“Not particularly,” she said. “When would I? I don’t exactly get invitations to your house.”

“Oh,” said Lovisa, disappointed. “Oh well.”

“Also,” said Nev, “why would I do you a favor?”

Lovisa hesitated, considering. Then she said, “For a complicated reason that includes punishing Pari Parnin.”

This was met with a brief silence. Then Nev spoke. “How old is your mother’s fox?”

Lovisa did a quick calculation. “Seven or eight, maybe?”

“Then it’s probably one of the ones who’s not flying around like it’s intent on tripping people. The manic ones are usually the young ones.”

“Oh. I haven’t seen any keeping still.”

“They’re less noticeable. They’re mostly either standing with their person, or watching the party from the edges of the stairs. Excuse me,” said Nev, slipping away. A moment later, Lovisa saw her joining Nori, the two of them grinning at each other in the shadow of an archway. When Nev grinned, it transformed her face, lighting her up with joy and mischief. It made Lovisa wonder if Nev ever kissed girls. It also made her feel sharply alone.

Whatever. Lovisa turned to examine the edge of the nearest staircase. Immediately she saw what Nev meant, for foxes crowded the spaces between the banisters, just like her little brothers did at home during dinner parties. One of them suddenly sprang to the floor from an alarming height—one Lovisa recognized, by her smallness and the bandage on her face. That was Nev’s fox, Little Guy. Lovisa could see her bolting between people’s feet toward Nev, and wondered if they were bonded yet. Tell her not to hook up with that rotten loser! Lovisa shouted at the fox, uselessly, of course.

Then a fox watching Lovisa from the steps caught her attention, and held it. She recognized that long-nosed profile, those perky ears. For a moment, the fox held her gaze with his flashing eyes. Then he stood and slunk away, but not before confirming what Lovisa now knew. Her mother’s fox was here.

—

When the fox who was bonded to Ferla Cavenda saw Lovisa glaring up at him on the staircase, he understood, instantly, what she was planning to do.

And now the entire calamity of what was likely to transpire was playing out in his mind, for he knew something Lovisa didn’t know: Ferla, who had one of her stress headaches, was planning to leave the party early and go home.