“Four weeks,” Zara agreed.
Four weeks to figure out how to break a binding neither of them wanted to break.
Or four weeks to figure out how to keep it without destroying everything in the process.
Either way, at least now they wouldn’t be facing it alone.
From the kitchen, Felix announced: “Pancakes are ready! Everyone to the table! And someone please tell me more about Hell’s bureaucracy because I havequestions.”
Ramona groaned. Zara almost smiled.
And Gerald, brave Gerald, flew to land on the back of Zara’s chair, cooing his apparent approval of the whole chaotic situation.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Sunlight streamedthrough the bedroom window, and Ramona awoke with the unfamiliar sensation of not being alone in bed.
Zara was still asleep beside her — which was remarkable in itself, given that Zara usually woke before dawn — her dark hair against Ramona’s pillow, one arm draped across Ramona’s waist, her breathing slow and even. Peaceful in a way Ramona had never seen her.
Ramona lay very still, not wanting to disturb her. Not wanting to move and break whatever spell had allowed them to sleep tangled together.
The tether. Which was still there, humming steadily between them. Warm and present and exactly as it had been for weeks. The ritual had failed catastrophically, and nothing had changed. They were still bound together. Still tethered. Still stuck.
Except “stuck” didn’t feel like the right word anymore.
Ramona shifted carefully, trying not to wake Zara, and that’s when she saw him.
Through the window, on the fire escape. The fox.
It sat at the edge of the platform, silhouetted against the morning light, its tail curled neatly around his paws. Watching.Patient. Those amber eyes caught hers through the glass, and something passed between them — a question, maybe. Or an offer.
Ramona looked at the fox for a long moment. Then at Zara, still sleeping. Then back at the fox.
Something settled into place in her chest. Not a decision, exactly. More like… a willingness. To try. To stop saying no to everything that might be good for her.
She carefully extracted herself from Zara’s embrace — which proved difficult, given how thoroughly they were tangled together — and pulled on her robe.
She moved to the window and opened it wide. The cold air rushed in, sharp and bracing.
The fox stood immediately, ears perked forward, tail lifting slightly. Alert. Waiting.
“Okay,” Ramona said quietly. “Here’s the deal.”
The fox tilted his head.
“I’m not doing a formal bonding. Not yet. I don’t—” She gestured vaguely at herself, at the disaster of her life. “I don’t know what I’m doing. With any of this. Magic, familiars, demons who don’t want to leave.” She glanced back at Zara, still sleeping. “All of it.”
The fox watched her steadily. No judgment in its eyes. Just patience.
“But you keep showing up,” Ramona continued. “And I keep pushing you away. And I’m starting to think that maybe… maybe pushing away everything that might help me is not actually the smartest strategy.” She took a breath. “So this is just on a trial basis, Fox. You can come inside. You can stay. But I’m not promising anything. And if my magic hurts you, or scares you, or you realize I’m not—” Her voice caught. “Not worth the effort. You can leave. No hard feelings.”
The fox made a soft sound. Not quite a bark, not quite a chirp. Something in between that felt like gentle amusement.
“I’m serious,” Ramona said. “This isn’t a commitment. It’s just… trying. To not be completely alone in this.”
She stepped back from the window. Creating space. An invitation without obligation.
The fox studied the open window for a long moment. Then, with careful, deliberate steps, it crossed the threshold.
