by AJ Merlin
“What’s going on?” I asked, leaning over to Yuna with my hands on the railing.
“Hmm.” She rested her forearms on the rail, the silver of her dress catching my eye.
I wanted to look more closely at what she wore, but my attention was fixated on Merric below.
“I think she’s mad,” Yuna observed unhelpfully. “It’s Merric, so we shouldn’t be surprised.”
“But she has nine tails too,” I argued. “If he’s pissed off someone that’s more on his level–“ Her chuckle cut through the tension in my body.
“George, that fox would never pick a fight with someone who might hurt him. Be reasonable.” She looked up at me, and one brow rose. “You’re really worried, aren’t you? Is there something I’m missing with him?”
“What?” I was confused. She knew he was my friend. Wasn’t it expected that I’d worry for him?
Then I realized what she meant, and my face reddened again.
“What? No,” I promised forcefully. “He doesn’t like me like that–Yuna, I don't think he likes me at all.”
She shrugged her pale shoulders, then looked downward again.
The woman was saying something, though I couldn’t understand the words.
“We aren’t in Japan,” Merric pointed out sweetly, when she was done spitting words at him that I had a feeling were not too friendly. “And I know you speak English. Everyone watching is missing half the show.”
He looked up at me and winked. My stomach did flip flops, but I fought to keep my face blank.
“You bring shame to us,” the woman accused, pointing one taloned finger at her. “With your actions and your lies.”
Merric put a hand to his chest like he was offended. “My lies? I’m sorry–I thought you and I were of the same kind. Or are you hiding a different kind of tail under all that fur?”
She gasped and said something else that was most definitely not English.
Still, the kitsune spread his arms wide, expression bewildered and innocent. “Here? You’re going to do that in front of all these people?” He bit his lip. “Oh, I’m not sure. I don’t know you very well, and I’ve never been much of an exhibitionist myself. Can I have a little while to think it over?”
Chuckles ran through the crowd around him, though two women with the opposing kitsune looked not at all amused.
“Your mother cried the day you were born,” the woman had switched back to English again.
“Probably,” he sighed. “I know my little chubby cheeks brought her such joy–“
“You show her nothing but disrespect. She should’ve taken your tails the moment they appeared, and–”
I felt cold. Very cold, like the heat had gone out and we’d been plunged into arctic winter.
Shivering, I saw I wasn't the only one.
I looked at Merric.
He hadn’t moved. He hadn’t done much other than tilt his chin upward, and perhaps the smile had fallen slightly from his lips.
But I knew the cold was him all the same.
The hair on the back of my neck stood up, and all of my magical senses suddenly screamed at me that something was wrong.
Even Yuna gripped the railing until it cracked under her fingers.
“Would you like to continue with the rest of that?” Merric murmured. The woman had stopped talking, and stared at him with wide eyes. “There’s a second part to that saying, and you look like you’re ready to spit it out.” His voice was cold, and devoid of all feeling.
He waited, his eyes on her like he wanted her to say it.
Like he’d jump on her when she did.
The woman looked back at her two companions, who stepped away from her.
“No?” Merric asked, a very small smile on his lips. “Do you need help remembering it?”
I was moving, then, my heels taking me across the second floor in mini showers of embers. No one seemed to notice. Yuna called after me, but didn’t follow.
Wishing I could take the stairs two at a time, I focused on where I was going even as I heard Merric speak again, his voice loud enough to echo.
“I think that you meant to add that you wish my father would have ended the line at its source.”
Goddess, was that really his voice? He sounded so very cold.
I pushed through the crowd of people, passing one of the council members in the process.
The red-haired woman looked me over, and grinned, before flicking her hand forward and sending two people sprawling to either side, giving me a clear path to the two near-combatants.
More than near, as I saw Merric twist his hand, the ends of his fingers turning black and crawling up his hand like veins.
While he had told me the other night that this was his true form, he’d left a few things out. His eyes had gone slitted, like a fox’s and his fingers ended in claws.
Magic played at his fingertips like little sparks of lightning.
Only, lightning wasn’t supposed to be black like that.
The gap between people put me closer to him, thankfully, and I broke free of the crowd just as Merric started to raise a hand.
He didn’t even seem to notice. I reached out, hoping I wasn’t going to regret it, and caught his wrist in my very tight grip.
I could feel the hunger of his magic, now directed at me, as the lightning and inky black seeped from him to me.
When I met his eyes, unwavering in my actions, I saw something that looked like a moment of fear.
“Enough,” I murmured, hearing the disappointment of the onlookers as he recalled his power and the blackness receded from us both.
But my hand was still cold, and so was he.
“Let go,” he breathed, eyes flashing in a warning.
“No.”
He sneered and tried to pull away, but I wouldn’t let him. “Because you don’t want me making a scene?”
“Because I don’t want you to be hurt.”
His struggles ceased. Merric scoffed, and the antarctic chill faded from the air. “Please. Her do anything to me?” He glared at the woman, who had sunk back into her group of friends.
He was probably right. I’d never felt magic so dark and inherently dangerous as his.
“Are you going to let go?” He sighed, wiggling his hand.
“Are you going to go after her?” I raised my eyebrows.
The roll of his eyes was unnecessarily dramatic. “No, O great Levessaur summoner. Last of her line and great-great-granddaughter of Delphine. If you will kindly stop trying to break my wrist, I will go and get myself more champagne.” He brandished an empty glass. “As you can see, I am out.”
Frowning, I still didn’t let go. The kitsune looked from me to my hand. “George, I do hope that you’re aware I’m only asking out of good manners. If you’d don’t let go of me in the next couple of seconds, we’re going to have to have a chat.”
“Aren’t we already having a chat?” I loosened my grip, sure he could pull away.
He didn’t. His eyes found mine, and for the first time, he looked me over from head to foot. His mouth opened, but the look of derision and dismissal was back in full force.
“It seems our chat will have to wait.” He extracted his wrist from my grip. “You have more important people lining up to get a look at the summoner extraordinaire.”
I hated how mocking it sounded, and frowned.
Before I could speak, however, he disappeared into the crowd, leaving no confusion that he didn’t want to be followed.
“That was rather dangerous, don’t you think?” The head of the council moved to stand at my left shoulder. “He could’ve killed you with that little spell.”
I turned to look at her. “Is he in trouble for it?”
“If I took note of everyone in attendance who was trying to do harm here tonight, I would never get to any other business for a year,” the witch informed me. “Most just aren’t so upfront with their intentions. Normally he isn’t either. And Mitsuko has never been so good at pul
ling his tail with such success. I’ll have to remember to invite her next year.”
A thrill of surprise went through me. “You wanted them to do that?”
Her smile was sly and full of deeper intentions. “Is it wrong of me to know how to push his buttons, when he is what he is?”
“A void kitsune,” I remarked offhandedly.
“The only nine-tailed void kitsune,” she corrected me. “And the first. It’s quite terrifying what he can do with the power of nine tails at his disposal.”
“Why is he the only one?”
Her look was pitying. “Georgette, darling. The kitsune mostly take care of their own. If a member of a family has a quarrelsome nature, the parents of that kitsune will often cut off the child’s tails before they’ve come into their powers. Then, the parents will do the same to themselves.”
“But that’s so cruel!” I gasped. “And Merric isn’t quarrelsome.”
She scrutinized me before speaking again. “I don’t think we’ve been introduced.” She held one hand out to me, her black nails long and perfectly manicured. “I am Angelica Good.” She shook my hand, hers feeling cool against my skin, and dropped it.
“I’m just George,” I said, giving her a polite smile. “My mom’s the only one who still calls me Georgette.”
“But it is a beautiful name,” Angelica looked shocked. “I can’t believe you don’t use it in its entirety.”
I also didn’t normally walk around announcing who I was, or my great-great grandmother’s name, but I didn’t say that.
“Do you live around here?” I said instead.
She shook her head. “But for you, I could visit. Or you could come see me. I hear you’re without a coven. Have you considered starting one of your own?” She said it so casually, like it was an option.
I stepped back, feeling whiplash from her change of topic. “No, I don’t think–“
“Oh, but of course. You’d rather take over an established one, being so young. Why not do so with Collette’s? She was due for a replacement anyway.”
It was as if me killing Collette Villere, leader of the New Orleans coven before I’d come along, wasn’t that big of a big deal to her. I wasn’t sure how to feel about that.
“I don’t want a coven,” I told her firmly. “I’m happy with how I am. My cousin and I live together, and I like it that way.”
“I still would like to introduce you to my coven someday,” Angelica shrugged. “Perhaps for my own ego. Your cousin would be welcome as well. And I’ll remember to look out for her on next year’s guest list.” She nodded thoughtfully. “Have a good night, Georgette. It was good getting to speak with you. As I said, we’ll have to do this again in a more private setting.”
She didn’t wait for a reply. She simply walked away, greeting another guest with a hug and kiss to the cheek. Her blatant ignoring of my name preferences prickled at my skin, but there was nothing I could actually do.
Yuna rejoined me, giving me the oddest look as we walked back to the upper floor and circled the room.
“That wasn’t very smart of you, is what I should say,” the cecaelia commented finally. “His magic is very dangerous, and I doubt you would have been able to shield yourself from even a little bit of it. A kitsune with less control would have killed you without meaning to.”
“Do you know any kitsune other than him?” I asked, leaning my hip against the sturdy golden railing.
Yuna nodded. “I used to travel. I’ve met more than one kitsune, and even two other void foxes. Why?”
“Is he like them? I mean-do all kitsune act so…” I searched for the word, though couldn’t settle on the proper term.
“All foxes are tricksters,” Yuna filled in. “But Merric is certainly….unique. He’s more arrogant than any kitsune I’ve met, celestial foxes included.”
“How old do you think he is?”
Her eyes landed on mine. “I think you’ll have to ask him that yourself, but I would be willing to bet on one thing.” A small grin played at her features. “I think he’s older than our friendly vampire king. By a lot, in fact.”
“Really?” I couldn’t believe that. Cian was much more mature, and always knew how to handle a situation, from what I’d seen.
Merric was….well. Yuna had put it rather nicely. An arrogant trickster.
“I’d take that bet,” I replied. “No way Cian is younger than Merric.”
Yuna’s eyebrows shot up in authentic surprise. “You would? Let’s find out. The person who wins gets to ask the other person to do one thing, and they have to do it. Obviously, within reason. Also, you need to be the one to figure out their ages. I’m not asking,” the cecaelia warned.
“Fine by me,” I agreed. I was sure Indra and Akiva knew Cian’s age. And Merric was….
I turned, looking over my shoulder and scanning the ballroom.
There he was. On the same floor as me with the champagne glass still in his hand, but far across the room and leaning on the wall near an archway that led out of the room.
Maybe I could go walking with him, to see if he sniffed out any rampant chaos in the area.
So far, I hadn’t scented any of the magic taken from the killer’s victims.
But maybe leaving this room would give me more clues, if there were any to be found.
I blinked, suddenly realizing that Merric was staring at me from across the room, like some cliche scene in a movie where the villain stood ominously, obscured by distance and the crowd.
All in all, Merric did make a pretty good villain when he wanted to, so the comparison wasn’t far off.
“Go ask. I know you want to,” Yuna dared. “Besides…” She leaned in close, sliding an arm over my shoulders and pulling me close. “I need to think of a wonderful prize for when you lose. And…” She nudged me to turn around, and I did so, sinking back into her grip.
“Those sirens are afraid of me,” she said in my ear, obliging me and wrapping her arms loosely around my waist.
“Really?” I looked in the same directions as her, eyes flicking from one guest to another. “How can you tell….” I trailed off as my attention landed squarely on a group of fine-boned, beautiful women. All of them wore dresses that sparkled like the scales of a fish, and glanced intermittently back at my companion.
“You’re not going to do anything to them, are you?” I asked, gripping her arm lightly.
“Of course not. But I will go say hello.” She drew away from me, but not before brushing her lips against my shoulder and making me shudder. “Go win our bet for me, George,” she called, walking away in a very confident stride.
I blinked, surprised by the back of her dress. I’d thought she wore a silver, iridescent dress that shimmered in the lights of the ballroom, but I hadn’t seen the back. The short train lapped like waves on the floor, seemingly an actual part of the ocean.
How did a dress look so convincingly like the waves ?
Magic, George, I sighed internally, not moving until she’d circled the pack of mermaids.
After allowing myself to appreciate her a little longer, I squared my shoulders and turned, inhaling deeply with parted lips to take in the scents of the ballroom.
Only the clashing smells of so many people came to my brain. While everyone’s scent was mixed with an undertone of power, there was nothing here like I’d been feeling in the city. No bitter, burned smell. No trailing dark voodoo power.
It surprised me that I was able to almost easily pick out the scents of my friends. I hadn’t thought I’d known them long enough for that, but they were as distinct to me as anyone in my family.
Cloves and the sense of heated air, for Indra.
Sand and spices I couldn’t name, for Akiva.
Blood and cold forests, for Cian.
The smell of the open water, for Yuna.
But nothing for Merric.
Still, I could see him. He still stood at the arched entrance of the hallway, gazing into a champagne glass that was nearly e
mpty.
When I was close enough, the kitsune looked up with the flash of a grin and turned to disappear into the hallway.
“Damn it, Merric,” I mumbled. If it was just the bet I was seeking answers for, I might have let him go. But I wanted to make sure he was all right, and that his feathers had unruffled themselves, after what had happened.
My steps quickened, the embers from my heels more visible when I hurried, and followed after him.
Chapter 17
Merric was not in the hallway.
A few others were, mostly couples who leaned against one another and whispered private things that I worked very hard not to hear. Doors lined either side, and when I peered into an open one I found a small lounge where a group of older women dressed in clothes that might have been in fashion two hundred years ago sat and talked.
One looked up at me, scowled, and the door closed in my face. Hard.
“Okay then,” I murmured, my heels clicking on the marble floor. The walls here were a dark, luxurious red with columns of gold interspaced around the doors. Surely no one lived here, did they? It was too much for day to day life, surely.
A woman inside smiled at me, the look in her dark eyes dangerous.
I didn’t stop. I did scent the air frequently, however, but still found nothing suspicious. Though, whether I was looking for Merric or some errant telltale sign of bad magic, I wasn’t sure.
Was there even anything to find? I wasn’t sure Marinette would be too happy when I told her that, short of announcing why I was there and interrogating the gala guests, I had done everything I knew to do. Everything inconspicuous, anyway. I had a feeling turning into a wolf and getting in touch with my inner Scooby Doo would be greatly frowned upon here.
A door near the end of the hallway stood open, prompting my gaze. Something flashed, very briefly, in the doorway, and my steps slowed.
It had looked like a white furred tail.
If Merric was going to start shaking his tails at me to make me follow, we really were going to have to have a little chat, as he had threatened me with earlier.
But, like a good puppy, I followed the gesture. Without hesitation, I walked into the room, words ready for him when I saw his face.