The Fox’s Tale

The ride to the Sinclair home was mercifully brief. I kept Ellery in my lap for the duration while Ethan and Coach Murphy tried to keep from laughing. I didn’t care. She was still out cold and I wasn’t going to let go. We were met at the door by James and someone who I assumed was yet another one of her brothers.

James reached for Ellery as I carried her in, but I turned away and snarled at him. “I don’t need any help with her.”

James laughed. “Are you sure about that?”

“Yeah, that’s not what we heard.”

“Stop it both of you! Neither of you were any better when you found your Other. No man is.” A pretty redhead with an athletic build joined us and wrapped her arms around Ellery’s brother’s waist.

“As I recall James you couldn’t string two sentences together for weeks after you met Allison.” When her brother started to laugh the woman turned on him. “Elliott, you walked into walls and the furniture for two months every time you saw me.”

“Mary!” Elliott shot her a mock wounded look. Ethan and Billy had joined us in the hall by now and Ethan had a good laugh at his brother’s expense.

“I remember that. It was hysterical.”

Elliott moved away from Mary by a few inches and pointed at Ethan. “Do you really want to go there?”

Ethan started to retort but was interrupted by yet another voice. “Do be quiet, all of you. Besides, we all know that Jones is the one who suffered the most.”

Another brother stood on the stairs. “Hello, I’m Emerson. Since none of them have bothered to say it, allow me. Welcome to House Sinclair. I’ll show you to your room.”

I followed him up the stairs, still cradling Ellery, who stirred and nuzzled closer to me. James, Elliott, Ethan, and Coach Murphy all snickered as we went up the stairs.

Before we were out of ear shot one of them called out, “enjoy your stay!” in a sing-song voice. I heard a smack and then an “ow! Mary!” and knew the taunter had to have been Elliott.

Emerson rolled his eyes. “Elliott has an infantile sense of humor, I’m afraid. Ignore him. That’s what we do.”

“Um, okay,” I managed.

Emerson didn’t say anything else, but also didn’t offer to take her, for which I was grateful. He led me down a hall so long that I lost count of the number of doors we passed.

“Shouldn’t I take Ellery to her room first?” I asked after what felt like minutes had passed with no further information from Emerson.

Emerson paused and turned around, amused. “Are you joking?” He looked me over. “No, simply being gallant. I don’t think you understand,” he said as he turned around and continued walking, “when I said your room I meant ‘your’ in the collective sense.”

Now I was the one that asked “are you joking?”

He stopped again and turned with confusion etched all over his features. “Why would I be joking?”

“Look, I don’t know what sort of willpower you all seem to think I have, but gods, sharing a room with her is going to kill me.”

Emerson’s face crumpled into laughter and soon he was bent over, shaking with mirth.

“I don’t find any of this funny,” I stated through gritted teeth.

“My apologies.” He wiped tears away. “William told us that you seemed to know absolutely nothing, but I never expected this dearth of knowledge. You aren’t expected to exert willpower. Quite the opposite in fact. You and Ellery are staying in the Sinclair Suite because for at least a week you both will be useless, insufferable, and flat out embarrassing to be around. Although, I suspect, with all that Ellery has endured during her life, it will be longer.”

He looked me over again and flashed a smile. “Much longer. Ah! Here we are.” He went up a short flight of stairs to a set of six paneled doors.

“The suite is warded so no one can see, hear, or sense what goes on inside. For tonight may I suggest you shift back into your vulpine form. William seems to have miscalculated on the dosage of the sleeping draught. I doubt our little Elderflower will wake before morning.”

He ushered me into the room which was a luxurious, but cozy living room. “Dinner will be sent up for you shortly. The bedroom and bath are through there.”

He flashed me another smile and swept from the room. As he shut the doors he said “House Sinclair accepts and welcomes you,” and then locked us in.

I stood there shocked. “What the actual fuck?’

I shifted Ellery in my arms, carried her to the bedroom and put her down as gently as I could on the queen sized four poster bed. Then I sat on the edge as I tried to come to grips with everything that had happened.

Without the physical connection between us I realized I was smelly and starving, so I wandered into the bathroom to take a shower while I waited on my dinner.

I hoped that her parents wouldn’t be the ones to bring it up. I should have known that it would arrive by dumbwaiter. I stood in the bedroom wrapped only in a towel when I heard a ding and then a panel slid open in the wall. I was halfway through the bowl of seafood chowder before I noticed the note on the tray.

“Dear Mr. Vos,

Welcome to House Sinclair. We realize you have many questions and these will be answered in due time. For now we ask you to use this time to become better acquainted with Ellery. She has waited far too long to be united with you.

Warm Regards,

Edward and Elizabeth Sinclair”