Chapter 9

The Fool

The railing was smooth to the touch, as if it had been recently polished. She touched a knot in the wood, her fingers caressing the fractured ridges. Closing her eyes, she took in the smell of the place. The rich scent of oil, sawdust, and water from the fountain out back filled her with a swirl of nostalgia, causing her to inhale again, only deeper this time.

So many old scents and a few that were new. Behind them all was the faint, faded scent of sunflowers and rain.

Emily. It was hard to think of her without love and hate at the same time. So many good times had been enjoyed in this house, many of those in her presence. Yet the taint of her eventual betrayal left a dark shadow standing in the corner of those memories, ready to tear her heart in two once more.

The steps creaked under her feet, each sound a familiar friend welcoming her back. She only made it three steps down before Emily’s scent drifted her way once again. Her breath hitched, and she stopped.

It was hard to do, but she turned around and went back up. The master bedroom was at the end of the hall and she entered it quietly as if walking into a church service.

Oddly, it was largely as she remembered it. Other than some clothes scattered across the floor, it was decorated the same as it had been. The furniture was exactly as she remembered, except for an old rug lying in the corner.

That man’s stench was everywhere, but beneath it was the scent of Emily. It grew stronger as she crossed the room, approaching the rug on the floor. When she lifted it up, she could tell that the wood underneath had been badly damaged, and the scent told her why.

Emily had died in this spot and rotted. Beneath the sweet scent of sunflowers and rains was the harsh scent of cloves and death. The room was a treasure trove of sensory information, but this spot was where her dear Emily had finally crossed over. She tossed the rug aside, contemplating the stained floor beneath.

Silent for several seconds, Yuki fought back the grief and anger that welled up inside of her. The memories in this room were suffocating, and she needed to leave before she forgot how to breathe. In a way, this had become Emily’s grave.

She stuck her hand inside the neckline of her dress and pulled out a ring on a chain.

“It was never supposed to be like this. You promised me forever, and then broke my heart without ever telling me why.” It was all she could say, her skin rippling with patches of fur that rode across her arms like waves. Emily had made her so many promises, but this was one that, in the end, she hadn’t been able to keep.

The memory of that first day without Emily had been burned into her mind forever. She had woken up in the tower, surprised to find that Emily had disappeared. Days went by without any sign of her, and Yuki, convinced the centaurs had taken her, had rained terror down on the Herd. Lonely weeks wandering that tower had turned to months, and then years. The portal through the trees never opened once, and she had cried herself to sleep almost every night.

Until the night Emily had come back for some of the magic locked away in the tower. That one night had turned all of her grief to rage, and the two of them had fought for hours. Emily had grown powerful during their time apart, and Yuki ended up losing her eye. She would never forget that final defining moment in their relationship, the kitsune knocked flat on the floor and bleeding all over the cold tower floor. Emily stood just outside of a portal that had appeared in the tower, clutching a glowing emerald in her hand.

“I wish I could forget you,” Emily had said, her face twisted into a sneer, then stepped through the portal. Yuki had cried in agony, watching the portal slowly shrink away to nothing and then vanish. It was the day her heart had been forever broken, and she realized that even true love could be corrupted by magic. Humans were too weak to be gifted with the house and its occupants, destined forever to pursue the power within.

On that day, Yuki had pulled the silver ring off her finger, keeping it only as a reminder of how cruel love could be, pledging to kill the next Caretaker she saw on sight. She could never allow another human to become corrupt inside her sanctuary, threatening those she loved.

She lowered the chain onto the floor, letting it form a spiral on the ground. The ring was last, lying atop the links like the cherry on a cupcake. She had worn that chain every day around her neck, never daring to put it back on her finger. Forgiveness would never come, and while Emily had wanted to forget the whole thing had ever happened, Yuki simply could not.

Standing, she walked out of the room, leaving the ring behind. The scent clung to her skin, Emily’s shadow walking beside her when she left. It would probably always be a part of her, a painful memory to contemplate at night. She continued down the hall, past the stairs, and to her old room, then quietly pushed the door open.

This one had changed a bit. Someone had moved in recently, someone who smelled of lilacs and—she sniffed again—sulfur, apparently. The bed was a mess, and a blanket had been tossed over the mirror on the armoire. Yuki removed it, then spotted the dark briefcase under the bed in its reflection.

She knelt down to pull the briefcase out and was about to open it when she saw that the closet was open. It was an ordinary closet for now, but she couldn’t help but close it and then twist the knob through a series of patterns. When she opened it again, she was looking into dark cavern within.

Just like that, a memory jumped from the shadows to claim her. its grip was surprisingly strong. She tried to fight it, but it ran like a flood through her mind, and she let it flow freely.

“The house is full of surprises, isn’t it?” Emily said, holding up a flashlight up and clicking it on. It was now forty years ago and they were standing in the same room. Yuki sniffed the air and caught a whiff of water and dust somewhere deep in the depths of the cavern.

“How did you find this?” Yuki asked, summoning a ghostly sphere made of foxfire to hover in front of them. It wandered ahead ten feet and then stopped, waiting for them to catch up.

The Caretaker rolled her eyes. “Jenny got loose again and I caught her trying to run down here. I convinced her to tell me how to get in in exchange for a second chance.”

Yuki snorted. “Don’t you mean a ninth or tenth chance?”

“Yeah, well...” she took a few steps forward. “I figured it would be fun to explore something new with you. What do you say?” Emily held up her hand.

Yuki grinned and took Emily’s hand in her own.

They jogged through the cave together. Yuki’s senses were sharp enough that she didn’t worry about coming across any surprises, and she knew that Emily was well equipped to tackle almost any problem that came their way. Back in the house, it was a frozen afternoon in the dead of winter. Tink and the fairies were huddled up by the fireplace making s’mores with each other. Tink had handed out chopsticks they had gotten from their Chinese food delivery for the fairies to use. Each one of them had taken turns flying close to the fire to toast their marshmallow while Tink drank a mug of hot cocoa.

Yuki had never been certain what to think of the little goblin. Her speech was vulgar, yet she had a brilliant mind. Emily treated Tink with an immense amount of respect but always stopped short of explaining why.

“Oh, wow!” Emily stared in amazement at the giant subterranean space that unfolded before them. Large crystalline stalactites hung above an ancient complex below. Luminescent moss revealed that the structure was a giant maze.

“Indeed.” Yuki sniffed the air. There were no immediate signs of danger, but she didn’t want a repeat of the troll incident. Winking at Emily, she held out her elbow. “If I may escort you?”

“You may.” Emily linked her arm through Yuki’s and they walked the long, winding path together. So close to Emily, Yuki was overwhelmed not only by her scent, but also by her magic. It crept across her body like the warmth of a sunbeam, igniting a different sort of fire within. As Yuki understood it, Emily’s exposure to Naia over the years had slowly converted her innate magical talents to be extremely similar. Emily rarely traveled these days, but when she did, men and women couldn’t help but stare at her in wonderment.

These days, Yuki was having the same problem.

They reached the bottom, and Yuki looked back up the hillside they had just come down. “You could build stairs to get back up if you wanted.”

“Sounds like a lot of work. Oh, wow, look at that!” Emily pointed at a large reflecting pool that was close to a set of doors that led into the Labyrinth. When they got close, Emily was already stripping off her shirt, her exposed breasts defying gravity and bouncing upward once freed of their confines.

“Fancy a dip?” She looked back at the fox, her hands on the hips of her jeans.

Yuki swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. She couldn’t take her eyes off of Emily’s golden areola. It was the first time she had seen the Caretaker’s bare breasts and was surprised to see that they glittered in the light of the cave.

“You okay?” Emily asked, concern on her face. She walked closer to Yuki, her prominent nipples waving back and forth like a fisherman’s lure.

Yuki was old enough to have been with both men and women sexually, but this was different. The nymph magic running through Emily’s blood was polarizing, and Yuki wondered what she would risk if she were to act on the sudden hot feelings running through her hips and along her tails.

“Earth to Yuki.” Emily waved a hand in front of Yuki’s face. This made her breasts wobble even more.

“Um, I’m good.” Yuki shook her head, chasing away the thoughts that had been racing through her mind. Casting her eyes down at the reflecting pool, she grabbed Emily before she could jump in. “Don’t jump in there?”

“Why not? Is there a shark?”

“Ha Ha, very funny.” Yuki cleared her throat, trying once more to forget that shark movie that Emily had taken her to see at the discount cinema. She was able to pass for an ordinary human, so would go into town with Emily for rare meals and movies.

Emily thought it was a funny joke, but in reality, Yuki was now terrified of swimming in the ocean as a result.

Not that I couldn’t fuck up a shark, she thought to herself. Well, once she grew her third tail anyway. With each tail, she was able to master another domain of magic, and in a couple of decades, she planned to learn some powerful water magic. Sharks couldn’t bite her if she controlled the medium they swam in, and Emily had already mentioned how useful it would be if she knew someone who could breathe underwater.

That, and being able to summon rain and then freeze it would make her ice magic far more powerful.

“It’s a portal.” Yuki told her, kneeling down at the edge. To the kitsune, the outline of the reflecting pool glowed intensely. It was the same glow that illuminated the trees that Emily walked through, the ones that allowed her to traverse entire continents. She had been fascinated by the process when she had first been brought here, stepping through a glowing portal to be greeted by the cool, clean air of Emily’s backyard. Since then, they had traveled many places, places where Emily had planted her magical trees so that she could walk across the globe.

“Can you see where it goes?” When Emily bent over the pool, Yuki’s eyes flicked to the sway of her reflection’s pendulous breasts. She burned that image deep into her mind, fighting the urge to lick her lips.

“Not really.” Her hand hovered over the water, and she interpreted the shifting magical currents beneath her. “It activates once you are inside, but I can’t tell where it—”

Emily wrapped her hands around Yuki’s waist and pushed, both of them falling into the pool. The world twisted around them both and they burst through a door, spilling across the wooden floor. Yuki stood up and growled, her body more fox than human. She shook off the water, her fur poofing up in response.

Emily, however, was laughing. It was the tinkling of bells, the singing of birds; it was a sound that resonated deep inside of Yuki’s heart, calling forth memories of her own childhood chasing butterflies through the forest with her litter mates.

“Why did you do that?” Yuki demanded. “You had no idea where that portal went!”

Emily grinned. “It didn’t matter where it took us. I had you by my side.”

Yuki felt a rush of heat in her face, and she opened her mouth, but didn’t know how to respond.

“Fucking stinky fox,” a voice grumbled from behind her. When Yuki turned, she saw a miserable looking Tink standing in the living room, her sweater covered in the water Yuki had shed. Tink gazed mournfully at a cup of hot cocoa with a couple of fox hairs floating on the surface.

Emily covered her mouth with one hand, stifling a laugh.

“Oh, Tink, we’re so sorry,” she said, kneeling down to placate the goblin.

Tink leaned back to avoid getting hit in the face with a boob. “Emily put Tink’s eye out with these things.” She flicked one of Emily’s nipples impatiently, which put a halt to the human’s laughter. “Why fall out of closet full of water?”

“C’mon, Tink, I have another sweater I can loan you. Guess I’ll have to go back for my shirt later.” She turned around and held her hand out to Yuki. “You coming? You probably need a change of clothes too.”

Yuki had calmed down, her red fur sinking back into her flesh. Pulling her wet hair back into a ponytail, she nodded, and took Emily’s hand, letting her take her upstairs.

“Who are you?” The memory popped like a bubble and she was back in the present, staring absently into the cave. A blue light hovered in front of her and her outstretched hand now held on to nothing. It hovered over the entrance to the cave, and she hastily closed the door before addressing the ball of light.

“Cerulea?” Yuki squinted, her eye focusing on the tiny blue fairy. “Is that really you?”

“Yep!” Cerulea did a twirl in the air, sending magical sparks in every direction. “You’re a good guesser!”

“Cerulea, it’s me, Yuki.” She held up her hand and the tiny fairy landed on it, her plump bottom pressing against Yuki’s finger.

“Hmm.” The fairy tilted her head from side to side. “Doesn’t ring any bells.”

Yuki shrugged it off. “Where are the others?”

“The others? Oh, they’re all over the place. Carmina and Olivia are out front watching the sand man with Abella, and Tink is with the rats. Sofia brought some books for Beth to read, but she’s in the greenhouse with Asterion.” For whatever reason, Cerulea giggled after saying this last part. “Oh, and Mike is in the wardrobe with Ratu and Zel.”

“Oh.” She didn’t recognize a few of the names, but now she knew who the new Caretaker was. Had been. “Who is the sand man?”

“He’s one of the mean ones. Those guys want to come in the house and—” the fairy stared into space for a few seconds. “And do something bad. I’m not entirely sure what. One of them made a storm that almost broke the house!”

“I bet they did.” It sounded like Mike was already doing a phenomenal job of fucking up. “But you don’t need to worry anymore. I’ll take care of the mean people for you.”

“Yay!” Cerulea took off and flew away. Yuki was grateful that Daisy was far more intelligent than her sisters, and a much better listener. She closed the closet door. Leaving her room behind, she was back in the hallway and at the top of stairs.

Why was it so hard coming home? Her foot hovered over that first step again and she paused. What if the others rejected her? She had no idea what Emily had told them, but she doubted it had been anything good. Ever since that fateful day Emily had left her behind in the tower, she had wondered many things, but this was one that bothered her the most.

Why hadn’t anybody come to look for her?

She moved slowly down the stairs, taking in the recent renovations. Apparently there was a new floor, and she fought the urge to go explore it. She could mess with that later, once she had spoken with Naia. Naia would be able to tell her everything, and she was already bracing herself for answers that she didn’t want to hear.

The place smelled of water, fire, industrial cleaner, and oil. The front room looked like it had been recently repaired and redecorated. In the front window was a dollhouse that looked like it had seen better days. Through one of the windows, she could see Jenny contemplating the front yard. Yuki was surprised to see the doll out of the Vault and made a note to put her back. The last thing she needed was that little psychopath running around.

The house was quiet where she stood, but she could hear Naia singing from the back yard. A chill ran down her spine at the sound of Naia’s voice. The two of them had been fast friends, and she fought the urge to run. Would Naia even recognize her now? She looked different now, especially after her third tail had grown while she was gone.

She moved forward, stopping just before the hallway. There was a large blank spot along the wall perfect for a grandfather clock, and she wondered if the mimic was hiding somewhere else in the house.

Every step she took toward the back door was another step back in time. She had dreamt of this moment for so long, but had no idea what form it would take. She pushed open the back door and stepped outside. The sky was cloudless and blue, just as it had been the day Emily had brought her here for the first time.

The memory of her first day in the house was intense. She could feel each of her tails twitching nervously behind her with every step across the cobblestone path just outside the back door. A stone statue sitting on the edge of the fountain had looked up at her with a smile, then took to the sky. Along the back gate, a goblin could be seen examining the large padlock holding it shut, prodding at the lock with a series of picks.

Over the fountain, a flurry of glittering lights danced with the birds. Each light was a different color that emitted its own sound, and the red light broke off from the pack to hover in front of Yuki.

“You’re red like me!” The light burst into a tiny woman with dragonfly wings. “Ooh, and your ears are so pretty.”

“Um... yeah.” Yuki blushed as the other fairies hovered in front of her, each one taking turns touching her ears. Each tap of a fairy hand send shivers down her spine, her ears extremely sensitive to being touched.

“Off. Off with you.” Emily waved a hand through the cloud of fairies and they scattered with a series of giggles. “Leave her alone, let her get settled. They’re a little excited, it’s been a while since they met someone new.”

“Uh huh.” Yuki looked over her shoulder, still half expecting a trap to be sprung.

“This is Naia.” Emily took her to the large fountain in the back, a wide smile on her face. “She’s kind of the heart and soul of the house, and a good person to talk to if you have any questions.”

From the water, a figure emerged, fat droplets running down her skin and splashing into the water beneath. Her features solidified when she moved across the fountain, dancing quietly along the surface until she appeared to be a normal human, albeit one of the most beautiful ones Yuki had ever seen.

She approached the nymph carefully, her hands tucked away in her jacket. Naia’s curly hair was a mixture of green and blue, and once she saw the two of them, she sat cross-legged on a stool made of water. Tiny birds circled her, singing their songs while landing in the fountain for a quick drink or a bath. The fairies had left for parts unknown.

“It’s so nice to meet you, Yuki.” Naia gave the fox a wink. “We’re all so excited to have you here.”

“We truly are.” Emily took Yuki by the hand. “This place is your home now, for as long as you want it to be. Don’t be afraid to ask for anything if you need it.”

Looking back and forth between Emily and Naia, Yuki now realized where Emily’s magic came from. The woman had persistently hunted her down and convinced her to flee her homeland, and she had half expected to be led into a trap by a witch. Even if it had been a trap, her situation could only improve, but so far everything was as Emily had claimed. The other creatures she had met on her way through the house had all seemed so happy.

Happy. A word that had eluded her for quite some time now. The past faded away, and she was back in the present, staring at the same fountain she had spent countless days and nights by. The nymph had been her confidante, her accomplice, her best friend. She wondered how Naia would react upon seeing her again, wondered if she would have the answers Yuki needed to help her move on, to let go of the past.

Now, all these years later, would those things still be the same? Standing in the light of the present, she watched the nymph contemplating some flowers that had been moved close to the fountain, her fingers caressing an unopened bud with a sphere of mist around them.

Yuki cleared her throat.

“Oh!” Naia jumped, her breasts bouncing beneath her gown. She turned to see who was there, the water of the fountain swirling protectively around her like a cloak. Her mouth became a partial frown. “Who are you?”

“It’s me, Naia. Yuki. Don’t you remember?” She stepped closer to the fountain and pointed at her ears. “I might look a little different, but the ears never change, right? My hair used to be a lot darker, but I’m still me. How have you been?”

Naia’s face twisted up as she became deep in thought. “No, I’m afraid we’ve never met.”

Yuki laughed. “Is this supposed to be a joke? Yeah, I know my hair is different, but c’mon. I came to live here in the eighties. Tink used to play us movies on that old movie projector. We watched Star Wars on that wall over there.” She pointed to the blank spot next to the door of the garage.

“Um...” Naia shook her head. “No, sorry.”

“I know you have Emily’s memories, just take a look.”

Naia’s eyes flashed several times, but she shook her head. “I’m not sure how you know about that, but there’s nothing in there about you. Wait, have you met Mike? Once he sees you, I’ll be able to remember.”

Yuki snorted. “Yes, I met Mike. The geas shouldn’t be blocking any of my memories.”

“You’ve met him? Where?”

“Really? I’ve been locked away for decades and all you can ask about is that... is that man?” The chill in her belly extended up through her breasts and radiated along her arms. Was she really so easy to forget? The surrounding temperature dropped rapidly, and she pointed a clawed finger at Naia. “What about me? Did you ever even ask Emily about me, about where I went?”

“I have no idea who you are.” Naia looked apologetic. “I can’t go back in time and ask a woman who’s never met you where you went.”

“It’s me, Yuki!” A blast of frigid air caused frost to creep up the windows of the home. “You used to call me your little fox, you cleaned brambles out of my fur the time the Mandragora and I got into a fight over a steak I had been saving in the fridge, you showed me how to swim properly, and sometimes we would...” she couldn’t bear to say it aloud. A tear formed in Yuki’s eye and slid free, freezing to her cheek. “How can you not remember me?”

“Settle down, there are lots of reasons not to remember. This is a magic house, after all. If you just wait, I bet Mike can help you.”

“He can’t help anybody!” When she swung her arm, rays of frost struck the ground, causing ice to climb up the edge of the fountain. “He’s not the Caretaker anymore, I am! The position is mine by right.” Naia could argue about magical homes all she wanted, but Yuki knew the truth.

Emily had used magic to erase Yuki. The thought made Yuki growl, and the wind swirled around her, flurries appearing around her.

“Look, Yuki, you need to settle down.” The glyphs along Naia’s ribcage glowed ominously and the pressure outside dropped. “There can only be one Caretaker and it isn’t you. Where is Mike?”

“The centaurs have him.”

“What centaurs?”

“The ones who live in the wardrobe.” Ice crystals formed on the stones, creeping up the side of the house now. It occurred to Yuki that the Mandragora’s vines were no longer there. Likely they had died before he could figure out how to care for it. “They’ve probably killed him by now if he’s lucky.”

Naia’s eyes flashed, the water now swirling around her and blasting the frosty air with steam. “Why are you so angry with him? Yes, Mike has screwed up more than once, but I doubt he’s done anything to you that can’t be undone.” She tilted her head to one side as if listening to a distant sound. “He’s still alive, by the way.”

“Not for long.” Yuki held up the key to the wardrobe, causing Naia’s eyes to widen. She was tempted to bend it, maybe snap it in half, but remembered that she needed to go back for Daisy. Instead, she made it vanish with the flick of her wrist. “This house doesn’t need him. It needs someone who can protect it. You’ll see.”

“Mike is the Caretaker here. That will not change.” Naia’s voice was suddenly dangerous. “Give me back that key, Yuki.”

Yuki raised a finger, ready to blast Naia and freeze her fountain. She knew better than anyone just how dangerous the nymph could be. But when her sleeve slid up to reveal that the backs of her hands and wrist were now covered in soft white fur, she let out a heavy sigh. She was losing her temper already and was about to make a huge mistake. This wasn’t Naia’s fault, after all.

It was Emily’s.

“I don’t have time to wait for you to remember, to know that I’m right.” Yuki loosened the straps of her eyepatch. “But when I do, I promise I’ll come back and fix this.”

She took off the eyepatch and Naia’s eyes went wide in terror. It was a face Yuki had seen many times, but this time flooded her with guilt. Naia couldn’t know what was about to happen, but Yuki knew she was already feeling the effect, and her mouth opened in a silent scream.

The effect was usually instantaneous, but it was different with Naia. In slow motion, a dark gray color spread across her body, then sank into the water beneath her feet. Her outstretched arm solidified, her entire body solidifying in place.

The nymph had been turned to stone.

“I’m so sorry,” Yuki said, slipping the eyepatch back on. She stepped toward the statue and slid her fingers between the fingers of Naia’s outstretched hand. “Once I get everything here figured out, I can undo it. You will remember me.”

She felt the ground shake behind her, the air filled with the sound of thousands of pounds of stone colliding with the earth. Grabbed from behind, she was hurled backward toward the house so hard that the back door ripped free of its hinges and she tumbled down the hall.

Abella stomped toward her, murder in her eyes.

“Why did you do that? Why did you kill her?” Abella scooped up one of the concrete planters with little effort, her biceps bulging.

“I didn’t kill her, just let me—” Yuki summoned a wall of ice, but the planter busted through, scattering ice shards down the hall. She summoned several walls behind her and stumbled to her feet at the sound of Abella busting her way through.

“Abella, wait, listen!” She ran farther into the house, wincing at the sound of crackling wood. If she got into a fight with the gargoyle here, the house would be quickly demolished. But if she went outside, the gargoyle would have the advantage of the sky. Without the Jabberwock to help her, she’d have to rely on her wits to win.

The house had to come first.

Yuki sprinted past the stairs where Tink and a large rat stood on the landing, open mouthed. The house shook when Abella shattered one of the ice walls, howling with fury. Yuki shoved her way out the front door, casting a wary eye at the porch swing. She wasn’t certain if Cecilia would help Abella, but was relieved to see the banshee was absent.

She ran across the yard, summoning a storm of ice. The Gorgon’s Eye wouldn’t work on the gargoyle, which meant she would actually have to fight her. She had tried to use it on the mysterious naga, but the smoke and steam had made it hard to spot the snake, and by the time she was ready to use it, the naga had hit the sun stone with a massive ball of fire.

There were only seconds left before Abella caught up. The storm was still too weak to provide Yuki with much cover and she was still recovering from her fight with the naga. Several walls of ice formed between her and the front door before Abella stepped out. Yuki had already ducked behind one, tracing symbols in the ground. She didn’t want to hurt Abella, but she needed a plan to stop her.

The heavy flapping of wings signaled that Abella had already gone airborne. Using a swirl of powder, Yuki dashed to another wall. A thin layer of snow was beginning to form, and she commanded her dress to shift back to the white furs she had worn before. Huddled behind another ice wall, she traced more sigils into the ground.