Chapter 31 The Crimstone Academy #2
Canyon shook his head. This is a school that teaches foxen how to evade Khain. How is it that we don’t know a damn thing about it?
Timber had no answer. Canyon read through what LVC had written on the paper.
When Khain comes for me, I will run and hide.
The easiest places in Serenity to go dim are near the bear statue, the cougar statue, or the wolf statue.
Khain is easiest to fool near a body of water because it reflects his nature back to him which confuses him.
A foxen’s best defenses are speed, stealth, and cleverness.
In my opinion, the most meaningful prophecy is Vahiy sign #742 because if foxen work together with the vod, maybe the demon could be beaten or suppressed.
Sign #742: The captor asks the captive what he knows about Wisdom. The captive decides the captor’s worthiness. If worthy, a vixie takes her rightful place among the vod.
At the top was written, ‘Excellent—A+’ in a red pen. Canyon flipped quickly through the rest of the papers, reading all the answers to the first question, 1. When Khain comes for me, I will ____________. The answers given were:
run
run and hide
hide
go dim
spit in his eye
run really fast
insult him
tell him a yo mama joke
outsmart him
outmaneuver him
kill him
This last one was slashed through with red ink and written at the top, was: ‘0%. Foxen cannot kill Khain and to think that you can is a foolish death sentence. Nothing can kill Khain, not even the vodvod.’
What the fuck’s a vodvod? Canyon asked.
“You’re a fucking vodvod,” Timber told him, smacking him in the chest with a booklet.
It was titled VODVOD ROSTER. Canyon opened to the first page, which showed official police headshots of nine males.
“Hey that’s Trevor,” he said, surprised into speaking out loud. “This is all of us—the KSRT.”
The next page had more pictures of them, full-body shots surreptitiously taken while they were working or walking around Serenity.
The page after that had detailed drawings of all their renqua with their full names, birthdates, and even their addresses.
The next page had pictures of Troy and Trent as wolves, and one of Graeme as a man.
The last page showed a picture of Ella, heavily pregnant, walking into a restaurant, hand in hand with Trevor. There were no pictures of the young.
Canyon didn’t know what to think. Timber handed him an entire stack of similar booklets, and Canyon worked his way through them.
They were in chronological order, and he flipped back year after year until he found the year he’d joined the KSRT.
He pulled this booklet out, noticing someone had written on his picture.
He looked closer. Just below the nametag WHEELING on his shirt, someone had written in tiny letters, SW <3 CW, with small hearts surrounding the print.
Canyon ran his thumb over it. He looked up to see if Timber had seen it, but Timber was already across the room at the books.
Canyon folded the booklet in half and shoved it in his back pocket.
At the books, Timber had pulled out Conversations with Rhen, no author noted. The book was arranged with a short essay on every page, in alphabetical order, according to title. Timber leafed through it, reading the first bit of a few essays at random, with Canyon looking over his shoulder.
THE BONDSERVANT TETHER
Rhen says the Bondservant Tether is not a punishment or a sentence, but rather a natural consequence of the actions of the demon. Rhen says the Tether will be broken and reparations will abound, but even Rhen cannot say when this will happen. She says foxen must help themselves.
FOXEN ORIGINS
Rhen says foxen are her children as surely as wolven, bearen, and felen are, and we may be even more special to her, as we are the children of her children, whom she loves fully and in all ways.
She says Khain has taken what he had no right to take, but the act did not create evil or lower creatures, and those who suppose so are misguided and mistaken.
THE POISONING
Rhen says the mass poisoning could have been avoided by all if all had listened to the warnings given.
RENQUA
Rhen says all foxen have renqua, and those who do not have one at birth will develop it over the course of their lives.
She says to joyfully think of it often, look for it always, and never give up hope.
She says a faint renqua is not a sign of weak character or weak love from Rhen, but rather a natural occurrence, just as some stars are brighter than others.
THE VAHIY
Rhen says the Vahiy will come to pass fully, although all of the signs may not. Rhen says the Vahiy is protection, an assurance of an ending of some sort, whether it be for good or for evil.
“Interesting, interesting,” Timber muttered. He closed the book and pulled out Never Trust a Vod, written by Slinger Van Crimson, then read the first paragraph out loud.
“Never trust a vod, because the vod don’t trust you.
Vod believe that foxen are born aligned with Khain.
Vod and vodvod will think nothing of breaking into your homes and businesses, going through your belongings, locking up your family members, and destroying your lives.
Vod believe you have no right to privacy or safety, security or peace. ”
Timber snapped the book shut. “Shit,” he said. “I’m feeling some kinda way here.”
Canyon grunted agreement. Maybe we should…
“Put it back,” Timber finished, returning the book to its shelf. “Let’s find these foxen.” He left the room.
Canyon stared at the books for a long time before he followed his brother.