Page 25 of Fox of Fox Hall

Fox wanted with sudden surprising need to giveConall what he wanted. Maybe because he also wanted it. Or becauseit didn’t hurt to beg for someone who begged for him too.

“Then hold it.” Fox couldn’t raise his voiceabove a whisper, and waited to speak again until he was doneshivering from each brush of Conall’s fingers as he gathered upFox’s hair and held it in a firm twist at the top of Fox’s head.Fox’s mouth was watering, but he remembered both the terms of thegame and the way Conall had looked at him while licking Fox’s slickfrom his hand. He inched his knees farther apart, wet breeches ondisplay, then gazed up at Conall imploringly. “Conall,” he begansweetly, Conall’s muscles shivering under his hands, “I’d like youto knot my mouth.”

Conall’s growl was soft. “Ask me.” A move of hiswrist and Fox’s hair was tighter in his grip, although notpainfully so. “You’re an impossibly beautiful creature, pretty andwanting, but that is not begging, Fox. Beg for it.”

Fox leaned forward, lightly, barely, testingConall’s hold. It didn’t give and Conall’s hungry gaze didn’twaver. Fox thought he could say anything and Conall would answerhow Fox wanted him to.

He wet his lips again. “Please.” He sighed it,shifting on his knees again as if that would ease the ache of beingso empty. “Please let me taste you.” That was a sigh too, oddlywarm and content despite his need. “Stuff my mouth before you stuffmy hole again. Please, Conall. Please. I need you.”

It didn’t feel like begging in the slightest.Not when Conall drew Fox closer with one hand to give him what hewanted. Fox opened his mouth, thinking only that it felt good,right, to be at Conall’s mercy again.

“Please,” he said, and soared among the cloudswhen Conall obeyed.

Chapter Nine

Fox’s morning wasn’t nearly as lovely as hisevening. A little wobbly but otherwise awake and aware, Fox arrivedat Saravar and barely had time to eat an apple before a flusteredservant found him and nearly dragged him to the series of openrooms outside of Domvoda’s bedroom. The rooms were not as busy asthe receiving rooms but still had plenty of byr in them to take upspace and make noise.

The byr selected to be there appeared moreself-satisfied than usual, which Fox understood once he grasped thereason for the more private gathering; someone must have advisedDomvoda to spend more time with the Potentials beyond dinnerconversation.

Domvoda was currently sitting before a wide,opened window, his eyes heavy lidded as if exhausted or bored,while Byr Din Stilbis Zilbici et tzuks sat next to him, his longhair arranged prettily over one shoulder.

Fox had one more reason to be glad his night hadbeen too busy to bother styling his hair as he usually did. Hedebated saying something, but in the end kept silent, intending tostay in a corner unless music was called for.

But Domvoda saw him and sent a ripple throughthe crowd by waving Fox over and then waving again to direct Fox tosit on a small seat not far from him. Fox did as ordered, greetingthe king and nodding to Byr Din before sending his gaze to a vaguepoint in the distance.

There was no one, even in an arranged match thathad nothing to do with affection, who would want their potentiallover’s former lover there with them as they got to know oneanother… if ‘former lover’ was even how Domvoda would havedescribed Fox. The byr in the room might have—until Domvoda hadspecially called Fox to his side like this. Now they were clearlyless certain. They weren’t the only ones.

It had been strange enough when the Potentialshad first arrived and Fox had felt each of them study him in turn.Domvoda had many discarded lovers, but Fox was well-known becausehe was common and because he’d stayed in Domvoda’s bed so long, andbecause he was still permitted near him. The byr loved to tellstories of Fox and if the Potentials had not heard those storiesbefore agreeing to these meetings—which Fox doubted—they would haveheard them since.

Byr Din’s voice faltered in his description of aplant, which was an unexpected interest although likely not oneDomvoda would care for. Fox pretended not to notice that, or indeedmuch of anything, while he searched the room for familiarfaces.

The other Potentials and their families wereseated or standing elsewhere. Every window was opened, creatingcross-breezes that cooled the room considerably. Byr Falnya wasseemingly absorbed in reading. Matlin Loriloft held a small harp,leaving Fox to wonder if the harp was to entertain herself or ifshe planned to play for Domvoda.

The lute hanging from Fox’s shoulders seemedheavier and especially obvious, but Fox could hardly have left itbehind. He hadn’t realized why he’d been summoned, only that he hadbeen. Though now he expected he probably wouldn’t play today,except possibly at dinner. Fox wasn’t here to entertain in thatsense. Domvoda had brought him here and had him sit close toembarrass his Potentials or to see what they would do about it.That was not something Fox could control, although it would createmore gossip.

He resigned himself to hunger and boredom aswell as more malicious rumors, though happily reflected that he atleast got to sit while the byr schemed and wished for his doom. Heangled his legs to the side, with his ankles crossed to show offhis pretty, painful slippers, and watched from the corner of hiseye as Byr Din did the same.

When the room began to get more sun, Domvoda gotto his feet and his court-in-miniature followed him out to thegardens. He’d interrupted Byr Falnya’s reading, not that Foxthought this bothered Domvoda in the slightest. Byr Falnya found away to continue before long, sitting stiffly on a bench in theshade before anyone else could claim it and opening his book withan annoyed, clearly audible sigh.

Fox, beneath a towering rose bush, was not luckyenough to get a seat this time unless he asked Matlin Loriloft toscoot over, which he of course didn’t dare to do. He also did nottouch his lute and kept his tail partially lowered.

Matlin Loriloft nonetheless gave him an icy lookas though Fox had chosen to stand over her shoulder while sheplayed her harp and hadn’t been ordered there by Domvoda. Herplaying was fair and the harp was an instrument perhaps suited toelegant gardens, although Fox had never cared to learn it.

Whether or not Domvoda did, he clearly didn’tenjoy being forced to listen. The subtle twitch to his tail was thesort of thing to make Fox wonder what Domvoda truly felt aboutchoosing a fertile and a possible consort. Fox had used to worryover such gestures on long, sleepless nights, convinced Domvodaplayed at disinterest he did not actually feel.

He still believed that. He also believed thatwhatever Domvoda felt, he would not share with anyone. Or at least,he would not share it with Fox.

When the harp strings finally went still andsilent, many of the byr praised Matlin Loriloft’s skill. Foxstarted to offer his compliments as well, only to close his mouthwith a snap when Matlin Loriloft turned away from him before hecould finish.

The shoulder she kept turned to him sent amessage, one Fox should have expected. To make her message clearer,she spoke to Domvoda. “Though I understand you prefer to have yourmusician present, I am not accustomed to being addressed by thelesser classes.”

Domvoda, suddenly smiling brightly, glanced toFox. “What did you think of her playing, Fox?”

Perhaps some in the garden did not hear him, butFox doubted it.

“I thought it very fair,” Fox answered honestly,though mindful of Matlin Loriloft’s stiff shoulder. “Suited well totime in the sun in a pleasant garden.”

“You see,” Domvoda’s smile lingered as heglanced to his second potential consort, “you have nothing to fear.Not even time among brutish knights has destroyed the Fox’s lighttouch.”

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