He wondered sometimes, now that he was free of Ferla Cavenda, if he needed to be so alone. What if news came through that Lovisa and the queen had gotten away someplace safe? What if Benni and Ferla were hauled off to jail and he didn’t have to plot and plan and worry anymore? If he could know that Lovisa no longer needed his protection . . . did that mean he could go far away, to a place where no one knew or cared what a blue fox did? Could he go as far away as Monsea, and live with someone he didn’t have to lie to? Could a blue fox be free?

—

Then the day came when Ledra’s head magistrate arrived at the Devrets’ front door. He had news: A person claiming to be Lovisa Cavenda had sent a signal message accusing Ferla and Benni Cavenda of kidnapping the Monsean queen and murdering an academy boy. The Monsean queen could confirm this, said the message. The queen was alive.

—

Lovisa was safe. The queen was safe. They were safe! The fox felt like his blood was made of light. Joy rushed in his ears. They were safe and this would all end soon. Ferla would go to jail, where she couldn’t hurt anyone. He would find them. He would go away with the queen. Everything was going to change!

Then something agonizing happened: nothing. Nothing happened. The head magistrate didn’t arrest Ferla or Benni. He didn’t even bring them to the Magistry to ask them questions. He told them that his was a courtesy visit, to inform them of the situation, but that naturally the Magistry would need to confirm that the message really came from Lovisa, that Lovisa was of sound mind, and most of all, that the Queen of Monsea really was alive, and if so, what she had to say about it.

“Where are they?” Ferla demanded of the magistrate.

“We don’t know yet,” said the head magistrate. “The message didn’t include the usual location marker.”

“That certainly doesn’t lend it credence,” said Benni.

“Nothing lends it credence!” said Ferla. “Someone is trying to frame you for a monstrous crime, Benni!”

“Frame me?” said Benni.

“Frame both of you,” the head magistrate corrected primly.

“It’s absurd,” said Ferla. “And the cruelty of it is stunning, when here we are, grieving our daughter’s death.”

“Indeed,” said the head magistrate. “The entire thing is stunning. I’m sure you’ll respond to our courtesy with courtesy of your own and stay in the Devret house until we have more information?”

Ferla put all of her vicious fury into her response. “Are you saying that we’re under house arrest? The president of Winterkeep and a member of Parliament?”