Fox Of Greed (Greedy Fox Book 1)

~~ THIRTY EIGHT ~~

A/N: so I've changed this part up slightly for the purpose of the holiday between Leraj and Estra. Like my non fanfiction novel, Magic's Revenge, I'm going to have chapters from the two of them that are a lot longer and continue with the storyline instead of adding to the side of the present time (if that makes sense – I'm tired but my fingers are typing faster than my brain can keep up). This will only occur up until Part 3 before it reverts back to normal.

Deeper and deeper I dug this hole of deceit and lies – soon I was going to get buried alive.

The only part of our argument that rang with any truth was the despair and pain I felt in almost losing her. Everything else I had to weave together carefully, remember my lines, play the part of doting and concerned boyfriend.

Heido's efforts to keep the henchmen at bay weren't working as well as I hoped and because Heido reeked of my magic signature, I had to send him away before the other demons reported back to Hendrickson that I was destroying his little birds.

There was one now, sitting on the fence, eyeing us off through the window with crescent moon eyes. Against the dark landscape, it was barely more than a blob.

"Hey, you listening to me?"

"Huh? Yes? What?" I brought my attention back to see Estra holding up to outfits against her body.

"The dress or the jumpsuit?" The dress was black and white pinstripes and probably only reached mid thigh with the skirt; the jumpsuit was emerald green, a singlet shaped top with thick straps and flowing pant legs with splits up the side to the knee. "I quite like the dress but don't want to get it dirty. Can't remember the last time I went to a festival that wasn't in armour."

I stifled a groan in my throat. The real Estra would have seen that dress and ripped it to shreds. I knew for a fact that she did not like dresses after the 'uniform' Meliodas had made her wear. I had to physically restrain myself from casting the spell right here and now to revert her back to normal.

I could have done it but no, her mind was still under the demon blood's effects and if I hauled her to the surface too quickly, there was a chance she'd lose memories. Important ones she'd need in the coming confrontations.

"Jumpsuit suits you better, especially the green. Brings out the fire in your hair."

She grinned, canines and all, then darted into the adjoining bathroom. I got off my reclined position on the bed and opened the window, the cold breeze cooling my cheeks and ruffling my hair. The demon had moved closer and had entered the halo of light from the bedroom. It wasn't a bird this time but a fox.

I looked to either side and called out to Heido mentally. Any others?

His reply was a view of the garden, empty of any others. Seemed they'd all left except a sentry, who'd most likely assumed to follow us to the festival.

I held my fist to it and channelled a kernel of my power into a condensed seed before knuckles. "Verna". There was a pop and only a splatter of ichor remained of the demon before that evaporated.

I shook my head. Thinking it was safe because it was in the shape of a fox was stupid, even for a demon as low as that. I heard the bathroom door click open and snapped my fingers. The clothes that had been laid out for me on the bed switch position with my dirty clothes and I bundled those up into a disarrayed ball to add to the effect.

"Ready?" she asked, readjusting her hair into a high ponytail. The green really did bring out the fire in her hair. It also hugged her body nicely and I let my eyes trail her. When they reached her face, I noticed she was tapping her foot with hands on hips. "Enough gawking. I want to be there before the fireworks start."