Moonglow was still skeptical and half expected the music to drive Kalix into an even worse frenzy. She looked down at the wolf, which was still prowling. But Kalix had stopped howling and was no longer trying to bite the crate.
“I think it’s working,” said Daniel. At the sound of his voice, Kalix started howling again. With a look between them, Daniel and Moonglow agreed to be silent for a while. Kalix quieted down again. The music played out gently through the warehouse. Kalix stopped howling. She walked around in a circle a few times. As the first song ended and the next began, she lay down and began licking her paws.
“I think it’s working,” Moonglow whispered in Daniel’s ear. She’d been standing rigidly in alarm since arriving on top of the crate, but now relaxed a little. Moving carefully so as not to disturb Kalix, she sat down. Daniel did the same. They sat and watched as the shaggy-coated wolf stretched out on the ground and yawned. Kalix’s wolf-mouth was huge, and her teeth were extremely long and sharp, but when she stopped yawning she looked quite peaceful.
For a long interval there was no movement in the warehouse, and no sound save for the gentle songs of Marine Girls. Kalix lay motionless on the ground, occasionally twitching her tail.
“She’s so beautiful as a wolf,” whispered Moonglow.
Daniel made a face. Kalix was beautiful as a wolf, but she was also abnormally powerful. It didn’t take long for her to forget she was human and lose her intellect. It was mainly because of this that she very rarely made the full change. Few of the MacRinnalchs did, preferring to spend their nights as werewolves, the half-human half-wolf state that came to them quite naturally. As werewolves, their intelligence didn’t desert them.
“Dominil can be a full wolf and still be rational,” whispered Moonglow.
“How do you know that?”
“The twins told me. They never dare go completely wolf because they’d immediately turn crazy.”
“I can believe that,” whispered Daniel. “So, do you think we’ll be here all night?”
Moonglow shrugged. Unless Kalix made the change back to her werewolf form, it seemed likely. Though the day had been warm, the temperature had dropped and it was chilly in the warehouse. Daniel gallantly took off his large coat and draped it over both of their shoulders.
“Do you want some tea?” asked Moonglow, still taking care to keep her voice down.
Daniel nodded. Moonglow carefully drew her flask from her bag and some paper cups. She filled one for each of them, and they sat in silence, listening to the music and gazing down at the slumbering wolf.
“Of all the strange situations we’ve been in since we met Kalix,” whispered Daniel, “this is probably the strangest. Trapped on top of a crate, drinking tea and listening to the Marine Girls.”
Despite the strangeness of the situation, Daniel didn’t really mind the position he was in, next to Moonglow, snuggled up under his coat. Moonglow giggled.
“What’s funny?”
“This. Our situation.”
“I suppose so,” said Daniel.
Suddenly, Kalix woke. She lifted her snout and started sniffing the air. Then she stood up and looked up at them.
“Is she about to go crazy again?” said Daniel.
“I don’t think so. Look, she’s wagging her tail.”
Kalix was indeed wagging her tail. Though still staring upward at them, her eyes were no longer blazing.
“She’s scented the tea. I think she wants some.”
“Are you sure?” said Daniel.
“Kalix likes tea. Her family used to drink a lot at the castle.”
They wondered how to get the tea to Kalix. Neither was keen to leave the safety of the crate just yet. Daniel and Moonglow did love Kalix, but they’d also seen her kill a hunter.
Daniel fumbled in one of his many pockets. He produced a length of string, and tied it around one of Moonglow’s paper cups. Moonglow filled the cup. Daniel leaned over the crate and started lowering the paper cup.
“Nice wolf,” he said. “Here’s a nice cup of tea. Don’t go crazy.”
Daniel lowered the tea gently to the ground. Kalix sniffed at it for a few moments, then stuck her long tongue in the cup. The cup quickly spilled over but Kalix didn’t seem to mind, and lapped the tea up from the floor. When she’d finished she lay down again, and once more there was peace in the warehouse, broken only by the gentle music. Daniel and Moonglow leaned on each other for warmth and support, while down below Kalix nodded off to sleep, apparently pacified.
Vex had never liked the Red Reception Chamber. It had been decorated centuries ago in a palette of black, crimson and maroon, and was to her mind one of the most unpleasant rooms in the palace. She did her best to ignore the speeches that were droning on endlessly, as dignitaries paid tribute to the sterling career of the Keeper of the Minor Volcano. The general consensus was that he had kept the Minor Volcano in splendid condition.
Vex chafed in her dress and glared at her smart court slippers.
I hate these more than anything in the whole world, she thought, and wondered glumly how much longer the speeches would go on for. Another five minutes and I’m making a run for it.
Eventually the speeches ended. There was a gentle movement in the chamber as the assembled Fire Elementals rose gracefully, a movement which was interrupted by Vex sprinting toward the back of the room where refreshments were laid out. The Fire Queen observed her niece’s rush to the wine table and could not entirely condemn her. It had been a tedious ceremony. Throughout it the Queen had mainly been worrying about her upcoming engagements. It was all very well for Thrix to blithely tell her she’d have her new frock ready for the fashion designers’ reception, but what if she didn’t? The event was only a week away, and she simply had to look perfect.
And once I negotiate that, thought the Fire Queen, there’s my meeting with the Earth Giants. What if my new formal coat isn’t ready?
Malveria began to fret and wondered if she could leave the reception early to pop back to earth and talk to Thrix.
“I will just partake of a glass of wine first.”
The Fire Queen smiled blandly at the aristocrats who bowed their heads as she made her way through chamber. She was almost within touching distance of a wine decanter when she was intercepted by Duchess Gargamond. The Fire Queen had been pleased by the return of the Duchess, but there was something about her manner that seemed unusual.
“Such a pleasure to be here,” the Duchess said, beaming. “And look, my brother, Duke Garfire, is with me.”
The Duchess shoved her younger brother into the Queen’s path. The Duke, quite a heavy elemental, bowed politely to the Queen, telling her how honored he was to encounter her again. Gargamond’s brother was not often at court, though he was an important member of the nobility. As such, the Queen was obliged to talk to him. She soon found herself listening to a long description of a hunt the Duke had recently organized. She had never been keen on hunting, and struggled to appear interested. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Agrivex partaking heartily from a large crystal decanter. Making it worse, Iskiline and Gruselvere, the Fire Queen’s two most trusted servants, were with her.
How is it that my servants are getting themselves a hearty helping of wine while I’m trapped here with the Duke? thought