Vulpine Summer

Fox was crouched in the middle of an alleyway, clutching his stomach and trying his best to keep his stomach from ejecting whatever he had eaten the past twenty-four hours. When Lithgow had warned teleportation wasn’t pleasant to those unpractised and knew a precautionary brew to stave off the effects, Fox had pushed aside the concern irritably and told him to get on with it. Now he was regretting his decision and wished he had taken to offer to drink whatever it was Lithgow had tried to give him.

Lithgow stood behind him, tall and un-phased, waiting patiently for Fox to get over the wave of nausea without a word. The silence irritated Fox. He hated how feeble he was looking, so he stood and swallowed the sickness and tried to make himself look better than he was.

For a moment, he was a little bewilderment about who he was looking at until he remembered that Lithgow had done what Dupont had been doing for weeks. Gone was his formal attire, replaced with a tatty suit. Gone was his preened, straight grey beard and hair, replaced with a thick frizzy beard and out of control hair marbled chestnut and white. The hat perched on his head did nothing to contain it and was nearly falling off from Absolon sitting on top. And, while his eyes were now deep brown, Fox could still see the pride and strength behind them.

Lithgow had been serious in getting the Fingers to help take Dupont from jail. Teleporting Fox out and changing his appearance would heighten the chances of no one detecting Lithgow’s plan.

‘You sure about this?’ Fox asked stiffly, trying to mask his sickness with anger.

Lithgow bobbed his head gravely, causing Absolon to giggle at the gesture. ‘I am sure, lad.’

Fox shrugged and hobbled through the bins and discarded furniture, pulling himself free into the busy low-town of Grenfell City. The street was alive with shoppers moving between markets to shop, purchasing whatever cheap wares were available to them. The crowd was useful to hide himself in, Fox thought, until he remembered that he didn’t need to be so uptight about being spotted by police. Dupont was caught, after all, and no one knew Lithgow was going to spring her from prison.

So Fox strode down the street, constantly reminding himself he didn’t need to worry about being seen. No one was paying any attention to either himself or Lithgow, who strode behind him, not even bothering to keep his head low. Before long, the wide-steel grey store-front of Badger’s smithy came into view and Fox trotted up to it.

So Fox strode down the street, constantly reminding himself he didn’t need to worry about being seen. No one was paying any attention to either himself or Lithgow, who strode behind him, not even bothering to keep his head low.

The moment Fox entered Badger’s blacksmithy, he was snatched by the arm and pulled into his office. Badger closed the door firmly and whirled on him.

‘Why’d you go running off like that, lad?’ He demanded, his tone hissed and low. ‘Don’t tell me you tried to get into the Tower?’

Fox crossed his arms. ‘I did.’

Badger turned red. ‘You brazen fool. You could’ve got caught, your head dug into and got us all in danger.’

‘I didn’t though.’ Fox said firmly and then hesitated before he grudgingly continued. ‘I got help.’

‘Help? Help for what?’

‘You’re goin’ to get Dupont out right?’

‘Aye, we are. The moment she dies, Denver can destroy the Towers.’ We can’t have that kind of vacuum in power.’

Fox padded over to the door and opened it, gesturing to Lithgow standing in the shop, gazing at the iron candle sticks and chandeliers. ‘He’s goin’ to help us.’

Badger glared at Lithgow, clearly not recognising him. ‘And who’s he?’

‘Just get him in here.’

Badger scowled at Fox before he lumbered forward, tapped Lithgow on the shoulder and urged him into the office. Lithgow stood in the corner, readjusting his hat once against as Absolon weighted it down to the left. Badger gazed at him suspiciously then glanced at Fox.

‘So, who is he?’

‘Lithgow.’

‘Lithgow?’ Badger repeated in surprise, gazing at the Grand Wizard. ‘Doesn’t look like him.’

‘Because I have changed my appearance.’ Lithgow said with a smile. ‘Things have taken a turn for the worse for my niece. If we can go somewhere quieter, I can talk further.’

Badger looked uncertain for a moment before he stepped across the room and unlocked the door nestled between paper strewn shelves. ‘In the basement. Bull’s down there too.’

Fox didn’t particularly want to face the second barrage of scolding that was no doubt waiting to explode from Bull but he had little choice. He was pushed towards the basement by Lithgow and forced to stumble down the stairs. There, awaiting in the mostly empty room, was Bull.

Her eyes snapped to Fox and scowled heatedly. She folded her arms and her lips thinned but before she could barrel into her tirade of scolding, Badger was taking charge.

‘Bull, Lithgow here says he wants to talk to us about his niece.’

Fox breathed a quiet sigh of relief when her enraged gaze left him and latched on to Lithgow instead as he took off his hat, waving it about to shake Absolon loose.

‘That lass is a good one. What the hell happened in that Tower?’ She snapped. ‘It’s plain as day she’s not got the guts to hurt anyone.’

‘My Council, as well as Ivory’s, are under Denver’s whim. Blackmail, corruption, mind-control or they’re in on whatever Denver’s up to; I don’t know yet. But Denver was in control of that trial.’ Lithgow said gravely.

‘No one tested the lass’ truth?’ Badger asked sharply.

‘Yes. Her truth had been changed prior however.’

‘How?’ Bull gasped.

‘Denver had access to my apartment. My Council gave her the keys.’

Both Bull and Badger went quiet, their minds slowly absorbing the gravity of what Lithgow had just said.

‘They can’t do that, can they?’ Bull queried heatedly.

‘No. Only I can give out the keys.’

‘Did you confront them?’

‘Yes. They claim otherwise.’ Lithgow growled. ‘My Tower is not my Tower anymore. Denver’s taken it, just like she took Cassandra’s.’

‘But what does she want from the Towers?’ Badger muttered thoughtfully. ‘If we can throw a spanner in the works, we might just save Dupont from that bullet.’

‘We don’t have time.’ Lithgow snapped. ‘We must get Esme out now.’

‘How?’ Fox asked, breaking his silence as he watched them converse quietly. ‘This isn’t some puffed up rich-man’s home. This is the Tower. Magic locks and doors and alarms, nothin’ I can get through.’

‘And I don’t have a Occultist to hand.’ Badger growled. ‘Not one good enough anyway.’

‘You won’t need one.’ Lithgow said firmly. ‘You have the Grand Wizard helping you.’

Slowly it dawned on Fox just how this breakout was going to happen. ‘You’re going with us?’

‘No, but I am giving you all keys needed.’ Lithgow said. ‘There will be a few, both magical and non-magical. From my understanding, the prison is currently mazed at the moment, as well as heavily guarded.’

‘Mazed?’ Fox echoed.

‘The whole prison section is a maze currently. Only those who built it can truly see it and avoid the spell. The maze is randomised for every person until they pass through a particular route.’

‘And how am I meant to get through a bloody magical maze?’

‘I can build you a map. It will mark out the true route, but I can’t lift it for you or sneak you through it any other way.’

‘And the doors? And entrance into the Tower itself?’

‘Sewers are always the best way to go if you want to sneak in, but it’s guarded by a Spirit. You need to pass by him.’ Lithgow smiled. ‘He is well tempered, so long as you play his game.’

‘What game’s that?’ Fox asked in bewilderment.

‘Either guess who or I spy. He’s an odd one.’

‘Argh! Wait, this is too much!’ Bull snapped, rubbing her face. ‘Look, how long do we have?’

‘Tomorrow morning. Denver is pushing for Esme to be returned home as soon as possible for her execution.’

Fox’s heart sunk. Heists took days of planning and research, especially into large well-guarded facilities. This wasn’t enough time to get Esme out with nothing going wrong. But Bull and Badger weren’t deterred.

Badger folded his thick arms and grunted. ‘It’s not much time.’ He grumbled. ‘Lithgow, you’ll help us formulate this plan of yours. This must go perfectly, so don’t you forget anything.’

Lithgow smiled. ‘My niece’s life is at stake and potential takeover of my Tower. I will not risk anything through forgetfulness.’

Badger bobbed his head then turned onto Bull. ‘Bull, you were one of the best agents in the land in your day. You take the lead on this.’

‘Was planning to anyway.’

Fox felt something burn in him. He wasn’t quite sure what it was but he couldn’t stop thinking that it shouldn’t be Bull. It should be him. No one else had any right to save Dupont.

Lithgow smiled warmly at Fox, which irked him. He hated the sense he was being patronised.

‘Take Fox with you.’ Before Bull could protest, Lithgow continued firmly. ‘Fox will be necessary to get Esme out. She is lost right now in self-hatred and the belief she is a murderer. You don’t have the connection Fox has with her. Only he or I can possibly get through to get her to follow you willingly.’

It was odd how those words made Fox glow. His chest warmed with the thought he could talk her around. That his words meant that much to Dupont.

Bull sighed. ‘Fine.’ She snapped then glared down at Fox. ‘But you keep yourself in line, lad. I won’t have you go running off doing your own blasted thing.’

‘I’ll only go runnin’ off if I think my way is better.’ Fox grunted. ‘Your hay-day was over a decade ago, old woman. Things’ve changed.’

Bull’s eyes glimmered dangerously and she inhaled sharply to snap something back until Badger butted in.

‘Attitude like that will get us nowhere. You two work as a team.’ Badger warned before rubbing his hands together. ‘Right then! Let’s get our noses to the grindstone. We have Dupont to save and a unknown plot to ruin.’

And so the planning commenced. Lithgow went over everything he could about the Tower and it’s workings while Bull, Badger and Fox came up with practical and normal ways to tackle magical problems. Warbler, Cuckoo and the Doe were kept in the loop, relaying information through Badger’s workers about Denver’s planning and activity; anything that might give Fox and Bull more time to spring Dupont from jail.

But, even as Fox prepared himself, the plan felt flimsy. Shoved together with only hope keeping it in place. He kept thinking about Dupont, lonely and miserable in her cell, and how desperately he wanted to get her out before the noose tightened around her neck. He wanted something more substantial to help her with, a plan he felt confident in. Time was against them however. As the sun sunk below the skyline and night ushered in, Bull and Fox had to be ready to go.

It was now or Dupont would hang.

Out the back of the smithy was cool, especially after such heat during the day. Badger was getting into the front seat of his van while Absolon drifted about, trying to wade through Fox’s irritated swatting to latch on to him. Despite being told no, the Sprite was determined to come with him. Fox sighed and watched as Lithgow fussed over Fox’s satchel.

‘I think everything’s in there.’ Lithgow said. ‘Just remember; use the map in the maze spell and entertain the Spirit. But they won’t be nearly as big a hurdle as convincing Esme to leave the cell.’

Fox snatched the satchel and tied it around his waist firmly, offended Lithgow thought Dupont wouldn’t listen to him. ‘I’ll get her out. I’m not leavin’ her to die.’

Lithgow smiled softly. ‘If you get caught, I’ll get you out somehow.’

‘That won’t happen!’ Bull scoffed then turned to haul herself into the back of the van.

Lithgow gazed down at Fox as he fussed over his attire one last time, making sure his glove and mask were in place. Absolon made it difficult though as he kept trying to sit on Fox’s head.

‘Keep her safe, Fox.’ He said softly. ‘Get her out of there.’

Fox grunted and pulled the goggles over his eyes. ‘Just deal with the guards and Denver. Give us time.’

‘I will.’ Lithgow promised and stepped aside.

Fox glanced at the sky, spying the tip of the Tower’s spire. In there was Esme. Somewhere.

‘Comin’ to get you, Esme.’ Fox mumbled under his breath and he pulled himself into the back of a van to settle beside Bull.

The moment the van whirred into life, the haphazard plan to rescue Dupont began.