The Fox’s Tale

Around midnight we were finally home, clean, and in our bed. Ellery sobbed into my chest for over half an hour while I tried, futilely, to reassure her that I was fine.

“I don’t know what I would have done if I had lost you,” she wailed.

“I’ve got a hard head, Princess. It will take more than a sucker punch from a piece of shit like Levi Monroe to kill me. You’re the one that got stabbed.”

She brushed it off. “I left the wound unhealed so that Levi would get arrested.” She bit her lip. “The Cumberland players put on silver rings as they were getting ready to do handshakes. They came prepared for a fight, Alexander. A very specific fight, and this time the target wasn’t me, it was you. I should have been paying closer attention instead of taunting Derrick Monroe.”

“At least his sorry ass will be rotting in prison. What a sick bastard. How do you know what he did to Ginny?”

Ellery gulped. “Because she killed herself. Quinn collected her and as you know, he’s obligated to ask questions.”

“She killed herself?”

Ellery nodded. “She took a swan dive off of the water tower. Changelings really don’t like to be touched without their permission. It was this past summer. She,” Ellery paused to regain some composure, “she was pregnant. I’ve known for years that he was a pedophile, or at the very least that he was attracted to minors.

“I just didn’t have any way to prove it, or stop him, short of killing him. I tried; believe me. I put repulsion spells all over that school, his house, even his car. I didn’t think to put one on the car Levi drives.”

“Repulsion spells? What are those?”

“Spells that would make his intended victims get spooked or feel ill at ease around him so that they wouldn’t linger or want to go inside. It wasn’t enough. I should have done more. I should have killed him.”

I tried to reassure her that she wasn’t to blame for what he’d done; pointing out that she wasn’t responsible for protecting the whole world, but she refused to be comforted. She cried herself to sleep and I lay awake most of the night trying to think of a way to help her.

We skipped school on Wednesday, ostensibly to heal, and Ellery stayed home Thursday as well. I went in late, intent on talking with Lucas about a few things. He and Quinn were only too happy to pay a visit to Levi while he was recuperating and under house arrest for stabbing Ellery.

“His brain is slightly scrambled on the topic.” Quinn sighed as he settled onto the sofa in Ellery’s pocket universe. “The description of the person who promised him Ellery was really weird, man. Half of what he said made it sound like it was just a regular human, but then the rest of it. Wow!”

Quinn grimaced. “You ever heard of rats converging to take on human form?”

“Gross.” I shook my head to get the images out of it. “Can that happen?”

“It’s unlikely,” said Lucas. “More disturbing are the weapons that he and his friends managed to acquire.” Lucas bounced the rings in his hand like dice he was about to throw. “They were forged by dwarves, but there’s no way that a bunch of high school boys would have been able to acquire these.

“In the first place, they shouldn’t have known about them. In the second, these are ancient weapons; made before Shifters and the Fae developed their alliance. Thirdly, even if by chance they did find a dwarf who was willing to sell these, there’s nothing they could have offered him or her in exchange. These are literally priceless antiquities. I’m certain they were stolen.”

“What about the thing he stabbed her with?”

“That is even more problematic. It is part of a hair pin from Unseelie court dress. The identifying element was snapped off and that end filed to a point.”

“Fucking hell. Who at Court is power hungry enough to try this shit?”

“I’ll give you one guess,” said Quinn.

“Alastair.”

Quinn pointed at me. “Bingo.”

Lucas grimaced. “He’s the obvious choice, that’s for certain, but if it is him, I don’t think he’s acting alone. He’s an odious bastard, but the different attacks have been far too creative for him to come up with on his own. And he hates humans.”

Quinn smacked me in the chest and pointed out the window at the clock.

“Damn it. I’ve got to go to practice. Has the extra security been arranged for the rest of the games?”

Lucas nodded. “One or more of us will be there. With any luck you won’t have to know who.”

“Thanks.” I slipped out of the security of the pocket universe and hauled ass to the gym.

Ellery returned to school on Friday, determined to not miss the game. I could tell she was still in a fragile state, and fortunately the entire student body seemed to realize she needed her space. Their kindness and consideration shocked me considering how nosy and gossipy they’d been previously.

I guess seeing her get stabbed and then kick the ass of two more people with a four inch pin sticking out of her shoulder convinced them that she wasn’t someone they wanted to upset.

Or it might have been that she had a wall composed of basketball players and her friends to walk her to every class that did it. I guess the spells Henry had cast were also still in place and I was grateful.

Ellery’s composure only faltered once, at lunch. Rhiannon stood up and approached her. “Ginger Root wants you to know it wasn’t your fault and she’s at peace. He can’t hurt anyone else now.”

She wrapped her arms around Ellery who crumpled into gut wrenching sobs.

Rhiannon stroked her hair and whispered “ssh, my lady, beidh gach rud ceart go leor” (everything will be okay).

We gave them some privacy, eating our lunches in the hall, until they both emerged looking wrung out, but smiling. Ellery motioned for us to join them back inside.

“The bell is going to ring soon, Ellery.”

“I don’t give a fuck. I’m going to take a nap. I dare anyone to say anything to me about missing my last three classes. I dare them.”

I cracked a grin. “Think I can get away with joining you?”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” She sighed and turned her attention to Lucas. “Tell me the truth, Lucas,” she asked; her voice raw from crying. “Did you kill him?”

“I did not. Ginny’s father beat me to it.” He gave a nonchalant shrug. “You sound thirsty, your highness. Let me fix you something to drink.” He busied himself in the kitchen.

“Ginny’s father?” I asked. “Is he human or Fae?”

“Fae. He was unaware that her mother had given birth to her until she was gone.”

“He reacted very poorly to the news, as you’d expect.” Quinn stretched in his chair. “He’ll be dining on the heart of Satyr tonight though.”

I must have blanched because Devon tried to reassure me. “Only the Unseelie eat the hearts of those who’ve grievously wronged them. At least Ravenstroke is going to cook it before he makes a meal of it. They used to eat them raw, in front of the victim, while using their magic to keep them alive long enough to witness it.”

“He should have eaten his testicles in front of him,” hissed Lark darkly. I almost passed out. I’d never heard her say anything the whole time I’d known her, and to hear something so bloodthirsty from someone who struck me as innocent as a five year old blew my mind.

“He should have force fed him his own dick!” spat Rose. Devon put his arms around her and kissed her temple.

“Hush, sweetness. Try not to think of that evil blight any more. Ginny is at peace and he’s been punished.”

Lucas handed Ellery a glass of something I couldn’t identify. She chugged it down, not stopping once, and groaned when she finished. “Thanks, Lucas.” She sighed and fell over asleep.

“What the fuck did you give her?” I demanded, grabbing him by the front of his shirt.

“A sleeping potion. She’ll wake refreshed and rehydrated from her dreamless nap.” I let Lucas go and he adjusted his clothes. “Quinn will stand guard. I suggest you join her.”

Everyone collected their things and began to leave. Rhiannon dawdled until she was the only one left, and paused by the door. “Lucas loves Ellery, you know. We all do. He would give up everything, even his own life, for her and for you.”

“For me?” I was incredulous.

“Of course silly, he loves you too.” Then she pressed a finger to her lips. “That part’s a secret. Don’t tell him I told you.” She skipped out the door.