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Chapters (63)
  1. Dedication
  2. Map
  3. A Note to the Reader
  4. PART ONE
  5. The Keeper
  6. Chapter One
  7. Chapter Two
  8. Chapter Three
  9. Chapter Four
  10. Chapter Five
  11. Chapter Six
  12. Chapter Seven
  13. Chapter Eight
  14. Chapter Nine
  15. PART TWO
  16. The Keeper
  17. Chapter Ten
  18. Chapter Eleven
  19. Chapter Twelve
  20. Chapter Thirteen
  21. Chapter Fourteen
  22. Chapter Fifteen
  23. Chapter Sixteen
  24. Chapter Seventeen
  25. Chapter Eighteen
  26. Chapter Nineteen
  27. Chapter Twenty
  28. Chapter Twenty-one
  29. PART THREE
  30. The Keeper
  31. Chapter Twenty-two
  32. Chapter Twenty-three
  33. Chapter Twenty-four
  34. Chapter Twenty-five
  35. Chapter Twenty-six
  36. Chapter Twenty-seven
  37. Chapter Twenty-eight
  38. Chapter Twenty-nine
  39. PART FOUR
  40. The Keeper
  41. Chapter Thirty
  42. Chapter Thirty-one
  43. Chapter Thirty-two
  44. Chapter Thirty-three
  45. Chapter Thirty-four
  46. Chapter Thirty-five
  47. Chapter Thirty-six
  48. Chapter Thirty-seven
  49. Chapter Thirty-eight
  50. Chapter Thirty-nine
  51. Chapter Forty
  52. Chapter Forty-one
  53. PART FIVE
  54. The Keeper
  55. Chapter Forty-two
  56. Chapter Forty-three
  57. Chapter Forty-four
  58. Chapter Forty-five
  59. Cast of Characters
  60. Acknowledgments
  61. About the Author
  62. Don’t miss any of THE GRACELING REALM novels
  63. What’s next onyour reading list?

Lovisa left the table too, then slipped out of the room. She didn’t want to be part of the questions and explanations, and she needed to think. In the corridor, she saw a table on which were staged plates of pastries and went to it, thinking to steal some for the boys. But then she saw the guard at the foot of the staircase in the foyer and stopped in her tracks.

It was the sister of the guard she’d done those things with. Cold and grim, the young woman stared at Lovisa with an expression that conveyed all the contempt Lovisa had no doubt she felt. She looked like her brother too. She was beautiful, tall, straight-shouldered, like Nev, like everything Lovisa wasn’t.

Cowed, Lovisa turned and slipped into her father’s library.

Chapter Sixteen

The fox who was bonded to Ferla Cavenda was having a very stressful evening, and it was the fault of four of his seven siblings. Because they came to the party, uninvited! They squeezed through the secret crack in the cellar foundations he wished he’d never told them about! He sensed their arrival during dinner. One of the other visiting foxes, who was bonded to a little man named Gorga Balava, sensed them too, and was absolutely incredulous.

I’ll handle it, Ferla’s fox told Gorga’s fox. Then he ran downstairs to confront them.

What are you doing here? he yelled at them while they fell all over one another, popping through the opening. It was Rascal, Rumpus, Lark, and Pickle. You’re risking the secrets of foxkind! The house is full of people who think foxes do what they’re told!

We ARE doing what we were told! they said. Our person told us to come!

Oh, he said, startled by this. But, why?

To be on hand in case she needs us for anything! they said. She’s so fun! We’ll split up. We’ll spread out. Anyone who sees us will think we’re you, or one of the invited foxes. Calm down, Ad!

“Ad” was short for “Adventure,” because his siblings, even if they never did what he said, at least acknowledged who he was. Their use of his chosen name placated him slightly, until they began to disperse in every direction.

Wait! he cried. Don’t move anything! Don’t use my tools! Don’t go into my heat ducts! Someone will see or hear you, and I’ll never be able to explain about the heat ducts! It’s one thing to obediently crash a party and another to reveal that foxes aren’t always honest! That I’M not honest! That I’m a builder and a spy in my own house!

It’s not our fault that you’ve taken your dishonesty to such extremes, Ad, they said. YOU’RE the one who’s risking the secrets of foxkind, by lying to your human TOO MUCH!