The Fox’s Tale

Lucas cleared his throat. “Where did you hear that?”

Quinn snorted. “Come on, Luc, everybody knows that.”

Lucas bit his lip to keep from grinning. “The propaganda worked beyond expectations then. The second High King spread that lie to dissuade Incorruptibles from taking Chosens. Tying your life to another strengthens you, and he didn’t want someone to usurp his throne. It is why I was able to be given the powers of the High King while my father was still alive.”

“Did you know that when you made me your Chosen?” Esmeralda asked.

“I did not. Apparently, I was the first Incorruptible to claim a Chosen in a little over a thousand years and when I noticed that I could do things I hadn’t been able to do before I conducted a little research.”

“You claimed me, thinking that if it became known you would die when I did?”

“Yes, Esma, I did. I love you beyond words and I always have. Ever since the day I first saw you, trying to save the fish that your brother had pulled from the pond in the palace gardens to watch them flop about as they died.”

Esmeralda’s mouth fell open and Lucas continued.

“He came back and saw you trying to save them and was going to hurt you, but I hurt him instead. Then I spent the next two years trying to convince Father to send me to Court.”

Esmeralda launched herself over the back of the sofa and into his arms where she proceeded to cover his face in kisses.

“Lucas,” she gasped, “I have never been with anyone but you. I love you so much it hurts to breathe when you aren’t around.”

“Esma,” he whispered before capturing her mouth in a kiss, “I crave your presence even more than blood.” He kissed her again and set her butt on the back of the sofa. As he slid his hand into her robe he groaned, “my body thrums for you, my Chosen.”

Ellery and I stood up and ran to the safety of our bedroom. “At least we know why your body sings for me my beautiful mate,” I said as I nuzzled her neck.

“Oh don’t you two start too!”

We both whipped around to come face to face with a sheepish looking Quinn.

“Quinn, what are you doing in our bedroom?” asked Ellery

“I didn’t want to stay out there. I mean, I like group sex, but not with my brother. Besides, I don’t think I would have been invited.”

“Well, you can’t stay in here,” I protested.

“Just give me a pillow and a blanket and I’ll sleep in the dressing room.”

I huffed with annoyance. “Dude. Can’t you just tiptoe past them?”

Quinn shook his head. “Lucas told me that one of us had to stay close by at all times. He’s too occupied. I’ve gone to sleep to explicit sex sounds before, it’s no big.”

“Damn it, Quinn.” I rested my head against the wall. “I would like to be alone with my wife.”

“And you will be, mostly,” he said as he opened the linen closet and found a spare blanket and pillow. “Besides, you shouldn’t be getting all,” he pumped his hips back and forth. “You need sleep.”

“Right. Right.” Ellery yawned and I looked back at Quinn. “Why don’t I feel tired?”

Quinn shrugged and then realization dawned on him. “Oh man. Lucas probably hasn’t released you.”

“What do you mean hasn’t released him? What has my grandfather done?” demanded Ellery.

“It’s nothing bad. It’s from before when he put you and Esmeralda to sleep. He kept Xander awake to help us look for clues. He probably just forgot because of,” he started to make a motion with his hands, but stopped when he saw the expression on Ellery’s face.

He winced. “Hang on, I’ll stick my head out and see if they’re still in foreplay mode or...” Quinn pressed his lips together and held up one finger.

He loped over to the door and cracked it open. His eyes went wide and he hastily shut the door. “Nope. Can’t talk to him now. Sorry dude. I’ll sit up with you if you want.”

My shoulders sagged in disbelief. “No way. They can’t have gotten that far that fast. We aren’t even hearing anything.”

Quinn looked taken aback. “Do you want to?”

“No, it’s just before…” I turned to Ellery. “Are you blocking that?” I asked, gesturing over my shoulder with my thumb.

She yawned as she nodded. “Come to bed, Alexander. I’m sure you’ll grow sleepy soon.

Only I didn’t. Ellery drifted off and I lay there, feeling as if I had drunk ten espressos in a row. Thoughts raced through my mind trying to piece everything together. After an hour of this the apartment brought me a copy of The Sacred Histories of the Unseelie. With sleep out of reach I picked it up and headed to the bathroom.

That way I could turn on the lights without bothering anyone. I settled down on the floor and began to read. At some point a marker materialized beside me and I began writing my thoughts down, drawing lines to connect names, circling known facts, and adding giant question marks where we had a gap.

“That’s it,” I muttered. “That’s who is behind it. One of them. Maybe all of them. But which one? Which one?” I sat down on the floor and some distant recess of my mind wondered what time it was.

“It’s one of them. It’s one of them,” I chanted to myself as my eyes darted around the room.

I caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of my eye and heard Ellery gasp.

“Alexander!”

Then there was a great deal of yelling that I couldn’t understand, and pounding of feet, and Quinn was dragging me to the bedroom as I clutched at his arm. Soon Ellery was beside me, stroking my forehead and murmuring soothing sounds and I clutched at her.

“It’s one of them,” I babbled as Lucas loomed over us, remorse on his face.

“Forgive me. Sleep now,” he whispered and I felt my body uncoil as the room went velvety black.