His ears and eyes were on the alert, looking for Nemo. He shouldn’t be hard to find, Girion thought. There were only a dozen Foxes in attendance, and he knew several of them. He concentrated on the ones he didn’t know, passing far enough away to hear without attracting attention.
Girion stood by a portly man with a plate of sandwiches who was talking emphatically to an unfamiliar Fox. “She’s obviously a dark horse. When I heard she was a human from the settlements, a fishing village, yet, I thought she would be a figurehead. Married for her magic. But now, I hear that she’s nothing but action and plans. I suppose that’ll change when she has a family to raise.”
“I don’t know,” the Fox muttered. “I knew her people. Real plain folks. Parents weren’t that bright, but the girl wouldn’t stop. Worked her hands to the bone to keep ahead of the poorhouse, you know.”
“No, I didn’t know. Well. She seems bright enough.”
“Could be. You never know who is pulling the strings.”
“What do you mean?”
“This banking summit. Do you really think a little human like her put this together? Humans don’t have it up here,” he tapped his temple.
“That’s such old-fashioned thinking, Mr. Reynard.”
“Nemo. You must have me confused with someone else.”
Girion blinked and turned sharply. “Mr. Nemo. I wanted a word with you.”
The Fox’s eyes widened, and he backed away from his conversation partner. “Who, me? That is, who, me, sire?”
“Yes, you, Nemo.” Girion blocked the Fox’s path and saw Herrick leave his place near Jocasta and slowly start to sidle over.Good man.“Will you entertain a few questions I have about your banking practices involving the Watermans?”
“Uh. Well. Sure, Your Majesty. There was nothing fancy. Lots of rich folks buy up mortgages and deeds, you know, hoping that the owner will miss a payment or two, and then you get the property for cheap, or sell it higher.”
“And you are a rich man, Mr. Nemo? Or did I hear you called Mr. Reynard?”
“Someone mistook me for someone else. Reynard is a common name for Foxes in Caledon.”
“Is it? That’s odd. The only family of Foxes I know that has that name is the Archduke. Are you related, perchance?”
“No, I—” The Fox stopped speaking, turned, shifted, and scrambled out the door.
Gasps broke out. Heads turned.That bastard will not ruin my wife’s first big event as queen!
“Pardon me. Dropped a plate!” Girion said, kicked the Fox’s clothes under the nearest table, and fled.
Several of the other guards were already on the swift white streak scrambling through the palace halls. Girion was tempted to shift and give chase, but he thought engaging in a shifted battle would be a distraction from Jocasta’s summit. He put the thought away unless absolutely necessary. “Stop that Fox!”
His guards obeyed like their king’s life depended on it, clamoring and calling, cutting off every available exit.
The cornered Fox turned, saw Girion approaching, and lunged.
“No!” Cole’s shout echoed down the hall.
JOCASTA CAME RUNNINGtowards the scream, ignoring all protocols. She kicked off her fancy, brocaded shoes, held up her skirt, and ran. “Why is there screaming? What happened? Wh—Girion?”
The world fell apart.
Girion lay on the floor, hand at his throat, blood drenching his robes. Beside him, a white Fox, larger than a normal fox, clearly a shifter in animal form, was knocked unconscious but still breathing, blood all over its mouth.
Cole was speaking. Herrick was speaking. Girion was looking at her, lips not moving, eyes going glassy.
Words went through her mind.
He could have killed that little thing. Killed anything. But he didn’t have his shield. Or his sword. Or a knife. Because he was being my support today, the man who stood in the back and mingled, who made sure plates were full. The man who clapped for me.
Who loves me.
