Skulk of Foxes

by Helen Harper

  ‘I didn’t actually kill Charrie,’ I said. ‘He was working with me, not against me. It’s … complicated.’

  ‘Is that why you’re here and not in prison?’

  ‘Kind of,’ I admitted. I wrinkled my nose. ‘You know we can’t actually trust you, right? You can tag along but we can’t divulge any secrets. For all we know, you’re still in love with Rubus and on his side.’

  Lunaria stared at me. ‘Of course I’m still in love with Rubus. Of course I’m still on his side. That’s why I can’t let him use the sphere. I can’t have the man I adore being responsible for ending the world! Imagine how he’d feel afterwards when he came to his senses!’

  I wasn’t convinced that Rubus had any senses to come to but Lunaria was being entirely earnest. She wanted to save him from himself; only that way could she truly prove her love to him. I sighed. As motives went, I’d heard worse but I didn’t think it was going to work out well for her in the end.

  A strange light appeared in her eyes. Up until now, I’d always taken Lunaria to be remarkably dippy and far too naïve but she’d possessed a rational core. Now, however, there was a fervent air about her that was giving me pause. When things were so bad that the likes of me was getting worried about the state of someone’s mind, it was almost definitely time to run for the hills.

  ‘Talk to him, Mads,’ she said. ‘Talk to Rubus. He’ll listen to you.’

  ‘If he listened to me, then none of us would even be here right now. Rubus doesn’t listen to anyone.’ I grabbed her hands and squeezed them, attempting to bring her back down to reality. ‘We have to stop him, Looney. We have to do whatever it takes to stop what he’s doing. That’s how we help him.’

  ‘How?’ she whispered. ‘How do we stop him though?’ Her fingers tightened round mine. ‘He’s a hero, Mads. A real hero. He only wants to save us all. In return we have to save him. If people die, it’ll hurt him so badly.’

  I was starting to get seriously irked. ‘Lunaria, people have already died. And they’ve died because of him. He killed Viburna. In the most cold-blooded fashion possible. And he’s done the same to others. Finn’s brother met the same fate at Rubus’s hands.’

  Her eyes filled with tears and her bottom lip trembled.

  ‘Stay with us,’ I urged. ‘If you can’t stop Rubus when you’re with him, then you can join us and help us to stop him.’

  ‘No,’ she said, ‘I’m not here to stay with you, I’m here to help you. I don’t want to know where the sphere is or what you’re doing. Rubus is going crazy. You mentioned Viburna. Ever since she died, he’s been stalking around like a madman. He broke Amellus’s arm because he took too long to fetch his breakfast. He chopped off Citrona’s pinky when he thought she was yawning. He’s sent faeries out across the city to find you all. There’s a group in front of the Metropolitan Bar, another searching for Artemesia, and a few dozen who are making their way here. I only managed to get in front of them because these crazy fireball things started coming from the sky. It won’t be long before they’re here. Rubus is going to tear this city apart to find that sphere.’ She licked her lips. ‘And everyone’s afraid of him enough to help him to do it. The more people he hurts, the more he’s going to hurt himself.’

  I breathed deeply. Lunaria’s words filled me with foreboding. ‘How did you know I’d be here?’ I asked. ‘Why did you come here and not go somewhere else?’

  Lunaria glanced away. ‘You might not remember who you are,’ she said, ‘but I do. I knew you’d feel guilty about killing Charrie and that you’d want to come to see his family. If Rubus understood guilt and how it can eat away at a person, he’d have sent more Fey this way, but he thinks this is a long shot. The faeries he’s sent will still do damage to the bogles, though.’

  ‘I didn’t kill Charrie,’ I said absently. I did still feel guilty though. I turned round, glancing back at the assembled group. Alora was there, and Bally and lots of other kids. I had to get them out of here. ‘How long do we have, Lunaria? How long till they’re here?’

  ‘I had a half-hour head start.’ She bit her lip. Sanity appeared to glimmer in her eyes again. Praise be. ‘There’s not much time,’ she whispered.

  I nodded. ‘Then if you’re not staying with us, you’d better get out of here.’ Even in her current state, she had to realise what a risk she was taking by talking to me and spilling Rubus’s plans.

  ‘Wait!’ Lunaria reached out and grabbed my arm. ‘Do you know why it was raining fire? Why all those animals went crazy?’

  ‘Us,’ I told her sadly. ‘It was us and our use of magic that caused it. That’ll only be the beginning of it, if Rubus gets his way.’

  Her eyes were as wide as saucers. ‘I heard there was a pink elephant.’

  I paused. ‘Did you see it?’

  She shook her head. Gasbudlikins. I only wanted a glimpse. I met her eyes one final time. ‘Thank you, Looney Tunes,’ I whispered. ‘Take care of yourself.’

  She smiled back at me. ‘You’re welcome.’ A moment later, she spun on her heel.

  I stayed where I was, watching as she skittered away. Despite the urgency of the situation, the worry I felt for Lunaria was growing. When she finally disappeared round the corner, I shook myself. There was more than Lunaria’s well-being at stake.

  I ran back to the bogles. Morgan’s body was tense and his eyes scanned my face as if he wanted to check that I wasn’t suffering any mortal wounds from chatting. He had good enough hearing, though; he would have picked up every word we said.

  ‘We have to get everyone out of here. You all need to evacuate now!’ I bellowed.

  Nobody moved. ‘Didn’t you hear me? Rubus has sent a contingent of Fey here. They’re looking for me and for Morgan. They’re desperate to find the sphere and desperate to please their evil overlord. Forget flaming rain – that lot will burn this entire estate to the ground without even thinking about it!’

  The bogles exchanged looks. Sitri stepped forward with Alora right at his back. ‘This is our home,’ he said. ‘We’re not leaving.’

  I threw up my hands. ‘I get that you all have sharp swords but, by your own admission, you’re not properly able to attack. Your best chance is to run.’

  Sitri shook his head. ‘The children will be led to safety. The rest of us will stand our ground.’

  ‘No! You can’t do this. Those Fey are going to—’

  ‘Those Fey are going to do what they’re going to do. We’re not cowards, Madrona. We’ve faced them before. We’re not just going to walk away now, no matter what happens.’

  ‘It’s not about being a coward. It’s about doing what’s sensible.’

  Alora reached out and clasped my shoulder. ‘We all do what we have to. We might still be able to talk them down. We might not. But Charrie didn’t cower from his challenge and we won’t cower from ours.’

  I stared helplessly at Morgan. Rubus’s faeries were already in a state of high tension. By executing Viburna, he’d effectively said that everyone was fair game – so they wouldn’t care if they hurt any bogles. Rubus had whipped them up into a frenzy and had instigated mob rules.

  ‘Then we have to stay,’ I said. ‘Morgan and I can help. At least our magic will match theirs. With us, you’ll have a chance.’

  Sitri was adamant. ‘No. Your presence will only inflame matters. You won’t help.’

  ‘But…’

  He held up his palm. ‘This is our choice to make.’ He turned to a small group of bogles standing to one side. ‘Round up the kids and get them to safety. Everyone else needs to take their places. We’ve prepared for this.’ He glanced back at me. ‘When your lot didn’t leave ten years ago, we started preparing. We are ready.’

  I didn’t see how that was possible. ‘Morgan,’ I said desperately. ‘We can’t—’

  ‘It’s their choice, Maddy,’ he said. I could see my own emotions reflected in his face. ‘We have to respect that.’

  ‘I’m the Madhatter,’ I snarled. ‘I don’t hav
e to respect anything.’

  Morgan exchanged a look with Sitri. ‘But you will,’ he said quietly.

  My shoulders dropped.

  Sitri smiled. ‘We’re stronger than you think. But first we’ll attempt to keep matters calm. Only if and when that fails will we defend our homes physically.’ His tone brooked no argument. I wasn’t going to change his mind, no matter what I did.

  ‘We should go, Maddy,’ Morgan said. ‘They’ve made their choice. And Sitri’s right – if any Fey see us, this will be a whole lot worse.’

  Gasbudlikins. I sighed and shook my head. I was very tempted to stamp my feet but I doubted it would help. ‘What if they use magic?’ I asked. ‘They could.’ I pointed at the blue sky. ‘What comes after raindrops of fire if even more magic is unleashed?’

  ‘We’ll be sure to point that out to them.’ Sitri was almost preternaturally calm. ‘Now go.’

  More than twenty young bogle kids had already been ushered down a side lane. Morgan grabbed my hand and tugged. I looked at Alora but all she did was smile in return.

  ‘We can do this, Madrona,’ she told me. ‘Charrie would want us to do this.’ She pulled me into a quick hug. ‘Stay safe. And, more importantly, focus on that sphere. Whatever happens, it can’t be triggered. For all our sakes.’

  I nodded. I had to focus on that; I had to keep the sphere safe. ‘Take care,’ I told her.

  She raised her fist to her chest, touching her heart briefly. ‘Always.’

  Morgan and I left, initially following the children and their guardians before peeling away from them in the opposite direction. At the end of the street I turned and watched as they vanished round a corner. They all seemed to know what they were doing. Sitri was right: they’d been expecting something like this for the last ten years. They knew what they were doing – but it didn’t mean I couldn’t help.

  I pulled my hand from Morgan’s and stomped over to an old phone box, which had clearly seen better days. It looked forlorn and lonely in this new digital age.

  ‘Maddy!’ Morgan barked. ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘What I can to help,’ I said, staying calm. If the bogles could keep level heads, so could I. I dug into my pocket for some coins and drew out DC Jones’s card at the same time.

  She answered on the third ring. ‘This is Detective Constable Jones,’ she said, in a brisk, no-nonsense voice.

  ‘It’s Madrona Hatter. I’m in a housing estate close to Boggart Hole. I assume you saw at least some of what happened outside your police station just after I was released. Unless you want to see more of the same, you need to send the cavalry here now.’ I dropped the receiver, leaving it dangling in the air while Jones’s tinny voice punch out a series of rapid-fire questions. Then I left the phone box, the heavy door slamming back into place behind me.

  Morgan eyed me. ‘I don’t think the Manchester police have cavalry.’

  I shrugged. ‘They’ll work something out. Given all that’s happened today with the magic crap, they’ll be busy and in over their heads. DC Jones takes me more seriously than she lets on. She’ll do her best by the bogles.’ My mouth turned down. ‘Even if we can’t.’

  ‘We’re doing what they asked us to,’ he said.

  ‘That doesn’t make it right.’

  Morgan nodded, maintaining eye contact. ‘I know.’ He ran a hand through his hair. ‘Everything’s going to shit.’

  I set my chin. ‘We still have the sphere. Sort of. Well, at least Rubus doesn’t have it. As far as I’m concerned, that counts as a win. We should start warning the others that he’s sending out troops, though.’

  Morgan held up a small white shell. ‘I’ve already spoken to Artemesia. We’re re-grouping back at Julie’s house. Rubus knows her, of course, but I’m told her place is safe.’

  ‘It is. She’s a vampire so no one can step across her threshold without her permission.’ At his look, I laughed slightly. ‘I know, right? It’s as if everything we’ve ever been told about vampires is wrong.’ A faint warning flash of pain jumped through me and I sucked in a breath.

  I cast a glance back at the bogles’ estate. It was still quiet. For now. I sighed. The only thing I could do was wish them the best of luck. ‘Let’s go.’

  Morgan didn’t move. ‘Before we do…’ He dipped his head towards my ear, ‘I’m proud to be your sidekick,’ he whispered.

  I offered him a tiny smile in return. ‘If we ever make it out of this,’ I told him, ‘I’ll get you a great costume. A thong, perhaps. And nothing else.’ I winked. ‘Time to vamoose, Snail Boy.’

  Chapter Ten

  The only person visible on Julie’s street was a cocky human kid strolling with his hands in his pockets. The fact that he angled his head up to the sky every few steps or so suggested that he wasn’t quite as confident as he was pretending to be. I bit back the temptation to yell at him to stay inside. I had the distinct feeling that telling him what to do would only result in the complete opposite. Instead, I caught up to him and raised my hand up for a high five.

  ‘Hey! You’re like me!’ I grinned. ‘We’re not going to let a few things like rampaging rats and fireballs stop us from being out and about! I’m not scared in the slightest. You don’t look scared either.’

  The teenager glared at me for daring to talk to him. ‘Piss off,’ he grunted.

  I widened my eyes and spun round several times until I made myself dizzy. ‘Only boring, sane people are staying in their homes,’ I declared loudly. ‘Is it true that the army are on their way to protect us? Because I wouldn’t mind stealing one of their tanks, you know. Even if they don’t come, it won’t do any good. This is all because of MI5. They’ve engineered all this crap because they’re doing nuclear testing.’ I tapped the side of my nose. ‘I know, see? They can’t fool me.’

  The teenager flicked a look over my shoulder at Morgan, who just shrugged and put his hands in his pockets.

  I stretched my grin even wider. ‘He thinks we should go inside but I want to see the end of the world. First fire, then there will be floods.’ I pointed down at a nearby drain. ‘The waters will come from there. The four horsemen of the apocalypse will ride through town. There will be pestilence and—’

  ‘Screw you, lady!’ the boy yelled. ‘I’m going home!’ He marched away, his feet moving at double time.

  I watched him as he trotted off and mentally patted myself on the back. With any luck, he would do as he said. If he believed that the only people out on the street were weirdos with questionable sanity, there was more chance he’d make the sensible choice and stay indoors for the time being. For all I knew, floods really were going to happen next.

  Then a thought occurred to me. ‘Hey!’ I called out. ‘Have you seen any pink elephants?’

  He didn’t answer but scarpered off round the corner.

  Morgan came up to my shoulder. ‘That was good of you,’ he said quietly.

  ‘I’m the Madhatter,’ I intoned. ‘I am keeping the mean streets clear so that children are safe.’ I paused. ‘He should have been more grateful. He probably didn’t recognise me without my fabulous cape.’

  Morgan didn’t smile. That was hardly surprising: the first time I remembered meeting him, I’d been wearing the aforementioned cape. Even I had to admit that it wasn’t quite as fabulous as I wished it was.

  Without warning, he planted a hard kiss on my lips. Before he could pull away, I grabbed his shoulders and hooked one leg round his thigh. It wasn’t right that he should taste quite this good. I’d never tried pixie dust, the addictive Fey drug that I’d been selling prior to my amnesia, but I’d bet my best knickers that it wasn’t nearly as addictive as Morgan’s kiss. Heady. Dizzy making. Groin tightening…

  From somewhere to our left there was a loud cough. I flicked a look over long enough to register the group standing on Julie’s doorstep watching us.

  Breaking off the kiss, Morgan growled, ‘This isn’t a peep show.’

  Julie started to fan herself. ‘It would ce
rtainly be one of the hotter ones if it were. My goodness, darlings!’

  I smiled in a smug, self-satisfied manner – then I noticed just how pale she looked. Finn, who was also there, was hovering behind her as if her legs were about to give way.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ I demanded. ‘I’ve already consigned an entire species to disaster today. I don’t want to lose the only v— uh, soap star I’ve ever met too.’ Godammit with this magic NDA crap. I quashed the repeated flare of pain.

  ‘They all know what I am, darling,’ Julie said, with a weak wave of her hand. ‘Under the circumstances it seemed pertinent to reveal the truth. And thank you for asking but I’m fine. Just a little sniffle.’

  It didn’t look to me as if she had a little sniffle. I frowned at her. Behind her, Finn frantically waved his hands then made a cutting motion across his throat. ‘What’s up with you, Finn?’ I enquired. ‘Do you want me to cut off your head? Because I don’t have any handy bogle swords with me. I suppose I could try a kitchen knife.’

  He rolled his eyes in irritation and hissed at me. Julie smiled and reached back to pat his hand. ‘Finn’s a bit worried about me. Honestly, though, it’s absolutely nothing. In you come.’

  Morgan and I stepped inside while everyone else moved back. It was fortunate that Julie’s house was on the grandiose side of large. Our beat-Rubus-into-the-ground-and-save-the-world crowd seemed to be growing bigger every time I turned around. It was probably just as well.

  Timmons loped into view. ‘I’ve been monitoring the police radio. There was a disturbance at the estate where the bogles live but everyone seems to have dispersed for now. Was that you guys?’

  Morgan shook his head. ‘No,’ he said grimly. ‘I’ll give you three guesses as to who was responsible. The bogles knew it was coming and turfed us out so they could deal with it on their own.’ He glanced at me sideways. ‘It appears they did the right thing.’