Page 9 of Fox of Fox Hall

Fox made a show of peering around the mountainagain, then taking another small, careful drink when his mouth wentdry. “Do you think I’m going to let all of them fuck me like thesinger inDry Wellwith the company of passing knights?” Hedidn’t know if the others heard that but he did catch someoneglancing their way as he said it. “I’m insatiable, am I? So muchmore desperate for it than any byr no matter how many lovers theyhave, and…”

“They will bring you food because they’ve beenadmiring you all afternoon,” Byr Conall explained softly.

Fox tutted. “I always get admired. It meansnothing.” If he could not stare into Byr Conall’s eyes or at hischest, that left the plate of food. “Perhaps,” he allowed, slowly,“you meant that as a polite caution against breaking their hearts.Or were you worried for mine?” He managed to make that a bitlivelier at least. “Thank you, my lovely, if that’s the case, butsleep was on my mind more than romance.” He heard himself, heardthose words better spoken to a friend or a smiling companion asheading upstairs to find a room and a bed, but couldn’t call themback and so chose to move on. “Or was it Domvoda’s reaction thatworries you?” He didn’t want to acknowledge that very real concernso he didn’t. “Youare the one who ought to be careful.” Hetipped his head up before leaning in, very nearly on his tiptoesand close to falling against Byr Conall’s chest. He made sure towhisper. “Even the ones without the pretty adornments of thereceptive would reconsider their preferences if the Dragonslayerinvited them to his room.”

For whatever Byr Conall might ask of them there.Not that Fox was going to waste another second of his eveningspeculating on what that might be.

Byr Conall was unreadable and silent, leavingFox to gaze up at him and sway on his toes. Then he said, “I wouldnot use their awe of who they think I am to win them. I wouldrather they desireme.” When Fox could do little more thanblink and stare and lick dry lips, Byr Conall pushed the plateforward until Fox took it. Then he bent his head, speaking for onlyFox to hear. “Eat, my lovely.”

He gave Fox’s words to him as well. Fox had toforce his tail to the ground. Exhaustion and lust had him confused,staring like a fool with his hands full and Byr Conall no doubtteasing him.

Maybe that was the reason he was damp in a newway. The Dragonslay—Byr Conall—being playful.

Byr Conall straightened when Fox didn’t move orspeak, then added, “And rest,” to his teasing order before steppingto the side. “That is advice that nearly every young knight herewill ignore during the next few days.”

“Oh, yes.” Fox tried to focus on the moment andissues of more importance that one small jest. “You mentioned that,the nerves and the rowdiness.” Which reminded him of what he hadmeant to do at some point that afternoon before getting distractedby lewd songs and chest hair. “Thank you. For the room, I mean. Fortelling me.”

Byr Conall’s eyes widened before he glancedaway. When he looked back, his gaze was steady again.

If Fox were still wandering the countryside andperforming for whoever would toss a coin his way, and an older,compelling knight had looked at him with even a fraction of ByrConall’s natural warmth, he would have thrown himself into hisarms. His younger self would not have hesitated, certainly. Hisyounger self had been rather reckless and shortsighted. Byr Conallwas not the sort to be wasted on one night in a hayloft, which was,unfortunately, all Fox would have been good for.

That was likely what Byr Conall saw when hestudied Fox. The foolish child he’d been and the scared, meancreature he was now.

Fox looked down. “I don’t mean to keep you.”

“Then I will say good night,” Byr Conallanswered after several beats of silence.

Too tired not to be foolish, Fox called out tohim before he’d taken two steps away. “Byr Conall?” He wasn’t loudbut hoped the others weren’t listening. He continued softly whenByr Conall turned. “Was it all right? My performance?”

Byr Conall didn’t move for another second, thenfaced Fox again. The firelight concealed half his face. “You playbeautifully and I am always grateful for the chance to hear yousing.” Fox released a long, slow breath. Byr Conall went on,audibly confused. “But you’re famous. Why ask me?”

“You left.” Fox bit his lip, refusing to callhis words a whine, although the weakness even in saying them wasobvious. He swallowed dryly. If it was not his talents, then it washis teeth and how he’d used them. “Do you not like that song?”

He didn’t need to say which one.

“You already know the answer to that, I think,”Byr Conall replied, quietly making his point the way he did withDomvoda.

“You don’t like hearing of your deeds?” Foxpressed as gently as he could. Some didn’t, and that he wouldunderstand, though it must be maddening to the byr at court thatByr Conall didn’t push himself forward.

“I don’t like reliving them, especially with nowarning.” Byr Conall turned from the light to answer. “And now thatI’ve told you that…”

“I won’t play it for you again,” Fox cut him offbefore the hero was forced to ask for Fox’s mercy. “Unless I amcommanded to,” he added reluctantly. He looked up and hoped he metByr Conall’s eyes. “Foxes are mischievous creatures, not cruelones.” Or so they were supposed to be.

“Thank you.” Byr Conall lowered his shoulders,as if even hearing the song mentioned had made him tense. “AndConall will do, Fox. Unless you prefer otherwise.”

“Conall,” Fox agreed too quickly, but Conalldidn’t appear to notice or care. He inclined his head once more andthen continued on to his room. He did that alone. Not that itmattered, Fox lied to himself, waiting until Byr Conall’s door wasfirmly shut before getting up in search of more water.

Chapter Four

The first two of the Potentials arrived the nextday, along with their families and gaggles of servants. The thirdwas due to reach Saravar that evening, much too late to botherpresenting themselves for dinner. Or, as some of the byr around Foxquietly insinuated, the delayed appearance was a calculated effortto keep Domvoda waiting and pique his interest.

The day was dedicated to feasting and long walksin the garden once Domvoda’s possible fertiles had settled in. Foxgot to sit, at least, in a chair in the corner behind Domvoda, andplayed lightly throughout the sumptuous and elaborate midday mealdesigned to impress families who, to Fox’s mind, did not need muchto impress them. They’d go along with Domvoda’s wishes even if theywere given plain mutton stew.

The courses were served especially slowly,allowing more time for conversation while Fox played music designedto grant some privacy and perhaps soothe nerves. Halfway throughthe meal, a servant brought him a plate and he thanked them withoutlooking to the one person who would think to remind the busyservants of Fox’s existence. Fox didn’t have much time to eatanyway, mostly snatching grapes or a small tomato now and then, buthe planned to take the plate with him when the feast was finallyover.

He was even grateful to be relegated to thebackground, because his sleep had been abruptly ended before dawnthat morning by the sound of bickering and what his confused,sleepy senses had thought was an actual fight between some of theknights quartered across the hall… or whathadbeen anactual fight but one quickly snuffed out. It had been followed bydoors slamming open and a lot of hollered greetings and complaintsabout cold water or stiff muscles before most of the knights wokeup and made their way outside.

Knights apparently rose early. And either thenoise that morning was the anxious rowdiness that Conall had warnedhim about or that was normal for knights and the hall was onlygoing to get louder as more knights arrived. Regardless, Fox hadnot been able to go back to sleep and was glad he wasn’t expectedto be clever at the moment. He’d rather observe anyway.

---