont didn’t do it and leave her be. But Dupont claimed the Tower wanted to change her truth and make her take the blame.

He gritted his teeth. It was too much right now. He needed time to think. For now, he wouldn’t breathe a word. He’d keep it to himself, go over and decide whether to help her willingly or keep his nose out of it all. After all, Dupont’s predicament was only his problem because of the blackmail. He was just glad Dupont was unharmed and his Eye safe. Billy hadn’t hurt her and Fox had been right to trust his old friend after all. Of course Billy wouldn’t betray him nor harm a woman. He was stupid to think otherwise and get so wound up.

Fox suddenly slammed the door open, stepping into the bedroom. It startled Dupont, making her squeak, jump up, flail with her Grimoire and toss Absolon into the air.

‘You been in here all day?’

She blinked heavily, staring at him. Then something like relief seemed to flitter over her pretty features. It surprised him. But that relief was quickly replaced by her usual haughty manner.

‘Where have you been, Fox? I got a note from your friend Warbler claiming Sodden was in town and I have not heard anything from you in hours.’ She snapped.

Fox grew annoyed at her demanding tone. It was amazing how easily she could pop any kind of sympathy for her and replace it with frustration and the need to defend himself.

‘Waitin’ with Warbler for a chance to slip away and tryin’ to figure out a safe path so you don’t get killed.’ Fox growled.

Dupont looked a little taken aback and clutched her Grimoire to her flat chest. ‘How bad is it?’

‘Warbler might have a way. Won’t know for a while.’

‘Do we have a while?’

Fox shrugged, trying to show a carefree face and not the fear of the Witch-Trapper he had. ‘Keep that incense burnin’ and we should.’ He paused. ‘How was Billy today?’

The haughty expression that was usually plastered on her face softened. That was a good sign. ‘He was fine. He just took his grandmother out.’

Fox grunted, recalling Billy’s shady manners. He didn’t know why he was feeling so distrustful of Billy. Billy hadn’t hurt Dupont, that was clear, and he’d never done anything to backstab him before. He shook his head, shaking away the weird feeling. Billy was an ally.

‘I need food.’ He grumbled. That might perk up him up a little.

Dupont eyes lit up at the word. He frowned.

‘Haven’t you eaten?’

She blushed. ‘I do not know how to make food, except sandwiches. My aunt and I had a care-taker. She banned me from the kitchen.’

Fox rubbed his face hard, incredulous that for someone so pompous and all-knowing, she didn’t know how to prepare meals. Fox wasn’t great at it but he knew the basics from his father. It was such a basic skill.

‘Come watch.’ He sighed then his expression hardened. ‘And don’t you go complain’ about what you get. Billy’s poor. He won’t have good stuff.’

Dupont wrinkled her face, clearly remembering she wasn’t eating her usual premium cuts of meat, cheeses and bread, but she nodded sullenly, agreeing. That had to do.

So Fox set to work getting some kind of meal cooked with Dupont watching him with a strong determination to learn, curled up on a chair with Absolon clutched on her lap.

And as Fox cooked, telling himself over and over that his gut was wrong to suspect his oldest friend, Billy was wandering up the road to the police station, clutching a flier for Esme Dupont’s capture.