A Blaze in the Dark (A New Dawn #1)

Chapter 35 - Fox

Of 8,754 merchant ships leaving the Port of Diligence, 6,517 delivered their goods in time. Another 1,841 ships arrived at their destination late, with wares still salvageable. Unexpected detours and bad winds were the main culprits. The foreigners still speak highly of the quality delivered.

Fox had no clue what was happening.

There was a flurry of whispers by the bar, a hissing contest between Doe and Phoe. The young warrior was leaning over, his foot resting on the silver rail. Every now and then, he turned his head towards Fox, pity in his eyes.

It enraged him. First, Katla had chased him away from Mage Tower, and now Phoe and Leo couldn't find him anywhere. Why didn't they believe him when he had said Katla was going to explode?

What if that had really happened, and they would never find another trace of him?

With determined, marching strides Fox approached the adults. He tugged furiously at the strap of Phoe's duffel bag, sick of their secrecy. "You don't have to whisper. I wanna know where Katla is. And Leo too."

Phoe stared at him, a blank look on his face. He took the bag from his shoulder and pushed it into Fox's hands. "Here, go change into something dry."

"But..." As words failed him, Fox rummaged in the bag and found a set of Hunter's old summer clothes: the brown linen pants he avoided wearing cause they were a size too big, a black long-sleeved shirt that had the same problem, and a grey jacket that had a couple of buttons missing.

How had Phoe managed to get these? He pulled at the warrior's sleeve, but Phoe was too busy continuing his hushed conversation with Doe. "I begged Leo not to inform his Majesty, but then we ran into him when we came down from Mage Tower. And Leo made a valid point–His Majesty needs to know, for Fox's sake."

"What does the King need to know?" Fox asked.

It made no difference; even Doe ignored him or pretended she hadn't heard his question. "Phoe, you do know where he is, don't you? He always staggers to the forest when it becomes too much. Did you check that place?"

Fox gasped and jumped up and down to capture their attention. Falcon had only just told him about the royal forest where Katla unleashed his unstable magic to the trees. "I'll come too. We have to save him from the cold."

"No, darling." Doe touched her throat, shaking her head. "Get changed into your clothes, and then heat up by the fire. Let Phoe and me take care of this."

"But why not? He's my master."

"Because it's not safe for you."

He clutched the duffel bag to his chest and retreated to the couch by the fire, pouting. This was just like all those times in Laneby when Father thought he was too small or too clumsy to forge the red-hot iron. He was ten and a half, almost a man, and a Fire Magician too. He was much more capable of handling fire than anyone in The Antler.

If they thought he would leave it like this, they would be mistaken. He fished the trousers out of the bag and stuck one leg through the hole, then the other. Squirming in his seat, he pulled the trousers up. Those stupid things reached all the way to his belly button.

In the background sounded the rattling of iron against iron. Doe handed him her set of keys. "It's your responsibility now, Phoenix. If anything happens to Fox or my tavern, I will cut off your–"

"Whoa-whoa." Phoe held his hands in the air. "It won't come to that, Mama Bear. I'll take care of the both of them."

"Good. I'll see what I can do for Katla."