Fox Of Greed (Greedy Fox Book 1)

~~ TWENTY SIX ~~

I shielded my eyes from the glare of the rising sun, observing the quiet little town come to life. People were readying for the festival, rushing to and fro with baskets and trailing streamers. Heavy set men cajoled the crowd with shows of strength for the upcoming fights. On a rocky outcrop that protruded from the lush green ground, Diane's bronze Gideon shone. A magnificent weapon, if you were a giant that was. No one else would ever be able to wield it.

I wrinkled my nose in distaste and moved back into the shadows, sweet relief from the light. Hendrickson's plan was stupid. The Seven Deadly Sins were the strongest and smartest knights of the kingdom. Displaying a sacred treasure in the middle of a sleeping town that holds a fighting festival was like lighting a beacon and saying trap.

No one would be daft enough to fall for it.

"Are you listening, Estra?" huffed a short creature wearing a silver helmet that sat low – and I mean low as in covering their entire face – and a pink... dress?

Helbram was really going all out in his attire.

"I don't need to listen. This plan is so simplistic anyone with two eyes could guess their part to play. I wait, I hide and when the sins show up, I attack."

"No!" Helbram slapped his palm onto where his forehead would be. "This is why I hate favoured apprentices. Think they're above everything. Not to mention that they can't even pay attention to their superior's." His squeaky little voice chastising me only made me angrier.

I could pummel your smug face into the ground, bastard. Instead of voicing that though, I set about adjusting my vambraces and dusting off my attire. I'd upgraded on the colour of my singlet and shorts – red dragon scales are more resistant to fire – and modified the boots to make them longer and reinforced over the knee with the leftover scrapes that the vambraces were made from. My sword rested comfortably on my back.

"Okay, I'm listening, Mr Superior. What's my job?"

If he was a kettle, he would whistle. I didn't need to see facial expressions to know I was pissing him off. Only Hendrickson's favour of me stayed his hand. In my head I egged him on to lash out just so I had an excuse to punch him.

"You will be in the crowds watching the games. The sins will worm their way in like usual so you'll keep an eye on them. And nothing more! Guila, Jericho and myself will handle the sins when it begins."

My left eye twitched. Surveillance. Just surveillance? I risked losing my boyfriend on the whims of revenge just to be put into surveying the deadliest knights to ever roam the land. I opened my mouth to protest but really, what was the point? With this many high calibre Knights and criminals in one small town, there was sure to be a fight.

Instead I said, "Aye, aye, captain," mockingly with a two-finger salute and stalked down to the town. Knowing Helbram, he'd ship me back to Liones if I continued to stamp my foot and disregard his orders.

It was louder in town, the boisterous atmosphere lifting my spirits and fuelling the fighting fire in my soul. Of course I got looks prowling into town dressed as I was but they were more curious than nervous. In their eyes I could see them calculating if I was to be a competitor. Lucky for them, I wasn't.

I passed sellers spreading freshly baked goods on wobbly tables and food carts with pyramids constructed of oranges, apples, peaches and pears. I'd taken a few more steps before I realised I was holding a juicy red apple. I looked over my shoulders but no one beared down on me so I shrugged and took a crunchy bite. Guess the tremor of my fighting spirit was just my stomach getting famished.

A short, violet haired woman scolding a muscular man grabbed my attention. Both carried swords on their person and the way the woman held herself reminded me of the King. When she turned round and I got a glimpse of her face, I found my theory right. I'd seen her portrait strung to the walls of the palace enough times to know who she was.