The Fox’s Tale

We left Coach Hendrix’s office ahead of the bell and Ellery paused by a wall with a poster advertising the upcoming Winter Carnival. She double checked that the hall was empty, took my hand, and walked us through the wall. We came into what looked like the living room and kitchen of a high end apartment.

Six other people were inside already, either sitting on the sofa, at the table, or standing in the kitchen. I turned back to where we’d entered, amazed. There was a window that showed the hall we had just left, with the digital clock dead center.

“This is why I could never figure out where you ate lunch. You’ve been hiding in pocket universes.” My tone was only slightly accusatory.

“I have to or I’ll explode. I pop into them every few hours just to breathe normally. Come on; let me introduce you to my friends.” Ellery pulled on my hand to bring me farther into the room.

I had a hell of a time tearing my eyes from the window back into the real world. The bell had rung and students were filling the hall. “They really can’t see us?”

“Nope. The window is just there so we know when to go back. Time is wonky here, just like in the Suite.” She pulled on my hand and I let her lead me away, deeper into the space she had created for herself. “You’ve already met Lucas and Darcie.”

I nodded in greeting. “Hello.”

“Hello Alexander, Princess Ellery.” Darcie beamed at us. She had on a pleated black skirt with attached suspenders and a white crop top. Her boots laced up to her calves and she had on fingerless black gloves.

“Aren’t you cold, Darcie?” It was, after all, December, and roughly thirty five degrees outside. Ellery at least had on a sweater, and had worn a jacket with her outfit. Darcie looked at me like I had just asked her a riddle. After a pause she burst into laughter.

“Oh you’re teasing me! Incorruptibles can’t get cold, Alexander.” She continued to laugh, emitting little snorts and wheezes. Lucas rolled his eyes and stepped away from the stove where he had something bubbling away in a copper pot. He was still dressed like a central casting call for a high school bad boy.

“Pleasure to see you again…sir.” Lucas raised an eyebrow at me to see if I’d comment on his use of sir or let it slide.

Two could play that game. “Lucas. Pierced anything interesting lately?”

Had he the ability to blush he would have. Instead, he coughed. “Not yet. Perhaps in the future,” he added with a sly smile.

“Stop flirting with my Other, Lucas.” Ellery’s voice was teasing, but her expression was kind. Lucas turned away to hide his reaction. “I want to introduce Alexander to everyone else. This is Rhiannon and behind her is Devon.”

“Hello, it’s great to meet you.”

Rhiannon, who was dressed in black ankle boots, jeans and a black sweater with holes in it didn’t even look up from her sketchbook, but Devon shook his head.

“Really? I figured you’d want the place to yourselves.”

I studied his face trying to place him. He was the same height as me, with light brown hair and blue eyes so pale they looked almost colorless. He was also wearing boots and jeans, but had on a blue pinstripe dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

“You’re Ellery’s stunt partner from the cheerleading squad. I wanted to deck you last October.”

“Guilty as charged,” he smirked at me. “At least now people will stop wondering if I’m having sex with Ellery.”

“Based on the reactions I’ve gotten today I don’t think anyone ever really believed you and Ellery got naked together.”

He laughed. “Good point. They’ll just have to keep wondering if Lucas and I are screwing!”

Lucas took the saucepan he’d been using off the heat and poured the contents into two mugs, then handed one to Darcie. “Sorry Devon, but you’re not my type.”

This set Rhiannon off into a fit of giggles. “Now that is a pretty picture,” she chortled as she flipped the page of her sketchbook and began drawing something I figured I never wanted to see.

Devon ignored them both. “Seriously, just say ‘out’ when you want us to leave. Ellery doesn’t like to issue orders with us.”

“Maybe they don’t want to have sex, Devon,” a small feminine voice piped up.

“Oh Rose, of course they do.”

“Not everyone is as horny as you are.”

Devon swiveled his hips at her. “You know you want some of this, Rose.”

“Ew! Stop it, Devon.”

I snuck a glance at Ellery who was covering her mouth. I interrupted Devon’s taunting of Rose by introducing myself.

“Hi, I’m Xander.” She was a petite blonde with a pixie cut whose scowl made her look like an angry kitten. “You’re Rose, I take it.”

She beamed at me just like Darcie had. “Yes, that’s me, and this is Lark.”

She jerked a thumb over her shoulder. Lark was an equally petite girl with light brown curly hair who blushed when I looked at her. She leaned forward and whispered something to Rose who also turned pink. They were both wearing floaty, floral tops with leggings and high heeled loafers.

Devon shook his head at both of them. “Don’t mind them, they’re Summer Children. Sweet and innocent beings, though we try our best to corrupt them.”

Rose stuck her tongue out at Devon and then she and Lark turned away.

“Careful, Rose, darling. You keep sticking your tongue out at me and I’ll teach you new ways to use it.” He shook his head again and smiled. I grinned. Dude had it bad.

“Forgive my ignorance, but what’s a Summer Child in this context?” I asked.

“They’re the offspring of a human and a Seelie, while Changelings, like Rhiannon, are the offspring of a human and an Unseelie.” Devon seemed to be the unofficial spokesman for the group.

I looked back at Rhiannon who met my gaze. She cocked her head to one side as she studied me. “Don’t worry, I freak everyone out,” she mentioned before turning her attention back to her drawing.

I looked back at Devon. “And what are you?”

“I’m a Summer Knight.”

“Huh. You’re a hell of a lot nicer than the Winter Knight I met.”

Devon curled his lip in disgust. “It wouldn’t be hard to be nicer than Wolfsbane, that spoiled brat.”

“Where is Quinn?” Ellery asked.

“Who’s Quinn?”

“He’s complicated,” said Devon as he settled himself on the sofa next to Rose.

“Quinn took perimeter duty today. You’ll meet him later,” Lucas replied.

“Why is he complicated?”

“Quinn is half and half, like I am. He’s the result of a relationship between an Incorruptible and a Summer Knight. Technically he’s not supposed to exist. Kind of like me,” Ellery explained.

That pronouncement ended the conversation and we sat down to eat lunch. Ellery had made us another type of turnover, this time filled with chicken, gravy, and some chopped veggies.

Devon, Rose and Lark ate vegetarian turnovers that Ellery had also made, while Rhiannon ate something with chopsticks that I didn’t want to examine.

She caught my eye again. “Udon noodles with squid ink.”

I wrinkled my nose as she slurped one into her mouth. She grinned at me after she’d swallowed and the black ink coated her teeth.

“This is nothing. You should see what Quinn eats.”

Lucas and Darcie drank what was in their mugs, but then everyone indulged in the dessert Ellery had made. Chocolate chunk and dulce de leche cookie bars.

The conversation was easy and relaxed, and I could feel the genuine care everyone seemed to have for each other. It was by far the best lunch break I’d ever had at a school. When we finished Ellery leaned back against me and said, “out.”