Into the room. Onto the tilted bed. Across the blankets toward the foot of the bed, where it turned in a small circle before settling into a neat curl, its tail wrapped over his nose, its amber eyes drifting half closed.
Like the fox had always belonged there.
Like it had been waiting for this exact invitation all along.
Ramona stood frozen, watching it. Part of her wanted to take it back immediately — to saywait, I didn’t mean right now, I need more time to think about this— but the fox had already closed its eyes, its breathing evening out into something peaceful.
It looked… content. Settled. Safe.
Behind her, Zara stirred again.
“Ramona?” Her voice was thick with sleep. “Did you just — Is that the fox?”
“Maybe,” Ramona said.
“On your bed?”
“Possibly.”
There was a pause. Then Zara’s quiet laugh — warm and sleepy and fond. “Come back to bed.”
“There’s a fox on the bed.”
“There’s room.” Zara’s arm reached out, patting the space beside her. “Come here.”
Ramona looked at the fox — who hadn’t moved, hadn’t opened its eyes, was just existing peacefully at the foot of herbroken bed like it was the most natural thing in the world. Then at Zara, still reaching for her in the morning light.
She crossed back to the bed and slid under the covers. Zara immediately pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her shoulder.
“Trial basis?” Zara murmured against her skin.
“Don’t start.”
“I’m not starting anything. I think it’s good.” Another kiss. “Baby steps, Mortal.”
Ramona closed her eyes. Let herself be held. Let herself feel the dual warmth of Zara beside her and the fox at her feet — two presences she’d spent weeks resisting, now just… there. Present. Staying.
The tether hummed between her and Zara, steady as a heartbeat.
And at the foot of the bed, the fox slept on, patient as ever, waiting for Ramona to catch up to what it had apparently known all along.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Ramona wasthree hours into her shift at Mystic Moon when the woman with the perfectly highlighted hair walked in. After getting ready for the day, she’d told the fox that she hadn’t quite figured out the whole work thing, and it’d be best to not figure out Marcus’s thoughts on foxes in the store just yet. The fox had trotted off into the alley, and she’d left her window cracked just in case.
“I need something for clarity,” the woman announced, surveying the shop like she was inspecting a particularly suspect produce section. “My life coach says I have blocks.”
Ramona pasted on her customer service smile. “We have several options for clarity work. Are you looking for meditation aids, or?—”
“Something that actually works.” The woman picked up a rose quartz, squinted at it, put it down. “I’m willing to invest in quality.”
Which meant she was willing to spend money. Ramona pulled out the display case key. “Our Reveal Hidden Truths bundle might be what you’re looking for. It’s a curated collection— black tourmaline for protection, labradorite for insight, clear quartz for amplification?—”
“I’ll take it.” The woman didn’t even look at the price tag. “Does it come with instructions?”
“There’s a card with suggested uses, but these are more for intention-setting than?—”
“Great. I’ll activate it now. Make sure it works before I leave.”
