Foxheart

Chapter Sixty

Badger glared at Lithgow, clearly not recognising him. 'And who's he?'

'Just get him in here.'

Badger scowled at Fox before he lumbered forward, tapped Lithgow on the shoulder and urged him into the office. Lithgow stood in the corner, readjusting his hat once against as Absolon weighted it down to the left. Badger gazed at him suspiciously then glanced at Fox.

'So, who is he?'

'Lithgow.'

'Lithgow?' Badger repeated in surprise, gazing at the Grand Wizard. 'Doesn't look like him.'

'Because I have changed my appearance.' Lithgow said with a smile. 'Things have taken a turn for the worse for my niece. If we can go somewhere quieter, I can talk further.'

Badger looked uncertain for a moment before he stepped across the room and unlocked the door nestled between paper strewn shelves. 'In the basement. Bull's down there too.'

Fox didn't particularly want to face the second barrage of scolding that was no doubt waiting to explode from Bull but he had little choice. He was pushed towards the basement by Lithgow and forced to stumble down the stairs. There, awaiting in the mostly empty room, was Bull.

Her eyes snapped to Fox and scowled heatedly. She folded her arms and her lips thinned but before she could barrel into her tirade of scolding, Badger was taking charge.

'Bull, Lithgow here says he wants to talk to us about his niece.'

Fox breathed a quiet sigh of relief when her enraged gaze left him and latched on to Lithgow instead as he took off his hat, waving it about to shake Absolon loose.

'That lass is a good one. What the hell happened in that Tower?' She snapped. 'It's plain as day she's not got the guts to hurt anyone.'

'My Council, as well as Ivory's, are under Denver's whim. Blackmail, corruption, mind-control or they're in on whatever Denver's up to; I don't know yet. But Denver was in control of that trial.' Lithgow said gravely.

'No one tested the lass' truth?' Badger asked sharply.

'Yes. Her truth had been changed prior however.'

'How?' Bull gasped.

'Denver had access to my apartment. My Council gave her the keys.'

Both Bull and Badger went quiet, their minds slowly absorbing the gravity of what Lithgow had just said.

'They can't do that, can they?' Bull queried heatedly.

'No. Only I can give out the keys.'

'Did you confront them?'

'Yes. They claim otherwise.' Lithgow growled. 'My Tower is not my Tower anymore. Denver's taken it, just like she took Cassandra's.'

'But what does she want from the Towers?' Badger muttered thoughtfully. 'If we can throw a spanner in the works, we might just save Dupont from that bullet.'

'We don't have time.' Lithgow snapped. 'We must get Esme out now.'

'How?' Fox asked, breaking his silence as he watched them converse quietly. 'This isn't some puffed up rich-man's home. This is the Tower. Magic locks and doors and alarms, nothin' I can get through.'

'And I don't have a Occultist to hand.' Badger growled. 'Not one good enough anyway.'

'You won't need one.' Lithgow said firmly. 'You have the Grand Wizard helping you.'

Slowly it dawned on Fox just how this breakout was going to happen. 'You're going with us?'

'No, but I am giving you all keys needed.' Lithgow said. 'There will be a few, both magical and non-magical. From my understanding, the prison is currently mazed at the moment, as well as heavily guarded.'