“You changed your mind, then?” I whispered, painfully aware of how loud the sound of my voice was now that I was alone down here and the quicksilver wasn’t muttering to me. The little fox chittered in answer, grumbling away into my armpit. “All right. All right. Don’t worry. We’re all allowed to change our minds,” I told him. “Don’t suppose you’re good at keeping track of time, are you?” The little fox sneezed. “No, me neither.”

