Chapter 226 - Outposts
Scarlett and Dean Godwin strolled back from the hedge garden to the mansion, making their way to the front courtyard, which was still under renovation. Scarlett, through the Loci’s senses, knew this was where Rosa was.
Upon reaching the courtyard, they spotted Rosa perched on a simple stone bench, clad in a snug fur coat. With klert in hand, the bard was playing an upbeat tune as a fiery fox danced before her. Around them, unlit candles were arranged in a wide circle, the snow around their metal holders partially melted.
Rosa chuckled heartily as she played away on her instrument, causing one of the candles to ignite with a dark red flame. The fox, standing at the center of the circle, darted towards the flickering light, which snuffed itself out only for another candle to light up, drawing the fox’s attention in a new direction.
“Just you wait, my fiery little friend. In time, we’ll be an unstoppable duo, feared by the purses of crowds all across the empire!” the woman exclaimed in a playfully sinister voice.
Suppressing a sigh, Scarlett paused along with Godwin at the courtyard’s edge. Lending Rosa the [Foxfire Charm] might have been a mistake.
“That’s a fascinating creature,” Godwin remarked, watching the fox as it chased the elusive candlelights in vain. The critter, made of living flames, moved with an almost ethereal grace, but curiously, its presence didn’t seem to affect the snow beneath it.
Noticing their arrival, Rosa ceased her music, the brown-haired woman’s face breaking into a smile. “Oh? If it isn’t the classy old magic man. It’s been too long.”
A soft laugh left Godwin as they began to approach the woman. To stay warm, Scarlett subtly used her pyrokinesis to maintain a comfortable temperature around them, which earned her an acknowledging glance from the wizened wizard.
“So, what brings you both to my modest performance?” Rosa asked, setting her klert aside. The fox had gone completely still as the last of the candles extinguished, its attention seeming not to focus on anything.
“The Dean wished to meet with you,” Scarlett answered.
“Yeah? Well, alright. Consider me at your disposal, then. Don’t have much else going on for me right now.” Rosa nodded towards the fox. “I’ve been trying to teach this little rascal some tricks, but it’s slow going. I’ve only just got him moving, and now I’m working on more complex commands. ‘Fetch’ will be a tricky one.”
“It is not a pet, Miss Hale,” Scarlett said, motioning with her hand to conjure a fist-sized flame at eye level. The fox’s attention snapped to the flame, and it eagerly bounded towards it. As it paused beneath the fire, looking up as if mesmerized, the flame itself swelled in size.