Page 30 of Fox of Fox Hall

“Fox.” Conall’s smile slowly disappeared. “Whydo you think he brought you with him yesterday?”

Fox spared a second’s thought for the late hourand how long he must have drifted while Conall cleaned them if nowit was early morning.

“A test,” he admitted, letting his eyes close.“Possibly to embarrass his potential consorts—and me. But mostly tosee how they’d react.”

“React to what?” Conall prompted.

“To me.” Fox opened his eyes but glanced away toshrug. “A commoner as well as his old knot-warmer.”

“Fox.” Quietly firm, it brought Fox’sgaze back to Conall. “You have risen to every challenge he’s givenyou. He knows that, idiot though he is.” He ignored Fox’s startledindrawn breath. “You’ve done brilliantly.”

“I haven’t—”

“You have.” That was firm too. “Every time. TheExtraordinary Fox. You’re the mark they have to meet, unless theycan exceed it. If they didn’t know that before, they do now.That’swhy he brought you along. …Part of why.”

“He thinks that well of me.” Fox couldn’t matchthe words to what he knew. “But the court will be crueler to mebecause of this. And he will let them now. If that’s anotherchallenge, I… I’m tired.”

“Rest.” Conall kissing Fox’s brow should nothave been soothing, but Fox’s brain was still addled with pleasureand Fox was fond of Conall’s mouth even when it said nonsense. “Ithink you’ve earned it.Knot-warmer.” Conall scoffed.“You’re much more than that and I’m not just saying so becauseyou’ve ruined me for the night.”

Fox took a deep breath, then released it. Hestudied Conall with questions pushing at him and no clear way tosay them. “You keep…”

Another kiss to his brow, then one to his lips.“Sleep, Fox.”

Tomorrow, Fox would manage a disgruntled glareand a comment or two about that order. Or today, if it was as lateas Conall had hinted it was. For now, he shut his eyes and let outanother deep breath.

“Do you want me to leave or stay?” Conall askedas Fox began to drift again.

Fox got his eyes open, found himself looking atConall’s throat and shoulder from very close. “I’ll go,” hemurmured, not certain he could move but knowing he should try. “I’mnot going to put you out.”

“Fox.” Something in Conall’s tone wassuspicious. Something like more smug satisfaction. “This isyourroom.”

Fox had had enough. “You be quiet and go tosleep.”

“Yes, Fox,” Conall agreed, still too pleasedwith himself but at least quieter. What might have been anotherkiss tickled the top of Fox’s head.

Fox scooted forward, then closed his eyes andsighed before pressing his lips to Conall’s throat since kissesseemed to be expected.

ChapterEleven

Fox woke up alone and was not surprised. A partof him was even grateful, because when he went downstairs to wash,the traces of his night’s activities were starkly evident andanyone seeing him with Conall would draw the correct conclusions.Then again, the knights, some of them perhaps marked similarly, allcontinued to look the other way until everyone was dressed.

Fox had risen surprisingly early—retiring justafter dark and then being thoroughly taken apart made for a restfulnight’s sleep—so he lingered at Kaladas for breakfast. The morningwas already too hot, the air damp and unpleasantly heavy, which wasespecially irritating since Fox would have to button his doubletall the way up because a certain knight had sucked several kisseson his neck and left marks.

He stood outside near the small kitchens andheld his plate in one hand as he ate, seeking whatever cool breezesmight be found, and nodded greetings to knights who passed him. Byrthey might be, but they usually greeted him first and Fox did havesome manners.

Byr Falnya’s cousin, Byr Shine, crossed thecourtyard from where she must have bathed, her attire consisting ofa long shirt, a towel, and her boots. She was not staying inKaladas as far as Fox knew, which meant she had hopefully had a funnight.

Shine was an unusual name for a byr, whodeliberately used names from the ancient tongue, leaving thecommoners to their common language and common names. Very, very fewbyr actually spoke or read ancient tongue, but none of the commonpeople did. Most didn’t even read modern Kaskan. All the historythe byr pretended to know and kept hidden away was signified intheir names, Fox would bet on it. But he would also bet that mostof them didn’t know the meanings of those names, even theirown.

Shinehowever, was clear. And common. Itmade him wonder more about Falnya and that family of byr, far awayfrom the capital in their backwoods region and apparently somewhatdisinterested in tradition, yet willing to send Byr Falnya here toprovide an heir for the king.

Or to try to control or influence him, Foxsupposed, although he didn’t think any of the consorts would havemuch success there.

“I was told there was food!” Byr Shine calledout to Fox for some reason as she approached the kitchens, smilingat him before she headed inside. She had a thin, faded scar acrossone cheek that made her smile seem wider, brighter. Shine indeed.Maybe the name, like Fox’s, had been given to her years after herbirth.

Somewhat confused, he turned to watch her go, sowhen she came back out almost immediately with her hands full ofbread, cheese, and peeled, boiled eggs, their eyes met.

Confusing him even more, Byr Shine stopped nextto him. “I have to head back up—don’t want to leave Falnya alonefor long, but I needed something to eat first.” She ate an egg inone bite. She might even have swallowed it whole.

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