I remember, he said. I’m injured. I’m dying! I know important things about Lovisa and the queen! I know where they are and what they’re planning to do!

Ferla was electrified with excitement and alarm. Where are you?

I’m outside the front door! he said. But it’s cold, Ferla! I’m dying!

Ferla pushed out of her bedroom and moved toward the stairs. She was still recovering from her head injury. He felt her dizziness. Hurry! he cried. I’m fading!

Ferla staggered through darkness. The fox waited in a panic, screaming at himself not to jump out too soon, for that would ruin everything. Then, as she neared the top step, he sprang into her path. Ferla’s sharp foot stabbed into his side and he yelped, scrambled for purchase, pushed against her, trying to unbalance her. Ferla tripped and went flying. She hit the oil and slipped again. She tried to grab on to the banister and it wobbled, slipped out of her hands.

Crashing down the steps, she landed in a heap at the bottom.

The fox clambered down after Ferla, gasping at the pain in his side, realizing that now she knew what he’d done. If Ferla survived this, he would have to grovel, come up with excuses, pretend his mind had been injured in the fire, go through every kind of contortion to keep her from believing his disloyalty. For if he didn’t, she would guess that foxes lied. And maybe there were some humans who could safely know the secrets of foxkind, but Ferla wasn’t one of them. He wouldn’t be able to leave her. He would have to stay, penitent and devoted, until he was sure she trusted him again. He would be hers.

At the bottom of the steps, he found her whimpering. In the dim light of the landing, he could tell that she was twisted oddly, one of her legs bent wrong and one of her arms trapped under her body. It was better luck than he’d dared to expect. How could a fox ever kill a human? his siblings had said.

Her head was arched back, her coat open at the top, exposing her throat. Fox, she shouted, vicious, furious, frightened. Fox. I’m going to kill you.

Quickly, the fox checked the house again for waking humans. He found none. Then, as if he were moving through a dream, he lifted the pads of his paws to the delicate part of Ferla’s throat. Bracing his hind legs as hard as he could, he pressed. What did I just do? he said. I thought I was outside in the cold. I’m so sorry! Did I hurt you?

Something feels wrong, said Ferla. I’m choking! Fox! Are you choking me?