Vulpine Summer

Fox was glad to get away and, as he walked down the very fancy boulevard of Hornberg, his doubt dwindled. So far, there had been little in the way of White Wizards and police and lots of time for him to think.

Elenore had been mad. They had spoken over the phone in Bull’s hidden thieves’ den and Elenore was very quickly upset. She re-asserted the plan to abandon Esme and give her up to the Tower. He had known that tone that blistered down the phone. She had been testing him, so, when he said no quite bluntly, she went on a tirade on how stupid he was and that the Doe knew everything from Warbler and claimed to the Fox title was screwed. She was livid, claiming he was thinking with his groin and not his head. Survival was key.

Fox had stood his ground as he gazed at the Eye in his hand with a stupid smile on his face and recalled Dupont’s anxious face. She had been so scared returning it to him but she had anyway. Even as Elenore tore into him, that she should’ve known that he wouldn’t have had the balls to go through with it and should’ve gone with him to keep him in line, Fox felt certain in his decision. He wasn’t going to abandon Dupont, not when she was so alone and he had dragged the Fingers into it.

After hanging up on Elenore who was still going on and on about how livid she was with him, Fox made another decision and pulled out the age-old crumpled piece of paper with an address and name scrawled on it. He was going to get rid of the Eye, quietly and without giving himself away. Warbler, Doe and Cuckoo had all left messages about safe-houses, passages and warnings that the Fingers were being hunted. He knew it was risky but it was worth it. He wanted the Eye gone. He told himself that handling two very hot items was not a good move, but his gut told him that was a lie. A small voice murmured that he wanted to prove something to Dupont but he didn’t know what. He tried not to think about it.

He turned the corner, following the map in his had that had been imprinted there from Bull’s den. He was surprised by how little activity here that he began to make him suspicious. Every beautifully made road was just filled with commonfolk or shoppers, beggars and businessmen, but no police or Wizards. By Bulls’ reports, Hornberg was meant to be dangerous to traverse in. Was there a trap ahead? No, Fox decided. No one knew of the Eye and where it was going; Billy hadn’t spilled that at least. Maybe the Fingers had planted false information, pulling the heat away and tossing somewhere far, far away. He hoped that was the case. It was the type of thing Warbler and Doe would do; setting up faking accounts of sightings and information leaks. He relaxed a little when he realised that was the case.

Fox marched up a long spindly road, pulling away from the main cluster of buildings and towards the manors that sat on the hills and dips with their vibrant gardens and very tall walls. There was little in the way of shade here, maybe the odd neatly cut tree, and his skin was begin to swelter a little and he felt his shirt sticking to his back. He hoped Bull wouldn’t mind him bathing once he got back. He normally wouldn’t mind be sweaty, Lakeside was a cesspool of heat with its metal and tarmac everywhere, but the idea of being in this state around Dupont bothered him a little. He scrunched his nose at the thought, scolding himself for thinking such stupid things.

As he trudged up, he began to see the surrounding areas more clearly. The roads that cars zoomed along, the railway where a train chugged merrily along and the three very distinct and large hills. If the information he saw in the tourist kiosks and windows, that had to be the Knoll Sisters. Apparently three very large earth Spirits lived there. Quietly he hoped he didn’t need to go near it. Dupont seemed to be a magnet for magic and gods and, after the disgusting plague that animated the dead, he’d had enough of magic for a while.

Fox whistled as he drew close to the house he was looking for. The contractor’s place was huge, the biggest house around by far. No doubt it was filled with many pointless rooms and idiotic trophies. He seemed to be a collector and the type to show it off.

Fox pulled open the little pouch and pushed the Eye out. It glittered in the summer sun. Finally he could complete his job. His title was his and he could just focus on helping out Dupont and getting he to the Granite Tower.

Tucking it inside securely, with the note confirming it was from the Fingers on the behalf of the Doe, he approached the very large letter box engraved with The Chambers. Edmund Chamber was the Contractor. The man seeking out the Eye. Fox double checked this was the right place, going over and over the little piece of paper. Normally they’d hand it in person, getting a passcode confirm to ensure they were handing it over to the right Contractor but Fox couldn’t risk it. He’d have to dump it and run, trusting this was the right place.

Making sure the note and the Eye were both secure, he opened the letter box and dropped it inside. It was only then, the quiet gardener who was trimming the hedge that wall in the estate, made himself known.

‘What did you put in there?’

Fox glanced up and his gut twisted. ‘Droppin’ something off for a master.’ He said, feigning an anxious tone.

He turned to scuttle off down the road, eager to get back and witness Dupont’s confusion when he returned, when something moved behind him. Just as he turned to look, the end of a rake smashed against his forehead hard, knocking him out instantly.

*

Dupont stared out the window, holding Absolon with increasing misery. She was curled up in as much as a ball as her lanky body would allow. Bull had allowed her to push the cushioned armchair to the window so she could watch for Fox’s return. The sun was swinging into a low groove, inching towards the middle of the evening.

Five hours had gone by and Fox hadn’t come back. Her faith that he would was dwindling. Her heart was slowly breaking. Proud tears welled in her fake eyes and she rubbed them away roughly.

Of course he wasn’t going to come back, you fool. He had Elenore and other women much prettier and more interesting than yourself. The bond was forged through blackmail and bullying. Now that was gone, he had no reason to stay. All he’d be doing was risking his neck for someone he hated.

Esme flinched when Bull’s voice broke through her miserable thoughts. ‘He not back yet, lass?’

Rubbing her eyes furiously and pushing Absolon from her lap, Esme turned to stare blankly at Bull’s concerned face.

‘No. I don’t expect him to be either.’

‘Why not?’ Bull asked as she came to stand over her. ‘He’ll be back.’

Esme was not convinced. She was already entering heartbreak and giving up any notion that he cared for her even the tiniest bit.

Bull hummed. ‘Think the idiot’s got himself in trouble.’

Esme’s self-imposed wallowing paused for a moment. ‘Why do you say that?’

‘Well, by the responses he’s been sending out and the messages I’ve been receiving from Doe, he’s making plans to move on with you. He’s forming a route to follow from here to Hornfell City.’

Esme’s heart stopped as hope instantly began to choke her. ‘Really?’

Bull nodded, eyeing the emotions that were exploding over Esme’s face. Hope, relief, joy then doubt. Maybe Bull was lying to her to make her feel better.

‘I’m going to go find the lad. You stay here.’

‘But you don’t know where he’s gone and, if he is in trouble and not run off, you’ll get in trouble yourself.’

‘You give me little credit, Vic.’

Esme ignored her and gestured Absolon to come forward. If Fox was truly in trouble, which doubt gnawed at her because she could come up with no reason as to why he would return to her, she had to help him.

‘Absolon. Can you find Fox and tell me where he is?’

Absolon tilted his head and whistled lowly, clearly uninterested. She sighed.

‘Absolon. I know you’re fussy about who you help but please, do this for me. I simply must know if he’s in danger or not.’

That seemed to be all the reasoning he needed. He sang then vanished gods knows where.

‘Absolon will tell me whether or not Fox needs help soon.’

Bull grunted. ‘I hope he has run off.’

Esme didn’t. ‘I thought you were not going to help him if he did get in trouble.’

Bull barked a laugh. ‘Of course I will, he’s just going to get an earful. I never abandon youngsters, especially when they’re in the middle of such an important job.’

Esme turned to face the window, watching as the sky grew more orange. ‘I’m not important.’

‘You are now. Fingers are affected and Doe has been digging up a lot of corruption.’ That grabbed Esme’s attention and Bull folded her thick arms. ‘Doe’s found signs of payments being sent to several very important Wizards and people within your Tower and funny rumours that some good Wizards are acting weird. Payments which explain why no one really questions any reports that you’re being guarded by Spirits and factual statics of your terrible magic.’

Esme flushed in embarrassment. ‘Everyone knows?’

‘Of course they do. It’s in your records within the Tower! But no, no one cares that you don’t seem to be able to use many spells and that the Ivory Grand Wizard was murdered with complex magic. Something weird is going on and we Fingers don’t like that. It’s dumped us in hot water and corrupt Towers is bad for everyone.’ Bull smiled and moved to leave. ‘Let me know when that Sprite turns up. If Fox has legged it, I’ll take you to the Granite Tower myself.’

Esme smiled, feeling a little comforted that she didn’t needed to leave on her own, until she felt the pressing thoughts that she’d much rather have Fox. Fox with his mischievous eyes, playful grin and those rough hands that swallowed her own. She sighed heavily and buried her face in a pillow, trying to smother out the growing pain again.

It wasn’t long before Absolon turned up. The sun had dipped lower and the shadows being cast had grown in length with crows and blackbirds beginning to make their dusk cacophony.

He popped into existence in front of her, waking her up from her light doze.

‘Absolon!’ Esme gasped in surprise, blinking madly to chase away her gathering sleep. ‘Did you find Fox?’

Absolon hummed in confirmation and swayed. Esme was a little relieved. He hadn’t gone far, wherever he was.

‘And is he in trouble?’

Absolon once again, hummed in confirmation and his blues eyes closed as he nodded.

Esme stomach dropped like a rock and her chest tightened in fear.

Fox!

Snatching up Absolon, Esme leapt to her feet and raced to find Bull. She didn’t care if Fox had intended to leave her once he was safe, she had to find him. She had to protect him from the mess she made.