Free The Fox's Quest by Anna Frost Page A

solid. The glyphs’ glow became brighter and brighter in answer, until—
    Ow!
    She jumped as a shock coursed through her and dispersed into mist by reflex.
    The cursed things were demon wards! Since demons were spirits like any other, their way of keeping demons out was apparently to use glyphs meant to sting any spirit going physical. Normally, it was a demon thing to do.
    But I can do it, too, she mused. I should try again, to confirm.
    The second jolt was no more pleasant. By now the glyphs’ activity had attracted a nearby guard’s attention, forcing her to retreat. She didn’t want to be run through with a glyphed spear; that might kill her.
    Sliding out of the temple’s grounds and into the city, she went in search of a valid reason to test her abilities. In such a large city, there would surely be villains to be found.
    Sad as it was, she was right. Within moments, she had found a pair of tall boys tormenting a shorter one in a shadowy alley. The men and women passing by paid no attention to the scene.
    “Don’t be stupid,” one of the tall boys said. “You can’t come to the temple with us. Broken people can’t become sohei .” He must have been referring to the short boy’s right ankle; it was bent in an odd way and likely caused a limp when he walked.
    The second bully wasn’t quite as tall. That made him the medium one. Medium Boy said, “I’ll become the greatest sohei ever seen and slay demons by the dozen, every day of every year!”
    Tall Boy smacked Medium Boy behind the head. “I’m going to be the greatest. You can be second greatest.”
    “Ow, fine.”
    “Mother says I can do as well as you,” Short Boy shot back, his voice wavering.
    “Is your mother blind? Hasn’t she noticed you’re a stupid cripple?” With a casual push, Tall Boy sent Short Boy crashing to the dirty ground.
    A better opportunity wasn’t likely to present itself. After a quick check to ensure no demon-blade wielding samurai or sohei were in the area, Sanae went to work. She focused her essence as strongly as she could, going further than she’d done before.
    Gasps arose as three pairs of eyes fixed upon her. Okay, she had visibility… Half-way there… Focus harder, harder… Her essence was now as dense as she could make it.
    “Fox spirit,” Short Boy whispered in awe.
    “Shut up,” Tall Boy said, drawing a foot back for a kick.
    Sanae bared her teeth, willing them to look razor sharp, and lunged at Tall Boy with a snarl. Leave him alone!
    Incredibly, her teeth closed on fabric. She yanked, causing Tall Boy to tumble to the ground with a fearful screech. If she’d wanted, she could have sunk her teeth in his throat. Instead, she raised a paw to inflict shallow but stinging slashes in the soft flesh of his cheek.
    Next time you pick on someone weaker than you, I’ll tear your throat out. Understood, pup?
    The bully scrambled backward into the dirt, lurched upright, and ran away gibbering. Satisfied, Sanae stepped behind Short Boy to ensure passers-by peering in the alley wouldn’t see her.
    The remaining boys were staring.
    To Medium Boy she snarled, You! If you don’t want me to tell the monks to deny you entry, you’re going to listen to every word I say. Sohei are protectors, not bullies. This is the last time you pick on anyone. Yes?
    “Yes, Ms. Fox!”
    Pleased, she flicked her many tails before turning to inspect Short Boy’s ankle. Hmmm. I assume you broke it and it started to heal wrong before you saw a healer. Why didn’t they break it again to fix it?
    “The healer said the bones are weak. She worried it might never heal properly if we did. And Mother needed me to work. It would have taken forever to heal again.”
    Sanae poked and prodded at the ankle, making a humming noise that didn’t require the use of a throat. She knew the theory of how white spirits stimulated wounds to close and bones to mend, but also knew already healed wounds couldn’t be healed over. If she tried to heal