I woke the next morning to discover that Sparkle had once again decided to sleep with me in her teenage form…she was cuddled up against me under the blankets. And she was, I quickly realized, quite naked again.

I sighed a little and wondered if that was normal for fairies, or something she'd learned from my mother. Either way, I suspected it wasn't really something I wanted to delve into, so I just slid out of bed, wrapped myself in a robe, and stretched. I had to admit - at least to myself - that she was very pleasant to cuddle with.

It was, as always, a beautiful morning outside my bedroom windows. I could just see the new fairy village off to the right, bustling with early morning energy as they went about their business.

Since the day before had been a jogging day, that made today a stretching and Tai Chi day. The beauty of the clearing outside my window and the promise of the infectiously cheerful company of Sparkle's kin helped me make up my mind quickly.

I would exercise out in the clearing.

I turned back around to find Sparkle sitting up in bed, blanket around her waist, watching me sleepily. She smiled.

I sighed, but I just didn't have the heart - or the energy yet - to chastise her. And really, would it accomplish much? Eventually, maybe. "Good morning, Sparkle. I'm going to exercise outside this morning," I said, gesturing to the windows.

She beamed and was out of bed on her feet in an instant. "Okay! I'll come with you! Just let me go and get fresh soda bottles for the feeders!"

"Clothes!" I said, but I was too late. She was already out the door. I pinched the bridge of my nose and waited.

Ken materialized in the doorway. "Did a naked fairy just dash past me, or am I having particularly odd hallucinations?"

I headed for the closet. "You're not hallucinating. She was like that when I woke up. And don't look at me, I didn't teach her that."

"No," Ken agreed ruefully, "that was definitely your mother."

"I don't think I want to know," I said flatly, pulling out leggings and a t-shirt.

Ken smiled lopsidedly. "I wasn't going to say any more."

I stepped into the closet, almost closing the door, and started to change out of my night clothes. "Please tell me there's nothing in particular on the agenda today," I said to Ken through the gap. "After everything that's happened the last few days, I need a day or two off."

I heard Ken chuckle. "Never fear, there's nothing at all on the calendar for today. Though we should continue your practical magic lessons this afternoon, I'm willing to give you a couple of days off from physical training. You've made more progress in the latter than the former."

I winced, pulling on a pair of leggings. "As evidenced by how close von Einhardt came to killing me."

Ken sighed. "You were in over your head there no matter what. He had decades of experience on you, and even if he was - as you reported him saying - diminished from his physical and magical peaks, he still represented an overwhelming challenge for you."

I pulled on a sports bra, then a plain green t-shirt over it. "Fortunately he was arrogant and careless, as well as underestimating the Hall."

"Indeed," Ken agreed. "We were very lucky. I think we should work on your stamina and speed before worrying about broadening your repertoire of spells."

"Makes sense to me."

As I emerged from the closet to sit down and put on socks and trainers, Ken added, "I would also suggest that it might be worth investigating and exploring your bond with Oakwood Hall, and how that might be used in the future…" He smiled ruefully and spread his hands in a helpless gesture, "Except I haven't the faintest idea of how to proceed."

I smiled lopsidedly up at him from the window bench. "I was going to ask."

He shrugged. "I know that the Hall has occasionally come to the defense of its occupants, but to the best of my knowledge no previous Guardian has ever investigated in that direction."

I finished lacing up one trainer and moved to the other. "Something to ask Dara, perhaps?"

Ken considered that for a moment, then nodded. "She's never a bad place to start. She's the only person who knows more about the Hall's history than I do."

I paused, wondering just how much Margrave knew. The last week had shown me just how narrow my view of the world I now inhabited really was. Perhaps it would be wise for me to start reaching out for information, rather than waiting for things to come to me.

I frowned a little and finished lacing up my other trainer. "Ken, what about the ICOA?"

Ken sighed and went to the closet. "I honestly don't know, Caley. From what von Einhardt said, it doesn't sound like they know a lot about either the Hall or about what he was up to. At least, I'd like to think they didn't." He emerged with my yoga mat and a pensive expression.

"There's a disturbing thought," I said, taking it from him with a little nod of thanks. "If they did know what he was up to, I have a very bad problem on the horizon."

"From everything I know of them," Ken said thoughtfully, "they are a very secretive organization, even within their own membership. They also at least pay lip service to holding themselves to a higher moral standard than the rest of the world…you may judge for yourself how true that is or isn't."

I grunted. "If von Einhardt was a fair representative, I'd say it's a complete load of bovine fecal matter, as one of my professors liked to say."

Ken flashed a quick smile. "Agreed. If you're looking for my advice, I'd suggest letting them come to you instead of going in search of them. Your father once told me that they are singularly arrogant and self-centered above all else, and that they like to feel superior to all other spellcasters in the world. Let them come to you, and they'll likely feel that they're being particularly gracious to the newcomer."

I sighed heavily. "I hate politics."

"Get used to it," Ken said, his smile returning, but sadly. "It's probably going to make up a large part of your interactions with the magical community as a whole."

I grimaced.

Sparkle's return - gloriously, innocently, unselfconsciously naked and beaming happily - with two bottles of soda prevented me from having to think of a good response. Instead, I said as dryly as I could, "I hope you're not planning on going outside like that."

She set the bottles on the window bench and looked down at herself, then at me. "No, this is just for running around in the house, sleeping, and playing."

I felt a muscle under my right eye start to twitch.

"Clothing is for everything else and going outside - unless we're celebrating Beltane or Litha - "

"Fertility festival and summer solstice respectively," Ken murmured in my ear helpfully.

" - or if two fairies are getting handfasted," Sparkle continued without pause, counting on her fingers, "or if the Sidhe have invited us to a revelry - "

"One wonders why she bothers with clothes at all," I murmured dryly, causing Ken to choke off a laugh.

" - but then Mistress Chessie showed me that sometimes clothing can be lots of fun for playing," Sparkle continued, "so that really confused me for a while - "

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. That was really more than I'd ever needed to know.

" - but boy was she right, so who am I to argue? And then there were times when Mistress Chessie ran around naked with me - " Sparkle finally paused to take a breath.

"How about this?" I interjected before she could get started on the subject again. "If you see me wearing clothes, and don't feel like wearing your usual dress, put on something that's close to what I'm wearing."

Sparkle looked at me guilelessly. "But all I have is my one dress."

"You can borrow my clothes." She was roughly the same size as me in her current form, after all. Lord knew why I persisted in thinking of it as her 'teenage' form. Her behavior, maybe.

She fairly beamed, literally glowing brightly for a moment. "Really really?"

I smiled at how happy that thought made her. "Really, Sparkle."

She vanished into the closet, leaving a little cloud of twinkling purple sparks in her wake.

"She can't possibly be that innocent," I said softly to Ken.

He shrugged. "She's a fairy," he said. "Who can tell?"

Sparkle emerged from the closet, still barefoot but now wearing a pair of black leggings like mine, and a sparkly purple spandex halter top that I was quite certain I'd never seen before. The Hall, it seemed, was very clever about populating the contents of my closet as needed.

She spread her arms. "How's this?" She did a quick turn, making me realize why she'd chosen the halter top…it left her back open, which accommodated her wings.

I smiled. "Looks great, Sparkle. Can you still change size wearing normal clothes?"

By way of answer, she was suddenly fairy-sized again, and the clothing changed with her. "Ta da!" She said happily.

"Now that is cool," I said.

She giggled and flitted over to land on my shoulder. "Come on! Let's go outside!"

Even as I turned back towards the windows, I heard the squeak of hinges, and a red streak shot towards us from the now-open window. Before I could move, the streak resolved into Spice as she came to a halt mid-air and saluted us. "My Lady, Mistress Sparkle, I have urgent news!"

Sparkle hopped off my shoulder and hovered in front of Spice, returning the other fairy's salute. "Report, Spice!"

Spice nodded and looked up at me. "My Lady, a dusk fox has been prowling the perimeter of the clearing since late last night. About ten minutes ago, she came out into the sunlight just beyond our perimeter and sat down, then asked to speak with you."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

I blinked a couple of times. "With me?"

Spice nodded, her short red hair bobbing. "Yes, My Lady, by name. She said, 'Please convey to Lady Caitlyn Reid that the descendant of a former retainer would speak with her and offers the Bond of Peace for the duration of a conversation.'"

I looked at Ken. "Translation?"

Ken smiled lopsidedly. "The Bond of Peace is an old Sidhe tradition. By agreeing to it, all involved parties must abide by a vow of peaceful discourse for the duration of the conversation. If taken in the Otherworld - as you would be if you agree - the Bond is enforced by the ambient magic of the Sidhe Courts. Breaking it can manifest all sorts of unpleasant side-effects."

"Sounds useful," I said thoughtfully. "Is there any reason for me to not agree to speak with this dusk fox?" Which I was quite certain was the one I'd freed barely a week ago.

Ken shook his head firmly. "None at all. The fact that she came out into the sunlight - which, even in the Otherworld - will strip away many of her abilities, speaks highly for her…she's intentionally put herself at a disadvantage. If anything, you probably stand to gain a lot by talking to her. Just make sure you don't break the Bond." He smiled lopsidedly. "Not that I think you would."

"All right, then," I said. "Spice, lead the way, please. Sparkle, leave the soda here for now…I want you with me while we meet with our guest."

"Okay, Caley!" Sparkle said happily, and settled back on my shoulder as we followed Spice out through the window.

I hadn't seen the entire fairy village in several days, and was impressed by how quickly it had established itself. The bizarre mixture of houses and shops was carved out of tree stumps, giant mushrooms, and more…I saw one abode that was just a series of little wooden platforms built at varying levels in a rose bush, for example.

The village now took up a fair piece of the clearing. They had built around behind where my bedroom windows hung impossibly in mid-air - the leading edge of the village stopped just shy of the bird bath and soda feeders - but had left the area in front of them clear, which I felt was very considerate of them.

"My goodness, Spice, but you have been busy," I said, making an effort to sound both impressed and encouraging.

Spice responded the same way Sparkle did when praised - the glow emanating from her brightened and grew more distinct as she straightened and quivered with joy. "Thank you, My Lady! Follow me!"

She shot off toward the edge of the clearing - straight out from the windows - and I followed.

From a distance, even in broad daylight, the dusk fox seemed to be little more than a shadow on the grass until we got closer and she came into focus. It was definitely the same one I'd freed in Oakwood…the dark gray patch beneath her chin and the dark blue tips of her ears and paws was quite distinctive. Curiously, her eyes were no longer the glowing red they had been the other morning, but were now a brilliant gold and shone with obvious intelligence and curiosity.

This was, undeniably, no ordinary animal. Even leaving aside her incredibly dark black fur and twin tails, which I now saw were tipped in dark blue as well. As I watched, she sat up and gave her tails a satisfied flip. "At last," she said in a husky contralto. "I've been asking these flighty little things to find you since dawn."

It was fascinating, watching a fox's muzzle form words. Her voice was quite clear and distinct, without any slurring or hesitation. I wondered how that was possible, even as I felt a surge of annoyance on behalf of my fairies.

Before I could say anything, Spice came to a halt mid-air at eye level with the fox, barely three feet from her, separated only by the ring of mushrooms that marked the fairy defensive perimeter. She planted her hands on her hips and huffed. "If you hadn't offered the Bond of Peace, I'd - "

The dusk fox bared her fangs and Spice shot back a foot, then growled cutely and gathered motes of glowing red energy around her tiny fists.

"Peace, peace," I said quickly. "We're here for a friendly talk, not a fight. Spice, stand down for now." I looked at the dusk fox. "You have me at a disadvantage. I don't know your name. But I would appreciate it if you would be polite to my fairies." I emphasized the word 'my' gently.

Her lips closed over her fangs again and she bobbed her head in acknowledgment. "My apologies, Lady Reid. I am too used to being harassed by fairies." She looked at Spice. "My apologies to you as well, little warrior. You are braver than many who have faced my fangs."

The glowing energy vanished from around Spice's fists and she bowed in mid-air. "Apology accepted, dusk fox."

The dusk fox returned her attention to me. "As to my name…Lady, I have none." There was a mournful note in her voice as she said it. "My former master considered me a tool and nothing more, and never deigned to give me a name."

I chewed on that for a moment, then stepped forward and sat down cross-legged in front of her. Spice quickly moved aside to make room for me, then landed on my left shoulder after a moment's hesitation. Sparkle didn't protest, perhaps feeling that I was safer with one of them on either side of me.

It was then that I saw a flash of silver behind the dusk fox…outside the fairy ring, in the trees just beyond the clearing, Spice's partner Shine had just let me know that she was watching the dusk fox's back.

Seated, I was just eye-level with the dusk fox as she sat on her haunches. "So," I said, "what should I call you?"

She sighed. "It was the tradition in my clan," she said slowly, "from time immemorial, for the Guardian of Oakwood Hall to name all kits. That was before the wizards killed our elders and took my grand-dam's generation for their own, binding them with magical restraints like the one you freed me from."

Her grandparents. I didn't know how long a dusk fox generation was, but from what Ken had told me it was definitely before my mother was born. Possibly before my grandmother was born.

"And you…belonged…" the word felt dirty in my mouth in that context, "to Bellinus von Einhardt."

She nodded. "I did." A shudder ran through her from the tips of her ears to the tips of her tails. "He…made me do things…" She lowered her head and didn't meet my eyes. "Things I would fain forget."

It was my turn to sigh now. "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me." I leaned forward a little, resting my arms on my knees. "But I don't think that's what you came to talk to me about."

She lifted her golden eyes again and shook her head. "No, Lady. My ancestors served your family faithfully for generations, walking in their shadows and guarding them from things that would prey on them." She lifted her chin proudly. "I am alone, but I would offer you my clan's loyalty and service again."

I had half-expected something like that. "In return for what?"

She met my eyes. "I ask only a name and your protection in return, Lady Reid. And…" She hesitated, then shook her head slightly.

"And?" I asked. Honestly, she wasn't asking for much in exchange for what she was offering, based on what I'd seen of her in action. I was curious what she was holding back.

She lowered her head a little and looked up at me. "My…my brothers and sisters are held by the wizards still…they are few, but…" She shakes her head. "I cannot ask you to free them in exchange for my service. It would not be fair. The wizards are many and you are but one. I will not make my service contingent on their freedom, when they would want me to serve you regardless."

"Would they?" I asked curiously. But I felt an ache on behalf of her still-enslaved siblings. That was no life for such beautiful and intelligent beings. I was, frankly, finding it easier to think of this dusk fox as a person rather than as an animal.

She nodded fervently. "Our elders have taught us of the Guardian and the great Hall she protects, which we once helped protect. When I heard rumors that a new clan of fairies had formed under the protective wing of the Guardian of Oakwood Hall, I knew it had to be you, who freed me. I came straight here and watched for days, until I was certain…the clearing and magic windows are just as my grand-dam described them."

On my right shoulder, I felt Sparkle twitch. "You can see Caley's bedroom windows?"

The dusk fox nodded. "I can see them floating in the air. Why?"

"Caley," Sparkle said happily, "only beings who've been told about them by someone in your family and who mean you no harm can see them. That means her grand-dam definitely knew someone in your family who trusted them, and passed that knowledge down."

I nodded slowly, turning that over in my mind for a moment before I met the dusk fox's eyes again. "When you offer your service, what do you mean?"

The dusk fox's head rose again and her lips curled into a distinct smile. "While my powers are limited in direct sunlight, I am powerful under artificial light and wherever shadows fall. I can hide in your shadow and watch behind you where your eyes cannot see." She lifted her chin proudly again. "I would guard your life with my own, Lady Reid, as my ancestors did. As you saw the other morning, I am a fierce and clever warrior. I would fight any who meant you harm with all my skill and fervor."

"No small offer," Spice murmured in my left ear.

I looked at the dusk fox seriously, a little frown drawing my eyebrows down. "Please take no offense to my question, dusk fox…I am still learning the ways of Otherworld…but can I trust your word?"

The dusk fox blinked in distinct surprise, and was clearly trying not to look offended as well. "L-lady…my word is…"

Sparkle hopped off my shoulder and hovered around in front of me. "You can trust her word, Caley," she said with a smile. "Vows like that are held as sacred in the Otherworld."

The dusk fox nodded fervently. "I would not make such an offer if I did not mean it, Lady Reid. I am not merely offering my service…I am offering you my life!"

I smiled gently. "Forgive me, please. I still don't understand a lot of this. I've only just started learning about such things."

The dusk fox bowed her head gracefully. "I forgive you, Lady Reid. My grand-dam taught me that ignorance is forgivable, as long as an effort is made to correct it."

I laughed. "Sister Sarah at the orphanage where I grew up said something very similar to me." I rose slowly. "But…I would ask that you join me in speaking to the Caretaker of the Hall. He is my primary teacher in such matters, and I would like his advice before making any deal with you. Will you abide by the Bond of Peace and consider our conversation not yet finished if I allow you to come into the clearing so that we may speak with him together?"

"Aye, Lady," the dusk fox said eagerly, rising to all fours, "I will. I appreciate both your consideration and your caution. Such deals should never be made lightly."

"Then you may enter, and come with me to the windows," I said.

The dusk fox smirked. "Tell your little silver guard to come with us. She's not as safe out in the woods as she is within the clearing."

I smiled and chuckled. "I should've known you'd have spotted her." I raised my voice. "Shine, come along please!"

The little silver fairy shot out of the woods, and the five of us made our way together to the windows. Shine kept pace several lengths behind us, and Spice flanked the dusk fox - staying out of reach - as she padded along by my side.

It felt shockingly natural to have her there.

Ken was watching from the window and looked at the dusk fox curiously as we approached. "Well?" He asked.

I explained the situation briefly, and the dusk fox renewed her offer of service in exchange for a name and protection. When we finished, Ken leaned against the windowsill and frowned. "I…" He rubbed at his left temple with two fingers. "I feel I should remember dusk foxes being in service to your family, Caley, but it's just not coming for some reason."

"That's all right, Ken," I said gently. "I don't expect you to know everything, after all."

Sparkle and Spice giggled. Shine hid a silent giggle behind her hand, and even the dusk fox smiled slightly.

"More importantly, what do you think?" I asked.

Ken gave his head a little shake, and then nodded. "I think it's both a trustworthy vow and an excellent idea. I know I'd feel a lot better knowing you had someone like a dusk fox watching your back when you go out. No offense, Sparkle, but you can't watch everywhere. With both you and a dusk fox watching over Caley, she'd be much safer in the outside world."

Sparkle, standing on the ledge below the windows, nodded. "I agree, Caley."

And I trusted both of them without doubt. I turned and went down on one knee to be closer to the dusk fox's eye level. "And this is truly what you want?"

She nodded fervently. "Yes, Lady Reid. More than anything."

"Well, then," I said slowly, "speak your vow."

The dusk fox straightened a little, her shoulders stiff, her chin lifted proudly. "In exchange for a real name and your protection, Guardian, I offer my life, skills and power in your service; to warn you of danger, advise you, and protect you from harm as best I can for as long as I live."

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Ken nod firmly.

"Then I accept your service and offer my protection and guidance in return," I said with as much gravity as I could, feeling the power in the words we were exchanging, "and I name you Penumbra." I'd been giving that thought since she'd asked for a name.

To my absolute astonishment there was a brief flash of darkness between us - I can't think of any other way to describe it - and a simple ring made of polished onyx dropped to the grass. Instinctively, I reached down, picked it up, and slid it on the same finger with Sparkle's.

The instant it was on, I felt the bond form between us, similar to the one I shared with Sparkle. A moment later, the dusk fox sitting in front of me was instead a young woman on one knee, who seemed to be made of solid shadows.

She was, I realized, a perfect mirror image of me…or, perhaps more correctly, a negative image of me. She was dressed like me, but her skin was a dusky coal black. Her hair, long and braided like mine, was the black of raven's wings fading to dark, glossy blue at the tips. Her eyes were still the dusk fox's bright gold. A pair of fox ears rose from her hair high up on either side of her head, the same black as her hair, fading to dark blue at their tips, and a pair of matching fox tails waved lazily behind her.

She blinked in surprise and stared at her hands. "What?"

I looked up at Ken, who shrugged and looked amused. "She can't be your shadow unless she can be your shadow."

"Oh," Penumbra and I said together.

Sparkle flew a tight circle around Penumbra, then stopped and laughed, clapping with delight. "That is so cool! Can you still be a fox?"

Penumbra looked at her and blinked a few times. "I think…" And suddenly she was a fox again, sitting in front of me and looking at me with a mixture of astonishment and joy. Then she was a girl again, lunging forward to hug me tightly as she burst into tears and gasped out, "Thank you, Lady Reid, thank you!"

I returned her hug…she felt perfectly solid and normal to me…and stroked her hair gently. "You're welcome, Penumbra." I gently pushed her back and cupped her chin to meet her eyes. "Please, call me Caley. And I promise you, I'll at least try to find a way to free your siblings. I don't know if it's possible, but if I can come up with a way to do so, I will."

She hugged me tightly again, sniffling and whispering her thanks over and over again. Her tails waved happily behind her.

Well. This would take some getting used to. I smiled and hugged Penumbra tightly. "Welcome to the family," I murmured. "I think I'll call you Penny for short."

"I'd like that, Caley," Penny whispered.

Around us, fairies materialized seemingly out of nowhere and broke into cheers.

What an amazing family I was building.