What The Fox? (Completely Free!)

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

I went to Alix's side as he lost all ability to hold himself upright. The hole in his jacket was bleeding freely now. The fiery crimson blood pooled on my dress until it looked black as the beady eyes of the bandits who stood above me with their weapons drawn.

"Come with me, girl," Kujui snapped. I ignored him even as he tugged at my upper arm. Maybe he was exhausted from the fight, but the old devil didn't manage to budge me from Alix's side.

I continued to push down on the hole in Alix's chest, trying to keep the idiot alive a few seconds longer. "This was all a trial to see where your loyalty lies. I never wanted the stupid boy. He's no Alpha lángrén at all, just a worthless boy."

"Stop it!" I snapped as Kujui reached for my arm again. My resistance was emotional more than logical. I knew my helpless, trembling hands could barely put up a semblance of resistance if Kujui decided to shove his sword into my back. "He had the power of a thousand wolves inside him, and you stupidly ran your sword through him."

"Then why didn't he show me?" Kujui yelled, sending bits of flying spit into my face. "Tell me, Tang Yuan, why didn't he turn into his other form to save his life and yours? Maybe, once again — you're the one who is fooling herself."

"No, no, no," I repeated and formed my hands into fists. Without my hands holding the wound closed, the blood was flowing more freely than ever now. Alix's eyes fluttered closed, and his head slumped back. He was going to die, and there was nothing, no words of love or insults flowing from Kujui's forked tongue that could make any difference now.

As Alix faded from me, so too did my hope for freedom and revenge. So much for my plot to kill Julong Tian. It was back to the gutters of Ashe Mountain for me. I was going to live there among the fermented radish and maggots for another half a decade.

Or was there another path left to choose?

I glanced wildly about and wondered if I had one last trick inside me. The bandits who had gathered around us stood at ease now that the werewolf boy was dead. They weren't watching me at all. Maybe it was my tearful eyes and trembling lips. No one in their right mind wanted to watch a poor, helpless woman dissolve into hysterics as she tries to stop her lover from leaving her.

Unfortunately for them, I was no poor helpless woman. I was once a huli jing.

Now was my chance!

I reached into the folds of my robes and drew out the Jade Dagger. It still had two spells left in it. Yes, I knew that I would become a mortal woman if I used these last two spells. I had better use those last two spells wisely. There was no time to hesitate and reconsider all my options. Alix's eyes had fluttered closed, and his hand had fallen from the place around my wrist.

"Heal," I whispered and pressed the enchanted weapon against Alix's wound. "By the power of Nüwa, I command these wounds to heal — and I command you to reclaim your Lycan half."

With one spell, I healed his mortal wound. With the second, I broke through the barrier that prevented him from reaching his secret self— his wolfish heart. The magic ripped through me like a hurricane of power. This was to be my last act as a fox spirit. The goddess heard me, and so, Alix's body stitched itself back together. And then, it did more than that. I felt wild energy gather inside him, a power that could only come from the moon itself. He healed his human flesh, but even more so, I gave him back his wolfish soul.

As the life force rushed back into him, I started to see visions. This didn't always happen when I worked my magic; no, this was something else entirely.