Fox Fate by Robin Roseau Page B

stuffing the last one in my mouth. "Want more?" I rudely mumbled around the warm, sugary, doughy goodness.
    I had treated everyone, and looking around me, I saw a lot of satisfied smiles and quickly emptying little bags.
    "Serena," I called out, then nodded my head back towards Café du Monde. I got two steps before I was surrounded by enforcers.
    "Another bag each?" I asked. They came three to a bag. I could probably have ordered a box or something, but it was more fun to pass out the bags to everyone.
    "Five more bags will be enough," Serena said.
    It didn't take long to fill the order, and I passed them out. We reconnected with Lara and the others; she had a glass of lemonade for me, purchased from a rolling cart vendor. I had never acquired a taste for coffee, and orange juice would have just been too much sweetness on top of the beignets. I traded the last bag of beignets for the lemonade.
    I was dressed in another of my strapless maxi dresses, but this time I'd slipped my ankle sheaths in place. Elisabeth had made an early appearance in our room before Lara and I were even out of bed, although we'd been awake. She was carrying the dress and a pair of flats.
    "Did you bring my entire wardrobe?" I asked.
    "No," she said. "Just these two." She paused, studying my reaction. Lara was practically holding her breath, although I hadn't seen any daggers shooting from her eyes and into her sister.
    "It's the end of October," I pointed out.
    "It's already a nice day," she countered. She waved the dress lightly, and I nodded acquiescence. She hung the dress on a hook and assured us everyone would be ready to go when we came downstairs. As soon as the door closed behind her, I rolled over to my mate.
    "Did she make this wager for you?"
    "Michaela, I rather you didn't ask," Lara replied.
    I narrowed my eyes. She turned to face me.
    "Would you be in trouble if I knew the truth."
    "No."
    "But you don't want me wondering about this."
    "No."
    "All right," I agreed.
    And so I dropped the question, and I wore the dress without complaint.
    It wasn't all bad. Lara was finding opportunities to brush my bare shoulders with her fingers, and she'd had her fingers in my hair a few times, too. I had to admit, I enjoyed the attention from my mate. Lara was usually attentive to me, but it was clear she appreciated how I was dressed.
    I eyed one of Lara's beignets, wondering if I wanted one more bite. Lara caught me watching, so she picked one up with her fingers and presented it for me. I looked at it for a moment, then looked up at her. "I thought about it, but no, thank you. I've had enough for one Little Fox."
    Everyone finished her beignets. I laughed when Serena handed out wet wipes, a mother prepared for any situation. A moment later, as a group we turned, heading across the street to Jackson Square.
    It was still early, but the artists had already staked out their places around the square. We broke into three smaller groups, Lara and I walking together, holding hands, with Elisabeth, Karen, and Serena hovering near us. Portia, Angel and Eric took up less obtrusive positions nearby, keeping an eye on us, but giving us a little distance.
    We looked through the art. There was a lot I didn't care for, but a few of the artists and photographers had some very good work. I tried to find something for Celeste and Rebecca, but nothing struck my fancy. I did find a stunning photograph of an alligator, but I decided I didn't have anywhere to put it, and it didn't fit the decor of our house, either.
    At the edge of the square, a crowd was forming, but it was early, and traffic was still light. There was a street performer, a woman, dressed in a pure white Victorian dress and wearing a long, white wig and white face paint. She was moving in jerky steps, and I realized she was a marionette. I tugged Lara in that direction, and we found a place to watch, Lara standing behind me with her hands on my shoulders.
    The performer was good. Somehow she was making