Foxblood: A Brush with the Moon

Chapter Twelve

“What is it?” I asked.

“When were you planning on telling me you had a little secret of your own?” Sebastian said, once he’d gained his composure.

I started to dry my face.

“Don’t,” he said, grabbing the towel. “I want to see.” He reached his hand behind me, filled his palm with water, and patted it against my face. “Amazing. Of course, I’ve read about this in Eumann’s translations from the ancient tablets, but I never dreamt that I’d witness it in the flesh. It all makes sense now,” he said, peering at my face from every angle.

He was treating me like an exhibit in a museum. I shivered with anger as well as the cold. “Would you mind telling me what the hell you’re talking about, and let me get dry, please?”

“Sure. When you tell me how and when you were chosen.”

“Sorry?”

“You can’t deny it. Tokala’s left her mark written all over your face…so to speak.”

I spun around to look in the mirror, gripping the sides of the sink, and stared at my reflection from every angle. I couldn’t see anything unusual and turned to face Sebastian once more, puzzled.

He was laughing.

“You can’t see it yourself. Only the magical eyes of our world can. Even then, the image must be viewed through the refraction caused by water. So…be careful where you get wet.”

“How do you know about Tokala?”

“Father made us study the old ways as part of our education. Tokala is one of three immortal Goddesses from old Elysium folklore. The Goddesses rule for a thousand years before choosing a successor. They all have alternate animal forms, and Tokala’s is a pure white fox. Her seekers bestow the gift of longevity, through their bites, to the most deserving of souls, who are then expected to repay the kindness by fighting for the good of all.”

That sounded familiar. But fight? I couldn’t fight. I used to be the school bully’s favourite plaything. I would have to be bestowed with a little more than just longevity if anyone wanted me to fight. But I was intrigued. “What do you see? Am I a hideous monster?”

“Of course not. It’s like a hologram. From certain angles, the light bends and reveals another image. It transforms your face into that of a fox. It’s pretty cool, but it definitely complicates matters and explains why some people might want you dead. The Reiths will be aware that a new tenderfoot has been chosen, and they will want to eradicate the threat as soon as possible.”

I stroked away tiny droplets of water from my arm, tracing the outline of the scar left by the bite, wishing it would erase. “Are you saying that Beth’s poisoning and my imprisonment here are because…because of the bite?”

“This is your sanctuary not your prison. My only thoughts are for your safety. But we need to know if anyone else could have discovered your secret. Try to remember all the times you’ve had a wet face, and who could have seen it.”