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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?

If I’m not free, then I have nothing to lose.

So I may as well do something drastic.

Chapter Twenty-eight

On Sunday morning, after he got home from Lovisa’s dormitory, the fox who was bonded to Ferla Cavenda sat in the corner of the attic room, peeking at the queen surreptitiously, worrying.

Should I talk to her? he wondered. Shouldn’t I?

For there was something the fox was beginning to fear, almost as deeply as he feared his favorite humans not surviving. The queen suspected so many of the secrets of foxkind. What if she survived, then told someone else all the things the fox had done?

Around noon, while a weak light shone through the window and snowflakes softly fell, he stood. She was lying on her back in the bed, rubbing her head and reminding herself that she was stronger than the way her captors made her feel.

Excuse me, he said.

She stilled in her bed. Then she sat up, resting her clear gray eyes upon him.

“Did you just talk to me, directly?” she said. “On purpose?”

The fox blinked at her. May I ask you for a favor? he said.

“Does this mean we’re bonded?” she said. “I thought you were bonded to that angry woman.”

I am, he said. But that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.

“Do you know my friends?” she said. “Giddon and Hava? Are they safe?”

I know of them, he said. I think they’re safe. They’re leaving for the north today. His siblings had told him that this very morning.

She breathed one long, slow sob. “What’s in the north?”

Many, many things, he said, but could we talk about that later?

“They’re in good health?”

Yes.

“Okay,” she said, pulling herself together, focusing on him. “You said you wanted a favor? Certainly I owe you a great many favors. But I thought foxes couldn’t talk to people unless they were bonded.”

The fox blinked again. Then he burst out with it, because he had to.

Humans are supposed to think that, he said. It’s one of the fallacies we propagate, to protect the secrets of foxkind. I’m not supposed to be talking to you.

The queen seemed struck by this. Her face was frozen with surprise. Then she wiped her eyes. “Have I lost my mind?”

No. I’ve been breaking a lot of the rules with you, because of not knowing how to help you. And also because I want to be honest with you. So badly! That’s why I need a favor.

“What favor?”

Something is going to happen, said the fox.

“What?”

I don’t know, he said, remembering the feeling of Lovisa that morning. I’m not sure. But I think a human is going to try to help you.

Another small sob escaped her. She waved at him to continue. “Please, go on.”