Page 35 of The Purrfect Rival

“For now,” Marisol interjected, coming out onto the porch. “It’s time we discussed the true nature of the stolen artifact.” Her mother sat next to her father. “The charm wasn’t just decorative. It contains essence-magic from our ancestors designed to amplify natural fox abilities.”

“Including reality-bending,” Winston added gravely. “The ancient warning states: ‘When the two-tailed charm leaves fox hands, illusions may become reality’—our greatest power twisted into physical form.”

Kalyna’s mind raced, connections forming with lightning speed. “That’s why the records mentioned ‘making solid what isn’t real.’ He’s not trying to transfer fox magic to lions; he’strying to harness the charm’s amplification properties to make lion magic stronger.”

“Precisely,” Winston nodded.

“To what end?” Rust asked.

“Power,” Kalyna answered before her parents could. “Pure, unfiltered magical dominance. If Boz could combine lion strength with fox reality manipulation...”

“He could create or destroy at will,” Rust finished grimly. “No wonder he wants it.”

“But the charm was designed for twin-tailed foxes specifically,” Kalyna pointed out. “How could he possibly adapt it?”

“That’s not all that concerns me,” Marisol interjected. “The magical connection forming between you two is rare and powerful. Such bonds have historically attracted attention—not all of it welcome.”

“What kind of attention?” Kalyna asked, though her fox already sensed the answer.

“Those who seek power without earning it,” Winston explained. “In ancient times, fox-lion pairings were celebrated for their unique capabilities. They could accomplish feats neither species could achieve alone.”

“Which made them targets,” Marisol added, “for those who would take such power for themselves.”

“Like Boz,” Rust’s expression hardened.

THIRTY-ONE

Kalyna stood abruptly, pacing as she processed this information. Her analytical mind whirred with implications, connecting disparate facts into a coherent pattern.

“The timing aligns,” she thought aloud. “Boz began expressing interest in the charm around the same time Rust became mayor. He must have suspected the potential for a magical connection between us.”

“How could he know?” Echo asked, abandoning the pretense of reading. “You’d barely met.”

“He wouldn’t need to know for certain,” Kalyna replied. “Just suspect the possibility since a two-tailed fox was alive and single. Lion-fox magical compatibility is rare but documented. The Leonid and Foxworthy lines have crossed paths before.”

“And my appointment as mayor meant we’d inevitably interact,” Rust added.

“Exactly.” Kalyna snapped her fingers, creating small sparks of foxfire. “The library renovation project guaranteed close collaboration.”

“And if potential compatibility existed,” Winston concluded, “proximity would activate it.”

“So Boz accelerated his plans,” Kalyna continued. “He stole the charm before our magic could fully connect, hoping to harness its power before we realized our potential.”

“Hold on a second,” Echo slapped his book closed, “are you all saying that the stolen pinecone-looking thing isn’t a prank?”

All eyes turned to him. “What do you mean, Echo?” Kalyna asked.

His eyes widened a bit. “I-I mean that maybe whoever took it was playing a prank on the town. This sounds like a prank, and I am the king of prankster-ism.”

“So you’re admitting you did it? You’re hiding the talisman?” Kalyna huffed.

“What? No,” Echo spat. “I’m not hiding the talisman. I’mjust saying.”

“Well,just sayit somewhere else.” This was wasting valuable time. “We need to recover the charm before he figures out how to activate it,” Kalyna declared. “And we need to present a united front at the skulk meeting tomorrow. Make it clear that petty lineage politics are secondary to the real threat.”

Echo whistled low. “You want to stand before Lysander and the elders and tell them their precious traditions don’t matter?”

“No,” Kalyna corrected. “I want to remind them what those traditions were meant to protect—our community, our magic, our future. Not arbitrary boundaries between species.”

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