Fox Of Greed (Greedy Fox Book 1)

~~ TWENTY NINE ~~

"You almost had me there."

I hissed through gritted teeth. "If you hadn't been saved by that pig, you'd be skewered by my blade."

"Sir King, don't hurt her. Please. Something wrong. She's been changed."

"Nothing's wrong, Princess," I leered and ran my tongue over bloodied teeth. "This is how it's supposed to be. A Holy Knight against a criminal of the Liones kingdom." I directed my voice to King. "Now what will you do, oh Grizzly Sin?"

"I'm not going to kill you."

With an anguished cry, my flames surged over my shoulder and down my chest, covering me entirely. "Defuse!" The fire burned brilliant red before exploding, a halo of static electricity left in it's wake. I stumbled to my knees. My throat was dry and I tasted smoke. A quick once over confirmed my fears. Only a single vambrace remained, the one on my left arm, and even then it was a little worse for wear. My boots had been reduced to the ankles. My clothing had holes in it but because of the fabric's double layer, I was safe from being indecent.

I got to my feet, glaring at King. He floated before me, unharmed by the blast. "You should have."

He snapped his fingers and the little blades circled around me. I didn't have the Mana to bring forth anymore flames. I twitched my fingers and breathed out a word. "Kitsune." He didn't hear it. Mana trickled into me but because I needed Mana to use the magic, I'd have to settle for it dripping into me like a leaky tap so I didn't kill myself in the process.

"Hawk, Elizabeth, take care of the other two. I've got some questions for these ladies. Especially you."

"Just leave them to me."

My head whipped round to see Hawk barrelling away, Meliodas and Ban dragged along to.

"Damn you!" I shouted. The blades closed in tighter. There was a spike in Mana. It was like a floodgate beginning to open. Still too slow though. "Once I kill Meliodas, you'll be next."

"Why are you doing this?" he asked.

I breathed deeply and relaxed. His demeanour had changed – he wasn't planning to fight me anymore. "You wouldn't understand."

"You want to kill Meliodas for burning down your village. What I don't understand is why you're saying that but the others tell me that you're the Fox of Greed and you're a fox turned human looking for Merlin to turn you back into your original form."

"What? Did you inhale too many magic mushrooms? What type of stupidity is that? No one turns from fox to human. Crap like that doesn't work." I pointed a finger at him and the blades buzzed to block my view of King. At least he still had the mentality to protect himself from me. Good. He was scared. "I know what's in my head. Your Captain needs to pay for his crimes."

"Do you really know what's in your head?" His tone was soft, almost coaxing. As if I was an injured creature he wanted to help. I scowled. "The Holy Knights have many tricks up their sleeves."

"So do Sins with powers of hallucination. I already fell once to your party tricks but I won't again. My resolve burns as bright as fire and it won't be put out so easily."

"None of us-" He paused and floated up, looking off into the distance.

With his back to me, I allowed the pain I'd been wallowing in to drag me under. I clutched my injured side. A massive bruise had already blossomed, spreading along my right side. My breath whistled through my nose and ached in my chest. The pig had really done a number on me.

"What's the matter? You're looking rather pale, Fairy King." Guila got to her feet; so did Jericho. They both looked to me quickly but their attention went back to King.

A part of me felt like it'd been stabbed. I knew they didn't like me but a little concern would have been nice.

"What have you knights done to Captain and Diane? And Ban too, I suppose," King asked. Jericho and Guila were silent.

The little blades whirred and transformed back into a spear. It appeared at King's side. All I wanted to do was lie down but I forced myself to stay standing. My legs gave way either way and I was kneeling again, backside on the ground. Not a safe position to be in.

"Nevermind, I'll go check on them myself." King turned away, an opening now created for the others. Silently, I cheered them on. In reality, I was just silent. "Oh and just so we're clear, if you two get in my way again."

The threat was left unfinished. Guila attacked. Fireballs distracted King as Jericho came from behind, slashing down with her sword. I watched the explosion unfold. King's words rang in my head.

He'd said you two. Why? I'd just tried to kill him, threatened his captain and he still wouldn't retaliate. I guessed I should have been grateful but it was soured by the fact they all were trying to convince me I was someone I was not.

"Let people finish when they're talking."

I craned my head up. King had escaped the attack. He'd flown up so fast!

"If you two try to get in my way again, I'll end you." He closed his fist. The ground shook and split in three. From the earth, a giant bud rose on a thick stem. It towered over King. "Spirit Spear Chastiefol! Fourth Configuration: Sunflower."

The bud unfurled like a flower in bloom to reveal petals that glowed with the light of the sun. Numbness prickled me and I got an overwhelming sense of doom. The same fear was written on Jericho's and Guila's face.

"I'll admit, you three are fairly powerful. Just train for another century and you'll be on the right track."

The petal's glow coalesced into the centre of the flower. It shot out as a hundred solid beams of light. I looked up the heavens – it was so bright.

Was this the end?